Al Jamiah Al Islamiyyah

School and boarding report/School and residential report

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Al Jamiatul Islamiyah Mount St Joseph’s Convent, Willows Lane, Deane, Bolton, Lancashire BL3 4HF

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Inadequate

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

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Sixth form provision Inadequate Overall experiences and progress of children and young people in the boarding provision Inadequate

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Leadership and management in the school are fragile. Current leaders are too new to have brought about sustained improvement.  Current leaders do not have access to important documents and other information necessary to run the school.  The current trustees have not had time to ensure that their positive vision for the school starts to happen.  The school does not meet the independent school standards (ISS) or the national minimum standards for boarding schools (NMS).  Over time, safeguarding has been ineffective. Safeguarding processes, documentation and follow-up are insecure. The weaknesses in safeguarding mean that pupils and sixth-form students are not as well protected as possible.  Weaknesses identified at the previous standard inspection have not been addressed.  Pupils make less progress in English and other secular subjects than the school expects. Pupils’ attainment in English is below average.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Boarding practice is not strong enough. Leadership and safety are not secure.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The school has a strong Islamic faith ethos and pupils learn well in their Islamic education.  Staff have managed the recent changes to leadership, so that these have had as small an impact on pupils as possible.  Sixth-form students are successful in their Islamic and secular learning. Sixth-form students’ positive attitudes and behaviour are seen in their help towards younger pupils.  Pupils’ behaviour is good.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

Compliance with regulatory requirements and national minimum standards for boarding schools

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The school must take action to meet the requirements of the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 (‘the independent school standards’), the national minimum standards for boarding and associated requirements. The details are listed in the full report.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve leadership and management, by: – further stabilising senior leadership, including by ensuring that suitable arrangements are made to appoint a permanent headteacher – ensuring that senior leaders are provided with training that builds their awareness of, and confidence in, effective school leadership, including in how they analyse, evaluate and judge the effectiveness of the school and boarding provision – ensuring that leadership systems are well organised and that leaders have access to the documents and information that they need to manage the school and boarding effectively – quickly acting to address the weaknesses identified at the previous inspection of over one year ago – senior leaders completing their current evaluation of the school and implementing actions to address the weaknesses that they have already identified – ensuring that systems for engaging with parents and carers are effective and allow

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

leaders to respond rapidly to any concerns that parents raise.  Urgently improve safeguarding, by ensuring that: – checks on the suitability of staff and trustees are completed and recorded for all those working at the school, as required in government guidance, including for any staff who have breaks in their employment at the school – checks on the suitability of adult students with access to school-age students are completed, and that evidence of these checks is available, as set out in school policy – any safeguarding incidents, including those affecting boarders, and action taken by staff in response, are recorded in sufficient detail and are available to leaders, so that pupils are better protected, and leaders can make any necessary improvements to practice.  Strengthen the work of trustees, by ensuring that: – the trust board includes trustees with direct experience of school education – trustees develop effective strategies to ensure that their positive vision for the school is

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

achieved in practice – school policies, as required by the independent school standards and other government guidance, are complete and accurate – the school website contains up-to-date and complete information and policies, and operates in a way that does not link to external webpages that reflect badly on the school – the school consistently meets the independent school standards and the national minimum standards for boarding.  Strengthen pupils’ learning in secular subjects, by: – ensuring that the required complement of staff with suitable subject expertise is appointed – developing systems for the leadership of the secular curriculum, including systematic monitoring and evaluation by leaders to support improvement – ensuring that teaching is effective and leads to pupils’ strong progress, in English and other subjects.  Improve fire safety, by: – ensuring that responsibility for fire safety arrangements in boarding sits with a member

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

of staff who has undertaken suitable training – regularly reviewing the fire risk assessment, including after any changes in the day-to- day running of the boarding provision, so that any defects or other potential risks are rectified quickly, to ensure that pupils and staff are safe – ensuring that staff are aware of any discharged fire extinguishers so that these can be quickly replaced or refilled.  Improve boarding, by ensuring that: – health plans contain sufficient detail about boarders’ individual health needs, details of prescribed medication and written guidance for staff – medicines are administered safely and with strong management oversight of suitably trained staff – boarding accommodation is maintained to a suitably high standard – boarding staff are trained in behaviour management, including physical restraint – instances of poor behaviour in boarding are recorded in sufficient detail to allow any

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

patterns to be identified and staff practice to be reviewed and improved, if necessary – there is appropriate supervision of boarders out of school hours – boarding staff receive regular reviews of their practice and are provided with suitable training to enhance their work.

