Al Jamiah Al Islamiyyah

Inspection of Al Jamiah Al Islamiyyah Mount St Joseph’s Convent, Willows Lane, Deane, Bolton, Lancashire BL3 4HE

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Sixth-form provision 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?

Pupils, along with students in the sixth form, told inspectors that they feel safe in this school. They enjoy their time here. They explained that they know who to approach if they have any concerns. Pupils and students are confident that staff will support them if they need to do so.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils in key stage 3 and key stage 4 understand leaders’ and teachers’ high expectations. Most pupils finish Year 11 with qualifications in a range of subjects. However, there are several subjects in the curriculum where pupils do not learn as well as they should. Students in the sixth form achieve well in their studies. However, students do not currently have access to a wide enough range of secular subjects.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils and students behave well in class and around school. They are polite and show this by, for example, holding doors open for adults. Pupils said that there is very little bullying. They know that leaders will deal with it immediately, when it does happen.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy activities outside the formal curriculum. For example, they raise funds for charities and play football and cricket. They also support their local food bank.

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better?

Leaders have ensured that there is a broad range of subjects in the curriculum, in accordance with the independent school standards (the standards). They provide secular subjects alongside Islamic studies. Subjects such as English and mathematics have well-structured curricula. However, in a number of other subjects, the knowledge that leaders want pupils to gain is not ambitious enough or organised clearly. For example, in key stage 4, the curriculum for personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education and citizenship does not have deep enough learning in it. Furthermore, it is not sufficiently clear what pupils will learn and when they will learn it. This curriculum does not build on pupils’ learning from key stage 3. In the sixth form, leaders provide Islamic studies to all students. Students enjoy this subject and achieve well in it. However, leaders have had to reduce the number of secular subjects available because they no longer have access to a local college to

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better?

provide learning for students. This means that leaders are not presently catering for students’ interests as well as possible.

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better?

Many teachers, including those in the sixth form, have strong subject knowledge. Leaders provide suitable support for those teachers who need it, to help them to deliver the curriculum effectively. In most subjects, teachers have useful ways of assessing whether pupils have remembered their learning. Staff clearly explain what they are teaching and support pupils who do not understand aspects of the learning. However, in some subjects, such as history and PSHE education and citizenship, staff do not teach the intended curriculum efficiently. As a result, pupils do not make sufficient progress through the curriculum to acquire the knowledge that they need. 17–19 May 2022 In some subjects, pupils and students achieve well. They remember what staff have taught them and can apply it to new learning. Leaders have ensured that pupils’ learning in English has improved since the previous standard inspection. By the end

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better?

of key stage 4, pupils acquire various, useful GCSEs, such as in mathematics, English and science. However, pupils do not know and remember as much as they should in a number of other subjects. This is because of some weaker aspects of the structure and delivery of the curriculum. In recent times, students in the sixth form typically gained the qualifications that they needed for the next stage of their education, employment or training. However, the current, narrow range of subjects means that this aspect of provision in the sixth form is not strong enough.

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better?

Most pupils read fluently and show good comprehension. There are some pupils, however, who are less fluent and accurate in reading. Leaders have begun to provide extra training sessions with staff to help these pupils to improve. However, leaders do not have in place a suitable system to assess pupils’ reading ability to precisely identify the gaps in their reading skills. This means that these pupils are not developing their reading strongly enough. This prevents them from accessing the rest of the curriculum as effectively as possible.

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better?

Pupils and students behave well. They show positive attitudes to their work and their attendance at school is high. Pupils said that there is sometimes misbehaviour, but teachers deal with it quickly and effectively. There is little disruption in class. This enables teachers to deliver the curriculum without disturbance.

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better?

Leaders have no pupils identified with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) in the school. However, leaders carry out assessments on all pupils when they arrive at the school to check if they have any additional needs. They have established a link with leaders in a local, maintained high school to support them in providing for pupils with SEND, if required. Leaders have extra support in place to help pupils who may have misconceptions about their learning.

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better?

Leaders provide pupils and students with a range of activities beyond the classroom. For example, pupils can take on positions of responsibility as members of the school council. They have opportunities to understand the importance of tolerance and respect when they visit places of worship of other faiths, such as a synagogue. Pupils and students receive independent advice about careers. Pupils in key stage 4 and students in the sixth form enjoy work experience opportunities.

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better?

Staff told inspectors that leaders do everything they can to keep teachers’ workload manageable. Leaders think about the welfare of staff and support them effectively.

