Darul Uloom Leicester

Inspection of Darul Uloom Leicester 119 Loughborough Road, Leicester, Leicestershire LE4 5LN

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Sixth-form provision Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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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 flourish at this school. They work hard and try their very best. Pupils are proud of their work and are proud to attend the school. The school value of ‘respect’ shines through clearly. Pupils say they are happy and safe. They know to tell an adult if they are worried. Pupils receive extra help quickly if they have a problem. There are many adults to support them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave very well. Low-level disruption is rare. Bullying is very rare. Pupils enjoy receiving reward points for behaving, attending well and working hard. They can exchange these points at the tuck shop.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and staff have high expectations for pupils. Pupils are ambitious. They want to achieve. All pupils leaving the school last year moved on to appropriate education or training. They are well prepared for their next stage. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils understand about life in modern Britain. They know about different faiths and about gender reassignment and same-sex marriage, for example.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents have positive views about the school. One typical comment was that, ‘The nurturing, education, well-being and safeguarding my child receives are all excellent’.

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better?

Leaders have ensured that there is a well-designed curriculum. It is ambitious. Different subject plans have been well thought through. In history, for example, pupils link Black History Month to their previous learning about Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr and the civil rights movement in America. In mathematics, pupils build on their knowledge of expanding brackets in Year 9. In Year 10, they successfully add an algebraic element to this learning. Pupils know that their knowledge is building up over time. They know and remember more as a result. This includes the students in the sixth form.

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better?

Teachers have good subject knowledge. They explain new ideas clearly. Teachers use assessment wisely. Pupils take end of unit tests to check their long-term learning. There are also short ‘pop quizzes’. These occur more often. They remind pupils of what they have learned recently. Pupils like these tests and quizzes. They say they find them helpful in their learning.

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better?

There are chances for pupils to debate sensitive issues. The recent takeover of a professional football club allowed pupils to discuss if sport and politics should mix. Pupils maturely share their different points of view.

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better?

Pupils enjoy reading. Many pupils read in their spare time. However, teachers are not always aware of the books that pupils choose to read for themselves. On occasions, these books are not challenging enough. The texts that teachers set 12 to 14 October 2021 pupils to study in class can also lack sufficient challenge, particularly the texts younger pupils study.

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better?

Relationships between staff, pupils and students are warm and respectful. Staff expect pupils to behave well. They do. There are clear routines for pupils to follow. The school is calm and orderly. Pupils’ attendance is very good. They are punctual to lessons and at the start of the day. Sanctions and short-term suspensions are used appropriately.

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better?

Pupils’ personal development is a strength. There are chances for pupils to learn about potential risks they may face in their lives. These include such risks as gambling, extremism, drugs and alcohol. Pupils have a good understanding of different faiths and cultures. They visit a local mandir, synagogue and cathedral. They know the importance of respecting those whose beliefs, opinions or values are different from their own. Pupils support their local community. They donate to a local food bank and support various charities.

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better?

Leaders have introduced the relationships, sex and health education curriculum well. Pupils have an age-appropriate understanding of this material. Pupils are aware of the protected characteristics as defined in the 2010 Equality Act. One pupil explained that, ‘Marriages and civil partnerships can be formed between opposite and same-sex couples’.

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better?

Pupils experience a variety of educational visits. They also hear from a range of visitors to the school. There is a well-structured programme of careers advice and guidance from which pupils and students in the sixth form benefit. This guidance prepares them well for their next steps.

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better?

Leaders lead by example. They share a clear vision with pupils, parents and staff. They are determined for all pupils to uphold the school’s values of respect, learn, practise and serve. Leaders operate with integrity and a moral purpose. They are considerate of staff workload and of their well-being.

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better?

Members of the governing body know the school well. They hold leaders fully to account for their actions. In turn, the board of trustees holds the governing body to account. These lines of accountability are clear.

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better?

Leaders have ensured that the recommendations from the previous inspection have been addressed. They have ensured that there is a better choice of subjects for students in the sixth form. Pupils now experience a wider range of extra-curricular activities, visits and visitors. Teachers are now receiving an increased number of training opportunities. A link has been made with a local computing hub to help share good practice. However, other subject leaders have not yet made such links.

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better?

Leaders have consistently ensured that all the independent school standards are met. The premises are maintained to a good standard. There is a suitable outdoor space for pupils to exercise. School policies, including the safeguarding policy, are 12 to 14 October 2021 appropriate. They are available for parents to download. The school complies with schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders, staff and adults have received appropriate safeguarding training. They are clear on the procedures to follow should they have a welfare concern about a pupil or an adult. Leaders take swift action should the need arise. They contact outside agencies when necessary and keep appropriate records. Pupils can contact adults through the ‘help box’ or through email should they have a concern. Pupils trust this system and say it works. Leaders have taken full account of the latest guidance around peer-on-peer abuse and Ofsted’s sexual abuse review. Staff are alert to the signs of potential peer-on-peer abuse.

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 Teachers are not always aware of the reading books that pupils are choosing. The reading books pupils choose are not always challenging enough. Additionally, teachers do not always choose books and texts that are sufficiently challenging for pupils to study in lessons. Leaders should ensure that, in their promotion of the love of reading, there is sufficient ambition around the level of challenge in the books that pupils read.  Leaders have started to make links with other schools and local hubs in computing. However, this is not the case in all subjects. Some subject leaders have not yet made such links. This limits their opportunities in these subjects to share best practice and learn from the practice of professionals in other schools. Leaders should ensure that other subject leaders and staff benefit from links with other schools to share ideas with, and learn from, others.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View 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 . 12 to 14 October 2021

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School details

Unique reference number 120345 DfE registration number 856/6004

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School details

Inspection number 10205726 Type of school Other Independent School

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School details

School category Independent boarding school

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sixth form

Email address info@darululoomleicester.org

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sixth form

Date of previous inspection 29 to 31 October 2019

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Information about this school

 The previous standard inspection took place from 29 to 31 October 2019  The school offers Islamic education for those up to 23 years of age. This prepares students to become imams or Islamic theologians. Inspectors did not inspect this aspect of the school’s provision.  There are 138 pupils on roll, 79 of whom are boarders.  The school does not use the services of any alternative providers. 12 to 14 October 2021

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors 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

This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspection was commissioned by the Department for Education. It was conducted without notice.  The inspection was an aligned inspection. The inspection of the school took place at the same time as the inspection of the boarding provision. These were two separate inspections resulting in two separate inspection reports.  Inspectors held various meetings with the headteacher and other senior leaders, including those responsible for pupils with SEND, the sixth form, and pupils’ behaviour, attendance and personal development.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics, history and personal, social, health and economic education. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also looked at curriculum plans and spoke to leaders about art.

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Information about this inspection

 A meeting was held to discuss the school’s safeguarding arrangements. Training certificates were checked and safeguarding records were scrutinised. Inspectors asked staff about their safeguarding training and the safeguarding procedures at the school. The single central record was checked.  Telephone conversations were held with the chair of the governing body, a representative of the proprietor and the school’s improvement adviser.  Inspectors spoke with pupils from every year group.  Inspectors looked at a wide variety of documents and policies. The lead inspector undertook a tour of the school premises.  There were 14 responses to Ofsted’s Parent View survey, 13 responses to Ofsted’s parental free-text service and one staff email that were taken into consideration.

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Inspection team

Peter Stonier, lead inspector Her Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Chris Davies Her Majesty's Inspector 12 to 14 October 2021 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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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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