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Inadequate

 There have been recent and very significant changes to the leadership and management of the school. These have meant that all senior leaders are new in their posts. In addition, the school’s charitable trust’s proprietorial responsibility is now being undertaken by two trustees who, until the changes, had little recent involvement in the day-to-day running of the school. Furthermore, the school’s administrative staff and a small number of teachers left the school at the same time as, or since, the leadership changes.  Current senior leaders and trustees express a determination to improve the school and ensure that it provides the best possible education for pupils. However, they have had a very short period of time in which to address its weaknesses. These include some that they identified in their initial analysis of the school’s effectiveness. Senior leaders are inexperienced in their current roles. The current headteacher had only been employed in

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Inadequate

that post for about two weeks at the time of the inspection. In addition, his post is an interim position; the school does not have a permanent headteacher. Features such as these mean that there is currently little proven assurance that the school will be able to improve rapidly enough to secure the quality of educational and boarding provision that leaders and other members of staff desire for pupils.  Aspects of the administration of the school are chaotic. Current leaders said that a number of documents, computer files and pieces of equipment were not available once the previous leaders and administrative staff had left. Some of the school’s documents provided to inspectors were initially incomplete or out of date. Some important past records, including about safeguarding pupils, were not readily available.  Over time, improvement to the school has lacked urgency. Many of the weaknesses in the

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Inadequate

school that were identified in the previous standard inspection, which took place over a year ago, have not been satisfactorily addressed. Current leaders have accurately identified some of the aspects of the school that need to be improved. However, leaders’ monitoring and evaluation of the school and boarding have not led securely enough to sustained improvement.  Any particular training needs for senior leaders have not been fully identified or addressed. This is because they have not been in post long enough for them to do this.  Subject leadership of secular subjects is underdeveloped. The shared arrangements for leadership of secular subjects mean that training to develop effective middle leadership has not been easily possible. The small teams of teachers teaching some subjects sometimes work together on joint development of teaching approaches and shared planning. However, the impact of subject leadership has often depended on individual

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Inadequate

teachers and their skills and confidence. Systematic review of the impact of teaching and learning in secular subjects is not embedded in the school’s leadership systems. This means that it is harder for leaders to ensure that teaching is effective and secures strong enough progress.  The school’s curriculum is divided into Islamic subjects and secular subjects. The Islamic subjects are normally taught in the morning, with secular teaching in the afternoon. The Islamic curriculum is well established and effective. The secular curriculum is planned to give pupils a broad experience of different subjects, including English, mathematics and science. In addition, pupils study computing, Urdu, humanities and creative subjects. The time spent on teaching some secular subjects has been limited, because the school has a number of vacancies for specialist teachers in different secular subjects. For example,

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Inadequate

Year 10 pupils have missed out on a full complement of science lessons this school year. The amount and the impact of teaching in English have not been sufficient to ensure that pupils do as well as they should.  Boarding staff do not receive regular reviews of their practice or opportunities for training and continuing professional development. This does not support them in their roles or in meeting boarders’ needs.  Boarding staff do not have sufficient knowledge of boarders’ healthcare needs. Health plans for boarders lack sufficient detail about their individual healthcare needs, particularly if boarders have specific health conditions, such as asthma. Health plans do not include details of any prescribed medication. Neither do they have written guidance for staff to follow, to ensure that they know what action they are expected to take to manage any known health conditions. This leaves boarders at risk of harm. For example,

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Inadequate

during the inspection, some staff were unsure of where boarders’ inhalers were stored.  Management oversight of the administration of medication in boarding is poor. Medication records were found to be inaccurate, and medication was found to be stored in incorrect boxes. The responsibility for the administration of medication rests with a senior student who has completed an online course in medication. This does not ensure that boarders are kept safe. This also places an inappropriate level of responsibility on the student in this role.  The low response rate to Ofsted’s inspection questionnaire for parents and carers, Parent View, meant that inspectors had little information about the overall views of parents about the school’s effectiveness. However, information from individual parents, which was received by Ofsted before and during the inspection, indicates that some parents are dissatisfied with aspects of the school’s leadership and the way that it looks after pupils.

