Madrasatul Imam Muhammad Zakariya

Inspection of Madrasatul Imam Muhammad Zakariya Keswick Street, Bolton, Lancashire BL1 8LX

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Sixth-form provision Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Good

Does the school meet the independent school standards?

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils who attend Madrasatul Imam Muhammad Zakariya are friendly and confident. They are proud to be British Muslims. They are prepared well so that they can make a valuable contribution to British society. Pupils achieve well across the curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Adults have high expectations of pupils. Pupils thrive and achieve very well personally and academically. Most go on to further education and professional careers.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Behaviour is excellent. Pupils are polite, thoughtful, hard-working and show impeccable manners. Pupils are considerate and caring towards each other. They show enormous respect for people outside of their faith and immediate community.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe in school. They know that adults look after and care for them. Bullying is rare. If it should happen, pupils know that it would be dealt with quickly and effectively. Adults teach pupils how to keep themselves safe in a range of situations, including when using the internet or social media.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils study a wide range of subjects such as English, mathematics, humanities and citizenship.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers are very happy with the work of the school. They say their children are growing into young people that are self-assured and curious about life.

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better?

Leaders have high expectations of pupils. They have thought carefully about what they want pupils to learn. Staff think about the skills, knowledge and understanding that pupils need to succeed academically. They have thought about the order of learning so that it helps pupils remember important information. Staff have created a demanding curriculum which prepares pupils very well for the future.

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better?

Teachers are experts in the subjects that they teach. Teachers are skilful in helping pupils to see connections in their learning. Pupils understand the topics that they study. For example, in English pupils pick out important themes within a story. Pupils build on this knowledge to look more deeply at the meaning of the text. They present what they have found out to their classmates maturely.

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better?

Teachers explain things to pupils clearly. Pupils regularly revisit concepts and topics that they have learned before. They practise new skills and try out their learning in different situations. For example, in mathematics pupils enjoy using what they know about percentages and fractions to set up and manage the finances of charity events.

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better?

Teachers know pupils well. They plan interesting activities for them. Pupils gain confidence across the curriculum in a range of topics because of the effective 5–7 November 2019

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planning of the curriculum. For example, in citizenship pupils analyse human rights and international law with confidence.

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Staff work to ensure that all pupils achieve their very best. Most pupils attain above those of a similar age nationally in their GCSE examinations. Teachers are quick to notice any pupils who struggle with their learning. They give valuable support to most pupils. Occasionally support for low-ability pupils does not help them to catch up quickly enough.

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Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary, and bullying is rare. Pupils help to make sure that everyone is valued. For example, older pupils look after younger ones. Pupils have very positive attitudes and they want to learn. They are studious and highly motivated.

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Pupils learn about different faiths and cultures. They understand the importance of respect and tolerance for cultural differences. Pupils are actively involved in several community projects such as working with the homeless and the elderly.

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Staff develop pupils’ positive mental health. Pupils enjoyed a mental health day with visiting speakers. Pupils appreciate the care that staff give them. However, they say that they would like additional support to help them manage situations which cause anxiety.

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Pupils receive a wide range of careers advice and guidance. Pupils told us that when they get information it is very helpful. However, they would appreciate information and guidance much earlier on in their school careers. This is so that they can make a more informed choice for their next steps. The careers leader is new to role and recognises that there is more to do to improve this aspect of the school’s work.

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The school has a one-year sixth form. This is to cater for the final year of Islamic studies. Leaders have thought carefully about the curriculum that it offers students post 16. It offers a balance of subjects and opportunities for students’ wider development. Students told us that the sixth form prepares them well for their next steps in education, employment or training. Many students go on to further education and careers in teaching, medicine, the law or accountancy.

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The building is well maintained, clean and well resourced. Leaders are aware that there is limited outdoor space for physical education (PE) and for pupils to get fresh air at breaktimes. However, leaders ensure that pupils access PE every week. Pupils explained to us that they go outside ‘rain or shine’.

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Leaders ensure that they follow all health and safety requirements, including fire regulations and risk assessments. Leaders keep parents well informed about the work of the school. Policies are available to parents and others. The complaints policy is fully compliant. The school has a suitable plan that describes how pupils with a disability can fully take part in the school’s curriculum.

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The proprietor, who is also the chair of the board of trustees, ensures that the 5–7 November 2019

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independent school standards are met. School leaders and the board of trustees are clear about their roles and responsibilities. They regularly review the standards to ensure that they are being consistently met.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is a caring and nurturing ethos in the school. The safeguarding of pupils is important to all staff. Leaders make sure that all policies and procedures are in place and that everyone knows them in detail. The safeguarding policy is available to parents from the school office. The record that outlines the checks on the suitability of staff to work with pupils is complete and fully compliant.

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Safeguarding

Leaders are confident to act if they are concerned about a pupil. There is strong pastoral care available. Staff ensure that pupils and their families are well looked after and supported.

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 Leaders and teachers support most pupils well when they need help with their work. However, staff need to make sure that they support lower-ability pupils who may be falling behind. Leaders should ensure that appropriate strategies are put into place so that these pupils can access the curriculum as quickly as possible when they are struggling. This is so that lower-ability pupils can achieve their full potential.  Leaders ensure that pupils understand mental health issues. However, they need to find more opportunities for pupils to regularly and safely talk about their feelings. They need to offer more advice and guidance to help pupils to cope with the stresses they face.  Although career guidance and advice are available to pupils, they need improving. Pupils should receive high-quality information, advice and guidance much earlier on in their school career. This is so that they are better equipped to make

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

informed choices and decisions about their future.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use Ofsted Parent View information when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school. 5–7 November 2019

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If you’re not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted . 5–7 November 2019

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School details

Unique reference number 133285 DfE registration number 350/6018

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School details

Inspection number 10112067 Type of school Other independent school

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School details

Gender of pupils in the sixth form Girls

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form

Date of previous inspection 24–26 January 2017 5–7 November 2019

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Information about this school

 Madrasatul Imam Muhammad Zakariya is an independent Islamic day school. The school aims to provide ‘girls with a solid Islamic and secular education’ and ‘furnishes them with the necessary tools to become law-abiding, moral and well- rounded citizens’.  Following the school’s previous standard inspection in January 2017, the school was subject to an emergency inspection in April 2018. This inspection was commissioned by the Department for Education (DfE). It met all the independent school standards that were checked at the time of the inspection.  The school does not use any alternative providers.

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Information about this inspection

We carried out this inspection under section 109(1) and (2) of the Education and Skills Act 2008. The purpose of the inspection is to advise the Secretary of State for Education about the school’s suitability for continued registration as an independent school.

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Information about this inspection

The school meets the independent school standards. These are the requirements set out in the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014.

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Information about this inspection

 During the inspection, we spoke with the headteacher, the deputy headteachers, subject leaders and members of staff. We also held discussions with staff which focused on safeguarding arrangements.  An inspector, spoke with members of the board of trustees, including the chair of the board.  We reviewed a range of documentation including that relating to the independent school standards, the curriculum, school development and improvement, safeguarding and the checks undertaken on newly appointed staff.  We spoke with parents as they brought their children to school and considered 42 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View. We also considered 27 responses to the staff survey.  We spoke with pupils about their work and school life. We talked with pupils about the books they like to read. We also considered 81 responses to the pupil survey.  We looked in detail at English, mathematics, humanities and citizenship. For each

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Information about this inspection

of these subjects we held discussions with subject leaders and teachers, visited lessons, looked at samples of pupils’ work and talked with pupils. 5–7 November 2019

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Inspection team

Sue Eastwood, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Mavis Smith Ofsted Inspector 5–7 November 2019

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to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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