Baytul Ilm Secondary School

Inspection of Baytul Ilm Secondary School 12a Clarke Road, Milton Keynes MK1 1LG

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected

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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’ exemplary behaviour is at the heart of Baytul Ilm’s success. Pupils praise the school for helping them to develop as confident, respectful and tolerant members of society. The school’s ‘nip it in the bud’ approach to any minor behaviour or friendship issues ensures that any bullying or disruption to learning are rare.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ excellent attendance shows how much they value their education and are happy in school. Pupils enjoy learning. They appreciate the help and support that teachers and staff provide. Pupils benefit from a range of extra-curricular activities, such as competing in various sports competitions and visiting museums in London. Pupils spoke enthusiastically of their recent trip to the Houses of Parliament.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ learning in Islamic studies is especially strong. Pupils are extremely well supported to memorise the Qur’an and to understand its teachings. The curriculum in some other subjects is not as well developed. Leaders and staff are working hard to strengthen the curriculum, and consequently pupils’ learning, as the school grows.

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better?

Islamic studies sits proudly at the centre of the school’s broad curriculum. In this subject, pupils’ learning is well organised. Pupils are extremely well supported by teachers as they learn to recite and understand the Qur’an. Pupils enjoy considering how to apply the messages from prophetic stories to their own lives. Consequently, pupils achieve well.

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better?

Leaders are working hard to ensure that the quality of other subjects is as high as it is in Islamic studies. In subjects such as mathematics, learning is well designed so that pupils are taught new knowledge in a logical order. In science and religious studies, recent reorganisation of the broad concepts that pupils will study is helping pupils’ learning. In English, pupils are currently learning new knowledge and skills progressively. However, in some subjects, including English and history, the curriculum planned for pupils in Years 7, 8 and 9 is too focused on topics they will restudy at GCSE. In addition, leaders have not planned carefully enough how pupils will develop some subject-specific skills.

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better?

Teachers typically have good knowledge of the subjects they teach. Methods of embedding pupils’ knowledge are becoming more established. Pupils appreciate the increasingly consistent approach teachers use to check their learning. However, sometimes learning is not broken down into small-enough chunks when introducing pupils to new knowledge and skills. Pupils do not consistently get enough time to practise using the knowledge they are gaining. As a result, pupils’ skills and knowledge are not sufficiently developed in some subjects.

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better?

The school’s provision for pupils’ personal development is good. A strong focus on personal, social and health education (PSHE), citizenship and relationships education 8 to 10 June 2022 ensures that pupils learn how to be respectful, loving and caring members of society. Pupils enjoy the frequent opportunities to visit sports centres, museums and public institutions. They are developing a strong understanding of democracy and how to make a positive contribution to society. For example, pupils are proud to be school councillors and relish opportunities to hold debates on local and global issues.

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better?

Leaders and trustees have ensured that all of the independent school standards are met. The premises are well kept and maintained. Those responsible for governance show a strong commitment to the school. Leaders have a clear vision to further develop the school as it becomes more established. Strategic plans are well thought through and rightly focused on further improving the curriculum and minimising inconsistencies.

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better?

Staff feel very well supported by leaders and are enthusiastic about establishing their subjects. They welcome the opportunities they have to develop their expertise through training and professional links with other schools. Parents and pupils are very positive about the school. Several pupils spoke warmly about the help and support staff provide to them in lessons and as they develop as increasingly confident and respectful young men.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and staff are well trained in safeguarding. They understand the signs to look out for that indicate a child is at risk of harm. Leaders demonstrate a strong understanding of how to liaise with external agencies should a child need extra help.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and governors are trained in safer recruitment. The single central record of checks is well maintained.

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Safeguarding

Pupils develop a strong understanding of how to stay safe online and in the community. For example, pupils told inspectors that ‘some people on the internet might try to tell you things about Islam that aren’t true’.

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 In some subjects, the curriculum is not well enough designed to ensure that pupils develop a sufficient depth and range of knowledge and subject-specific skills over time. Leaders should review these subjects to make sure that learning is coherently planned and sequenced so that pupils learn a breadth of knowledge and skills in sufficient depth.  Some parts of the curriculum are not broken down into small-enough components to help pupils learn new content securely. Sometimes, pupils do not have enough opportunity to embed new knowledge before moving on to more complex work. As a result, some pupils need additional help to unpick what they are taught. 8 to 10 June 2022 Leaders should ensure that the curriculum is broken down into clear building blocks that pupils learn sequentially. They should ensure that teachers consistently provide pupils with enough opportunities to practise using their knowledge.

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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 . 8 to 10 June 2022

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School details

Unique reference number 148551 DfE registration number 826/6020

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School details

Inspection number 10232325 Type of school Other independent school

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected 8 to 10 June 2022

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Information about this school

 The school was registered by the Department for Education in June 2021. It opened to pupils on 18 June 2021. This is the first standard inspection of a newly registered school.  The school is an Islamic faith school for boys aged between 11 and 16. It opened in July 2021 for pupils in Year 7 and currently has 29 pupils in Year 7 and Year 8. The school plans to admit further pupils into Year 7 each year until it reaches a capacity of 100 pupils.  Pupils follow an Islamic curriculum every morning. Pupils then learn a broad range of subjects during the rest of the day.  The school currently uses no 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

 Inspectors met with the headteacher, governors and members of the proprietorial body to discuss the leadership of the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in Islamic studies, mathematics and religious education. For each deep dive, inspectors spoke with the subject leader and teacher, looked at curriculum plans, visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work and spoke with pupils about their learning.  Inspectors also gathered evidence for the quality of education judgement by looking at a range of evidence from some other subjects, including English, history, geography, science, PSHE and citizenship. This included looking at curriculum plans and pupils’ work, and holding discussions with some subject leaders and teachers.  To inspect personal development, inspectors considered pupils’ learning across the curriculum, but especially in PSHE, relationships and sex education, and citizenship. Inspectors spoke with pupils and leaders about the wider

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Information about this inspection

opportunities pupils have to develop their character.  To inspect safeguarding, the lead inspector checked the single central record of recruitment checks and met with the designated safeguarding leader (DSL) and deputy DSL. Inspectors also talked to staff and pupils about safeguarding and checked a range of documentation, including the school’s safeguarding policy and records. 8 to 10 June 2022  Inspectors considered the views of pupils, staff and parents by checking responses to the Ofsted surveys. Inspectors also met with pupils, staff and leaders.  To inspect the independent school standards inspectors checked the school site and scrutinised school policies, procedures and practice.  The first half day of the inspection was conducted off-site because pupils and staff were on a school trip. The lead inspector used this time to check whether school policies met the requirements of the independent school standards. She

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Information about this inspection

also held a meeting remotely with the English lead teacher. The second and third inspection days were conducted on site.

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Inspection team

Catherine Old, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Laurie Anderson Her Majesty’s Inspector 8 to 10 June 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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