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better?

Leaders have ensured that all the standards are met. The chair and members of the proprietor body understand their roles and responsibilities. They carry out their financial responsibilities well. They have a clear vision for the school and have a broadly accurate view of its strengths. However, their understanding of the school’s weaker areas is not as precise as it could be. 17–19 May 2022 All of the required documents and policies are in place. Leaders implement these policies effectively. Leaders have also ensured that the government’s requirements on providing relationships and sex education for pupils are met. There is a suitable safeguarding policy in place which reflects the latest government guidance. This is available on the school’s website.

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better?

Leaders have a suitable accessibility plan in place for pupils with disabilities. There are actions such as ensuring that information is provided in a range of different formats, and providing a ramp for ease of access to the premises.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and staff have received appropriate training to enable them to spot any safeguarding concerns about pupils. This includes students in the sixth form. Staff fully understand how to report such concerns. Leaders give pupils and students help if they need it. They work with outside services, such as social care, when required.

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Safeguarding

Leaders provide pupils and students with the knowledge that they need to avoid harm and manage risks for themselves. For example, pupils learn how to stay safe when using the internet. Pupils know who the designated safeguarding lead is in case they want to report any worries that they may have directly to him. Leaders know the process for managing allegations against staff.

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 In some subjects in the curriculum, the content lacks ambition and the sequence of learning is not coherently organised. This means that pupils do not acquire enough deep knowledge in a logical order that enables them to build up their learning in a sufficiently challenging way. Leaders must ensure that the curriculum is ambitious and well sequenced across all subjects, so that pupils can develop their learning as securely as possible.  In some other subjects, although the content and sequencing are clear, teachers do not deliver the content as it is intended. Pupils do not make the expected progress through the curriculum. Consequently, pupils do not acquire the knowledge that they need in these subjects. Leaders need to ensure that teachers deliver the curriculum content as it is intended to make sure that pupils have firm foundations for subsequent learning.  Some pupils in key stage 3 lack fluency and accuracy in their reading. Leaders

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

provide extra reading sessions to try to help them. However, leaders do not have suitable assessment systems in place to evaluate how well pupils read and what their precise gaps in knowledge are. As a result, pupils are unable to improve their reading effectively enough. This means that their access to the rest of the curriculum is hampered. Leaders need to introduce a suitable approach to assessing pupils’ reading, so that they can identify pupils’ gaps in knowledge with 17–19 May 2022 precision, enable pupils to become more accurate and fluent readers, and thus secure better access for these pupils to the rest of the curriculum.

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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 . 17–19 May 2022

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School details

Unique reference number 130285 DfE registration number 350/6017

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School details

Inspection number 10225739 Type of school Other Independent School

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School details

School category Independent boarding school

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sixth form

Proprietor Al-Jamiatul Islamiyah Darul Uloom, Lancashire UK Chair Yakub Nanji

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sixth form

Email address info@boltondarululoom.org.uk

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sixth form

Date of previous inspection 25 to 27 June 2019 17–19 May 2022

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Information about this school

 Al Jamiah Al Islamiyyah is an Islamic boarding school for boys.  An interim headteacher has been in post since April 2022.  Seven new members have joined the proprietor body since the last progress monitoring inspection in June 2021.  Leaders do not make use of any 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 meets the independent school standards. These are the requirements set out in the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection that the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors spoke with the chair and members of the proprietor body, the interim headteacher, the designated safeguarding lead and other school leaders.  Inspectors conducted deep dives in these subjects: English, history, mathematics and PSHE and citizenship education. In each subject, they met with the subject leader and teachers. They visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work and talked with groups of pupils about their learning. Inspectors also explored the curriculum structure and looked at pupils’ work in some other subjects.  Inspectors looked at the school’s safeguarding policy and related policies and documentation. They checked the school’s records of the suitability of staff to

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Information about this inspection

work with pupils. They talked with staff and pupils about safeguarding matters, pupils’ personal development and pupils’ behaviour and attitudes. They looked at a range of other policies and documents related to pupils’ welfare and their education. They observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school.  Inspectors also conducted activities to gather evidence to check compliance with the standards. This included scrutinising documentation, holding discussions with leaders and conducting a tour of the premises.  There were no responses to Ofsted Parent View or to the staff and pupil surveys. 17–19 May 2022

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Inspection team

Mark Quinn, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Lenford White Ofsted Inspector 17–19 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 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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