Madani Girls' School

Inspection of Madani Girls’ School 77 Evington Valley Road, Leicester, Leicestershire LE5 5LL

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Previous inspection grade Good 4 and 5 October 2022

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Madani Girls’ is a friendly and welcoming school. It is an exciting place in which to learn. Leaders’ expectations are very high, with regard to the work pupils complete in school. Pupils are very polite, articulate and courteous. They consistently live up to the school’s ‘HEART’ values of honesty, excellence, accountability, respect and teamwork. A parent summed this up well, saying: ‘Overall, a family feel at the school, where every single pupil can thrive to the best of her ability.’

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils follow an ambitious curriculum. This is very well planned, although there are some very minor inconsistencies in how this is implemented at times. Pupils gain deep knowledge and understanding in a wide range of subjects. Pupils achieve very high standards by the end of key stage 4.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have very high expectations of how pupils will behave. Behaviour is exceptional. There are respectful relationships throughout the school. Pupils are happy and feel safe. Bullying is very rare. When it happens, pupils are confident that adults will sort it out swiftly.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders provide pupils with a very wide range of experiences. These activities enrich and enhance pupils’ learning and enable them to find their voice in an assertive but respectful way. Pupils can choose from the 36 extra-curricular enhancement clubs on offer. These range from the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award to Arabic cooking.

p.2

better?

Governors have a very clear vision for the school. They work with senior leaders to ensure this is consistently realised. Leaders and staff provide a high-quality education at this school. They think deeply about the curriculum that they provide for pupils. They have made sure that pupils can study a broad and ambitious range of subjects. Almost all pupils choose to follow the English Baccalaureate suite of subjects at key stage 4. The curriculum prepares pupils very well for further study post-16 and beyond.

p.2

better?

Leaders have organised subject curriculums well. They have set out the essential knowledge that pupils need to learn. Leaders have thought very carefully about the order in which pupils learn this important knowledge. This is to make sure that pupils build securely and consistently on what they already know.

p.2

better?

Leaders and staff identify pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) well. They work very effectively with parents and carers and with other professionals to secure help for these pupils if they need it. Teachers make appropriate adaptations where these will help pupils to learn well. Consequently, pupils achieve highly, including disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND. 4 and 5 October 2022

p.2

3

In most lessons, teachers work effectively with pupils to ensure they all know how well they are learning. However, very occasionally, staff do not check what pupils know and can recall from prior learning.

p.3

3

Leaders have placed a high priority on supporting pupils at the early stages of reading. Staff provide these pupils with the help that they need to improve their reading. This helps pupils to quickly catch up and learn as well as their peers. They soon become confident and fluent readers.

p.3

3

Leaders are passionate about ensuring all pupils achieve highly. They encourage pupils to find their voice so that they can make a positive contribution to their school and the world in which they live. Leaders provide a very wide range of opportunities for personal development. The opportunities have been carefully thought out and planned so that all pupils benefit extremely well from the experiences they have. Leaders are ambitious for every pupil to do well. The wide range of extra-curricular activities are well attended by pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND.

p.3

3

All pupils receive appropriate careers advice and guidance. This prepares them extremely well for their future education and careers. Leaders are determined that all pupils will gain in confidence, preparing them well to become positive and active citizens in modern Britain.

p.3

3

Leaders work well with parents and the local community. They promote high aspirations for pupils within and beyond the school. Pupils can visit parliament and the National Space Centre. Leaders provide opportunities for pupils to make a positive impact in their local community. For example, by litter-picking locally.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

Leaders have established a strong culture of safeguarding. They train staff in all aspects of safeguarding and provide weekly updates to maintain staff knowledge. As a result, staff are vigilant and act promptly, should they have a concern about a pupil’s welfare. Leaders respond very quickly to individual cases and work well with external organisations.

p.3

Safeguarding

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe through a well-designed curriculum. They revisit key topics frequently at an age-appropriate level. The strong relationships in school mean that pupils have an adult they can talk to and resolve any problems they have.

p.3

4

 Approaches to checking what pupils know and can remember do not consistently identify gaps in pupils’ learning. Very occasionally, teachers do not check effectively enough how successfully pupils acquire knowledge and use it fluently. When this occurs, pupils are not clear if they are learning new knowledge and skills accurately. Leaders should ensure that staff reliably check on what pupils know and can recall so that they can build successfully on prior learning.

p.4

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. 4 and 5 October 2022

p.4

School details

Inspection number 10242231 Type of school Secondary

p.5

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 19 September 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 This is a Muslim girls’ faith school. The last section 48 inspection took place in October 2014 and leaders are aware that the next one must take place this year.  The school meets the requirements of the Baker Clause, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision.

p.5

Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.5

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 leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 4 and 5 October 2022

p.5

6

 Inspectors met with the headteacher, senior leaders, governors, including the chair of the local governing body, and a representative from a multi-academy trust that provides support to the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, modern foreign languages, science and mathematics. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, discussed curriculum thinking with leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  An inspector also met with leaders in history and geography and visited some lessons. The inspector spoke with pupils in those lessons about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors met with leaders, members of staff and pupils to evaluate the arrangements for safeguarding in school. They looked at records of actions taken by leaders to protect pupils at risk. They also looked at bullying logs. Inspectors

p.6

6

checked whether members of staff understood the safeguarding policy and procedures. They checked whether pupils know how to keep themselves safe, including online.  Inspectors spoke informally with pupils at breaktime and lunchtime.  Inspectors met formally with groups of pupils across the age range.  Inspectors considered the views of parents who responded to the confidential questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View. They evaluated the views of staff and pupils from the Ofsted online questionnaires.

p.6

Inspection team

Jamie Clarke, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Lisa Harrison Ofsted Inspector 4 and 5 October 2022

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7