Madinatul Uloom Al Islamiya School

Boarding progress monitoring inspection report Madinatul Uloom Al Islamiya 31 January 2023 Madinatul Uloom Al-Islamiya, Butts Lane, Stone, Kidderminster, Worcestershire DY10 4BH Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Main inspection findings

Leaders and managers have focused on the concerns raised about safeguarding at the full inspection in October 2022. They are in the process of completing an action plan to address all areas.

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Main inspection findings

The designated safeguarding lead (DSL) and deputies have updated their skills and knowledge. They have completed DSL refresher training, and safer recruitment and managing allegations training. In addition, the DSL is part of a mental health in schools lead group that meets regularly. The DSL has refamiliarised himself with relevant statutory guidance. These measures have increased the safeguarding knowledge base of leaders in the school.

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Main inspection findings

School leaders have adapted their approach when there are concerns about children. The DSL has informed relevant professional partners about how to contact the school if there are concerns about children. He has also reiterated the importance of information-sharing with staff. When a concern was recently raised about a child in the school, staff quickly alerted the DSL. The DSL then contacted the relevant local authority to put safety plans in place. As a result of this improved approach, the school gains information quickly to help their decision-making so that they can keep children safer.

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Main inspection findings

School leaders have committed to supporting children’s mental health. They have continued to build on their PSHE curriculum with assemblies about well-being. The DSL attends a monthly support network for mental health leads in schools. These measures mean children have better emotional support.

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Main inspection findings

School leaders have confirmed their protocol for children who leave the school site. In addition, staff have an instant messaging group, which includes school leaders, so that they can communicate about student and staff whereabouts. This helps staff and leaders to be better assured about student safety.

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Main inspection findings

The DSL has developed the questions used for interviews. These now consider candidates’ safeguarding knowledge. These changes mean that interview panels will have better information to make their decisions.

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Main inspection findings

The headteacher speaks with the chair of trustees frequently. However, these discussions are not recorded. As a result, leaders and trustees’ oversight is not yet cohesively evidenced.

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Main inspection findings

School leaders have continued to address some areas of the residential accommodation. For example, there are new carpets in some areas of one of the boarding houses. Leaders are aware that the refurbishment of accommodation is a long-term project. They are planning accordingly.

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Main inspection findings

Three of the recommendations, relating to staff supervision, children accessing activities outside of the school, and developing training for prefects and trainee staff, were not considered at this visit.

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boarding schools

Standards that were not met at the previous inspection

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boarding schools

 The school’s governing body and/or proprietor monitors the effectiveness of the leadership, management and delivery of the boarding and welfare provision in the school, and takes appropriate action where necessary. (Boarding schools: national minimum standard 2.1)  The school’s leadership and management, including its governing body, where appropriate, demonstrate good skills and knowledge, appropriate to their role and undertake appropriate training as required. (Boarding schools: national minimum standard 2.2)  The school’s leadership and management fulfil their responsibilities consistently and effectively so that the standards are met. (Boarding schools: national minimum standard 2.4)  The school’s leadership and management and governance actively promote the well- being of pupils. (Boarding schools: national minimum standard 2.5)  Good-quality sleeping accommodation is provided for boarders. It is well organised and

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boarding schools

managed with ongoing assessments of risk, which should be documented, and findings acted on to reduce risk for all boarders. Accommodation gives boarders appropriate privacy, taking into account sex, age and any special requirements. Where children share a bedroom, they are able to express a preference about whom they share with. (Boarding schools: national minimum standard 4.1)  Good-quality living accommodation and equipment, including appropriate internet access, is provided for boarders for the purposes of organised and private study outside school hours and for social purposes. (Boarding schools: national minimum standard 4.2)  The school should ensure that: arrangements are made to safeguard and promote the welfare of pupils at the school; and such arrangements have regard to any guidance issued by the Secretary of State. (Boarding schools: national minimum standard 8.1)  Staff understand and help boarders to understand what makes a healthy, nurturing

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boarding schools

relationship. Staff are trained to think curiously about and recognise the signs of children at risk of or involved in damaging relationships with others, including teenage relationship abuse, criminal exploitation, sexual exploitation and child-on-child abuse, and take appropriate action when they have a concern. (Boarding schools: national minimum standard 17.3)

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Points for improvement

 Leaders should ensure that evidence of safeguarding knowledge and information gained in interviews, as well as information to test essential criteria of job roles, should be clearly recorded in interview records.  Leaders and staff should increase children’s access and opportunities to make and sustain friendships and interests outside the school community and away from the school site.  Leaders and managers should increase the opportunities for staff to have individual, formal and recorded meetings with managers and seniors to receive guidance about their practice to support their development.  Leaders and managers should further develop the induction and training of prefects to support them in their role.

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schools

 The school’s leadership and management, including its governing body, where appropriate, demonstrate good skills and knowledge, appropriate to their role and undertake appropriate training as required. (Boarding schools: national minimum standard 2.2)  The school’s leadership and management and governance actively promote the well- being of pupils. (Boarding schools: national minimum standard 2.5)  The school should ensure that: arrangements are made to safeguard and promote the welfare of pupils at the school; and such arrangements have regard to any guidance issued by the Secretary of State. (Boarding schools: national minimum standard 8.1)  Staff understand and help boarders to understand what makes a healthy, nurturing relationship. Staff are trained to think curiously about and recognise the signs of children at risk of or involved in damaging relationships with others, including teenage relationship abuse, criminal exploitation, sexual exploitation and child-on-child abuse,

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schools

and take appropriate action when they have a concern. (Boarding schools: national minimum standard 17.3)

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Points for improvement

 Leaders should ensure that evidence of safeguarding knowledge and information gained in interviews, as well as information to test essential criteria of job roles, should be clearly recorded in interview records.

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School details

Unique reference number 117044 Social care unique reference number SC043039 DfE registration number 885/6031 Inspection number 10269369 The inspection of boarding provision was carried out under the Children Act 1989, as amended by the Care Standards Act 2000, having regard to the national minimum standards for boarding schools. Type of school Boarding School School status Independent boarding school Age range of pupils 11 to 28 Gender of pupils Boys Number of pupils on the school roll 219 Number of boarders on roll 189 Headteacher A Memi Head of boarding Bilal Ahmed Telephone number 01562 66894 Website Not applicable Email address headteacher@madinatul-uloom.org Date of previous boarding inspection 11/10/2022

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Information about this school

The school is an independent Islamic boarding and day school for boys and young men aged 11 to 28 years. There are 219 pupils at the school. The school can accommodate 275 boarders. At the time of inspection, there were 189 pupils boarding, of whom 153 were under the age of 18.

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Information about this school

The boarding provision for all pupils is in the school grounds, with different age ranges in each boarding house.

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Information about this school

The head of boarding has been in post for over five years.

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Information about this inspection

 This inspection was carried out due to the concerns noted about safeguarding at the last full inspection. The purpose of the inspection was to monitor the progress the school has made in meeting the national minimum standards that it was judged to not comply with at its previous inspection, with a focus on safeguarding.

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Inspection team

Karol Keenan, lead inspector Social Care Inspector Andrew Waugh Social Care Inspector 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.

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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