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Inadequate

Some feel that concerns they have raised have not been properly addressed. Inspection evidence about the school’s practice over the period since the previous inspection, including recently, substantiated some of these concerns.  The questionnaire responses received from staff indicate that they overwhelmingly have confidence in the new leaders: staff morale is positive.  The surveys from pupils indicate that they are generally happy in school. Inspectors’ discussions with pupils indicated that leaders and other staff successfully managed to protect pupils from the immediate impact of the sudden changes in leadership. There were some alterations to school routines on one morning when the changes were starting, in order to allow staff to meet with leaders and trustees.

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Governance

 There have been disputes between different groups within the school’s trustees and the wider community. These were identified in the previous inspection report and continued after that inspection. At least in part, this contributed to the recent abrupt change in the school’s leadership.  The resignation of the previously active trustees means that a very small group of trustees now has responsibility for the school. These trustees have long experience of the school. In addition, they describe their commitment to ensure its success in providing consistently high-quality education and boarding experience for pupils. However, their employment and professional experience are not in education. Trustees are seeking to increase the breadth of experience on the trust board, by appointing at least one trustee with direct experience in schools. Planning for this is at a very early stage.  Over time, and recently, trustees have not ensured that the ISS and NMS are met.

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Governance

Trustees’ challenge to leaders, including themselves, has not paid enough attention to the importance of these minimum standards.  Trustees’ checks on the school website have been insufficient to ensure that this has been kept up to date and includes the latest policies and other information. In addition, the website sometimes links to external advertising webpages that do not relate to the school and have content that does not align with the school’s ethos.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.  Over time, trustees and leaders have not paid sufficient attention to ensuring that safeguarding arrangements have been sufficiently thorough to reduce potential risks to pupils.  The requirements of the latest government guidance about safeguarding are not met. The single central record of the checks on the suitability of members of staff and trustees was incomplete at the time of the inspection. Most of the details about the current trustees were added during the inspection. However, the records about trustees, and those of other leaders, did not confirm that they were not prohibited from undertaking leadership activity in a school. In addition, the record of employment checks did not include details of all members of staff, as there were no details about catering staff.  Other aspects of safer recruitment practices are not followed. Leaders do not ensure that

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Safeguarding

identity checks are carried out on new staff. References do not contain sufficient detail and are not always obtained from the previous employer. An overall lack of detail in recruitment checks hinders leaders’ ability fully to understand staff’s employment history and ensure that they are safe to work with pupils. This includes employees who return to the school after a gap during which their employment at the school ceased.  Staff receive regular training about safeguarding. They are aware of what they should do, should a safeguarding issue arise concerning a pupil.  School policy sets out that adult students who work with younger pupils will be required to complete a criminal record check. However, leaders were not able to provide information about any such checks on students. This means that a potential safeguarding risk is not managed as well as it could be.  The school’s safeguarding policy is published on its website. However, the version

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Safeguarding

available at the start of the inspection included the names of members of staff with important safeguarding responsibility who were no longer employed at the school. While this weakness in the policy was addressed during the inspection, information in the policy about how the school would approach any instances of peer abuse between pupils remains unclear.  Safeguarding practice in the boarding provision is poor. There has been a delay in reporting safeguarding concerns to the local authority’s designated officer. The recording of safeguarding incidents does not include sufficient detail or include what actions have been taken to reduce any known risks. This inconsistent approach to safeguarding does not ensure that boarders are kept safe from harm.  Staff’s understanding of how they are expected to manage behaviour in the boarding provision is unclear. Staff confirmed to inspectors that they have not completed training

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Safeguarding

about behaviour management or physical restraint. The lack of recording on how staff manage behaviour means that there is a lack of transparency in how behaviour is being managed in the boarding provision. This leaves boarders at risk of harm.  The recent changes to leadership and management have resulted in a lack of management oversight of the boarding provision. For example, at the time of the inspection, leaders and staff did not know the exact number of boarders. There is a lack of management oversight of safeguarding, and of health and safety arrangements in boarding. This compromises the safety of boarders and boarding staff.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

 The teaching of Islamic subjects is more effective than the teaching of secular subjects.  Teachers of Islamic subjects have secure subject knowledge and are confident in explaining and clarifying ideas. This helps them to move pupils’ learning on. In addition, it successfully encourages pupils to be attentive, listen carefully and be keen to share their growing knowledge. Pupils’ active participation in their faith-subject lessons indicates how teachers build their enthusiasm and commitment to achieve the best possible outcomes.  In contrast, in some secular subjects, and especially in English, the activities provided frequently do not enthuse pupils to work hard in their written work. Pupils’ workbooks indicate that they lose interest in repetitive work, which often involves copying. When this happens, pupils’ learning is less effective. Pupils’ assessment results and exercise books indicate that mathematics teaching is more effective than that for other secular subjects.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

