Al-Khair Secondary Girls

School progress monitoring inspection report

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Al-Khair Secondary Girls 109–117 Cherry Orchard Road, Croydon CR0 6BE

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Main inspection findings

Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Paragraphs 7, 7(a), 7(b)  At the time of the emergency inspection in May 2022, inspectors identified concerns about the school’s safeguarding arrangements. The recording of actions taken in light of safeguarding concerns was not thorough enough. Inspectors found systemic weaknesses in how well the proprietor and governors communicate with and check the work of leaders with specific responsibility for safeguarding.  This inspection has identified that there continue to be serious weaknesses in the school’s safeguarding arrangements. The proprietor appointed new safeguarding leaders for September 2022. These appointments were made in late August 2022. Leaders did not ensure that the new safeguarding leaders received a sufficiently comprehensive handover of the necessary safeguarding information. New safeguarding leaders have not had sufficient training to carry out their roles and responsibilities effectively. These

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Main inspection findings

leaders have also not been given appropriate time to respond to and manage safeguarding concerns in the school. As result, weaknesses in the culture of safeguarding remain. Concerns about pupils’ welfare are not followed up with suitable urgency and concerns are not recorded appropriately.  The school’s safeguarding policy contains several errors and does not include the most recent statutory guidance.  The requirements of the independent school standards in these paragraphs continue to be unmet. Paragraph 11  The emergency inspection in May 2022 found that the school’s health and safety policy was not implemented well. Cupboards containing chemicals were unlocked and were accessible to pupils.  Leaders have addressed the concerns regarding the health and safety of the premises that were identified at the emergency inspection. Leaders have received suitable health and safety training. They have implemented a system of daily and weekly maintenance

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Main inspection findings

checks throughout the building. This approach is enabling leaders to manage and respond effectively to potential health and safety issues. Cupboards containing chemicals are securely locked. The building is now well maintained and clean.  The independent school standards in this paragraph are now met.  Leaders have not ensured that all of the independent school standards in this part are met.

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Main inspection findings

Part 5. Premises of and accommodation at schools Paragraphs 23(1), 23(1)(c)  The May 2022 emergency inspection found that the shower facilities were not available for pupils to use as they were being used as a storeroom for physical education (PE) equipment. Some of the shower cubicles had been converted into storerooms for cleaning products.  Leaders have made sure that the shower facilities can now be used by pupils. The shower facilities are no longer used to store PE equipment or cleaning products. There is a separate storage room for cleaning equipment and products, and this is kept locked. The shower facilities are checked daily, and records of these checks are kept.  The independent school standards in this paragraph are now met. Paragraphs 24(1), 24(1)(b), 28(1), 28(1)(d)  At the time of the emergency inspection, the washing facility in the medical room had no hot water supply and no soap.

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Main inspection findings

 Leaders have fitted a new sink to the medical room. This has hot and cold running water. Leaders have also installed thermostatic valve regulators in all handwashing facilities, including the medical room. This has ensured that hot water supplies are regulated to a suitable temperature.  The independent school standards in these paragraphs are now met. Paragraph 25  The previous emergency inspection found that leaders did not pay enough attention to ensuring that the building is cleaned thoroughly, including the pupils’ toilets and showers.  Leaders have made changes to arrangements for cleaning the premises. They have employed their own cleaning staff and set clear expectations for how the building should be cleaned. Leaders have implemented daily cleaning checks and regular meetings with cleaners to ensure that the building is kept clean and safe.  The independent school standards in these paragraphs are now met.

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Main inspection findings

 Leaders have made sure that the school complies with the previously unmet requirements of the independent school standards in this part. Part 6. Provision of information Paragraphs 32(1), 32(1)(c)  While the safeguarding policy does not incorporate the most recent government guidance, leaders ensure that it is available to parents and carers on the school’s website.  This requirement continues to be 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), 34(1)(c)  The emergency inspection identified complex weaknesses in leadership, management and governance, including a lack of communication between members of the governing body, the proprietor and senior leaders. Leaders had failed to meet the independent school standards in relation to safeguarding, health and safety, and premises. Leaders were not sufficiently familiar with the independent school standards in relation to premises and accommodation.  The proprietor has taken some suitable steps to improve leadership in the school. An interim headteacher has been appointed and a new interim executive board has been formed, with the proprietor as chair. Leaders have received appropriate health and safety training. They have also attended training on the independent school standards with the aim of improving their understanding of their statutory duties and responsibilities. The

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Main inspection findings

interim executive board has improved their oversight of health and safety and carries out regular checks on the building. This has all helped to ensure that the previously unmet standards related to the safety and suitability of the premises are now met.  However, the proprietor and leaders have not done enough to address the weaknesses in safeguarding arrangements. The proprietor does not demonstrate a sufficient understanding of safeguarding requirements, and consequently, is unable to support leaders and hold them to account. The newly formed interim executive board has plans to check safeguarding arrangements, for instance by visiting the school. However, these plans have not been acted on. Leaders responsible for safeguarding have received some training, but this is not sufficient. They also do not have the support or time to complete their roles effectively. Leaders have invested in a new system to record and monitor

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Main inspection findings

safeguarding cases, but new approaches are not working well in practice. These weaknesses mean that there are still unmet independent school standards.  The requirements of the independent school standards in these paragraphs continue not to be 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

Type of school Islamic secondary day school for girls

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School details

Date of previous standard inspection 28 to 30 January 2020

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Information about this school

 Al-Khair Secondary Girls is an Islamic independent day school for pupils aged 11 to 16.  The interim headteacher took up their post in September 2022.  The school shares a building with Al-Khair Secondary Boys School. Both schools are in the same building. The boys’ school is on the ground floor and the girls’ school is on the first floor. The schools have the same proprietor. They share facilities, such as the sports hall. They also share members of staff who teach in both schools.  Leaders do not make use of any alternative provision.  The school’s most recent inspection was an emergency inspection that took place on 19 May 2022. This found several independent school standards not to be met.  The school’s previous standard inspection was in January 2020, when its overall effectiveness was judged to be good.

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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 first progress monitoring inspection since the school received an emergency inspection in May 2022. The emergency inspection found that the school did not comply with several of the independent school standards.  Following the emergency inspection in May 2022, the registration authority required the proprietor to complete an action plan. Ofsted evaluated this action plan on 23 August 2022. The registration authority accepted this action plan on 9 September 2022.  The inspection was conducted in parallel with an inspection of Al-Khair Secondary Boys School, which shares the same site.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspection was conducted without notice.  The inspector met with the interim headteacher, senior leaders, the proprietor and a member of the interim executive board. He also met with a group of pupils and a group of staff.  The inspector spoke by telephone with the local authority’s designated officer for safeguarding.  The inspector toured the premises and reviewed documentation, including records related to safeguarding, health and safety, and risk assessment.

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Inspection team

Mark Smith, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

 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.

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Part 5. Premises of and accommodation at schools

 23(1) Subject to sub-paragraph (2), the standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that– - 23(1)(c) suitable changing accommodation and showers are provided for pupils aged 11 years or over at the start of the school year who receive physical education.  24(1) The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that suitable accommodation is provided in order to cater for the medical and therapy needs of pupils, including– - 24(1)(b) accommodation for the short-term care of sick and injured pupils, which includes a washing facility and is near to a toilet facility.  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.  28(1) The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that–

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Part 5. Premises of and accommodation at schools

- 28(1)(d) the temperature of hot water at the point of use does not pose a scalding risk to users.

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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 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.

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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. 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 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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