Hamd House School

Inspection of Hamd House School The Custard House, 29–43 Blake Lane, Birmingham, West Midlands B9 5QT

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

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

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Does the school meet the independent school standards?

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a truly harmonious and inclusive school. Pupils are happy and safe. They attend and achieve exceptionally well. But the school is about so much more than academic success. The visionary founders and leaders strive to make sure that pupils get the best possible all-round experience of education. There is no ceiling on expectations. Staff commit to ensuring that all pupils, regardless of their life experiences or starting points, become well-rounded citizens.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils get along very well. They are always polite and respectful. Leaders’ high expectations of behaviour are reflected in the exemplary way in which pupils behave in lessons and around school. Bullying is not an issue. Pupils say, ‘We can tell anyone, so there’s no point in doing it [bullying].’ Pupils value the suggestion and worry boxes they can use. They say that they really feel listened to.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Hamd House School is true to its values, which are at the heart of everything the school does. Islamic and British values intertwine and are woven seamlessly through the curriculum. Pupils’ needs are at the forefront of any educational decisions that leaders make. They want what is best for every single pupil.

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better?

The co-founders, the proprietor and leaders have very high expectations of pupils. Parents and staff agree, and so do we. Leaders ensure that the independent school standards continue to be met. They continually strive to give pupils the best possible education so that pupils can be successful and fully integrated into society. Leaders know that to be successful pupils need to be able to read well. There is a strong emphasis on developing pupils’ phonics skills, to enable pupils to get better at reading. Teachers continue to build on pupils’ phonics skills. Pupils then become more fluent readers, while also improving their writing skills. Pupils are confident to read aloud, be it from a book or a poem they have written. Some have had poems published through the ‘Young Writers’ project. One pupil reflected that he was ‘full of pride’ to see his poem published.

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better?

Leaders have made sure that the curriculum is planned and sequenced in a way that helps pupils to learn. Pupils revisit what they have learned and build on their knowledge and skills further. For example, in mathematics, teachers introduce new concepts only when pupils are ready, which paves the way for future success. The history curriculum helps pupils to develop a sense of different historical periods. They note connections and trends over time. At present, Year 6 pupils are applying their historical knowledge to the theme of crime and punishment. Older pupils use their knowledge to reason and debate concepts such as the balance of power over time.

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better?

Teachers’ excellent subject knowledge in the secondary department enables them to put the well-planned curriculum into practice. In the primary department, leaders provide training for newer members of staff in delivering specific content or skills in 10–12 December 2019

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Pupils with a wide range of special educational needs and/or disabilities are extremely well supported. This help enables them to make significant improvements in their learning, despite the challenges they face. Leaders liaise with external agencies so that pupils get the help they need. Parents value this support.

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Leaders put careful thought into the content of the curriculum so that it meets pupils’ needs and interests. For example, the science curriculum for primary pupils is now much improved. Younger pupils talked animatedly about the practical experiments they do, and about what they have learned. Opportunities to develop pupils’ personal, social, health and economic education and their understanding of British values are carefully planned into different curriculum subjects. Leaders map and sequence additional enrichment activities throughout the curriculum. In science and physical education, work on healthy lifestyles extends into promoting mental health. In addition, there is a focus on the contribution everyone’s well-being makes for the benefit of the wider society.

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Pupils enjoy being part of the school council or holding prefect, head boy and head girl responsibilities. They knew about the impending general election and talked about their own experiences of the ballot box at school. They described where they have influenced decisions, such as a push on inter-school sport events or a football rota. Leaders have regard for protected characteristics. The school’s accessibility plan is up to date and relevant. Leaders have made a conscious effort to promote high aspirations for girls, as well as positive role models for other faiths. All pupils benefit from the founders’ ‘101 things to experience at Hamd House’, to further their cultural understanding and breadth of experiences and talents. Pupils make significant differences to the community through their fundraising efforts. They have organised a cultural bazaar to celebrate differences in cultures. They also run mini-

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enterprise projects to raise funds for charities.