Pupils are given opportunities to apply, practise and consolidate important mathematical concepts. This helps them to build their understanding and make progress throughout each school year.  In English, pupils’ learning is not systematic enough. They do not develop their reading and writing skills effectively over the different units of work that they complete. In science, pupils are provided with limited opportunities to complete practical work. This means that their learning in this important aspect of science is also limited.  Teachers’ assessment of pupils’ work also varies in its impact between Islamic and secular studies. Regular testing of pupils’ learning in faith lessons allows teachers to understand if pupils are at risk of falling behind in their learning, and to report to parents how well pupils are doing. While pupils’ learning is tested through formal examinations in secular subjects, teachers’ ongoing assessment often lacks effectiveness. This means that pupils

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

are not helped to correct misconceptions, nor challenged to present their work as well as possible.  Pupils take their formal examinations seriously. Examinations are closely supervised by teachers. However, inspectors observed that some pupils became somewhat restless if they had finished their paper before the end of the examination time.  Leaders explained that, since the previous inspection, in addition to English and science, pupils’ learning in computing and physical education has been affected by the limited number of teachers with specialist skills.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is inadequate.  The school’s arrangements for safeguarding pupils are not effective.  Fire safety arrangements are not strong enough. Shortfalls were identified by inspectors, including a discharged fire extinguisher that had not been refilled or replaced. The shortfalls had not been identified in the school’s fire risk assessment, nor as part of the school’s own monitoring arrangements. Students are appointed as fire wardens for the boarding provision; there is little management control of fire safety arrangements. The arrangements in place are not sufficient to ensure that staff and pupils are kept safe from harm.  Pupils are confident and self-assured. They are polite, pleasant and welcoming to visitors.  Pupils told inspectors that they generally feel safe in school. Pupils are confident that an adult will sort out any bullying that they may experience, or any other problems that they

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Personal development and welfare

may have. Pupils are taught how to reduce risk when using the internet. Their access to the school’s computer system is restricted, so that they cannot access unsuitable websites or inappropriate information when online. Pupils are well supervised at breaktimes and lunchtimes. The school site is secure.  Students in the sixth form, as well as older students, contribute to the supervision of younger pupils, particularly in the boarding provision. Such students relate well to younger pupils and are strong role models. However, sometimes the level of responsibility that these students are expected to take on is inappropriately high, considering that they are not members of staff.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education reflects the strong Islamic ethos of the school. Pupils take part in charitable activity and engage with the local community. For example, they undertake litter picking in the streets close to the school. Not only does

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Personal development and welfare

this benefit the school’s neighbours, it also helps pupils to broaden their understanding by meeting the variety of people who live locally. Pupils’ understanding of important values such as tolerance, respect and the rule of law is strong.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils are typically well behaved in lessons and around the school. Their mature and responsible approach contributes to the school being calm and orderly. Pupils generally respect and follow the school’s rules and routines.  On occasion, some pupils disturb the learning of others. This is more prevalent in afternoon secular lessons and arises when teaching does not engage pupils or enthuse them in their learning.  Current information about pupils’ attendance indicates that this is around the national average. However, inspectors were unable to scrutinise any long-term patterns in pupils’ attendance, because such information was not readily available to current leaders. The school has a systematic approach to following up any unknown absences with pupils’ parents. Pupils’ absence from school is mainly due to illness or other medical reasons.

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

 Pupils make good progress and reach high standards in their Islamic education. However, pupils’ achievement in their secular studies is far more variable.  The school’s internal assessments show that, over the last year, current pupils’ attainment in all year groups has been less than the school expects in English, humanities subjects and science. Pupils have attained consistently higher marks in mathematics. Leaders are uncertain about how much progress pupils are making in secular subjects. This is because pupils’ attainment is not matched closely enough to their academic starting points.  Pupils’ exercise books indicate that they make stronger progress in mathematics than other secular subjects.  This picture is also reflected in the GCSE results achieved by pupils over recent years. Typically, Year 11 pupils gain their strongest results in mathematics and their weakest in English. Over the last three years, Year 11 pupils’ attainment in mathematics has been

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

above the national average, whereas attainment in English has been below the national average. Attainment in science has been around the national average. Over time, pupils have gained strong results in computing and religious studies.  Pupils develop their literacy skills in Arabic in their Islamic education and in Urdu as part of the secular curriculum. However, the relative weakness of English teaching means that pupils’ reading in English is less well developed.  Pupils’ high achievement in their Islamic studies means that they are well prepared to continue that aspect of their learning in post-16 provision, often in continuing courses at the school. In addition, many pupils successfully transfer to secular sixth-form or college courses. Some do this as part of their continuing education at the school through its partnership with Bolton College.

