Al-Khair School

School progress monitoring inspection report

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Al-Khair School 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(b) and 34(1), 34(1)(c)  The previous progress monitoring inspection in December 2022 identified continuing weaknesses in safeguarding. Designated leaders for safeguarding had not had sufficient training and support to understand their roles and manage concerns. They did not have enough time to fulfil their roles effectively. The school’s systems for managing concerns were not robust. Record-keeping was still not thorough. The school’s safeguarding policy contained errors and did not meet statutory requirements.  This inspection found leaders to have taken a wide range of effective actions to improve the school’s safeguarding arrangements. Leaders have completed a range of suitable training courses, including with the local authority. They have developed the required expertise and been given more time to fulfil their roles effectively. The school’s systems

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Main inspection findings

for managing concerns are now embedded. Record-keeping is now suitably thorough. The school’s safeguarding policy is written clearly and accurately. It reflects the latest statutory requirements. These requirements of the independent school standards are now met.

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Main inspection findings

Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Paragraph 34(1), 34(1)(a) and 34(1)(b)  The previous inspection found the proprietor’s work to replace the previous governing body was at an early stage. There had been insufficient scrutiny of how well the school’s safeguarding arrangements were working. The proprietor, who was also fulfilling the role of chair of governors, had not had recent training on safeguarding. Leaders had not ensured that those leading and managing safeguarding had sufficient time and ongoing support to manage their roles in line with statutory requirements.  This inspection found that the school’s new leaders have taken decisive action to improve all aspects of the school’s safeguarding arrangements substantially. The new governors, supported by representatives from the local authority, are now involved in regularly checking how well the school’s safeguarding arrangements are working. The

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Main inspection findings

proprietor has completed relevant training and delegated his previous responsibilities to a new chair of governors. Leaders have ensured that those leading and managing safeguarding have enough time, support and supervision to manage their roles effectively.  However, despite this inspection’s positive findings, it is too early to judge whether the school’s new leaders and governors will ensure the independent school standards are met securely and consistently over time.  These requirements of this independent school standard remain unmet.

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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

Date of previous standard inspection 5 to 7 October 2021

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Information about this school

 Al-Khair School is an Islamic independent day school for boys aged 11 to 16.  The current headteacher took up their post in September 2023.  The school shares a building with Al-Khair Secondary Girls School. The boys’ school is on the ground floor and the girls’ school is on the first floor. The schools have the same sole proprietor. They share facilities, such as the sports hall. They also share members of staff who teach in both schools.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision.  The school’s most recent inspection was a progress monitoring inspection that took place in December 2022. The school’s previous standard inspection was in October 2021.

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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 second consecutive progress monitoring inspection since an emergency inspection in May 2022. As a result of unmet standards found at the time of the progress monitoring inspection in December 2022, the Department for Education (DfE) required the school to prepare an action plan. This action plan was evaluated by Ofsted in March 2023. It was judged to be not acceptable and the DfE subsequently rejected it.  This inspection was conducted without notice and at the same time as an inspection of Al-Khair Secondary Girls School.  The inspector toured the premises and met with two groups of pupils. He reviewed a

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Information about this inspection

range of evidence to check compliance with the independent school standards relating to safeguarding. Inspection activities included meetings with the headteacher, designated safeguarding leader, and chair of governors. The inspector also met with a group of staff and spoke with the sole proprietor by telephone.

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Inspection team

James Waite, lead inspector Ofsted 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 unmet at this inspection

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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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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)(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

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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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