Madni Academy

Inspection of Madni Academy 40–42 Scarborough Street, Savile Town, Dewsbury, West Yorkshire WF12 9AY

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Inspection dates: 14 to 16 November 2023

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Outstanding Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Does the school meet the independent school standards?

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What is it like to attend this school?

Madni Academy is an exceptional school where pupils flourish. The school is highly inclusive. Adults work closely with pupils to foster a sense of belonging and harmony. British values are carefully threaded through all learning and purposefully combined with the school’s values. This ensures that all pupils are very well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. Excellent behaviour is an expectation across all phases in the school, from children in the provision for two-year-olds through to pupils in Year 11. Pupils are sensible and mature. They follow clear routines that are familiar to them. Pupils are highly motivated to learn.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has a strong focus on securing the highest levels of attendance for all pupils. Leaders work closely with parents and carers and pupils to help them understand the importance of arriving on time. Leaders are passionate about making sure that all pupils can benefit from the education and experiences the school offers.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has carefully considered the emotional and mental health of pupils. The outstanding care that staff demonstrate for pupils is evident throughout the school. Pupils know that they can speak with adults if they have any concerns. All pupils spoken with could explain how they are taught to manage the different risks they may face, both when online and offline. Pupils feel safe in school and in the wider local community.

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better?

School leaders and the proprietor board have ensured that all the independent school standards (the standards) are consistently met. The school continues to be compliant with the Equality Act 2010.

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better?

Leaders have developed a broad and ambitious holistic curriculum. Pupils study a range of subjects. The school has considered what it wants pupils to learn and when. Some subjects have been recently adapted to support pupils to achieve highly aspirational end-points that will prepare them well for the next stage in their learning. For example, in key stage 3 mathematics, leaders have made purposeful curriculum changes in order to secure knowledge that prepares pupils well for key stage 4 and beyond. How teachers check what pupils know and remember after a period of time is less well developed.

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better?

In subjects such as English and religious studies, the curriculum is very carefully considered. Knowledge is systematically built over time, and the content is revisited in a range of lessons to support pupils to know and remember more. In other lessons, the focus on subject-specific knowledge is more limited. For example, in science, pupils have a sound knowledge of established facts but know less about the methods that are used to establish these facts. Leaders are addressing this 14 to 16 November 2023 imbalance in the curriculum; however, this work is at an early stage. Leaders work closely with all staff to offer very carefully targeted support. This rapidly strengthens staff’s understanding of the school’s curriculum offer through focused and highly effective staff training.

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better?

Around two thirds of the teaching staff were new to the school from September 2023. When new staff start at the school, they receive a highly effective induction and regular training of a high standard. This helps staff to settle swiftly and support pupils well. Improved outcomes in English and modern foreign languages are just one of the many results of this highly bespoke training offer. Staff highly value the training they receive.

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better?

The school has a comprehensive approach to developing pupils’ reading knowledge and a love of books. Early reading is carefully planned, from pre-phonics activities that develop listening in the provision for two-year-olds, through to the school’s consistent approach to learning to read in Reception and Year 1. Reading continues to be a priority throughout the primary and secondary phases in all classes. Subject leaders consistently review, revisit and adapt their approach to reading so that all pupils can continue to learn and make good progress. This is demonstrated through the high achievement of all pupils in English and modern foreign languages at the end of Year 10 and Year 11. This includes pupils who speak English as an additional language (EAL) and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school has robust systems in place to identify and support pupils with SEND

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better?

and/or who speak EAL. School leaders are able to demonstrate the rapid progress pupils make from their starting points in school and how these lead to excellent end- points. This prepares pupils well for the next stage in their educational journey.

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better?

In early years, leaders have placed high importance on the curriculum and the learning environment. Leaders have carefully considered what they want children to know, remember and be able to do across all parts of the early years foundation stage. Staff know and understand these expectations very well. Every decision they make is based on a secure understanding of how young children develop, as well as a detailed understanding of the needs of each individual child in their care. Children in early years are given a wealth of opportunities to explore and learn, accompanied by the support of sensitive and knowledgeable adults.