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Sixth form provision Inadequate

 Sixth-form students at the school continue the Islamic studies that they have started earlier in their school career. Teaching and students’ achievement during Islamic learning are similarly strong to those seen elsewhere in the school.  Students’ secular education is provided through the school’s links with Bolton College. Sixth-form students are also registered as students at Bolton College. The college provides them with a bespoke programme of BTEC courses in vocational subjects. The subjects offered each year are chosen to match the interests and choices of the majority of students taking part. These typically include courses in business and computing. Responsibility for the quality of teaching and students’ outcomes on these secular courses lies with Bolton College. The college also ensures that the requirements of the national study programmes for 16  19-year-old students are met, for example, by providing work

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Sixth form provision Inadequate

experience. However, the school maintains close links with the college concerning all aspects of students’ achievement and welfare, while they are engaged in learning at the college. Students included in the college provision behave well, attend regularly and try hard in their studies.  As part of the college programme, students who have not achieved a standard pass in either English or mathematics are required to continue their study of these subjects. Information about students’ success in these courses was not made available to inspectors during this inspection.  Students’ personal development, behaviour and many aspects of the welfare of sixth-form students are strong features of the school’s provision. However, the weaknesses in the school’s overall safeguarding arrangements mean that, as for younger pupils, the school is not able to guarantee that students in the sixth form are properly protected from

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Sixth form provision Inadequate

possible safeguarding risks.  Students have positive views about their sixth-form experience. They feel that they learn well. They welcome the opportunities provided for them to take on leadership roles working with younger pupils.  Students’ strong attendance and punctuality in the sixth form reflect their commitment to the school and their studies. Very few students leave their courses before the end of their sixth-form studies.  While careers advice and guidance are available to students through the school and the college, the school’s provision in respect of secular opportunities is less well developed than in relation to faith opportunities. Sixth-form students are successfully prepared to continue their education or to take up training or employment. For example, in 2019, students’ post-sixth-form destinations ranged from university and further education to becoming an imam or joining the police.

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Sixth form provision Inadequate

 The leader responsible for the sixth form has a strong vision for its future. This reflects both the faith and secular aspects of sixth-form students’ learning.

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Inadequate

 Boarding pupils form the majority of pupils in the school. However, both boarders and day pupils are equally valued within the school community.  In general, boarders told inspectors that they were happy with their experience of boarding. However, some younger boarders said that it had been hard for them to settle into the routines of living away from home. They felt that the school could do more to help them.  The systems for managing boarders’ behaviour are not as strong as those in the school. Boarders told inspectors that behaviour in boarding is typically good. However, the lack of detail in recording any instances of poor behaviour makes it harder for leaders to be sure that boarders behave as well as possible.  The school has had a system for charging boarders for any damage they cause and also for using some items, such as disposable plates. Some of the charges levied in the past have been high in relation to the actual costs incurred by the school. Current leaders have

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Inadequate

decided that such charges will no longer be made. However, tables setting out charges are still on display in the boarding accommodation.  Leaders do not ensure that the boarding provision is maintained to a high enough standard. Damage to the boarding provision is not quickly or regularly repaired. During the inspection, pipes were found to be leaking in a boarder’s bedroom, windows would not open, showers did not all work, and there were lights that were not working in shower areas. There are areas of the boarding provision that require redecoration. This means that boarders do not live in an environment that is homely and well maintained.  Supervision arrangements for boarders outside teaching time are weak. There are two members of staff on shift for 137 boarders. Senior students are involved in supervising younger boarders; however, managers do not know how many senior students undertake this role. Senior students do not have the required training to undertake this role safely.

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School details

Social care unique reference number SC009423

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 109(1) and (2) of the Education and Skills Act 2008, the purpose of which is to advise the Secretary of State for Education about the school’s suitability for continued registration as an independent school. The inspection of boarding provision was carried out under the Children Act 1989, as amended by the Care Standards Act 2000, having regard to the national minimum standards for boarding schools.

