Iqra Slough Islamic Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Iqra Slough Islamic Primary School Fernside, Wexham Road, Slough, Berkshire SL2 5FF

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Outcome

Iqra Slough Islamic Primary School continues to be a good school. There is enough evidence of improved performance to suggest that the school could be judged outstanding if we were to carry out a section 5 inspection now. The school’s next inspection will be a section 5 inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and pupils make sure that the values of ‘we learn, we lead, we inspire’ shine brightly throughout this school. As one pupil said, ‘I love coming to this school because we learn lots of knowledge.’ Pupils love to talk about all that they have learned, both with each other and with adults.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are very happy at school. Leaders have created a strong community that cares about everyone and values each member as an individual. Pupils love school and feel safe. Pupil leaders are rightly proud of the help they give on the playground, including being buddies to those who are upset or lonely. Bullying is not tolerated. Incidents of bullying are extremely rare and adults deal with any incidents quickly if they happen.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders make sure that pupils develop into responsible, articulate and impressive young people. They encourage pupils to contribute to the wider community. Every week, pupils donate food to the local food bank. The Eco Warriors organise litter picking in the local park and have been asked to plant shrubs there as part of the upcoming jubilee celebrations.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders have designed a broad and highly ambitious curriculum. They have ensured that the curriculum exceeds the breadth of the National Curriculum. Leaders have made sure that knowledge is developed in a sensible sequence from Reception to Year 6. All pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), learn the full curriculum. They remember their learning over time and achieve exceptionally well. For example, pupils in Year 6 could explain in detail about how greenhouse gasses contribute to climate change and pupils in Year 5 could talk in depth about crime and punishment in the Victorian era. 22 and 23 March 2022

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Leaders’ work to build pupils’ vocabulary is strong. Teachers develop pupils’ subject- specific vocabulary in all subjects. They expect all pupils to use this vocabulary when explaining their thinking. Pupils, including those with SEND, use clear, technically accurate vocabulary when explaining concepts they have studied. Pupils also use subject-specific vocabulary very well in their written work.

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Leaders clearly prioritise reading. They are highly ambitious for all children to learn to read right from the start of Reception. Leaders have ensured that children and pupils experience a consistent, highly effective approach to learning to read. Adult support is used appropriately to ensure that those who are struggling with reading get the help they need quickly. This means that almost all pupils learn to read fluently by the end of Year 1. Teachers promote a love of books. They read high-quality texts to pupils regularly. Storytime is a joy to watch. Pupils clearly love listening to and joining in with the stories that are read to them.

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Pupils behave exceptionally well. Relationships between adults and pupils are very strong. Pupils show high levels of respect to each other and to adults. They are engrossed in their learning in lessons.

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Opportunities to promote pupils’ wider development are extensive. Pupils enjoy attending the many after-school clubs, including animation, gardening, drama, cricket and art. Music is an important part of life at Iqra. The highly successful school choir have been invited to sing at local and national events, including the opening ceremony of the Youth Sports Trust National Conference. Leaders provide wonderful cultural and social experiences for all pupils, including the most disadvantaged. Visits have included historic buildings such as Hampton Court Palace and Winchester Cathedral, the River Thames, a local University and the Houses of Parliament. Careers education is also built into the curriculum for older pupils. This encourages them to have high aspirations and a motivation to succeed.

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Pupils are prepared very well for life in modern Britain. Leaders promote a highly inclusive environment where everyone is valued for who they are. Pupils learn about laws, government and about the importance of tolerance and inclusion.

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Leaders and governors are mindful of staff workload and seek to make this as manageable as they can. Staff enjoy working at the school and morale is high. Leaders ensure that all staff have access to high-quality training. Staff appreciate this and say it helps them to do their job well.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Safeguarding practice is strong. Leaders have established a culture of vigilance in order to identify pupils who are at risk of harm. Leaders make sure that children and families in need of help access this quickly when they need it. Highly effective policies ensure that all adults know what to do to keep children safe. 22 and 23 March 2022

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Pupils feel safe in school and know where to go for help if they need to. Leaders work closely with outside agencies to support pupils to stay safe out in the community. Pupils have a clear, age-appropriate knowledge of how to keep themselves safe online.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called a section 8 inspection of a good or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in October 2016.

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How can I feed back my views?

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 school and you are not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. 22 and 23 March 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10200166 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 4 and 5 October 2016, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This is a larger-than-average primary school.  This school is an Islamic faith voluntary aided school.  The last section 48 inspection of the school’s religious character was in July 2016.  The school does not currently use an alternative provision.

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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 leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, the two deputy headteachers and three members of the governing body, including the chair of governors. The lead inspector also had a remote meeting with an officer from the local authority and a telephone call with a representative from the Association of Muslim Schools UK.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, art and design and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum 22 and 23 March 2022

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with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The lead inspector also spoke to leaders and pupils about the curriculum in some other subjects.  The inspectors reviewed the arrangements for safeguarding by scrutinising safeguarding records, interviewing staff and through discussions with pupils.  The inspectors considered the views of parents shared through Ofsted Parent View. They gathered the views of pupils and staff through surveys, interviews and discussions conducted throughout the inspection.  The inspectors reviewed a range of the school’s documentation, including self- evaluation reports, governing body minutes and behaviour incident logs.

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Inspection team

Sue Keeling, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Jon Hills Ofsted Inspector 22 and 23 March 2022

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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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