Hafs Academy

Inspection of Hafs Academy Unit 3, 26 Maryland Road, Stratford, London E15 1JW

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Inspection dates: 30 November to 2 December 2021

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Inadequate

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Does the school meet the independent school standards?

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders aim for pupils to excel in their Qur’an and Islamic studies. They strive to develop pupils’ personal values and to ensure they achieve well. Pupils value and enjoy the first part of the day when they immerse themselves in their faith studies. However, they feel they are missing out on learning in other subjects. Pupils do not have the option to choose the GCSE subjects they wish to study. Leaders do not ensure that pupils have enough resources to support their learning. This means, for instance, pupils do not do any experiments in science. Pupils dislike not having a playground on site to get exercise during breaktimes.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well and enjoy each other’s company. They are respectful, polite and welcoming to visitors. Pupils are safe and said that in this small school bullying is something they do not experience. They are confident that leaders would not tolerate any form of bullying. They said that should it occur, leaders would deal with it straight away.

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better?

Although the curriculum meets the requirements of the independent school standards, leaders do not ensure that what pupils learn outside Islamic studies is planned consistently well.

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better?

Leaders expect teachers to plan what pupils learn in each subject. However, leaders have not ensured that teachers have had sufficient training to plan and deliver a well-sequenced curriculum. Leaders have not given enough thought to what they want pupils in Years 7 and 8 to know and remember in each subject. Pupils do not cover subject content in much depth.

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better?

Pupils start most of their GCSE studies in Year 9. Pupils do not get to choose for themselves which subjects to study at GCSE. In Years 9 to 11, teachers do not usually extend pupils’ knowledge beyond the confines of the examination syllabus. This affects pupils’ learning. It means that pupils do not gain a deep enough understanding in the subjects they are taught.

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better?

Teachers’ subject knowledge is secure. They give pupils opportunities to revisit their learning. This helps pupils to remember what they have been taught. Teachers check what pupils have learned and help them to improve their work. There are no pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities currently on roll. All pupils can read fluently. Teachers encourage pupils to read texts related to their subjects.

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better?

Generally, pupils show positive attitudes to learning in class. Very occasionally, there is some low-level disruption. When this happens, staff follow the agreed procedures to sort it out. 30 November to 2 December 2021 Staff provide opportunities that support pupils’ personal development. Through the curriculum and assemblies, they endeavour to build pupils’ character. Staff teach pupils to respect others, including people with protected characteristics. Teachers encourage pupils to behave with honesty and integrity.

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better?

Pupils valued the talks given by visitors recently. For example, pupils enjoyed hearing from a psychotherapist, who talked to pupils about how to take care of their mental health. Pupils also heard a talk about the dangers of extremism and how to avoid being radicalised. Leaders provide a small number of clubs and other enrichment activities, which pupils enjoy. Leaders have planned a suitable programme of study that meets the new relationships and sex education requirements.

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better?

When pupils leave the school at the end of Year 11, they go on to further study, employment or training. However, leaders do not fulfil the statutory requirements to provide pupils with a programme of impartial careers education, information, advice and guidance (CEIAG).

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better?

The proprietors do not have rigorous enough systems in place to check the school’s compliance with the independent school standards. The proprietors do not ensure that the school meets all the independent school standards consistently.

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better?

The school complies with schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010.

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better?

Staff feel they have a good balance between work and their home lives. Staff said that leaders give them adequate time for preparing lessons and marking work.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff know the pupils and their parents well. Staff have had training on the most recent statutory guidance. They know how to spot the signs that show pupils may be at risk. Since the previous inspection, leaders have created more effective systems for collating and analysing all concerns relating to pupils’ behaviour and welfare. Staff report and log any concerns. Leaders understand when and how they should make referrals to get the external support that pupils need.

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Safeguarding

The school’s safeguarding policy is published on its website. It meets the latest statutory requirements.

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 The proprietors are not rigorous enough in checking that they are up to date in ensuring that all aspects of the school’s work are compliant with the statutory requirements. As a result, the school does not consistently meet all of the 30 November to 2 December 2021 independent school standards. The proprietors should make sure that they keep up to date and check regularly that all requirements are consistently met.  Leaders provide pupils with a very limited programme of careers guidance. This means that pupils do not have opportunities to explore and consider a full range of future options for education, training or employment. Leaders should ensure that they provide pupils with a comprehensive CEIAG programme that meets the requirements set out in the independent school standards.  Curriculum planning in subjects other than Islamic studies is not well developed. Leaders have not given enough thought to what they want pupils to know and

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

remember in each subject. In some subjects, pupils’ learning does not go beyond the subject content set out in the examination specifications. It means that pupils do not gain a deep enough understanding in the subjects they are taught. Leaders should ensure that teachers are trained to plan and deliver an ambitious curriculum. They should ensure that the curriculum develops and deepens pupils’ knowledge securely over time in each of the subjects taught.

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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 . 30 November to 2 December 2021

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School details

Unique reference number 138801 DfE registration number 316/6002

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School details

Inspection number 10204297 Type of school Other independent school

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 11 to 13 December 2018 30 November to 2 December 2021

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Information about this school

 Hafs Academy is an independent day school with a Muslim ethos. It is located in a residential area of Stratford in the London Borough of Newham. The school is in a commercial building converted for educational use. It makes use of a local park for breaktime and lunchtime, and for the teaching of PE.  The school is registered to provide education for pupils from the age of seven to 16. However, the school’s provision for primary pupils closed in 2018.  Since the previous standard inspection, the proprietors appointed a new headteacher. He took up his post in September 2020.  The school’s last full standard inspection was in December 2018. Subsequently, there were progress monitoring inspections in September 2019 and December 2020.  The school uses no alternative provision.

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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

The school has failed to meet the independent school standards. These are the requirements of the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014.

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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 and have taken that into account in their evaluation.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: history, English, science and personal, social, health and economic education. Inspectors held discussions with leaders and teachers, visited lessons, looked at examples of pupils’ work and held discussions with pupils. Inspectors also considered other subjects as part of the inspection.  Inspectors spoke with the chair of trustees and leaders responsible for safeguarding and health and safety.  Inspectors reviewed a range of documentation, including information relating to safeguarding and the checks carried out before the appointment of staff. Inspectors looked at records of pupils’ behaviour.  There were no responses to Ofsted Parent View. There were no responses to the staff’s and pupils’ surveys.  Inspectors scrutinised a range of documentary information to check the school’s compliance with the independent school standards. 30 November to 2 December 2021

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Inspection team

David Radomsky, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector John Lambern Her Majesty’s Inspector 30 November to 2 December 2021

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

 2(1) The standard in this paragraph is met if– – 2(2)(e) for pupils receiving secondary education, access to accurate, up-to- date careers guidance that– – 2(2)(e)(i) is presented in an impartial manner; – 2(2)(e)(ii) enables them to make informed choices about a broad range of career options; and – 2(2)(e)(iii) helps to encourage them to fulfil their potential.

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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. 30 November to 2 December 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

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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