Eden Springs Girls Secondary

Inspection of Eden Springs Girls Secondary 36 Greaves Street, Bradford BD5 7PE

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Sixth-form provision Good 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?

Eden Springs’ Islamic ethos is central to the school’s work and guides everything it does. The school is a pearl within its local community. Pupils delight in attending the school. Students appreciate continuing their studies in the school’s small sixth-form provision.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Adults lead by the highest example. They combine very high academic expectations with warmth, understanding and professional relationships so that pupils feel comfortable and secure. Pupils reflect these expectations, being impeccably polite and greeting visitors cheerfully and with interest. Pupils behave exceptionally well and work diligently in lessons, which are quiet, calm and purposeful.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders seek to deliver an impressive offer. Girls work hard to achieve leaders’ ambitious vision, which successfully entwines Islamic studies and academic and personal development curriculums. These three aspects, which are reflected in lessons across the school, develop pupils’ desire to seek knowledge. Pupils develop an impressive commitment to hard work and a determination to do well as they move up through the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils rightly speak with enthusiasm, respect and courtesy about their teachers. They value the work that teachers do and the commitment that they show in supporting pupils’ well-being. Inspectors agree that this value is well placed.

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better?

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum, with the triad of Islamic studies, academic endeavour and personal development at its core. The school’s offer develops pupils’ knowledge by building on what they already know. The school’s broad, carefully designed and thoughtfully sequenced curriculum ensures that pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education or training. Pupils achieve well in a range of subjects at the end of key stage 4. Those who choose to stay at the small sixth-form provision have appropriate opportunities to prepare for career paths, for instance in the fields of education, and health and social care.

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better?

Leaders are committed to developing teachers’ subject-specific pedagogical skills. Strengths in subjects such as science and Urdu ensure that these are taught particularly well. However, this is not the case in all subjects. In some subjects, teachers do not fully appreciate what their checks on pupils’ learning are telling them. This means that bespoke support is not routinely provided for pupils, including those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Leaders are aware of this shortcoming and have plans to strengthen this aspect of the school’s work so that pupils achieve equally well in all subjects.

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better?

Pupils enjoy books and are proficient readers. Leaders encourage pupils to read broadly. Pupils are provided with regular opportunities to read during the school day. The school library is an attractive space that provides a wide range of books selected 6 to 8 February 2024 to support breadth and depth of reading for pupils of all abilities. Leaders have ensured that pupils are able to develop their skills in the fundamentals of phonics and reading, where necessary.

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better?

The study of Islam is an integral and well-established element of the school’s curriculum. In addition, pupils learn about world religions, including Christianity, Judaism and Hinduism, as well as humanism. Pupils are encouraged to ask questions and to discuss the key features of each religion. They do so confidently. Their views are respected and valued. Leaders encourage debate throughout the curriculum and at the school’s extra-curricular debating club. The school complies with schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010.

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better?

The school’s comprehensive personal, social and health education (PSHE) programme includes study of an appropriately wide range of topics and themes. The programme includes relationships and sex education, which is taught comprehensively to Year 11. Pupils benefit from the educational visits the school provides. Recently, these have included visits to venues such as Maths City in central Leeds, the Science and Industry Museum in Manchester and Thackray Museum of Medicine in Harehills.

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better?

Charity work lies at the heart of the school’s Islamic ethos. Pupils play an active part in raising funds for local, national and international causes, such as the Morocco Earthquake Appeal and the Pakistan Floods Appeal.

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better?

Leaders are committed to preparing pupils for life in modern Britain. The school’s careers programme includes visits from external speakers and potential employers and trips to universities. The careers advice the school provides supports pupils to think about their future options well.

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better?

The school sets clear expectations for pupils’ attendance and punctuality. Pupils respond well to these expectations. They attend school regularly. Pupils conduct themselves impeccably around the school and in lessons. Leaders ensure that registers are accurate and adhere to requirements.

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better?

Parents and carers are well informed about their children’s achievements through detailed reports and regular opportunities to meet staff.

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better?

The proprietors share the headteacher’s aspirations for the school. The commitment to providing an effective education that nurtures British and Islamic values for the local Muslim community is clear and fulfilled. The proprietors ensure that the independent school standards are met. Parents are happy with the school. Inspectors agree with parents’ positive sentiments, which include, ‘My daughter has been positively influenced at Eden Springs. She is developing into a happy, well- rounded and confident young adult. She enjoys attending school and really looks up to her teachers.’ Furthermore, the proprietors engage well with their committed staff team. They are highly supportive of their staff’s workload and well-being. 6 to 8 February 2024

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 At times, teachers do not use assessment information well enough. This means that pupils do not consistently receive the support they need to address gaps in their knowledge. Pupils’ readiness to learn new content and progress through the curriculum is hindered. The school should ensure that staff know how to identify gaps in pupils’ learning and reshape their teaching accordingly.

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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. 6 to 8 February 2024

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School details

Proprietor Ahmed Ali, Abdur Raqeeb and Feizal Patel

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School details

Email address admin@edenspringsgirls.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 19 to 21 November 2019 6 to 8 February 2024

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Information about this school

 The school currently has pupils on roll who are aged 11 to 18 years, although it is registered for pupils up to the age of 24. Since the previous inspection, the number of pupils on roll has increased.  The school has an Islamic religious character. The school was established to enable Muslim girls to achieve their very best and to become positive role models who actively contribute to the wider community.  The proportion of pupils who come from disadvantaged backgrounds is higher than average.  Currently, 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 leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors held several meetings with the headteacher. The lead inspector also talked to the proprietors.  Inspectors talked to pupils during lesson visits and at breaktimes to find out their views on behaviour and safety.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in English, mathematics, science, Urdu and PSHE. Across the deep dives, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single

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Information about this inspection

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.  Inspectors also explored how leaders checked the suitability of adults working on site. 6 to 8 February 2024

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Inspection team

Marcus Newby, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Katie Spurr His Majesty’s Inspector 6 to 8 February 2024 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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