North Road Academy

School material change inspection report

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North Road Academy North Road, Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, ST6 2BP

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Main inspection findings

Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Paragraphs 7, 7(a), 7(b) and 32(1)(c) (Part 6 Provision of information)  The proprietor and leaders have ensured that there is a suitable safeguarding policy in place. They have carefully considered the additional safeguarding challenges that may occur as a result of admitting further pupils with education, health and care (EHC) plans, with regard to their special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The policy reflects the most recent government guidance and is available on the school’s website.  The school has a designated safeguarding lead who has undertaken an appropriate level of training. In addition, two other leaders have completed designated lead training. All staff complete child protection training when they join the school and regular updates to training are provided.  Records show that staff know how to report any concerns they might have about a

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Main inspection findings

pupil’s welfare or safety. Leaders respond to these concerns quickly to ensure that vulnerable pupils receive the support they need. Paragraphs 11, 14, 16, 16(a) and 16(b)  The school’s health and safety policy is comprehensive. It includes individual roles and responsibilities to ensure that the policy is implemented and procedures followed. The written policy complies with all relevant health and safety laws. Leaders have ensured that all staff know what they should do to keep themselves and others safe.  A tour of the school site demonstrated that leaders are ensuring that the building and grounds adhere to arrangements set out in the policy. Some building refurbishment works are yet to be completed. However, they are on track to be completed to an acceptable health and safety standard. Regular checks are undertaken to ensure that health and safety requirements are likely to be met.  Pupils are supervised well throughout the day. This is because leaders have ensured

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Main inspection findings

that there are enough staff to support pupils in all activities, including breaktimes and lunchtimes. There are firm plans in place to appoint more staff should the material change be implemented.  A broad range of risk assessments is in place. Leaders have carefully considered the possible risks in the school building and grounds and external activities, including, for example, trips to a local football club to undertake physical education. Each risk assessment details appropriate control measures and suggests suitable actions to mitigate any possible risk or harm.  The school is likely to meet all of the standards in this part if the material change is implemented. Part 4. Suitability of staff, supply staff, and proprietors Paragraphs 18(1), 18(2), 18(2)(a), 18(2)(b), 18(2)(c), 18(2)(c)(i), 18(2)(c)(ii), 18(2)(c)(iii), 18(2)(c)(iv), 18(2)(d), 18(2)(e), 18(3), 19(2), 19(2)(a), 19(2)(a)(i), 19(2)(a)(i)(aa), 19(2)(a)(i)(bb), 19(2)(i)(cc), 19(2)(i)(dd), 19(2)(a)(ii), 19(2)(b),

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Main inspection findings

19(2)(c), 19(2)(d), 19(2)(d)(i), 19(2)(d)(ii), 19(3), 20(6), 20(6)(a), 20(6)(a)(i), 20(6)(a)(ii), 20(6)(b), 20(6)(b)(i), 20(6)(b)(ii), 20(6)(b)(iii), 20(6)(c), 21(1), 21(2), 21(3), 21(3)(a), 21(3)(a)(i), 21(3)(a)(ii), 21(3)(a)(iii), 21(3)(a)(iv), 21(3)(a)(v), 21(3)(a)(vi), 21(3)(a)(vii), 21(3)(a)(viii), 21(3)(b), 21(5), 21(5)(a)(i), 21(5)(a)(ii), 21(5)(b), 21(5)(c), 21(6)  Leaders have a robust approach to the recruitment of staff. All interview panels include a member who has completed safer recruitment training. Nobody starts work at the school before all pre-employment checks have been completed and two satisfactory written references have been received and checked.  The single central record contains all the required information on appointed staff. This includes checks relevant to the proprietor and members of staff who will hold management positions, to ensure the suitability of staff.  The school does not engage supply staff. However, it is aware of its responsibilities

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Main inspection findings

should it do so in future.  The proprietor has ensured that all confidential information about staff is stored securely.  The school is likely to meet all of the standards in this part if the material change is implemented. Part 5. Premises of and accommodation at schools Paragraphs 23(1), 23(1)(a), 23(1)(b), 23(1)(c), 24(1), 24(1)(a), 24(1)(b), 24(1)(c), 24((2)  The school has ample toilet and washing facilities for girls and boys if the material change is implemented. Toilets and washbasins are clean and well maintained. Suitable hot and cold water are provided, as is soap and paper towels for hand drying.  There is a separate, appropriately equipped, disabled toilet. It can also be used by other pupils, whether or not they are disabled. Suitable changing accommodation and showers are provided at the football club where pupils over 11 years of age receive physical education.  In addition to a well-equipped medical room the school also provides a large first-

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Main inspection findings

aid cupboard in the central hall. Its location enables a swift response to minor injuries during breaktimes and lunchtimes. Both the medical room and the first-aid cupboard are adjacent to the toilet and washing facilities. Paragraphs 25, 26, 27, 27(a), 27(b)  The proprietor has ensured that the provision for current pupils is of a good standard and well maintained. Classrooms benefit from natural light and additional lighting is appropriate. In order to accommodate more pupils, including those with EHC plans, the proprietor is refurbishing a prefabricated building within the school grounds. Plans indicate that this area is likely to be decorated to an equally high standard, mirroring the design of existing teaching spaces. Evidence indicates that pupils’ welfare, health and safety is likely to be maintained if the material change is implemented.  There is a range of well-resourced teaching spaces, including specialist science and

