The British Muslim School

Inspection of The British Muslim School Latifiah Fultali Complex, Lodge Road, West Bromwich, West Midlands B70 8NX

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Does the school meet the independent school standards?

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What is it like to attend this school?

Values of respect, honesty and tolerance are at the heart of this school. Leaders have created a school with a strong sense of community and pupils enjoy their school experience. They feel safe because ‘staff always check that we are ok’. Pupils’ attendance is high. They usually behave well and are polite, showing respect to staff and to each other. Pupils are adamant that bullying is not a problem. They say that ‘it doesn’t really happen here’. They are knowledgeable about different types of bullying. They know that there are trusted adults at school they can talk to if they are worried about anything.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders want to make the school the best it can be. There have been a lot of changes at the school recently. The curriculum is improving. Leaders have achieved a good balance between the specialist curriculum and national curriculum subjects. Pupils are enjoying subjects such as art and history. They have recently worked on a project to help homeless people in the local area. However, there is still work to do. Pupils have limited practical experiences in physical education (PE), science and art because of a lack of resources. While leaders have high expectations for pupils, they are not making sure that teachers are challenging the most able pupils well enough.

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better?

Leaders have taken care to make sure that fundamental British values thread through subjects. For example, in a lesson about equality, pupils identified similarities in messages in different religious texts, such as the Qur’an, the Bible and Gita (Hindu scripture). The pupils summed up their thoughts saying, ‘You should help people either way, if they are a Muslim or non-Muslim.’

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better?

In most subjects, pupils’ work usually reflects the content of the schemes of work. Activities are sequenced to build pupils’ knowledge and skills over time. But this is not the case in all subjects. The English scheme of work is new and has not yet been implemented effectively. Work in pupils’ books shows that, previously, pupils have solely focused on features of English. They have not had the opportunity to apply this knowledge and write at length. They have had limited exposure to a range of fiction and non-fiction texts. They do, however, read at an age-appropriate level.

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better?

The scheme of work for PE is well sequenced but has not yet been implemented successfully. Pupils told us that they only get chance to take part in football, swimming and cricket. Work in citizenship shows a suitable breadth of themes, including forced marriage and drug misuse, but does not reflect the school’s scheme of work for citizenship. The art scheme of work is being developed. Pupils are not yet able to use a range of different media, such as paints or clay, to develop their artistic skills and experiences.

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better?

There is some inconsistency in how well teachers deliver the curriculum. When teachers have good subject knowledge and plan carefully how pupils will learn, 28–30 January 2020

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pupils achieve well. Pupils do less well when teachers’ explanations and expectations are unclear, or when teachers do not check that pupils understand the task.

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The most able pupils are not being challenged to achieve their best. These pupils are often quick to finish their work and sit waiting. Quite a few pupils told inspectors that some of the work they were covering was too easy, particularly in mathematics. Pupils felt that, ‘sometimes we check our work a little bit too much’, rather than being challenged.

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Pupils’ work varies in presentation and quality. Work in Islamic studies and science is well presented but this is not consistent in all subjects. Teachers are not making sure that pupils complete work when they have been asked to. As a result, pupils may be missing out on some subject content and learning.

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Pupils have a good understanding of fundamental British values. They spoke positively about democracy and the work of the school council and prefect system. They said that ‘this is a way we can change the way the school is run’. They gave examples of how they have contributed to changes to school lunches and raising money to provide pool tables for use at lunchtimes.

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Pupils can participate in a variety of enrichment activities to support their personal development. Pupils’ confidence and resilience is developed through making speeches at celebratory events or performing a nasheed. Recently, some pupils visited Turkey on a residential visit. Older pupils are due to participate in the National Citizen Service experience later this year. Pupils have visited a local Sikh temple to extend their spiritual and cultural understanding.

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There is a strong emphasis on supporting local charities and events. Pupils have worked with a local artist to set up a photographic exhibition about the history of the Black Country. They have hosted a visit from local members of the European Parliament to better understand different political beliefs.

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Pupils have a range of opportunities to learn about safeguarding. Discussions with pupils showed that they are knowledgeable about different ways to keep safe in the local community and when using the internet.

