Islamia School for Girls'

School progress monitoring inspection report

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Islamia School for Girls 129 Salusbury Road, London NW6 6PE

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Main inspection findings

Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Paragraphs 7, 7(a), 7(b), 32(1)(c)  At the previous standard inspection in September 2021, leaders had not ensured that safeguarding systems were effective. They did not have secure knowledge of statutory safeguarding practice. Some pupils could not identify an adult they could speak to if they had any worries. Staff did not follow procedures for reporting and logging concerns.  The school’s safeguarding policy is published on the school website and now meets the government’s latest guidance.  A new safeguarding leader has been appointed. Leaders, including trustees, and staff have undertaken appropriate safeguarding training. School leaders regularly update trustees on any safeguarding issues at the school.  Leaders have ensured that staff and pupils understand how to log and report concerns. These concerns are now recorded appropriately. Leaders have also improved their

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Main inspection findings

systems for recording behaviour incidents and attendance. This is starting to help leaders to bring together all information they have on pupils’ well-being and, in turn, take timely and suitable action when concerns are identified.  Leaders make appropriate checks on pupils who leave the school, including their destination. Record-keeping related to this is appropriate, and helps leaders to check that pupils are not at risk from going missing from education.  These requirements of the independent school standards are now met. Paragraph 11  The previous inspection identified that leaders had not implemented their health and safety policy effectively. The proprietor had not ensured that the school premises were maintained to a standard such that the health, safety and welfare of pupils were ensured. They had not taken prompt and effective action to address urgent maintenance requirements of the school building. There were specific concerns around unsafe

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Main inspection findings

electrical issues and a vermin infestation.  Leaders commissioned an external contractor to repair and check all electrical installations. They have certified that all electrical issues have been addressed, and the electrical installations are now in good and safe working order.  Leaders ensured that an external pest control company has dealt with the vermin infestation effectively.  Leaders have also revised and strengthened arrangements for overseeing the suitability and safety of the site. Members of staff have clearly delegated responsibilities, including a site manager who is now in charge of ensuring that the site is clean, well maintained and safe. Leaders have also drawn up a rolling programme for engaging external contractors to maintain and check the safety of the site and equipment.  These requirements of the independent school standards are now met. Paragraphs 16, 16(a), 16(b)  The previous inspection found that the school’s risk assessment policy was not detailed

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Main inspection findings

enough nor implemented effectively. Inspectors identified concerns around the open access between the adjacent primary school and this school, meaning that anyone could walk in unchecked. There was also open access to a storage cupboard of hazardous materials.  Leaders have subsequently revised their risk assessment policy. It is detailed and leaders implement it rigorously. Access between the two schools is controlled, allowing access via passes held by staff. When pupils use the primary school facilities, it is now only within agreed times and under strict supervision. Hazardous materials have been removed and are now stored elsewhere in a safe and suitable manner.  Leaders have also undertaken a range of new risk assessments to support pupils’ safety and well-being, both on site and during planned off-site activities.  These requirements of the independent school standards are now met.  The previously unmet requirements of the independent school standards in this part are

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Main inspection findings

Part 5. Premises of and accommodation at schools Paragraph 25  The previous inspection found that the premises were not maintained to a suitable standard. Urgent maintenance requirements of the school building had not been addressed through timely and effective actions.  As explained above, with regard to the reporting on the requirements of paragraphs 11 and 16, leaders and the proprietor have taken suitable steps to address the concerns regarding the suitability of the premises identified at the previous inspection.  These requirements of the independent school standards are now met. Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Paragraphs 34, 34(1)(a), 34(1)(b), 34(1)(c)  Leaders have taken effective action to address all the unmet independent school standards identified at the time of the previous inspection.  The trustees and school leaders have taken suitable steps to prioritise and improve their

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Main inspection findings

oversight of the school’s compliance with all of the independent school standards. They have also made substantial changes to some staff’s roles and responsibilities to ensure that this happens consistently. For example, the designated safeguarding leader is now a member of the senior leadership team. They have also made sure that leaders and other staff benefit from training that helps them in their roles to support pupils’ safety, health and well-being.  These requirements of the independent school standards are now met.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school meets the requirements of the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 (‘the independent school standards’) and associated requirements that were checked during this inspection. This included the standards and requirements that the school was judged to not comply with at the previous inspection. Not all of the standards and associated requirements were checked during this inspection.

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

 7 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that–  7(a) arrangements are made to safeguard and promote the welfare of pupils at the school; and  7(b) such arrangements have regard to any guidance issued by the Secretary of State.  11 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that relevant health and safety laws are complied with by the drawing up and effective implementation of a written health and safety policy.  16 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that–  16(a) the welfare of pupils at the school is safeguarded and promoted by the drawing up and effective implementation of a written risk assessment policy; and  16(b) appropriate action is taken to reduce risks that are identified.

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Part 5. Premises of and accommodation at schools

 25 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that the school premises and the accommodation and facilities provided therein are maintained to a standard such that, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of pupils are ensured.

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Part 6. Provision of information

 32(1)(c) particulars of the arrangements for meeting the standard contained in paragraph 7 are published on the school’s internet website or, where no such website exists, are provided to parents on request.

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

 34(1) The standard about the quality of leadership and management is met if the proprietor ensures that persons with leadership and management responsibilities at the school–  34(1)(a) demonstrate good skills and knowledge appropriate to their role so that the independent school standards are met consistently;  34(1)(b) fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards are met consistently; and  34(1)(c) actively promote the well-being of pupils.

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 109(1) and (2) of the Education and Skills Act 2008, the purpose of which 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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School details

Email address officemanager@islamiaschools.com

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School details

Date of previous standard inspection 28 to 30 September 2021

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Information about this school

 This is a secondary school for girls with a Muslim ethos. The school was founded in 1989. Trustees from Islamia Schools Ltd provide governance for the school.  The acting headteacher is also headteacher of the partner boys’ school, Brondesbury College. The acting headteacher took up post in October 2020. An acting deputy headteacher took up post in January 2021.  The school is on the same site as Islamia Primary School. Parts of the building and outside space are shared.  Leaders do not currently use any alternative provision for their pupils.  The previous standard inspection took place in September 2021.

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Information about this inspection

 This inspection was carried out at the request of the registration authority for independent schools. The purpose of the inspection was to monitor the progress the school has made in meeting the independent school standards and other requirements that it was judged to not comply with at its previous inspection.  This was the school’s first progress monitoring inspection. It was conducted with 30 minutes’ notice.  The school was asked to submit an action plan after its last standard inspection in September 2021. The action plan was judged by Ofsted as acceptable with modifications in June 2022. The school was notified of this outcome by the Department for Education (DfE) in June 2022.  The DfE requested that the inspector consider whether particular independent school standards contained within parts 3, 5, 6 and 8 are met.  The lead inspector met with the proprietor remotely, and the headteacher in person. She

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Information about this inspection

also spoke with the designated safeguarding lead.  The lead inspector met with groups of pupils in Years 7, 8, 9 and 10. The lead inspector toured the school’s premises and met with a group of staff. The single central record of vetting checks was reviewed, and a range of documentation about safeguarding, health and safety and risk assessments was considered.  There were too few responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View, to consider as part of this inspection.

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Inspection team

Alice Clay, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector guidance ‘Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

Parent View You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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Inspection team

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.gov.uk/ofsted .

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Inspection team

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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