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Pupils achieve very strong academic outcomes compared to national averages. The longer pupils are at the school, the better they achieve. Many achieve so well that they are ready to take their GCSEs before the end of Year 11. The school allows them to do so because they know it does not disadvantage them. Pupils are then free to extend their learning in additional subjects or interests. Pupils benefit from personalised careers advice and work experience. They take speech examinations to improve their confidence in public situations, such as interviews for university or a job. Consequently, pupils are very well prepared for the future. Leaders keep a close eye on pupils who have left the school, right up to when they begin employment or go on to university.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The school’s safeguarding policy, which is available to parents, reflects the most recent government guidance.

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Safeguarding

Leaders place paramount importance on all aspects of safeguarding. They make 10–12 December 2019

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suitable checks on staff before they are employed at the school. Staff benefit from comprehensive safeguarding training. Designated safeguarding leads frequently check staff’s understanding of all aspects of safeguarding.

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Leaders and staff are well aware of the risks in the local area. They develop pupils’ resilience to external pressures, such as radicalisation and knife crime. Safeguarding is promoted through the curriculum and additional events such as e-safety days or visits to a local ‘safeside’ venue. Leaders monitor the use of the internet in school closely.

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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 are the provider and you are not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted . 10–12 December 2019

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School details

Unique reference number 131687 DfE registration number 330/6097

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School details

Inspection number 10112496 Type of school Other independent school

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School details

Headteachers Haroon Rashid (secondary) and Yasmin Ahmad (primary) Annual fees (day pupils) £0–£15,000

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School details

Telephone number 0121 771 3030 (primary) 0121 448 1630 (secondary) Website www.hamdhouse.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 6–8 March 2017

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Information about this school

 The school operates from two premises. The primary school is based at 11 St Oswald’s Road, Birmingham B10 9RB. The secondary school is based at 29–43 Blake Lane, Birmingham B9 5QT.  The school caters for 5 to 16-year-old pupils, commencing in Year 1.  The school has a Muslim ethos but is open to pupils of all faiths. It is a member of the Association of Muslim Schools, UK.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  The school caters for a small number of pupils who have an education, health and 10–12 December 2019

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care plan (EHCP).  The school has a website. It is still under development. Leaders have ensured that all the necessary information is readily available to parents.  The DfE commissioned an emergency inspection of the school in September 2018. All standards checked were judged to have been met.  The school notified the Department for Education (DfE), in June 2018, of its intention to change the name of the proprietor. They also indicated that they wanted to split the school into two separate provisions – one for primary and one for secondary. The DfE has not yet dealt with this application, so the school have indicated that the current proprietor will remain in the interim. They intend to make further contact with the DfE to discuss their plans

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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

 The inspectors met with the founders of Hamd House School, the incumbent and the future proprietor, and the headteachers of the primary and secondary schools. The inspectors also met with subject leaders.  Inspectors focused on reading, mathematics, science and history during the inspection. They visited lessons across all key stages at both sites, met with teachers to talk about the lessons visited, looked at pupils’ work, listened to pupils read and talked to pupils about what they were learning. They also looked at schemes of work in other subjects, including personal, social, health and economic education, art and physical education.  Inspectors considered a range of evidence in relation to safeguarding, including pre-employment checks on new staff, records of incidents and professional development certificates.  Inspectors made additional checks relating to the independent school standards,

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Information about this inspection

including checks on the school’s premises on both sites.  The lead inspector met with the special educational needs coordinators from the primary and secondary schools. She looked at pupils’ records, including EHCPs and individual education plans. She also looked at their work.  The inspectors met with two parents and considered the 19 responses and 14 free-text responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View.  Inspectors took account of the 20 responses to the survey for staff and the 22 responses to the pupils’ survey. 10–12 December 2019

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Inspection team

Deb Jenkins, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Sandy Hayes Her Majesty’s Inspector 10–12 December 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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