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better?

The school offers pupils exceptional personal, social and health education (PSHE). Throughout the school, all pupils benefit from an extensive range of projects, trips and visits that are carefully linked with the curriculum. Pupils listen to visiting speakers, who help pupils learn about relationships and sex education. Pupils access a wide, rich set of experiences that support the curriculum and learn about career opportunities. For example, pupils speak highly about the projects they have undertaken recently, including working with local and national charities to provide support for different communities. Pupils learn about the importance of respect, especially for those with religions, cultures and backgrounds that are different from their own. Pupils have a detailed knowledge of other faiths represented in modern Britain. This learning supports them in the work they undertake with different community groups, empowering pupils to become strong female role models.

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better?

14 to 16 November 2023 School leaders and the proprietor board have developed efficient and effective systems for ensuring the welfare and health and safety of pupils. Senior leaders have a clear oversight across the school. Site staff carry out regular risk assessments on all parts of the building and maintain up-to-date records. Any identified or reported concerns are swiftly dealt with. Pastoral support is of a high quality and carefully considered. The school’s well-being team works closely with teachers and pupils to ensure that pupils’ needs are always considered first and foremost. Trustees and governors, along with the proprietor board, bring a range of skills to the school community. They provide strong challenge and support to school leaders.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 In a small number of subjects, the purposeful changes to the school’s curriculum are not implemented securely and consistently. This prevents pupils from achieving highly in all subjects. The school must continue to support all teachers to develop a clear understanding of the changes to the school’s curriculum. Teachers must carefully check that lessons match the school’s written curriculum offer and that they provide pupils with disciplinary knowledge (how the experts in that subject think) that matches their factual subject knowledge.

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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. 14 to 16 November 2023

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School details

Proprietor Savile Town Muslim Parents’ Association

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School details

Annual fees (day pupils) £1,900 to £2,100

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School details

Email address school.office@madnimuslimgirls.org.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 5 to 7 February 2019 14 to 16 November 2023

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Information about this school

 Madni Academy is an all-through Muslim independent day school. The school has an open admissions policy and admits pupils from all faiths.  The school currently educates boys up to the age of seven and girls up to the age of 16.  The school is registered on the government website, ‘Get Information about Schools’, as a girls’ school. However, the school continues to admit a small number of boys to be educated in the early years and primary phases.  The previous standard inspection took place in February 2019.  Following the previous inspection, a chair of the governing body has been appointed. This person is also chairs of the proprietor board.  There are no pupils with an education, health and care plan.  The school does not use any alternative education 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

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school had 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.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, the assistant headteachers, the mental health leader, the chair of the proprietor board, a governor and two trustees. Inspectors also met with a range of other staff, including the special educational needs coordinator and members of the school’s teaching team.  Inspectors undertook a tour of the school and visited the classrooms, social areas and other facilities. The lead inspector checked the school buildings and grounds against the standards.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in English (including reading), science, religious studies and PSHE. The deep dive for each subject included a meeting with

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Information about this inspection

curriculum leaders and a review of subject documents and plans. The deep dive also involved lesson visits, scrutiny of pupils’ work and meetings with pupils and staff. 14 to 16 November 2023  Inspectors reviewed the curriculum plans for a range of subjects.  Inspectors visited the early years foundation stage and spoke with early years staff and children.  Inspectors scrutinised school records, including admissions and attendance registers.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour around the school throughout the day, including at breaktimes and in lessons. Inspectors spoke to pupils about their experience of the school.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors scrutinised school documents and the arrangements to safeguard pupils. This included meeting with the designated safeguarding lead and the school’s mental health and well-being leader. Inspectors spoke with both staff and pupils about safeguarding.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted Parent View and surveys completed by staff and pupils. The lead inspector spoke to a representative of the local authority and to the chief executive officer of a national registered charity that the school works with regularly.

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Inspection team

Zoe Lightfoot, lead inspector Senior His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Matthew Vellensworth His Majesty’s Inspector 14 to 16 November 2023 regulates and 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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Inspection team

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