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School details

School category Independent boarding school

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School details

Of which, number on roll in sixth form 38

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School details

Proprietor Al-Jamiatul Islamiyah Darul Uloom, Lancashire UK Chair Yousuf Bhailok

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School details

Date of previous inspection 17–19 April and 1 May 2018

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Information about this school

 Al Jamiatul Islamiyah was established in 1993. It is an independent boys’ day and boarding school with an Islamic ethos and religious purpose. Almost all pupils speak English as an additional language. The majority are British Muslims of Bangladeshi or Pakistani heritage, although some attend the school from other European countries.  The school’s stated mission is ‘to work together to inspire a culture of educational excellence guided by Islamic values of Respect, Courage and Ambition.’  The school has recently experienced a sudden change in leadership. The previous trustees, principal and some members of staff resigned in May this year. The school is currently led by a senior leadership team (SLT) of three members of staff, including an interim headteacher. The interim headteacher has held this post for less than a month.  The school has a number of vacancies for teachers of secular subjects.

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Information about this school

 The curriculum comprises Islamic studies, which are taught in the morning, and a secular curriculum, taught in the afternoon. The Islamic curriculum includes Koranic exegesis, Arabic literature, hadith, theology and jurisprudence, as well as the study of Arabic. The secular curriculum is taught in English.  Sixth-form students are registered as part-time students at Bolton College. They receive secular education in vocational subjects at the college. The quality of this provision is inspected by Ofsted as part of inspection of the college.  Currently, there are no pupils at the school with an education, health and care plan.  The school’s previous standard inspection took place in April and May 2018.

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Information about this inspection

 The Department for Education (DfE) commissioned Ofsted to carry out this standard inspection earlier in the inspection cycle than previously planned, due to concerns raised to the DfE about leadership and management in the school.  Inspectors toured the school site, including the boarding accommodation, accompanied by leaders. Inspectors completed further unaccompanied visits to the school’s different facilities. An inspector visited the school’s Willows Lane annexe, accompanied by leaders.  Inspectors observed teaching and learning in the Islamic curriculum across the school. Inspectors visited a small number of secular lessons for short periods. The whole school was engaged in end-of-year examinations in secular subjects. Lesson time in pupils’ normal secular classes was being used for revision. Inspectors observed pupils’ conduct in lessons, in the examination hall, during movement between lessons, during their social

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Information about this inspection

time in school and, for boarders, after the school day.  Inspectors held meetings with senior leaders. Inspectors also met with the chair of the board of trustees and the other trustee. They met with five groups of teachers and with staff who have responsibility for the supervision of boarders. Inspectors met formally with eight groups of pupils during school and others during boarding activities. Inspectors spoke to others during lessons, at other times during the school day and to boarders after school.  An inspector met with a representative of Bolton College to discuss the programme of secular education for sixth-form students.  Inspectors examined pupils’ books during lessons and in a scrutiny of samples of pupils’ written work in English and other subjects.  Inspectors reviewed documents to confirm compliance with the independent school standards, the national minimum standards for boarding and to provide other inspection

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Information about this inspection

evidence. These documents included policies, health and safety records and other safeguarding information, the school’s own evaluation of examination results, minutes of meetings of the SLT and trustees, and the attendance and admissions registers. Inspectors examined the school’s website.  Too few responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, were received for any overall patterns to be determined. However, inspectors considered written comments from a small number of parents made before and during the inspection and other information provided directly to Ofsted during the inspection. Inspectors received 25 responses to the inspection questionnaire for staff and 33 responses from pupils to their questionnaire.

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Inspection team

David Selby, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Sarah Billett Social Care Regulatory Inspector

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Inspection team

Nusret Ellahi Ofsted Inspector Bernard Robinson Ofsted Inspector Paul Robinson Social Care Regulatory Inspector

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

 7 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that- – 7(a) arrangements are made to safeguard and promote the welfare of pupils at the school; and – 7(b) such arrangements have regard to any guidance issued by the Secretary of State.  8 Where section 87(1) of the 1989 Act [11] applies in relation to a school the standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that- – 8(a) arrangements are made to safeguard and promote the welfare of boarders while they are accommodated at the school; and – 8(b) such arrangements have regard to the National Minimum Standards for Boarding Schools or, where applicable, the National Minimum Standards for Residential Special Schools or the National Minimum Standards for Accommodation of Students under Eighteen by Further Education Colleges.  11 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that relevant health and safety laws are complied with by the drawing up and effective implementation of a

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

written health and safety policy.  12 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures compliance with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005[12].