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Leaders, including the proprietary body, and governors have ensured that the school continues to meet the independent school standards. They know their responsibilities relating to schedule 3 of the Equality Act 2010. They have developed a suitable accessibility plan. Leaders know that the school is on a journey of improvement. While they access a range of training opportunities, leaders have not made sure that teachers have had enough training in implementing the curriculum.

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The proprietary representative, who is also chair of governors, knows the strengths and limitations of the school. Currently, the work of governors has limited impact. At the moment, the chair of governors and the principal have a substantial workload. Leaders support other staff well with their workload. Staff benefit from regular one- to-one supervision and support which focuses on their well-being. 28–30 January 2020

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The designated safeguarding lead (DSL) and deputy DSL’s training is up to date. The school has a suitable safeguarding policy. It follows guidance issued by the government and is published on the school’s website. Leaders make the necessary pre-employment checks on staff. New staff are suitably inducted to the school. Staff know to whom they should report welfare concerns about pupils. The chair of governors ensures that statutory safeguarding duties are met. However, some governors are yet to complete safeguarding training.

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Safeguarding

Leaders make frequent checks on pupils’ internet use. If pupils leave the school, leaders follow these up, liaising with children missing education teams if required.

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 Some schemes of work are still being developed or have not been implemented properly. As a result, pupils are not accessing a well-sequenced series of lessons, building on their knowledge and skills over time. Leaders should ensure that all the schemes of work are completed, enabling pupils to develop their knowledge and skills in a coherent way. They should assure themselves that these schemes of work are reflected in teachers’ classroom practice.  Some teachers have not yet received enough training to teach their subject effectively. This means that some pupils are not being taught as well as they should be. Leaders should ensure that teachers receive the necessary training and support so that subjects are taught effectively, and pupils achieve well.  Pupils have not been given enough opportunities to write at length in English or access a range of fiction and non-fiction books. They are not applying what they

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

have learned in the subject. Pupils are not developing their vocabulary, an appreciation of different genres and a love of reading well enough. Leaders should ensure that the new English curriculum is implemented effectively. They should assure themselves that it is taught well, enabling pupils to make strong progress.  Across a range of subjects, teachers are not making sure that pupils complete unfinished work. This means that pupils may miss out on some key knowledge. Leaders should check that teachers are making sure that pupils complete any unfinished work so that they do not have any gaps in their learning.  The most able pupils are not being sufficiently challenged to achieve their best. As a result, they are not making the progress they should. Teachers should ensure that the most able pupils are given work that is well matched to their abilities, challenging them appropriately. 28–30 January 2020

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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 . 28–30 January 2020

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School details

Unique reference number 135792 DfE registration number 333/6005

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School details

Inspection number 10102873 Type of school Other independent school

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School details

School category Independent boarding school

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School details

Website www.thebritishmuslimschool.co.uk

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School details

Email address info@thebritishmuslimschool.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 10–12 October 2017

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Information about this school

 Since the last inspection, the number of pupils attending the school has increased significantly.  No pupils have been identified as having special educational needs and/or disabilities.  The school is a member of the Association of Muslim Schools UK.  The school does not use any alternative provision. 28–30 January 2020

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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

 We made checks on the premises and viewed a range of school documentation to check the school’s compliance with the independent school standards.  We met with the principal and curriculum leaders to discuss the school’s work.  The lead inspector met with the proprietary representative, who is also the chair of governors, and another member of the governing body.  We looked at a range of evidence relating to safeguarding, including the pre- employment checks leaders make on staff, and records of pupils’ behaviour and attendance.  We focused on the following subjects: English, mathematics, citizenship and art. We talked to curriculum leaders about how these subjects are planned and taught, visited lessons, talked to teachers, looked at pupils’ work and talked to pupils about their learning in these subjects.  We also talked to pupils informally at breaktime and lunchtime about their experience of school.

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Information about this inspection

 The Department for Education commissioned Ofsted to carry out the inspection earlier in the cycle due to a complaint received about the quality of education provided at the school.

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Inspection team

Deb Jenkins, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Catherine Crooks Her Majesty’s Inspector 28–30 January 2020

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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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