Redstone Academy for Girls

Inspection of Redstone Academy for Girls 466 Moseley Road, Birmingham B12 9AN

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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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 flourish at this school. Staff are determined that pupils learn well and develop academically, emotionally, socially and spiritually. They set a high bar for pupils, with no ceiling on what pupils can achieve. Pupils reflect these expectations. They are eager to learn and want to do well. Classrooms are calm and productive, with staff and pupils working together.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff care about their pupils, and all are proud of their school. They get to know each pupil well and provide constant encouragement and support. Pupils are polite, courteous and interested in each other and the wider world. Pupils attend well because they want to come to school. Staff and pupils speak enthusiastically about the school as a ‘family’. Pupils know that sometimes people fall out with each other. However, pupils trust that staff will intervene to help put things right again.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders know how important it is to prepare pupils for life beyond school. They do not shy away from talking to pupils about sensitive issues. Pupils learn about these both in the context of modern Britain and their faith. All staff want pupils to be able to fulfil their potential as ambitious young Muslim women in a changing world.

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better?

The headteacher leads the school with integrity, determination and compassion. Leaders have developed rigorous systems to ensure that the school consistently meets the independent school standards. Leaders know that the school can still be better, and they are always striving to improve. They are highly reflective and are not afraid to make changes if they will benefit pupils. Staff share leaders’ vision and embrace any changes because they too want the best for pupils. Staff feel well supported by leaders. All work together towards a common aim.

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better?

Leaders provide pupils with an education that matches the breadth of the national curriculum. Pupils learn a broad range of subjects at key stage 3. Leaders have put the English Baccalaureate at the heart of the curriculum at key stage 4. All pupils work towards achieving GCSE physics, biology and chemistry and learn a modern foreign language and a humanity.

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better?

In each subject, leaders have thought about the knowledge and skills that pupils need to learn. They have considered the order in which pupils should learn new things thoroughly so that pupils build their understanding over time. Leaders have adapted the curriculum in response to the pandemic. For instance, in Year 9, leaders have allocated time to revisit important learning from previous years. However, pupils’ intended learning is set out in broad terms. Therefore, it is open to individual teachers’ interpretation. This means that it is not always clear which are the critical elements that pupils must know and remember. Leaders are already taking action to address this. 21 to 23 June 2022 Leaders have embraced research about the science of learning. They have shared this with teachers. Most teachers use this well, for instance to check pupils’ understanding in lessons. They pose questions to help pupils constantly recall and

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better?

review their learning. This prompts discussion and means that teachers can address any misconceptions that pupils may have. In most cases, teachers and pupils take advantage of these opportunities.

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better?

Pupils complete regular assessments in each subject. These require pupils to draw on everything they have learned, not just the most recent work. Teachers use this information to fill any gaps in pupils’ knowledge through review lessons. Leaders make regular checks on pupils’ overall progress. They identify any pupils that need extra help with English or mathematics. Staff then provide pupils with the effective support they need promptly.

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better?

Leaders know that some teachers need further subject-specific training. They have taken action to address this, for example by ensuring staff are members of subject associations. However, this work is at an early stage.

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better?

Staff promote a love of reading. Leaders have made sure that there are opportunities for pupils to read. These range from regular reading in form time, to book clubs and visits to the local library. However, leaders have not drawn this work together to check that all pupils are reading widely and often. This means that some pupils are missing out on the enjoyment that can be gained from a good book.

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better?

The personal, social and health education (PSHE) curriculum is comprehensive. Pupils learn about a wide range of issues, from individual liberty and democracy to an understanding of other faiths and religions and looking after their physical and mental health. Leaders address difficult issues with sensitivity and thought, exploring pupils’ understanding and developing their empathy.

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better?

Careers education is central to the PSHE curriculum. Staff encourage pupils to be ambitious about what they can achieve when they leave school. All pupils complete work experience in Year 10, and a variety of professionals visit the school to talk about their work. Leaders provide pupils with lots of information about their options when they leave school and the careers they can ultimately pursue.

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better?

Members of the proprietor body have ensured that there is a clear vision for the school. They want the best for pupils. They provide support and challenge to leaders and ensure the school has a strong commitment to promoting equality. The school meets its duties under schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have ensured that staff are alert to the signs that could indicate a pupil is at risk of harm. Staff complete regular training on issues such as radicalisation and female genital mutilation. Staff understand their responsibility to report any concern, 21 to 23 June 2022 no matter how small, and they know how to do this. Safeguarding leaders take prompt action when a concern is raised.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have designed the PSHE curriculum to help raise awareness among pupils of the specific safeguarding risks they face, and what to do if they have any worries.

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 The curriculum does not define the foundational knowledge that pupils need to know and remember in each subject. As a result, leaders are reliant on individual teachers’ expertise to identify the most important knowledge within the broader themes set out in the curriculum. However, leaders are in the process of bringing this about. For this reason, the transitional arrangements have been applied. Leaders should ensure that all teachers have a detailed understanding of the specific knowledge that it is most important for pupils to know at each stage of their learning and how this ties into what they have learned before.  Teachers’ subject-expertise knowledge is not consistently strong. Consequently, some teachers do not know how to help pupils to overcome the challenges in their subject. Leaders should ensure that they continue to boost teachers’ understanding of how to help pupils learn effectively in their subject.

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 Leaders do not have a strategic approach to developing pupils’ wider love of reading. This means that some pupils ‘slip through the net’ and do not read as often or as widely as they should. Leaders should ensure that they coordinate the work already being done so that they can help all pupils to find books that they can enjoy.

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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 . 21 to 23 June 2022

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School details

Proprietor Redstone Educational Services Ltd

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School details

Annual fees (day pupils) £2,940 (key stage 3) £3,420 (key stage 4) Telephone number 0121 448 7933

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School details

Email address headteacher@redstoneacademy.com

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected 21 to 23 June 2022

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Information about this school

 The school had a pre-registration inspection on 24 March 2021, when it was found to be likely to meet all the independent school standards. The school opened as Redstone Academy for Girls in September 2021. Prior to this, the school was called Redstone Educational Academy, a co-educational independent school that was operating as two single-sex schools.  The chair of the proprietor body took up his post in May 2021.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  The school has an Islamic ethos.

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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 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.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors met with the headteacher and other senior leaders. They met with two members of the proprietor body, including its chair.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in English, science, art and PSHE. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders to discuss the curriculum, visited lessons, spoke to teachers, met with pupils and looked at pupils’ work. Inspectors also reviewed curriculum planning for history and mathematics and visited information and communication technology and history lessons.  Inspectors looked at records and spoke to staff in relation to behaviour, bullying, attendance and safeguarding.  Inspectors met with members of staff individually and in groups and spoke to pupils formally and informally at various points during the inspection. Inspectors took account of responses to staff surveys, as well as Ofsted Parent View.  Inspectors reviewed safeguarding arrangements by checking the school’s

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Information about this inspection

approach to staff recruitment, scrutinising policy documents and meeting with the headteacher, who is the designated safeguarding lead.  Inspectors scrutinised policies and documents relating to the independent school standards. The lead inspector toured the premises with the deputy headteacher and site manager. 21 to 23 June 2022  Inspectors spoke with pupils at breaktime and lunchtime.

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Inspection team

Ian Tustian, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Sarah Ashley Ofsted Inspector 21 to 23 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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