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Main inspection findings

art areas for older pupils. The proprietor has ensured that lighting, heating and acoustics are suitable for all of the activities that take place in these rooms and in all the spaces throughout the school.  External lighting is placed appropriately around the school. Plans show that this will include outside the refurbished building so that pupils and staff can move safely between the existing building and the new part of the school. Paragraphs 28(1), 28(1)(a), 28(1)(b), 28(1)(c), 28(1)(d), 28(2), 28(2)(a), 28(2)(b)  Leaders have ensured that pupils have ample access to drinking water. There are several sources of drinking water around the school and signage clearly indicates which water is safe to drink. Temperature controls on the hot taps ensure that the water gets warm, but there is no risk of scalding. Paragraphs 29(1), 29(1)(a), 29(1)(b)  The outdoor areas are well maintained. There is a large playground suitable for

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Main inspection findings

physical education and for pupils to play together at breaktimes and lunchtimes. Pupils have access to a climbing frame and other fixed equipment, positioned on a soft surface area. The school also makes occasional use of an adjacent park area for a range of activities. The school has completed suitable risk assessments for all these activities.  All the standards in this part are likely to be met if the material change is implemented. Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Paragraphs 34(1), 34(1)(a), 34(1)(b), 34(1)(c)  The proprietor and leaders are knowledgeable and committed to providing a good education for the pupils. Leaders demonstrate strong attention to detail in ensuring that the school consistently meets the independent school standards. For example, they are diligent in monitoring the progress of the building refurbishment. They want to ensure that the building will meet the needs of the pupils to be admitted,

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Main inspection findings

ensuring their health and well-being.  Leaders have ensured that all policies and procedures are developed in line with statutory requirements. School leaders are held to account by ‘critical friends’ who review all aspects of the school’s work, such as the progress of pupils, safeguarding, behaviour and the curriculum.  The proprietor and leaders work closely with referrers to ensure that there is a joint responsibility to focus on meeting pupils’ academic and well-being needs. They have placed pupils’ well-being at the heart of everything they do. They have ensured that the environment is well matched to the needs of pupils. In addition, leaders have appointed staff who have the skills and experience to provide a good-quality education for pupils with SEND.  The school is likely to meet the standards in this part if the material change is implemented. Schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010  Leaders ensure that the school meets the requirements of schedule 10 of the

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Main inspection findings

Equality Act 2010. While current refurbishment works are yet to be completed, the inspection evidence shows that leaders have considered how the building will be made accessible to all pupils.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school is likely to meet the requirements of the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 (‘the independent school standards’) and associated requirements that are relevant to the material change.

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 162(4) of the Education Act 2002, the purpose of which is to advise the Secretary of State for Education about the school’s likely compliance with the independent school standards relevant to the material change that the school has applied to make.

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School details

Email address admin@northroadacademy.com

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School details

Date of previous standard inspection 16–18 October 2018

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recommendation

Age range of pupils 3 to 16 3 to 16 3 to 16

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recommendation

Number of pupils on the school roll 166 230 230

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Number of full-time pupils of compulsory school age 200 230

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Number of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities 16 30

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Of which, number of pupils with an education, health and care plan 2 30

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Of which, number of pupils paid for by a local authority with an education, health and care plan 2 30

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Number of full-time equivalent teaching staff 21 22

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Number of staff in the welfare provision 3 5

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Information about this school

 North Road Academy is a mixed independent Muslim faith school located in the Cobridge area of Stoke-on-Trent. The school is registered for up to 200 pupils aged from three to 16 years.  There are currently 166 pupils on roll from Reception class through to Year 11.  Pupils are of Asian heritage. Almost all pupils speak English as an additional language but very few are at the early stages of learning English.  The headteacher is also the proprietor of the school. There are no trustees and no governing body.  The school’s last full inspection was in October 2018. The school’s overall effectiveness was judged to be good, and it met all the independent school standards.  The school aims to provide a caring, safe and enjoyable environment in which every pupil can discover and reach their potential. It aims to provide Muslim children with a high standard of education based on the national curriculum, as well as teaching

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Information about this school

Islamic studies and the Arabic language.  The school does not make use of alternative provision.  The school shares the site with North Road Nursery. The same proprietor owns the school and the nursery. Ofsted separately inspects the nursery.

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Information about this inspection

 This inspection was commissioned by the Department for Education to establish if the school would be likely to meet all the relevant independent school standards if the proposed material change, to increase the number of pupils in the school to 230 and to admit additional pupils with an EHC plan, is implemented. The pupils will have a range of SEND.  The school is in the process of refurbishing a prefabricated building within the school grounds to provide specialist resources and provision for the pupils with an EHC plan. As the result of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic and delays in the supply of building materials, the refurbishment has not yet been completed. The school plans for it to be in operation in November 2021.  The inspection focused on some of the welfare, health and safety standards in Part 3, the standards in Part 4 about the suitability of staff, the standards in Part 5 relating to

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Information about this inspection

the school’s premises and accommodation, and the standards in Part 8 relating to leadership and management.  This was the school’s first material change inspection.  The inspector met with the proprietor, who is also the headteacher, and with the deputy headteacher.  The lead inspector conducted a tour of the school site, accompanied by the headteacher.  The inspector scrutinised a range of documents, including the school’s safeguarding policy and documents and policies relating to supervision, health and safety and risk assessments.  The inspector examined the school’s single central record of safeguarding checks made on staff, and pupil safeguarding records.

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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