Dar Ul Madinah

Inspection of Dar Ul Madinah Granville Road, Blackburn, Lancashire BB2 6HD

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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 Inadequate

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Overall effectiveness Good

Does the school meet the independent school standards?

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy being part of Dar Ul Madinah. They wear their school uniforms with pride. Pupils feel safe and secure. They described their teachers as kind and helpful. Pupils know that they can tell staff any concerns that they have. They said that adults would be quick to deal with any incidents of bullying, should these occur.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations for pupils’ behaviour. Pupils are keen to try their best in lessons. They strive to achieve rewards for behaving well and are excited to spend these in the school’s shop. Pupils are respectful and friendly towards staff and visitors. New pupils are warmly welcomed to the school. They make friends quickly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and staff share ambitions that all pupils will succeed. Pupils live up to these ambitions. They achieve well, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils benefit from the regular individual attention and help that teachers give them in class.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn the importance of staying fit and healthy. They enjoy a range of activities at breaktimes. Pupils value the visits to the local park to take part in games. They find out about the importance of mental health and well-being. Pupils learn to use helpful strategies that help them to relax.

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better?

Leaders have put in place a broad and interesting curriculum that develops pupils’ knowledge in a range of subjects. Leaders have thought about what they want pupils to learn and the order in which they should learn it. For example, in mathematics, pupils learn how to calculate accurately, in well-ordered steps, starting from the Reception class. However, in a small number of subjects, leaders are not as clear about the most important learning that they intend pupils to learn and remember. This means that, at times, pupils do not secure and embed key knowledge before moving on to new learning.

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better?

In lessons, teachers undertake very regular checks on how well pupils understand their learning. For example, teachers ask pupils questions and carry out quizzes. Pupils tell their teachers when they find learning tricky. Teachers use this information about pupils’ learning to provide useful and carefully planned support for any pupils who are falling behind. Across subjects, leaders have put in place systems to check how well pupils are remembering the curriculum over time. That said, in a small number of subjects, these systems are not as useful as they should be in identifying how well pupils have learned the most important parts of the curriculum.

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better?

Leaders have placed reading at the heart of the curriculum. Reading areas and the school library are well stocked. In the Reception class, adults ensure that reading times are engaging. Children love re-reading and acting out familiar stories. Across the school, teachers make sure that pupils have plenty of time to read for pleasure. 7 to 9 June 2022 Pupils learn to read in a well-planned order. Staff have benefited from effective training in teaching the reading curriculum. They help pupils to use their phonics knowledge successfully when reading unfamiliar words. Staff read with pupils very regularly and match reading books carefully to pupils’ reading ability. This enables pupils to practise and develop their reading skills successfully. Any pupils who struggle with their early reading receive regular and effective support from teachers. This ensures that pupils, including those with SEND, develop as fluent readers.

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better?

The proprietor has ensured that the school environment supports pupils to learn well. Classrooms are well decorated and well resourced. Leaders ensure that pupils make full use of the school’s outdoor area.

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better?

Leaders work closely with parents and carers and a range of professionals to ensure that any additional needs that pupils have are quickly and accurately identified. In lessons, staff make careful adaptations to ensure that pupils with SEND access the same curriculum as their peers. For example, pupils benefit from visual timetables and sensory breaks. Leaders help those pupils who speak English as an additional language to develop their understanding of new vocabulary quickly.

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better?

Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. Everyone understands the school’s behaviour policy. This begins in the Reception class. Here, children play and explore together with concentration and enjoyment. They listen to and follow their teacher’s instructions. Across the school, classrooms are calm and purposeful. Pupils concentrate on their learning. They work cooperatively with their friends and there is no disruption to learning.

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better?

Leaders help pupils to become active and caring citizens. In school, pupils take on leadership activities, such as being classroom or library monitors. They carry out these roles with pride. Pupils are involved in the community, raising money for charities and litter-picking in the local area. They learn the importance of helping and respecting others.

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better?