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Part 4. Suitability of staff, supply staff, and proprietors

 18(2) The standard in this paragraph is met if- – 18(2)(a) no such person is barred from regulated activity relating to children in accordance with section 3(2) of the 2006 Act where that person is or will be engaging in activity which is regulated activity within the meaning of Part 1 of Schedule 4 to that Act; – 18(2)(b) no such person carries out work, or intends to carry out work, at the school in contravention of a prohibition order, an interim prohibition order, or any direction made under section 128 of the 2008 Act or section 142 of the 2002 Act, or any disqualification, prohibition or restriction which takes effect as if contained in either such direction; – 18(2)(c) the proprietor carries out appropriate checks to confirm in respect of each such person- – 18(2)(c)(i) the person’s identity; – 18(2)(c)(ii) the person’s medical fitness; – 18(2)(c)(iii) the person’s right to work in the United Kingdom; and

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Part 4. Suitability of staff, supply staff, and proprietors

– 18(2)(d) the proprietor ensures that, where relevant to any such person, an enhanced criminal record check is made in respect of that person and an enhanced criminal record certificate is obtained before or as soon as practicable after that person’s appointment; – 18(2)(e) in the case of any person for whom, by reason of that person living or having lived outside the United Kingdom, obtaining such a certificate is not sufficient to establish the person’s suitability to work in a school, such further checks are made as the proprietor considers appropriate, having regard to any guidance issued by the Secretary of State; and – 18(2)(f) in the case of staff who care for, train, supervise or are in charge of boarders, in addition to the matters specified in paragraphs (a) to (e), the proprietor checks that Standard 14 of the National Minimum Standards for Boarding Schools or, where applicable, Standard 14 of the National Minimum Standards for Residential Special

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Schools, is complied with  18(3) The checks referred to in sub-paragraphs (2)(c) and (except where sub-paragraph (4) applies) (2)(e) must be completed before a person’s appointment.  20(6) The standard in this paragraph is met in relation to an individual (“MB”), not being the Chair of the school, who is a member of a body of persons corporate or unincorporate named as the proprietor of the school in the register or in an application to enter the school in the register, if- – 20(6)(a) MB- – 20(6)(a)(ii) does not carry out work, or intend to carry out work, at the school in contravention of a prohibition order, an interim prohibition order, or any direction made under section 128 of the 2008 Act or section 142 of the 2002 Act or any disqualification, prohibition or restriction which takes effect as if contained in either such direction;  21(1) The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor keeps a register which shows

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Part 4. Suitability of staff, supply staff, and proprietors

such of the information referred to in sub-paragraphs (3) to (7) as is applicable to the school in question.  21(3) The information referred to in this sub-paragraph is- – 21(3)(a) in relation to each member of staff (“S”) appointed on or after 1st May 2007, whether- – 21(3)(a)(i) S’s identity was checked; – 21(3)(a)(ii) a check was made to establish whether S is barred from regulated activity relating to children in accordance with section 3(2) of the 2006 Act; – 21(3)(a)(iii) a check was made to establish whether S is subject to any direction made under section 128 of the 2008 Act or section 142 of the 2002 Act or any disqualification, prohibition or restriction which takes effect as if contained in such a direction; – 21(3)(a)(v) an enhanced criminal record certificate was obtained in respect of S; – 21(3)(a)(vi) checks were made pursuant to paragraph 18(2)(d); – 21(3)(a)(vii) a check of S’s right to work in the United Kingdom was made; and

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Part 4. Suitability of staff, supply staff, and proprietors

– 21(3)(a)(viii) checks were made pursuant to paragraph 18(2)(e), – 21(3)(b) in relation to each member of staff (“S”), whether a check was made to establish whether S is subject to a prohibition order or an interim prohibition order, including the date on which such check was completed.  21(4) The information referred to in this sub-paragraph is, in relation to each member of staff in post on 1st August 2007 who was appointed at any time before 1st May 2007, whether each check referred to in sub-paragraph (3) was made and whether an enhanced criminal record certificate was obtained, together with the date on which any check was completed or certificate obtained.  21(7) The information referred to in this sub-paragraph is, in relation to each member of a body of persons named as the proprietor in post on 1st August 2007 who was appointed at any time before 1st May 2007- – 21(7)(a) whether each check referred to in sub-paragraph (6) was made; and

