Ayesha Siddiqa Girls School

Inspection of Ayesha Siddiqa Girls School 165–169 The Broadway, Southall, Middlesex UB1 1LS

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection 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 appreciate the respectful and supportive school environment. They have built good relationships with staff. They feel safe and know that bullying is not tolerated. They know that they will be listened to by teachers. They are happy to ask for help if they need it.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Behaviour in school is excellent. In lessons, pupils are focused on their learning. Routines are well understood by pupils. At lunchtime, they take themselves off to pray in a quiet and orderly way. Pupils are welcoming and friendly. They are keen to discuss their learning and life in school. Careful thought is given to their personal development. Pupils and staff value the ‘Four Os’ in school life: To be an outstanding Muslimah and British citizen, and to achieve outstanding behaviour and results.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. They are supported to prepare for their next steps after school. A personalised approach is given to each pupil. Some pupils take part in voluntary enrichment activities. Pupils are encouraged to come up with ideas for clubs. For example, older pupils ran a criminology club for the younger pupils.

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better?

Leaders deliver a well-balanced curriculum that meets the independent school standards. It provides pupils with an opportunity to study a range of subjects. Pupils study most of these to GCSE level. Leaders have a clear curriculum vision, reflected in subject-specific curriculum plans. Most subjects provide a well-sequenced programme of study. Because of this, pupils are able to make links to their prior learning. For example, in mathematics, older pupils refer confidently to their learning in Year 7 when undertaking more advanced work with coordinates and graphs.

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better?

Curriculum planning is not as secure in all subjects, however. In history, for example, the 20th century is not covered in key stage 3. In computing, curriculum plans are not sufficiently detailed or organised. Leaders have plans in place to revise the curriculum in these subjects so that they are as strong, for example, as they are in mathematics.

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better?

Clear assessment routines help pupils know what they need to improve. Pupils complete three assessments a year and these are reported to parents and carers. Regular, informal feedback is given in lessons. Teachers’ good subject knowledge helps them to present new information clearly. Well-planned activities mean that the work is accessible for all pupils, including for those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Behaviour in lessons is very good. Learning is not disrupted, allowing pupils to complete the work set. They have a positive attitude to their learning and will ask for help if they need it.

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better?

Leaders provide support for those pupils who need help. They put individual support plans in place for those pupils with SEND. This includes one-to-one reading support 12 to 14 October 2021 for targeted pupils. This has helped those readers improve their reading fluency. Pupils talk confidently about the books they read as part of the curriculum, and about the books they are reading in their own time. Leaders have introduced new strategies to help further raise the profile of reading.

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better?

Pupils receive a well-planned personal, social and health education. The curriculum is well sequenced. It is built up logically from Year 7 onwards. Leaders have been effective in implementing relationship and sex education (RSE). They have consulted with parents. Leaders attended training and then passed this on to teachers. This was to help them feel confident with all aspects of this curriculum. Pupils have a clear understanding of different groups in society. They can discuss them in detail and understand that these groups can be at risk of discrimination. This is preparing pupils well for life in modern Britain.

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better?

Leaders provide a good range of opportunities for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. For example, during the inspection, pupils in Year 9 and Year 10 visited Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre to watch a performance of ‘The merchant of Venice’. Pupils study a range of different religions. During the pandemic, they completed remote visits to a church, a mosque and a synagogue. Pupils help to fundraise for charities, including recently for mental health awareness week. Leaders provide enrichment opportunities, but attendance to these is not monitored. As a consequence, pupils’ engagement is inconsistent. Leaders have a clear plan for careers education. They provide a range of information and personalised support. This includes information about apprenticeships.

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better?

Staff feel well supported. Leaders have supported staff to obtain qualified teacher status. They have provided opportunities for subject-specific professional development, although access to this training has been affected by national restrictions.

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better?

The proprietor works in close collaboration with the school. They hold regular meetings with school leaders. They are clear about their responsibilities, including around finance, health and safety, and compliance with the independent school standards. Although the school does not have a website, it does provide all necessary information to parents on request. The proprietor provides appropriate support to school leaders, and is aware of which subjects are being taught and the academic outcomes. However, they are not as confident about the detail of curriculum planning.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders know their pupils very well. They are conscious that just because something may not have been reported does not mean that it isn’t happening. Careful consideration has been given to ensuring that safeguarding forms part of the curriculum that the pupils receive. Pupils are aware of how to keep themselves safe online. 12 to 14 October 2021 Staff are clear about how to refer any concerns and can discuss their safeguarding training with confidence. For example, they are clear about potential risks of peer- on-peer abuse. Leaders use additional agencies where it is appropriate and required. They are happy to seek advice and guidance when needed.

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 Almost but not all subjects are sequenced well. For example, while planning in mathematics is strong, it is not as ambitious in history. For this reason, the transition arrangements have been applied. Leaders need to ensure that the curriculum offer is effective in all subject areas. This will help to ensure that pupils have the key knowledge they need to support their future learning.  Leaders have planned a variety of enrichment activities that are available to pupils. Pupils attend these if they wish. However, leaders do not record who is attending each enrichment opportunity. This means that attendance in these activities can be inconsistent. Leaders need to carefully consider the enrichment they want to offer pupils, tracking who is attending and ensuring that all pupils are able to benefit.

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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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Proprietor

Islamic Educational and Recreational Institute Chair Hafiz Batti

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Proprietor

Email address admin@ayeshasiddiqa.org.uk

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Proprietor

Date of previous inspection 6 to 8 March 2018 12 to 14 October 2021

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Information about this school

 The school uses no alternative provision.  It is a Muslim secondary school for girls.  There are no girls on roll in the sixth form.  The school’s previous standard inspection took place in March 2018.

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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 had received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders, and have taken that into account in their evaluation.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector met with the headteacher and senior leadership team.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: computer science, history and mathematics. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders for key stage 3 and key stage 4. They looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lesson, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning, and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also spoke to curriculum leaders for other subjects and looked at curriculum plans.  Inspectors looked at the single central record and other documentation. They spoke to the designated safeguarding lead and the designated officer for Hillingdon. They spoke to staff and pupils.  The Department for Education commissioned Ofsted to carry out this standard inspection earlier in the cycle than previously planned.

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Inspection team

Sophie Healey-Welch, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Alison Moore Ofsted Inspector 12 to 14 October 2021 regulates and inspects 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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