Al Khair Primary School

School progress monitoring inspection report

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Al Khair Primary School 61/63 Oak Way Green, Off Causeway Green Road, Oldbury, West Midlands B68 8LR

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Main inspection findings

Part 1. Quality of education provided Paragraphs 2(1), 2(1)(a), 2(1)(b), 2(1)(b)(i), 2(2)(b), 2(2)(h)  The previous inspection, in March 2022, identified weaknesses in the curriculum. In some subjects, the curriculum was not ambitious enough and did not identify what pupils should learn. In some subjects, pupils did not build on their knowledge from lesson to lesson.  Leaders have recently invested in a new curriculum for English, geography, history, science, art and design technology. The curriculum is now ambitious. It starts in early years and builds progressively through to Year 6. It clearly identifies what pupils should know and remember in each subject.  This curriculum is very new, however. In some subjects, in some classes, this curriculum is not being implemented effectively. Not all teachers are following the curriculum. As a result, some pupils are still experiencing lessons that do not build on pupils’ previous

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Main inspection findings

knowledge.  Leaders have worked with staff to improve their understanding of how to meet the range of needs of pupils in their class. This is happening for some pupils. However, there are also still some classes where the work given to pupils is too easy for some and does not build on what pupils already know. As a result, too many pupils’ literacy skills are not sufficiently developed.  These standards are not met. Paragraph 2(2)(f)  The curriculum in early years has been redesigned since the last inspection. It identifies with more clarity what children will learn across the curriculum. There are secure relationships between adults and children. Staff focus on developing children’s language and communication skills though stories and conversation. However, not all areas of learning are covered sufficiently well. For example, there are not enough opportunities to develop the gross and fine motor skills that children need at this stage of their physical

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Main inspection findings

development.  This standard is not met. Paragraphs 3, 3(a), 3(c), 3(d), 3(e), 3(g)  At the time of the previous inspection, teaching did not enable all pupils to make good progress according to their ability. Some lessons were not well thought through. Staff did not use assessment well enough to inform their teaching and the prior attainment of pupils was not always considered carefully. Not all staff demonstrated a good subject knowledge of the subject curriculum they were teaching.  In some classes, lessons are now well thought through, and some staff are using assessment to inform what they teach. However, the assessment information is not always used well enough. Some pupils are being taught what they already know and so are not making the progress they are capable of.  The work pupils are given in some classes also shows that there are still staff who do not have the subject knowledge they need to implement the curriculum effectively. The work

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Main inspection findings

given from one day to the next does not build on what pupils have learned previously. Pupils therefore do not achieve as well as they should.  These standards are not met. Paragraph 3(f)  At the time of the last inspection, leaders had not ensured that the classroom resources were sufficient for delivering the curriculum. Leaders have invested in a number of new resources to support the curriculum. These resources are of high quality.  This standard is now met.

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Main inspection findings

Part 6. Provision of information Paragraphs 32(2), 32(2)(c), 32(3)(f), 32(3)(g)  At the time of the last inspection, the school’s website did not have all the required information on it. A quasi-governing body was in place, but the details of the chair of the governing body were not included on the website. The number of complaints from the previous year and all the inspection reports were also not on the website.  This information has now been added to the website. There is a new governing body in place and the details of all governors, including an address for correspondence to the chair of the governing body, are now on the website.  The number of complaints and the latest standard inspection report are now also on the website.  These standards are now met. Paragraphs 32(1)(b), 32(3)(b)  At the time of the previous inspection, other information, such as the provision for pupils with an education, health and care (EHC) plan or pupils who speak English as an

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Main inspection findings

additional language, was not available.  Leaders have now created a comprehensive policy on the provision for pupils who speak English as an additional language. However, there is still no information available about the provision for pupils with an EHC plan.  These standards remain un-met. Paragraphs 32(1), 32(1)(c)  As a routine part of the inspection, the inspector checked the availability of the school’s safeguarding policy. The policy is not on the school website.  These standards are not met.

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Main inspection findings

Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Paragraphs 34(1), 34(1)(a), 34(1)(b)  At the time of the previous inspection, it was found that the proprietor did not ensure that all the independent school standards were met.  Leaders have created an appropriate action plan to address the areas of weakness identified.  While leaders have started to take action to address the areas of weakness identified, these actions are very recent. Leaders have not made the required checks on their actions to ensure that all staff are implementing the changes. There has not been enough time for the actions to have the impact needed for the standards to be met.  These standards are not met.