Leaders provide a range of interesting trips and visits to support pupils’ learning. For example, trips to museums deepen pupils’ learning in history. Younger children find out about the wider world through visits to a farm and the seaside. Leaders ensure that pupils develop an understanding of their local and wider community. For example, pupils visit the local library. They find out about different religions that they may encounter, such as Christianity. Pupils learn about British institutions, such as the monarchy. They told inspectors how much they had enjoyed their Platinum Jubilee tea party.

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better?

Staff have a very positive view of the school. They appreciate the training that leaders provide. Teachers value the frequent opportunities they have to exchange ideas and develop their expertise.

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better?

The proprietor has a detailed understanding of the independent school standards (the standards). He makes sure that leaders are held to account and that the 7 to 9 June 2022 statutory obligations are met. For example, he ensures that the school’s accessibility plan complies with schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010.

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better?

As part of this inspection, inspectors considered leaders’ request to increase the number of pupils on roll from 40 to 64. The proprietor intends to use the school’s current health and safety policies and procedures to ensure that the proposed new pupils will be safe, should the proposed increase in pupil numbers be granted.

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better?

The proprietor intends to retain existing staff numbers, should the proposed increase in pupil numbers be granted. The existing staff numbers are suitable for the proposed number of pupils. Leaders propose to use existing policies and procedures to ensure that any new staff recruited to work in the school are suitable to work with pupils. Leaders have plans in place to ensure that staff can supervise the proposed number of pupils properly.

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better?

The proprietor intends to use the existing school premises to accommodate the proposed increase in pupil numbers. The existing school premises provide suitable classrooms, toilets and other facilities for the proposed new pupil numbers.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders provide staff with regular safeguarding training and updates. These ensure that staff are alert to possible signs of abuse and neglect. They have ensured that the safeguarding policy is up to date and reflects the latest government guidance. This is available on request. When needed, leaders work with other professionals to ensure that pupils get the help that they need.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that pupils learn how to stay safe. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe when working online. They learn about the dangers that they may encounter. They learn about what to do if the actions of others make them feel uncomfortable or unsafe.

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 In a small number of subjects, leaders are not clear enough about the key learning that they intend pupils to remember. This means that teachers are sometimes unsure about the most important knowledge that pupils should learn and how this learning should be strengthened over time. Leaders should ensure that teachers know what learning is essential to prepare pupils well for their next steps in learning.  In some subjects, systems to check how well pupils are learning lack precision. This means that leaders do not have enough knowledge of how well pupils know and remember some important elements of the curriculum. Leaders should 7 to 9 June 2022 ensure that the strategies to check pupils’ learning are strengthened in these subjects.

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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 . 7 to 9 June 2022

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School details

Date of previous inspection 12 to 14 November 2019 7 to 9 June 2022

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Information about this school

 Dar Ul Madinah is an Islamic school.  The school does not use any alternative providers.  All teaching staff are new to the school since the previous full standard inspection.

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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 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 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.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders to discuss curriculums, spoke with teachers, spoke with some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also visited some lessons. Inspectors also spoke with leaders about curriculums, looked at samples of pupils’ work and met with pupils in some other subjects.  During the inspection, inspectors spoke with pupils about school life. They spoke with the headteacher, members of staff and the proprietor.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View and met with parents at the start of the school day. There were no responses to Ofsted’s online

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Information about this inspection

questionnaires for staff and pupils.  During the inspection, inspectors reviewed a range of documentation, including that in relation to safeguarding and information relating to the standards. They looked at records of pupils’ behaviour and attendance. 7 to 9 June 2022

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pupils, from 40 to 64 pupils

The school has applied to the Department for Education (DfE) to make a ‘material change’ to its registration. At the DfE’s request, inspectors checked whether the school is likely to meet the relevant independent school standards if the DfE decides to approve the change. This part of the inspection was carried out under section 162(4) of the Education Act 2002.  The outcome of this part of the inspection is: the school is likely to meet the relevant independent school standards if the material change relating to the school provision is implemented.

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Information about the material change inspection

 Inspectors discussed the proposed arrangements for staffing, accommodation, welfare, and health and safety for the proposed new pupils.

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Inspection team

Elizabeth Stevens, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Phill Walmsley Ofsted Inspector 7 to 9 June 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.

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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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