Fig Tree Primary School

Inspection of Fig Tree Primary School 30 Bentinck Road, Hyson Green, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire NG7 4AF

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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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 are proud of their school. They enjoy attending and say, ‘Everyone knows each other well’ and ‘It’s like a family.’ They value ‘learning the Koran, Arabic, English and finding out about Islamic history’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well around school and in all classes. They say bullying is not an issue. They trust staff to help and sort things out if they have a problem. Pupils play well together in the playground. When it is too wet to go outside, they enjoy playing indoor board games.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The new headteacher has made lots of improvements to ensure that pupils are safe at school. She has ensured that pupils have regular lessons in a wider range of subjects than in the past.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils listen carefully and try hard with their work. Teachers expect pupils to take pride in their work. Pupils do their best to write neatly. Older pupils are very keen to improve so they can get a ‘pen licence’ and write in ink.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers are positive about the school. They are pleased with the improvements since the previous inspection. One parent told us: ‘The balance between teaching the national curriculum and Islamic studies is spot on.’

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better?

The headteacher and staff are totally committed to ensuring that all pupils receive a high-quality education. Since the last inspection, the headteacher has ensured that staff have had training to improve teaching. She has provided detailed planning guidance for teaching reading, writing and mathematics. Pupils are now achieving well in all these areas.

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better?

The youngest pupils have daily phonics lessons. They learn to read confidently. They have frequent opportunities to practise reading and writing the sounds they have learned. Pupils in all classes love reading. They say there are ‘plenty of good books’. Teachers are quick to spot pupils who need a little extra help. Pupils who speak English as an additional language are well supported. They soon build confidence and work at the same levels as their classmates.

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better?

The standard of pupils’ writing is good. Pupils build systematically on their understanding and skills. For example, in poetry writing, the youngest pupils write simple rhymes and use repetition. Older pupils consolidate this work. They also learn to use similes and metaphors. The oldest pupils learn to write more complex verse patterns and use a wide range of poetic devices. During the inspection, pupils proudly explained to the inspector how to write a stanza.

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better?

Pupils in all year groups are developing well as mathematicians. Teachers plan lessons carefully for pupils to extend their knowledge and skills. Teachers ask pupils 10–12 December 2019

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challenging questions. Pupils have to think hard and explain their answers to problems.

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The Islamic studies programme is well designed. Pupils build on their learning as they move through each year group. Teachers also weave elements of Islamic studies learning into other areas of the curriculum. For example, in art, pupils investigate Islamic geometric patterns.

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Leaders have reviewed the curriculum to ensure that pupils have regular lessons in geography, science and history. During the inspection, older pupils were keen to share their learning from their study of the Second World War. They explained the meaning of propaganda and described its use. Pupils spoke about women’s changing roles during the war and the impact of food rationing.

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The curriculum includes many other areas of learning, including art, physical education, computing and singing. Leaders are aware that more work is needed to provide teachers with clearer curriculum planning guidance so that pupils’ learning in all subjects is consistently strong.

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Pupils’ personal development is at the heart of the school’s work. Islamic studies provide the foundation for the school’s work in spiritual and moral development. Pupils are passionate about equality and not judging people by their appearance or their family background. Pupils understand British values well. Pupils were keen to talk about their recent visit to the historical courts. One pupil described being the judge and sentencing Goldilocks to jail.

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Pupils enjoy the after-school clubs, especially football and cricket.

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Pupils have positive attitudes to learning. Adults use quotations from the Koran to remind pupils about being resilient. Pupils rise well to the school’s high expectations of behaviour. They like the Taqwa awards for ‘genuine generosity, kindness, respect and honesty’.

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The proprietors and governors have ensured that the independent school standards are met. The board are ambitious for pupils’ academic and personal development. They commissioned external advice to improve their effectiveness and they have undertaken training. The governors ensure that there are regular safety reviews, including fire and asbestos risk assessments.

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The school is registered for pupils aged five to 11. The school now provides for pupils aged two to five. This is outside its registration. 10–12 December 2019

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The safeguarding leader and governors have ensured that the whole team has regular and up-to-date training. Leaders check staff understand how to spot pupils who are at risk.

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Safeguarding

Staff understand systems well and know what to do if they have a concern about a pupil or the behaviour of an adult in school. Leaders work closely with parents and outside agencies to ensure that pupils and families get the support they need.

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Safeguarding

Leaders are trained in safer recruitment. They ensure that all necessary checks are carried out before adults work with pupils.

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 The school’s curriculum is broad and enriching. It does not currently offer the same quality in all subjects as it does in mathematics and English. Plans for some subjects, such as art and design and history, are not coherently sequenced. There is not enough information for teachers about what the pupils should be taught and when to teach it. This affects the quality of pupils’ work. However, it is clear that leaders are taking successful action to improve the curriculum and to develop staff.  Leaders should ensure that plans for all subjects provide clear guidance about the important knowledge and skills pupils will learn within all year groups. Leaders need to ensure that each year builds on the previous year, and towards a clear end point. Leaders should provide teachers and subject leaders with the training they need to secure strong subject knowledge in all subjects. Leaders should ensure that subject leaders make regular checks to ensure that the curriculum

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

helps pupils to learn and remember more.

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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 132190 DfE registration number 892/6013

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School details

Inspection number 10078667 Type of school Other independent school

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School details

Email address office@figtreeprimary.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 4–6 July 2017

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Information about this school

 Fig Tree Primary School is an independent Islamic school.  Since the last inspection, there have been a number of staff changes, including a new headteacher.  The school is registered for pupils aged five to 11. The school now includes provision for children below this age group, aged two to five.

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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 10–12 December 2019

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Education about the school’s suitability for continued registration as an independent school.

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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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 We met with governors and a member of the board, the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, teachers, teaching assistants and the office manager. We also spoke informally with other members of staff.  We carried out in-depth reviews of early reading, mathematics, writing and history. We visited lessons and spoke with pupils and teachers. We reviewed pupils’ work. One inspector also looked at work in a range of subjects, including art and design, personal, social and health education and Islamic studies.  An inspector met with the designated safeguarding leaders and reviewed a range of documentation, including checks on staff. An inspector reviewed behaviour and attendance information.  We reviewed a range of documentation, including school policies, curriculum plans, the school’s development plan and its self-evaluation summary. One inspector also reviewed minutes from meetings of the governing body, the

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headteacher’s reports to the governing body, information about complaints and annual reports to parents.  We observed pupils and staff at lunchtime and playtimes. We spoke informally with staff and pupils. We also met with groups of pupils to discuss their personal development and behaviour.  An inspector carried out checks on the premises, health and safety, risk assessments, fire safety, accident records and the storage and use of medicines in school.  I spoke informally with parents at the school gate and considered responses to Ofsted’s staff and parent questionnaires.

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Inspection team

Carol Smith, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Julian Scholefield Ofsted 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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