Darul Uloom Leicester

Inspection of Darul Uloom Leicester 119 Loughborough Road, Leicester, Leicestershire LE4 5LN

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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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 thrive at this caring and friendly school. Many say they feel part of a family. Staff and pupils do their best to uphold the school’s values: respect, learn, practise and serve. Pupils enjoy coming here and their attendance is very high. They feel safe and are kept safe here. They behave well in classes, around the school and at social times. They appreciate the award points they receive for behaving well and trying hard. Instances of bullying are rare. Pupils are confident that staff will deal with any bullying, should it occur.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is calm and orderly. Pupils are polite and respectful to each other and to the staff. They are polite to visitors and wait in doorways, allowing adults to pass.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff expect pupils to work hard and achieve well. There is an expectation that pupils will contribute to the local community. They frequently raise money for local charities and take food parcels to the less fortunate.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There are many ways for pupils to share any worries with staff. Staff respond quickly when pupils need extra help. School leaders contact outside agencies promptly when a pupil or family needs support.

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better?

The senior leadership team has improved many aspects of the school. There are now systems in place to check that pupils attend, behave and achieve well. Senior leaders have the respect of staff, pupils and parents and carers. The vast majority of parents are happy with the school’s work. One comment was, ‘My child has turned into an exemplary young man due to the care received at Darul Uloom.’

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better?

Leaders have ensured that there is a suitable curriculum in place. This curriculum enables pupils to achieve well in all subjects. Teachers ensure that the subject content is taught in a logical and sequenced way. For example, in science, Year 7 pupils learn how to identify the parts of an animal cell. In Year 9, pupils learn to describe the differences between animal and plant cells. They do this using the correct scientific vocabulary.

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better?

In computer science and personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education, teachers adapt the curriculum well. In some subjects, pupils do not have a rich variety of experiences. For example, extra-curricular activities are limited to sport. There are not as many trips as there could be.

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better?

Teachers use assessment wisely. Pupils have frequent opportunities to revisit their learning. Teachers frequently provide pupils with demanding work. For example, in mathematics, the curriculum contains activities that help to stretch pupils. One pupil remarked, ‘I am always given a challenge by my teacher.’

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better?

Pupils are focused on their studies and keen to do well. They enjoy taking part in 29–31 October 2019

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class discussions. Pupils respect the school equipment and have pride in their work and in their workbooks.

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Pupils understand faiths and cultures that are different from their own. They have visited various places of worship including local churches, temples and gurdwaras. Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. They understand the British values of tolerance, democracy and the rule of law. Pupils discuss current affairs. There are occasions when some younger pupils do not contribute as well as they could. Some of the older pupils have decided to tackle this issue. They have organised a series of assemblies to discuss current topics. During the inspection, a pupil led an assembly and spoke confidently and knowledgeably about recent protests in Hong Kong and London.

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Senior leaders are aware of teachers’ workloads. Teachers are unanimous in their view that they are well taken care of. They told inspectors that leaders are sensitive to their needs. Teachers take part in some training, although leaders do not plan this well enough.

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Senior leaders ensure that pupils receive impartial careers advice and guidance. Pupils receive support when writing a CV, and advice when attending interviews. Pupils in Year 10 have work experience placements. All pupils leaving Year 11 recently have gone on to appropriate further training or education.

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The quality of education in the sixth form is good. However, there is a limited choice of A-level and BTEC courses. Some students leave the school because of this. The students who stay on to study in the sixth form achieve well. Students receive good advice about future careers and potential further training. Low-level disruption is rare, and rates of attendance are high.

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The senior leadership team has ensured that all the independent school standards are met. For example, the buildings are kept to a good standard. School policies contain relevant guidance. The school’s website has all the necessary information for parents and carers. The curriculum complies with Schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010.

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The governing body and board of trustees (who act as the proprietor) monitor the school well. Individual governors write detailed reports after visiting the school. This work helps to keep other governors up to date with the school’s progress.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

All staff have received appropriate safeguarding training. Staff are aware of the signs of neglect and potential abuse. There are clear procedures in place for staff to pass welfare concerns on to leaders. Leaders act on this information promptly and seek outside help when needed. The local ‘Prevent’ duty coordinator has visited the school and spoken with all pupils. 29–31 October 2019

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This work has made pupils more aware of the dangers of extremism than they were previously. For example, they spoke of the danger of being targeted when playing online games.

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Leaders make the necessary checks on adults before they can work at the school.

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What does the school need to do to improve?

 Leaders have ensured that the curriculum is well planned and sequenced. This means that pupils successfully build their knowledge and skills over time. However, the range of subjects on offer in the sixth form is limited. Leaders should aim to widen the curriculum offer. Pupils do not yet access a rich variety of wider experiences. Leaders should increase the number of extra-curricular activities, educational visits and visitors to the school to deepen pupils’ subject knowledge and skills further.  Teachers undertake some professional development by attending courses and visiting other schools. However, there is no coherent, planned approach to this. The senior leadership team should ensure that teachers’ training needs are accurately identified and provided for in a planned, systematic way.

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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.

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How can I feed back my views?

If you’re not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted . 29–31 October 2019

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School details

Unique reference number 120345 DfE registration number 856/6004

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School details

Inspection number 10116630 Type of school Other independent school

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School details

School category Independent boarding school

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sixth form

Annual fees (day pupils) £2,000 to £2,500

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sixth form

Email address info@darululoomleicester.org

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sixth form

Date of previous inspection 30 January–1 February 2018 29–31 October 2019

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Information about this school

 Darul Uloom Leicester is an independent Islamic educational institute for male pupils aged 11 to 23.  The school offers Islamic education for those up to 23 years of age. This prepares students to become imams or Islamic theologians. Inspectors did not inspect this aspect of the school’s provision.  There are 57 boarders out of 127 pupils on roll. Inspectors did not inspect the boarding provision.  The school does not use any alternative providers.  The previous standard inspection took place on 30 January and 1 February 2018. A progress monitoring inspection took place on 6 November 2018.

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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

 Inspectors met with the senior leadership team. This comprises the principal, headteacher and deputy headteacher.  Inspectors undertook deep dives into English, mathematics, science and PSHE. Inspectors met with the lead teacher for each subject, visited lessons, examined pupils’ workbooks and met with pupils.  The lead inspector met with the senior leadership team to discuss safeguarding. Inspectors met with staff to discuss their safeguarding training and their understanding of the school’s procedures to keep pupils safe. The lead inspector checked the school’s single central register and documentation relating to safeguarding.  The lead inspector met with five members of the governing body, including the chair and one trustee. He toured the school site to check the school’s compliance with part 5 of the independent school standards.

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Inspection team

Peter Stonier, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Janis Warren Ofsted Inspector 29–31 October 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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