Westwood Boys School

Inspection of Westwood Boys School 121 Union Street, Oldham OL1 1TE

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Inspection dates: 28 February to 2 March 2023

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Does the school meet the independent school standards?

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to attend Westwood Boys School. Pupils flourish academically and personally at this school. They benefit from the supportive and respectful relationships that are built between pupils and staff. Pupils said that they are happy.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and staff have high expectations for pupils’ learning and behaviour. Pupils rise to these expectations. They demonstrate exemplary behaviour in lessons and around school. Pupils achieve well across the curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe at school. Leaders respond swiftly and effectively to any rare bullying issues that arise. Teachers foster positive relationships with pupils. This means that pupils have trusted adults to turn to if they have any worries or concerns.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy extra-curricular clubs, including debating and digital literacy. Pupils make an active contribution to their local community. For example, they make donations to support the local food bank. Pupils enjoyed working with local businesses to organise and run a street party to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

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better?

Leaders have high aspirations for the achievement of all pupils. Leaders frequently adapt and refine the curriculum to ensure that it meets the needs, aptitudes and interests of all pupils. In most subjects, leaders have thought carefully about the knowledge that pupils need to learn and the order in which this should be taught. However, in a very small number of subjects, leaders’ curriculum thinking is less well developed. In these subjects, teachers are not as clear about the important knowledge that pupils should learn. This means that some pupils do not develop as deep an understanding in these subjects as they should.

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better?

Teachers have strong subject knowledge. They use assessment well to identify and address any gaps or misconceptions in pupils’ learning. Teachers plan regular opportunities for pupils to revisit previous learning. This helps pupils to securely embed key concepts.

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better?

Leaders identify pupils whose reading knowledge is weak when they join the school. That said, leaders are not yet using this information to pinpoint the precise knowledge that these pupils need to improve their reading. As a result, struggling readers do not catch up with their peers as quickly as they should.

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better?

Leaders encourage pupils to read for pleasure. Pupils regularly visit the local library. They enjoy taking part in the school’s reading competitions. During the inspection, pupils were excitedly organising activities for World Book Day.

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better?

Pupils’ behaviour is impeccable. Excellent relationships between pupils and staff underpin the calm and respectful environment around the school. Pupils manage 28 February to 2 March 2023 their own behaviour exceptionally well. They are attentive in lessons and eager to learn. Learning is rarely, if ever, disrupted. Pupils work hard and strive to do well. At social times, pupils are polite and courteous to each other. They like to chat with friends, play football or attend one of the clubs on offer.

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better?

There are currently no pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) at the school. That said, leaders have a secure understanding of how to identify and assess any pupils who may have additional needs. Leaders ensure that staff have an awareness of the different needs that pupils may present with. Staff have had the training that they need to meet the needs of any pupils with SEND effectively.

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better?

The school’s promotion of pupils’ personal development is exemplary. Leaders have developed a well-planned, extensive programme with a wealth of experiences on offer. Pupils have plentiful and meaningful opportunities to discuss and debate a wide range of topics. Pupils have undertaken research and delivered presentations on British values. They speak knowledgeably about these values. They also learn about the importance of treating everyone with respect, regardless of differences. They know how to keep themselves healthy, both physically and mentally.

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better?

Leaders have ensured that pupils receive suitable and informative careers advice and guidance. Pupils have opportunities to meet with local employers and staff from sixth-form colleges. They benefit from visiting guest speakers to find out about different careers, such as the police and teaching.

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better?

There is a strong sense of shared moral purpose and unity among staff. They are proud to work in the school. Staff appreciate the efforts that leaders have made to improve staff’s workload and promote their well-being.

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better?

The proprietor body and governors know the school well. They support and challenge leaders effectively to improve the school’s provision, including the quality of education.

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better?

The proprietor body ensures that the independent school standards (the standards) are met securely and consistently.

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better?

The school’s accessibility plan complies with schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The school’s safeguarding policy complies with current statutory guidance. This policy is published on the school’s website.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure a strong culture of safeguarding. Leaders provide staff with effective safeguarding training. Staff raise concerns promptly when a pupil may be at risk of harm. 28 February to 2 March 2023 Leaders are aware of the risks that pupils face. Pupils learn about how to stay safe in the community and when using smartphones.

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Safeguarding

Staff check pupils’ attendance daily. Leaders ensure that pupils are safe when they are absent from school.

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 In one or two subjects, leaders have not thought carefully enough about the knowledge that pupils should be taught. This hampers teachers from designing learning activities that help pupils to build their knowledge securely over time. Leaders should ensure that they finalise their curriculum thinking in these subjects.  Leaders do not identify the precise gaps in reading knowledge for some struggling readers. Some of these pupils do not catch up as quickly as they should with their peers. Leaders should ensure that these pupils have the help and support needed to learn to read fluently and accurately.

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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.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school. 28 February to 2 March 2023

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School details

Email address office@westwoodboysschool.org 28 February to 2 March 2023

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Information about this school

 The school is an Islamic faith school.  The school operates from premises at 121 Union Street, Oldham, OL1 1TE.  This is the school’s first standard inspection.  The school was first registered by the Department for Education on 20 January 2022.  The school does not use alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors carried out this inspection under section 109(1) and (2) of the Education and Skills Act 2008. The purpose of the inspection 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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Information about this inspection

The school meets the independent school standards. These are the requirements set out in the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014.

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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 the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors carried out deep dives in English, mathematics, art and design and personal, social and health education. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors observed the behaviour of pupils in lessons and around school.  The lead inspector met with the principal and the executive principal. She also had a discussion by telephone with the chair of governors, who is also the chair of the proprietor body.  Inspectors talked with groups of pupils about their experiences at school.  Inspectors spoke with staff about leaders’ engagement with them.  Inspectors examined the school’s approach to safeguarding pupils. To do this, they used discussions with the principal, other staff and pupils to find out about how staff keep pupils safe. The lead inspector looked at the school’s safeguarding

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Information about this inspection

policy, the record of safeguarding checks on staff and other documents about safeguarding.  Inspectors reviewed documentation to check the school’s compliance with the standards. An inspector carried out a tour of the school’s premises.  Inspectors scrutinised documents, such as school policies, risk assessments and minutes of meetings of the school’s governing body. 28 February to 2 March 2023  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free- text comments. They checked the responses to Ofsted’s surveys for pupils and staff.

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Inspection team

Rebecca Sharples, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Lindy Griffiths Ofsted Inspector 28 February to 2 March 2023 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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Inspection team

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

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