London Islamic School

School progress monitoring inspection report

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London Islamic School 18–22 Damien Street, London E1 2HX

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Main inspection findings

Part 1. Quality of education provided Paragraph 3, 3(a) 3(c)  At the previous progress monitoring inspection in March 2023, leaders had increased the time devoted to the secular curriculum for pupils in Years 7 and 8. However, they had not developed their curriculum thinking sufficiently. They had not identified the specific knowledge and skills they wanted pupils to learn in each subject. Leaders were continuing to work on their plans to invest in more reading books, to assess pupils’ reading skills, and to foster a love of reading.  Leaders’ post-inspection action plan stated that leaders had completed revising most subject teaching plans. The action plan outlined leaders’ intended actions to complete and implement ‘I can’ sheets to identify and assess the key content that pupils need to know in every subject. The action plan also outlined leaders’ intention to collaborate with two other schools and to implement a new reading scheme.

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Main inspection findings

 This inspection found there to be further, and in some cases significant, improvements to the quality of education. Curriculum plans that identify more rigorously than in the past the specific knowledge and skills leaders want pupils to learn in each subject are now in place. All pupils now have a fifth secular-education lesson every day, as well as access to additional after-school tuition.  Leaders have invested in new reading books, as well as a programme that includes the assessment of pupils’ reading skills. Pupils were enthusiastic about reading for pleasure, their daily reading time, and the school’s plans to upgrade the school library.  The school has forged a formal agreement with two other schools to collaborate in a range of ways, including for subject-specific training. Visits and training sessions begin this term. Similarly, the ‘I can’ sheets are proving useful in the core subjects but have

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Main inspection findings

not been rolled out across the curriculum.  Though there is therefore more work to do, and time is needed for some changes to become embedded, leaders’ and teachers’ curriculum thinking is stronger overall than in the past. Leaders now ensure that secular-subject teachers know what they want pupils to learn and remember. Leaders also ensure that reading and in particular the enjoyment of reading have a much higher profile across the school.  The independent school standards checked in this part are now met. Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Paragraph 34(1)–34(1)(b)  The previous two progress monitoring inspections found that leaders had not addressed the areas for improvement, as identified by the standard inspection in May 2022, with sufficient urgency.  Leaders’ second action plan outlined a range of proposed actions. These focused on forging a partnership with two neighbouring schools and professional training for staff.

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Main inspection findings

 This inspection found that leaders continue to improve the school’s approach to the secular curriculum and to the promotion of reading. Leaders’ plans to continue, and develop further, subject-specific professional training for teachers are suitable.  This inspection also found that leaders have taken further positive action since the previous inspection. For example, they have extended the school day in order to broaden the secular curriculum further. This change has ensured that all pupils, including those in Years 9, 10 and 11, receive a broader secular education than in the past, including in physical, creative and citizenship education. Leaders are also about to upgrade the school’s library and introduce a programme of extra-curricular clubs in order to provide pupils with more opportunities to develop their talents and interests than was previously the case.  Leaders acknowledge that there is work to do to embed improvements with greater

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Main inspection findings

urgency. However, they are now demonstrating the skills and knowledge required to meet the independent school standards so that they are met, and likely to continue to be met, consistently.  The requirements of the independent school standard checked in this part are now met.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school meets 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. 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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Part 1. Quality of education provided

 3 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that the teaching at the school– – 3(a) enables pupils to acquire new knowledge and make good progress according to their ability so that they increase their understanding and develop their skills in the subjects taught; and – 3(c) involves well planned lessons and effective teaching methods, activities and management of class time.

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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; and – 34(1)(b) fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards are met consistently.

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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

Proprietor Esha’atul Islam Board of Trustees

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School details

Email address info@londonislamicschool.org

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School details

Dates of previous standard inspection 8 to 10 February 2022

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Information about this school

 This is an Islamic secondary school for up to 150 boys aged 11 to 16.  The school is located within the Esha’atul Islam Mosque in Whitechapel.  The school had its last graded inspection in February 2022, when it was judged to require improvement and some of the independent school standards were not met. The school’s latest inspection was its second progress monitoring inspection, which took place in March 2023, when inspectors again judged some of the independent school standards to be not met.  The school makes no use of alternative provision.

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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 school’s third progress monitoring inspection since the graded inspection in February 2022. The inspection was conducted without notice.  Since the school’s second progress monitoring inspection in March 2023, leaders were asked to submit another action plan. Ofsted judged the school’s action plan to be not acceptable and the Department for Education rejected it in September 2023.  The inspection also considered the school’s safeguarding arrangements.  The inspector met with members of the school’s senior team, including the headteacher and leader with responsibility for safeguarding. He met with a group of pupils. The

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Information about this inspection

inspector also considered a wide range of school documents, including policies, curriculum plans and pupils’ workbooks.

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Inspection team

James Waite, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 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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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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