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Part 5. Premises of and accommodation at schools

 25 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that the school premises and the accommodation and facilities provided therein are maintained to a standard such that, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of pupils are ensured.  28(1) The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that- – 28(1)(a) suitable drinking water facilities are provided;  28(2) The facilities provided under sub-paragraph (1)(a) will be suitable only if- – 28(2)(b) they are in a separate area from the toilet facilities.  30 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that, where the school provides accommodation, regard is had to Standard 5 of the National Minimum Standards for Boarding Schools or, where applicable, Standard 5 of the National Minimum Standards for Residential Special Schools.

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Part 6. Provision of information

 32(1) The standard about the provision of information by the school is met if the proprietor ensures that- – 32(1)(b) the information specified in sub-paragraph (3) is made available to parents of pupils and parents of prospective pupils and, on request, to the Chief Inspector, the Secretary of State or an independent inspectorate;  32(3) The information specified in this sub-paragraph is- – 32(3)(f) details of the complaints procedure referred to in paragraph 33, and the number of complaints registered under the formal procedure during the preceding school year; and

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Part 7. Manner in which complaints are handled

 33 The standard about the manner in which complaints are handled is met if the proprietor ensures that a complaints procedure is drawn up and effectively implemented which deals with the handling of complaints from parents of pupils and which- – 33(g) ensures that, where there is a panel hearing of a complaint, one panel member is independent of the management and running of the school;

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

 34(1) The standard about the quality of leadership and management is met if the proprietor ensures that persons with leadership and management responsibilities at the school- – 34(1)(a) demonstrate good skills and knowledge appropriate to their role so that the independent school standards are met consistently; – 34(1)(b) fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards are met consistently; and – 34(1)(c) actively promote the well-being of pupils.

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 The school has, and implements effectively, appropriate policies for the care of boarders who are unwell and ensures that the physical and mental health, and emotional well- being of boarders is promoted. These include first aid, care of those with chronic conditions and disabilities, dealing with medical emergencies and the use of household remedies. (NMS 3.1)  All medication is safely and securely stored and proper records are kept of its administration. Prescribed medicines are given only to the boarders to whom they are prescribed. Boarders allowed to self-medicate are assessed as sufficiently responsible to do so. (NMS 3.4)  Boarding houses and other accommodation provided for boarders is appropriately lit, heated and ventilated, cleaned and maintained, and reasonable adjustments are made to provide adequate accessible accommodation for any boarders with restricted mobility. (NMS 5.4)  The school complies with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. (NMS 7.1)

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 The school ensures that: – arrangements are made to safeguard and promote the welfare of pupils at the school; and – such arrangements have regard to any guidance issued by the Secretary of State. (NMS 11.1 )  The policy [to promote good behaviour amongst pupils] complies with relevant legislation and has regard to guidance, and is understood by staff and pupils. (NMS12.2)  The school’s governing body and/or proprietor monitors the effectiveness of the leadership, management and delivery of the boarding and welfare provision in the school, and takes appropriate action where necessary. (NMS 13.1)  The school’s leadership and management consistently fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the standards are met. (NMS13.4)  The school’s leadership and management and governance actively promote the well-being of pupils. (NMS 13.5)  The records specified in Appendix 2 are maintained and monitored by the school and

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action taken as appropriate. (NMS 13.8)  The issues specified in Appendix 3 are monitored, and action is taken to improve outcomes for children as appropriate. (NMS 13.9)  Schools operate safe recruitment and adopt recruitment procedures in line with the regulatory requirements and having regard to relevant guidance issued by the Secretary of State. (NMS 14.1)  Any staff member or volunteer employed or volunteering in a position working with boarders has a job description reflecting their duties, receives induction training in boarding when newly appointed, and receives regular reviews of their boarding practice, with opportunities for training and continual professional development in boarding. (NMS 15.1)  The staff supervising boarders outside teaching time are sufficient in number, training and experience for the age, number and needs of boarders, and the locations and activities involved. (NMS 15.3)

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 The school’s written record of complaints identifies those complaints relating to boarding provision, and action taken by the school as a result of those complaints (regardless of whether they are upheld). (NMS 18.2) guidance ‘Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Parent View You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted .

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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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If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open- government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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