Beis Malka Girls school

Inspection of Beis Malka Girls school 399–401 Bury New Road, Salford M7 2BT

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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

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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?

Pupils like their school. They said that everyone is welcome there. Children in the early years settle in and make friends quickly. Older pupils enjoy their breaktimes, when they can chat and relax. Pupils said that there is always someone to talk to in this friendly school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There are high expectations for the behaviour and achievement of all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils work hard in lessons. They pay attention to what their teachers say. This helps pupils to get on with their learning. They achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is a calm and orderly place. Pupils move around sensibly, for example when going from one classroom to another. Children and pupils learn to follow simple rules and routines, such as sitting quietly at register time. Bullying is rare. However, pupils are confident that if ever it happens, staff deal with it quickly and effectively.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn the importance of tolerance and respect for each other and for other people. However, pupils do not learn everything that they need to know about the protected characteristics as defined by the Equality Act 2010. This limits their readiness for life beyond school. Leaders have improved the careers information, education, advice and guidance (CIEAG) that older pupils receive. However, these improvements are too recent for pupils to have benefited from them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils said that they feel happy and safe in school. They know who to speak to if ever they have any worries.

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better?

Leaders have created an interesting and ambitious curriculum for children and pupils from the early years to key stage 4. Children and pupils learn well from this curriculum, including those with SEND. In each key stage, the curriculum covers a broad range of subjects. Pupils in Years 10 and 11 study for GCSE examinations in a number of these subjects.

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better?

Leaders have decided what they most want pupils to learn in each subject and across year groups, including in the early years. They have thought carefully about the order in which pupils should learn this important knowledge. Leaders have shared this information with all staff. This enables staff to design learning that builds on what pupils already know.

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better?

In lessons, teachers check to make sure that pupils have understood new learning. They provide help for pupils if they need it. This helps pupils to achieve well, including those with SEND. 10 to 12 May 2022 In most subjects, leaders gather a range of assessment information about pupils’ learning to see if the curriculum is helping pupils to know more and remember more over time. This enables leaders to make improvements to the curriculum if they are needed. However, in a small number of subjects, leaders’ work to gather such information is at an early stage. Leaders do not have a clear understanding of how well pupils remember their learning over time in these subjects.

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better?

Reading has a high priority in the curriculum. Children in the early years learn about letters and sounds in phonics lessons. Teachers make sure that the words in children’s reading books contain only the sounds that children have learned so far. This helps children to read confidently.

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better?

Pupils enjoy listening to the stories that their teachers read to them. Leaders make sure that pupils read a wide range of books. Pupils’ reading supports their learning in other subjects. For example, pupils in key stage 2 learned more about the evacuation of children when they read books about the Second World War. Pupils of all ages develop a real love of reading.

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better?

Many children speak little English when they start school in the early years. Leaders provide activities that increase the opportunities for these children to hear and use a wide range of words. Children quickly develop strong speaking and listening skills in English, alongside their home language.

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better?

Leaders and staff work together successfully to identify pupils who may have SEND. Staff communicate well with parents and carers in order to share important information about pupils’ needs. Leaders work effectively with a range of professionals to secure help for pupils with SEND if they need it. This enables these pupils to access the same ambitious curriculum as their classmates.

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better?

Pupils have a range of experiences beyond the academic curriculum. For example, pupils visit historic properties and museums to learn more about the past. Pupils learn about the monarchy and about values such as the rule of law. However, because they do not learn about the full range of protected characteristics of the Equality Act 2010, pupils are not fully prepared for life in modern Britain.

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better?

Older pupils receive limited independent CIEAG. Leaders have begun to improve this provision. However, these improvements are too recent to have had an impact on pupils’ understanding of the choices available to them when they leave school.

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better?

Leaders have considered how staff should teach relationships and sex education. They have consulted with parents about this. Leaders have designed a programme that covers sensitive aspects in ways that are appropriate. Parents have told leaders that they do not want their children to receive sex education in school.

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better?

The independent school standards for leadership and management are not met because leaders and governors have not ensured that pupils learn about all of the protected characteristics. In other areas, leaders and governors fulfil their statutory 10 to 12 May 2022 duties. For example, they check that fire safety and risk assessments are compliant. They provide space for pupils to play and to engage in sports.

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better?

The proprietor body has ensured that leaders comply with schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010. They have an appropriate accessibility plan in place which is available to parents on request.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that all staff receive regular safeguarding training. Staff know how to recognise the signs of abuse or neglect. They know how to report any concerns that they may have about pupils’ welfare.

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Safeguarding

Leaders work well with a range of safeguarding partners, including local authorities, to secure timely help for pupils and their families when needed.

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Safeguarding

Governors and leaders follow appropriate practices for the safe recruitment of staff. Pupils learn through the curriculum how to keep themselves safe. They trust adults in school to support them if they need help.

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Safeguarding

The school has produced a suitable safeguarding policy that takes account of current government requirements. Although the school does not have a website, a copy of this policy is available to parents on request.

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 In a minority of subjects, leaders do not have a clear understanding of the impact of the curriculum on pupils’ learning over time. This prevents them from making any improvements to the curriculum that might be necessary to help pupils remember their learning more effectively. Leaders must ensure that in all subjects, they use assessment information to develop a strong understanding of how the curriculums are helping pupils to know more and remember more over time.  Pupils do not learn about all of the protected characteristics as set out in the Equality Act 2010. This means that they are not fully prepared for life in modern Britain. Leaders must ensure that they comply with their statutory duties by teaching pupils about the full range of protected characteristics.  The steps that leaders have taken to improve and widen the CIEAG programme are very recent. It is too soon for pupils in key stages 3 and 4 to have benefited

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

from this programme. This means that these pupils do not have a clear understanding of the choices available to them when they leave school. Leaders must ensure that they implement the programme effectively, as soon as possible, 10 to 12 May 2022 so that all pupils have the information that they need about the career choices available to them.

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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 . 10 to 12 May 2022

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School details

Unique reference number 136117 DfE registration number 355/6006

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School details

Inspection number 10203832 Type of school Other Independent School

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School details

Annual fees (day pupils) Voluntary contributions

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School details

Email address headoffice@beismalka.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 14 to 16 November 2017

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Information about this school

 Since the last inspection, a new headteacher has been appointed.  The school received additional inspections in December 2018 and in March 2019.  Leaders do not make use of any alternative providers.

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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. 10 to 12 May 2022 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 leaders and have taken it into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher and other senior leaders. Inspectors also met with the school’s external adviser.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, science, and personal, social, health and economic education. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, discussed the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects with leaders and pupils.  Inspectors reviewed a range of documentation about safeguarding. They also spoke with staff to understand how they keep pupils safe.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors spoke with school leaders, viewed parts of the school premises and looked at a range of documentation to check for compliance with the independent school standards.  An adult was present when inspectors spoke to pupils. Leaders requested that inspectors did not ask certain questions about relationships and sex education, to provide any information about other religions, or to ask questions about protected characteristics related to the lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT) community.

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Inspection team

Mavis Smith, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Maria McGarry Ofsted Inspector 10 to 12 May 2022

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

– 2(2)(d)(ii) encourages respect for other people, paying particular regard to the protected characteristics set out in the 2010 Act[9].

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Part 2. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils

– 5(b)(vi) encourage respect for other people, paying particular regard to the protected characteristics set out in the 2010 Act.

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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. 10 to 12 May 2022 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

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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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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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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