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Main inspection findings

Statutory requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage  At the previous inspection in March 2022, some of the statutory requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage were not met. The learning requirement 1.11 was not met. The curriculum did not provide a strong foundation for children’s development in the three prime areas.  Leaders have ensured that the curriculum in early years has been strengthened. There is a clear focus on communication and language throughout the curriculum and staff use conversation to widen children’s vocabulary. However, there are still weaknesses in parts of the curriculum as not all areas of learning are fully covered.  This requirement is still not met.  The learning requirement 1.12 was also not met at the time of the last inspection. Staff did not link with relevant services to support children who may have had a special educational need and/or disability.  Leaders have now made links with relevant agencies within the local authority. They

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Main inspection findings

have ensured that they work with parents and carers and signpost them to relevant services to help meet their child’s needs.  This requirement is now met.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school does not meet 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, as set out in the annex of this report. 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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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 admin.oldbury@alkhairschool.org.uk

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School details

Date of previous standard inspection 29 to 31 March 2022

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Information about this school

 Al Khair Primary School is a Muslim day school for boys and girls. It is registered for 70 pupils aged two to 11. The school opened in May 2014. Two pupils are educated at home but attend Al Khair for a small number of sessions each week.  There are no pupils with an EHC plan currently on roll.  The school’s last standard inspection was in November 2018.  Leaders do not use any alternative provision.

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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.  The inspector met with the headteacher, the administration manager and spoke to the proprietor. She also spoke to teaching staff and staff responsible for leading on special educational needs and/or disabilities and English.  The inspector examined several policies, schemes of work and plans, as well as visiting lessons and looking at work in pupils’ books for English and history.  The inspector held meetings with the headteacher and the deputy designated safeguarding leader, to discuss safeguarding procedures. Inspectors spoke to staff about safeguarding.  The inspector discussed the progress made against the previously un-met independent

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Information about this inspection

school standards with the headteacher and proprietor.

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Inspection team

Helen Forrest, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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The school does not meet the following independent school standards

Standards that were not met at the previous inspection and remain un-met at this inspection

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

 2(1) The standard in this paragraph is met if– – 2(1)(a) the proprietor ensures that a written policy on the curriculum, supported by appropriate plans and schemes of work, which provides for the matters specified in sub- paragraph (2) is drawn up and implemented effectively; and – 2(1)(b) the written policy, plans and schemes of work– – 2(1)(b)(i) take into account the ages, aptitudes and needs of all pupils, including those pupils with an EHC plan; and  2(2) For the purposes of paragraph (2)(1)(a), the matters are– – 2(2)(b) that pupils acquire speaking, listening, literacy and numeracy skills; – 2(2)(f) where the school has pupils below compulsory school age, a programme of activities which is appropriate to their educational needs in relation to personal, social, emotional and physical development and communication and language skills; – 2(2)(h) that all pupils have the opportunity to learn and make progress.

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

 3 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that the teaching at the school– – 3(a) enables pupils to acquire new knowledge and make good progress according to their ability so that they increase their understanding and develop their skills in the subjects taught; – 3(c) involves well planned lessons and effective teaching methods, activities and management of class time; – 3(d) shows a good understanding of the aptitudes, needs and prior attainments of the pupils, and ensures that these are taken into account in the planning of lessons; – 3(e) demonstrates good knowledge and understanding of the subject matter being taught; – 3(g) demonstrates that a framework is in place to assess pupils’ work regularly and thoroughly and use information from that assessment to plan teaching so that pupils can progress.

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Part 6. Provision of information

 32(1) The standard about the provision of information by the school is met if the proprietor ensures that– – 32(1)(b) the information specified in sub-paragraph (3) is made available to parents of pupils and parents of prospective pupils and, on request, to the Chief Inspector, the Secretary of State or an independent inspectorate.  32(3) The information specified in this sub-paragraph is– – 32(3)(b) particulars of educational and welfare provision for pupils with EHC plans and pupils for whom English is an additional language.

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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.

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Early Years Foundation Stage

 1.11 Practitioners must consider the individual needs, interests, and development of each child in their care, and must use this information to plan a challenging and enjoyable experience for each child in all areas of learning and development. Practitioners working with the youngest children are expected to ensure a strong foundation for children’s development in the three prime areas. The specific areas of learning provide children with a broad curriculum and with opportunities to strengthen and apply the prime areas of learning. This is particularly important in developing language and extending vocabulary.

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Early Years Foundation Stage

Standards that were met at the previous inspection, but are now judged to not be met at this inspection

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Part 6. Provision of information

 32(1) The standard about the provision of information by the school is met if the proprietor ensures that– – 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 1. Quality of education provided

 3. The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that the teaching at the school – 3. (f) utilises effectively classroom resources of a good quality, quantity and range.

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Part 6. Provision of information

 32(2) The information specified in this sub-paragraph is– – 32(2)(c) where there is a governing body, the name and address for correspondence of its Chair; and – 32(3)(f) details of the complaints procedure referred to in paragraph 33, and the number of complaints registered under the formal procedure during the preceding school year; and – 32(3)(g) a copy of the report of any inspection carried out under sections 108 or 109 of the 2008 Act or section 87(1) of the 1989 Act. 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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Part 6. Provision of information

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Part 6. Provision of information

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Part 6. Provision of information

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Part 6. Provision of information

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Part 6. Provision of information

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Part 6. Provision of information

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