Advance Education

School progress monitoring inspection report

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Unit 5, Unimix House, Abbey Road, Park Royal, London NW10 7TR

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Main inspection findings

Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Paragraphs 6, 7(a), 7(b), 11, 16(a), 16(b)  The previous standard inspection found that the safeguarding policy had not been updated to reflect the latest statutory guidance. The policy was not published on the school’s website. Training was not up to date for the leader with responsibility for safeguarding.  The previous standard inspection also found that the school’s health and safety policy was not implemented effectively. Risks were not identified and acted on swiftly and robustly. For example, the fire-escape route required users to exit through a rat-infested bin-storage area. The action plan submitted by the school following the previous standard inspection lacked sufficient detail to set out how failings would be rectified and monitored to make sure that the welfare, health and safety of pupils would be given a high priority.  The school has addressed the previous failings adequately. Leaders with responsibility for

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Main inspection findings

safeguarding have received suitable, up-to-date training to carry out their roles. The safeguarding policy meets requirements and is available on the school’s website.  Policies for risk assessment and health and safety policies are in place. School staff receive training to help them to identify potential safeguarding risks and to take appropriate action. For example, staff know to check playground equipment for damage before it is used by pupils.  The school implements its health and safety policy effectively. Leaders liaise with the local authority and the building’s management regularly. This is to ensure that any fly- tipping that may have an impact on the safe use of the school site is deal with swiftly. The school commissions health and safety inspections appropriately and maintenance services from external providers where required. This includes pest control and fire safety assessments.  The school now meets the previously unmet standards.

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Main inspection findings

Part 5. Premises of and accommodation at schools Paragraphs 22, 25  The previous standard inspection found that the premises and accommodation at the school were not maintained to an acceptable standard. For example, toilet bowls did not have toilet seats, some of the lavatory cubicles could not be locked from the inside and handwashing facilities were not adequate.  The school now carries out twice-daily site inspections. This includes checks to ensure that the cleanliness of the lavatory facilities is of an acceptable standard. Repairs are completed regularly, and the work is checked by leaders. The school’s site is clean and well maintained.  The school now meets the previously unmet standards.

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Main inspection findings

Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Paragraphs 34(1) to 34(1)(c)  At the previous inspection, it was found that the trust board and the proprietor had little knowledge of the independent school standards and other requirements, including for the early years foundation stage. The trust board and the proprietor did not have rigorous systems in place to check the school’s compliance with statutory guidance.  Trust board members take part in appropriate training. As a result, they know their statutory responsibilities, including to safeguard pupils’ welfare. Trust board members have appropriate oversight of the school. They check that the school is taking appropriate action to address previous failings. For example, trust board members analyse health and safety reports and records produced by external experts to ensure that any recommended actions are followed up.  The school now meets the previously unmet standards.

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Main inspection findings

Statutory requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage  The previous inspection found that the safety and welfare requirements of the early years foundation stage were not met. This is because the number of suitably qualified staff was not adequate in proportion to the number of children educated in the school’s Reception class.  The number of children in the Reception class has decreased since the previous inspection. The current ratio of appropriately qualified teaching staff to children meets statutory requirements.  These requirements 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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The school now meets the following independent school standards

Part 3: Welfare, health and safety of pupils  6 The standards about the welfare, health and safety of pupils at the school are those contained in this Part.  7 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that— – (a) arrangements are made to safeguard and promote the welfare of pupils at the school; and – (b) such arrangements have regard to any guidance issued by the Secretary of State.

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The school now meets the following independent school standards

 11 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that relevant health and safety laws are complied with by the drawing up and effective implementation of a written health and safety policy.  16 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that— – (a) the welfare of pupils at the school is safeguarded and promoted by the drawing up and effective implementation of a written risk assessment policy; and – (b) appropriate action is taken to reduce risks that are identified.

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The school now meets the following independent school standards

Part 5: Premises of and accommodation at schools  22 The standards about the premises of and accommodation at the school are those contained in this Part.  25 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that the school premises and the accommodation and facilities provided therein are maintained to a standard such that, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of pupils are ensured.

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The school now meets the following independent school standards

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— – (a) demonstrate good skills and knowledge appropriate to their role so that the independent school standards are met consistently; – (b) fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards are met consistently; and – (c) actively promote the well-being of pupils.  (2) For the purposes of paragraph (1)(c) “well-being” means well-being within the meaning of section 10(2) of the Children Act 2004.

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The school now meets the following independent school standards

The following requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage are being met in relation to the School: 3.37 For children aged three and over in independent schools (including in nursery classes in academies), where there is no person with Qualified Teacher Status, Early Years Professional Status, Early Years Teacher Status or another approved level 6 qualification, no instructor, and no suitably qualified overseas trained teacher, working directly with the children:  there must be at least one member of staff for every eight children  at least one member of staff must hold an approved level 3 qualification  at least half of all other staff must hold an approved level 2 qualification

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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 Advance Education Centre (London)

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School details

Website www.advanceeducationcentre-London.co.uk

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School details

Email address head@advanceeducationschool.org

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School details

Dates of previous standard inspection 1 to 3 November 2022

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Information about this school

 This is an independent day school with a Muslim ethos. The school is located at Unit 5, Unimix House, Abbey Road, Park Royal, London. The premises are a self-contained unit in a multi-storey commercial office block.  The headteacher and deputy headteacher were recently appointed. They took up their posts after the previous inspection.  The previous standard inspection of the school took place in November 2022.  The school is operating beyond its registration agreement with the Department for Education (DfE). This is because there has been a change of proprietor. The proprietor is Advance Education Centre (London) charitable trust. There is a different proprietor named on the Get Information about Schools (GIAS) website, the DfE’s register of schools in England. The school states that it has made the DfE aware of the change.  The school does not make 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.  The inspection was carried out without notice.  A standard inspection took place in November 2022. At that inspection, it was judged that the school did not meet the independent school standards.  The school was required to submit a statutory action plan to the DfE in January 2023. The plan was evaluated by Ofsted. The DfE rejected the action plan submitted.  In order to check compliance with the previously unmet standards, the inspector held meetings with the headteacher, a representative of the board of trustees and other school staff. The inspector examined the premises and scrutinised policies and

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Information about this inspection

documentation regarding health and safety and risk assessment.  The inspection also considered the school’s safeguarding arrangements, including the single central record of pre-employment checks and whether the school’s safeguarding policy is available to parents and carers. These requirements of the independent school standards are met.

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Inspection team

Andrea Bedeau, lead inspector His Majesty’s 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

Parent View You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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Inspection team

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.gov.uk/ofsted .

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Inspection team

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

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

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