The British Muslim School

School and boarding progress monitoring inspection report

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

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this inspection

Boarding provision outcome The school meets all of the national

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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 school’s safeguarding policy pays due regard to current government guidance and is published on their website. Leaders ensure that staff receive regular safeguarding training and updates, including ‘Prevent’ duty training. Consequently, staff have a secure understanding of the school’s safeguarding procedures and what they should do if they have any concerns about a pupils’ welfare and safety. When any concerns are raised, leaders take action to ensure that pupils receive the support and help they need.  Leaders carry out all the necessary safeguarding checks on staff so that they do not pose any risks to pupils. Leaders also make sure that new staff understand the school’s safeguarding procedures before they begin working at the school.  The school’s comprehensive personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) and spiritual,

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Main inspection findings

moral, cultural, and social (SMSC) education helps pupils to learn how to keep themselves safe in a wide range of situations. It includes topics such as knife crime, grooming and radicalisation and forced marriage. Pupils also explained how they learn how to keep themselves safe.  There is a strong sense of community across the school. Pupils trust the staff and they confirmed that if they have any worries, they readily share them with the staff and are confident that staff will help them.  These standards were met at the previous inspection and continue to be met. Paragraphs 8, 8(a) and 8(b)  During the emergency inspection in June 2021, the bedding and sleeping arrangements were found to be of a poor quality. Leaders rectified these issues swiftly. They purchased and installed new beds and mattresses. They have also undertaken additional actions to improve the quality of the provision further, such as buying more storage for the

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Main inspection findings

boarders. Leaders now have a regular monitoring cycle in place to ensure that all the national minimum standards for boarding schools are met consistently.  These standards were previously unmet and are now met. Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Paragraphs 34(1), 34(1)(a), 34(1)(b), 34(1)(c)  Leaders have a secure understanding of the independent school standards and the importance of ensuring that they are securely and consistently met. They have taken decisive action to improve the boarding provision. Almost all of the priorities on the action plan have been achieved successfully. Full completion of the plan has been hampered by delays to delivery times of a small number of bedroom furniture items due to COVID-19.  Regular monitoring cycles are firmly in place and followed. Leaders’ oversight of the school and boarding provision enables them to identify any potential issues in meeting

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Main inspection findings

the standards in both settings. They take swift action to rectify any issues identified. This means that leaders ensure that all the standards are consistently met.  Leaders prioritise the safeguarding of pupils. They have created a culture where pupils trust staff and feel confident to share concerns. Pupils’ welfare and safety is promoted very well.  These standards were previously unmet and are now met. Boarding provision The overall experience and progress of children Taking into account, how well children are helped and protected and the effectiveness of leaders and managers.  Boarders told the inspector that they enjoyed being with their friends in the boarding provision. They say that they feel safe and that they have someone to talk to should they have a concern. There is a real sense of community within the boarding provision where staff and pupils care for and respect one another.  Since the emergency inspection in June this year, leaders and the proprietor have taken

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Main inspection findings

their responsibility to monitor the boarding provision very seriously. They conduct regular checks to ensure that boarders have suitable and comfortable living conditions. The national minimum standards that were assessed during this inspection Standard 5  Leaders have taken action to improve the boarders’ living environment. Many of the boarders’ beds and mattresses have been replaced. Furthermore, the bedrooms are now benefiting from new wardrobes. The leaders have also reorganised the bedrooms so that the boarders have more living space.  This standard was previously unmet and is now met. Standard 7.1  Staff have undergone fire safety training. Leaders also check that all fire doors are kept closed. Fire doors are self-closing. During the inspection, no breaches in fire safety regulations were found.  This standard was met at the last inspection and continues to be met. Standard 11.1  Arrangements to safeguard and promote the welfare of boarders are in line with the

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Main inspection findings

school’s safeguarding policy and are effective. Appropriate safeguarding checks are made on the staff who work in the boarding provision. They also receive regular safeguarding training.  This standard was met at the last inspection and continues to be met. Standards 13.1 and 13.4  Leaders now monitor the boarding provision effectively. This includes visual checks to ensure that fire doors close as required. Leaders’ checks also help to ensure that maintenance issues are identified and addressed quickly. Leaders seek boarders’ views and then act upon them to improve the provision further. This helps senior leaders to continue to monitor boarders’ views and satisfaction of the accommodation.  These standards were previously unmet and are now met.

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standards for boarding schools

The school meets the requirements of the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 (‘the independent school standards’), the national minimum standards for boarding schools and associated requirements that were checked during this inspection. This included the standards and requirements that the school was judged to not comply with at the previous inspection. Not all of the standards and associated requirements were checked during this inspection.

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

 8 Where section 87(1) of the 1989 Act applies in relation to a school the standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that–

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

– 8(a) arrangements are made to safeguard and promote the welfare of boarders while they are accommodated at the school; and

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

– 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.

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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-

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

– 34(1)(a) demonstrate good skills and knowledge appropriate to their role so that the independent school standards are met consistently;

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

– 34(1)(b) fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards are met consistently; and

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

– 34(1)(c) actively promote the well-being of pupils.

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schools

 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’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. (NMS 13.4)

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School details

Social care unique reference number 1267532

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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 status Independent boarding school

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School details

Website www.thebritishmuslimschool.co.uk

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School details

Email address info@thebritishmuslimschool.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous standard inspection 28–30 January 2020

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Information about this school

 The school is a member of the Association of Muslim Schools UK.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  Information about the proprietor is missing from the DfE’s ‘Get information about schools’.  The school received its last standard inspection in January 2020, where it was judged to require improvement.

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Information about this inspection

 This inspection was carried out at the request of the registration authority for independent schools. The purpose of the inspection was to monitor the progress the school has made in meeting the independent school standards and other requirements that it was judged to not comply with at its previous inspection.  This was the first progress monitoring inspection since unmet standards were identified during an emergency inspection in June 2021.  The DfE issued the school with a statutory notice which required them to produce an action plan. This plan was evaluated by Ofsted on 6 September 2021. The plan was found to be fit for purpose. The DfE then accepted the action plan.  The inspection was conducted without notice.  The inspection focused on how pupils are safeguarded in the school and boarding provision. It also focused on the suitability of the sleeping arrangements for pupils and whether fire regulations were adhered to. Inspectors checked to see whether the

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Information about this inspection

relevant independent school standards and national minimum standards for boarding schools were met.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, who is also part of the proprietor board, the safeguarding leader, and the boarding manager.  Inspectors had a tour of the school and boarding provision and spoke with pupils and staff.  The lead inspector scrutinised the safeguarding checks leaders make on staff and how they are recorded on the single central record. She also reviewed a range of safeguarding documentation, including the school’s safeguarding policy and training records. The lead inspector also checked how pupils learn to keep themselves safe.  There were no responses to the Ofsted Parent View.

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Inspection team

Louise Battersby Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Social Care Inspector 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 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

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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Inspection team

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/ofsted .

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Inspection team

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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