Unique Academy

Inspection of Unique Academy Ground Floor, Khosla House, Park Lane, Hounslow TW5 9WA

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

Does the school meet the independent school standards?

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending Unique Academy. They achieve well. Children get off to a strong start in early years, especially in their development of reading, writing and mathematical skills. Pupils learn a range of subjects and go on educational outings that are linked to their learning. They talked with enthusiasm about their recent visits to the Science Museum and Kew Gardens. Staff have high expectations. They encourage pupils to always do their best. Pupils are prepared well for their next steps.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The school has a welcoming atmosphere. Staff help pupils to become increasingly confident and to learn to respect one another. Pupils wear their uniforms with pride. Pupils attend well and are punctual to school in the mornings. Staff ensure that pupils are well cared for. Pupils are positive about their learning. They behave sensibly in class and in the local park at lunchtimes. Staff deal with any incidents of bullying effectively. Pupils said that they were looking forward to the new range of lunchtime clubs in cooking, sewing, sports and calligraphy.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Almost every parent and carer who contributed to Ofsted Parent View would recommend the school to others.

p.2

better?

The school’s broad curriculum includes all the required areas of learning and a specialist programme of Islamic education. The secular curriculum is well resourced and organised. Staff plan effectively to meet pupils’ needs, interests and abilities, including in early years. In all subjects, teachers’ curriculum thinking helps to develop pupils’ skills, knowledge and understanding over time. Teachers carefully assess pupils’ learning and then plan lessons that build on any identified gaps.

p.2

better?

Pupils achieve well across the curriculum. This is especially the case in reading, writing and mathematics. The teaching of early reading is given a high priority. Children start learning to read when they join Nursery. Staff follow a well-structured programme of phonics and ensure that pupils learn to read confidently. They are quick to identify and support any pupils who need extra help to catch up. Staff also promote pupils’ language and communication well. Pupils especially enjoy story time and the wide range of books available to them. Leaders identify pupils’ needs effectively. They make sure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities have the support they need to achieve well.

p.2

better?

Pupils enjoy their weekly taekwondo sessions, which are led by a specialist teacher. They also like the opportunities to exercise in the local park. However, pupils do not receive a broad physical education (PE) curriculum. Leaders have plans to improve PE. These plans include teaching a range of knowledge and skills across a wider variety of sports. 25 to 27 May 2022 The quality of the school’s work to develop pupils’ personal and social skills is strong. The curriculum helps to promote pupils’ spiritual and cultural awareness. For example, pupils take part in daily assemblies where they learn about British values and the different religions, faiths and cultures of the world. The programme of personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education begins in early years. Pupils are taught about the many differences that people have. The PSHE education programme also aims to help pupils learn about healthy and respectful relationships.

p.2

better?

Leaders implement the statutory relationships education guidance effectively. Pupils enjoy the regular visitors and educational trips. Recent visitors have included the police and the local Member of Parliament.

p.3

better?

Leaders provide staff with a range of training and mentoring. Staff are grateful for this, and spoke positively about their workload and the support they receive. Leaders are knowledgeable, committed and organised. This helps to ensure that the independent school standards and the early years requirements are all met. Trustees support leaders well. They monitor specific areas of the school’s work, including safeguarding and health and safety. However, the team is relatively small and responsibilities are not evenly distributed. Leaders, including trustees, have credible plans to address this.

p.3

better?

The school is compliant with schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

Leaders and trustees prioritise pupils’ safety and well-being. Staff receive regular training that they said is useful. They are vigilant and caring. Leaders proactively follow up any concerns, such as allegations and disclosures, with appropriate speed and rigour. The curriculum includes regular opportunities to teach pupils about keeping safe, including when using the internet.

p.3

Safeguarding

The school’s safeguarding policies and practice, including for recruiting staff, reflect the latest statutory guidance. The safeguarding policy is available on the school’s website.

p.3

(Information for the school and proprietor)

 Leaders do not provide a sufficiently broad and ambitious PE curriculum. Pupils’ learning and experiences in PE are therefore limited. Leaders should implement their plans to broaden the scope of PE across the school. 25 to 27 May 2022

p.3

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.4

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 . 25 to 27 May 2022

p.4

School details

Unique reference number 148190 DfE registration number 313/6008

p.5

School details

Inspection number 10210728 Type of school Islamic primary day school

p.5

School details

Proprietor Unique Knowledge Seekers Academy

p.5

School details

Annual fees (day pupils) £3,420 to £3,720

p.5

School details

Email address office@uniqueacademy.education 25 to 27 May 2022

p.5

Information about this school

 Unique Academy is an independent day school for boys and girls aged two to seven in the London Borough of Hounslow. It has an Islamic ethos.  The school opened in April 2021. This was the school’s first standard inspection.  The headteacher is also the chair of trustees and proprietor body. There are three other trustees, each of whom has oversight of a different aspect of the school’s work.  Unique Knowledge Seekers Academy also runs Islamic and academic tuition from the premises in the evenings and during the weekends and holidays.  At the time of the inspection, there were no children aged two on the school’s roll.

p.6

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.

p.6

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.

p.6

Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school had 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.  This standard inspection was conducted with one day’s notice.  Inspectors completed deep dives in early reading, mathematics, history, PE and PSHE education. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with the curriculum leader, visited some lessons, spoke to teachers, and spoke to pupils about their learning and their work. For the early reading deep dive, the lead inspector also heard some pupils read.  Inspectors examined a range of evidence to consider pupils’ safety, personal development and behaviour. They spoke with a range of pupils.  Inspectors met with the chair of the proprietor body, who is also the headteacher and designated safeguarding lead. The lead inspector met with the trustee

p.6

Information about this inspection

responsible for safeguarding. Inspectors also met with a group of staff.  Inspectors reviewed a range of safeguarding documentation, including the pre- appointment checks on staff.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View and responses to the staff survey. 25 to 27 May 2022  Inspectors reviewed a range of evidence to check compliance with the independent school standards and the early years requirements.

p.6

Inspection team

James Waite, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

p.7

Inspection team

Angela Corbett Ofsted Inspector 25 to 27 May 2022 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.

p.7

Inspection team

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspection team

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspection team

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspection team

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8