Imam Muhammad Zakariya School

Inspection of Imam Muhammad Zakariya School 2 Bairstow Street, Preston, Lancashire PR1 3TN

p.1

Inspection dates: 27 to 29 February 2024

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

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

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

Does the school meet the independent school standards?

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to Imam Muhammad Zakariya School. They arrive at school each day happy and eager to learn. They are greeted by staff who warmly welcome them into school. The values and ethos of the school are palpable. Everyone is made to feel welcome. Respect, tolerance and understanding permeate through the school community. Pupils behave well. They are friendly and polite. They understand right from wrong and learn how to make the right choices in different situations.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for pupils’ achievement. There is a clear focus on education, and staff are ambitious for pupils in the school. Pupils rise to these high expectations and most achieve well.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are prepared well for life in modern Britain, for example some are members of the school council, prefects or head boy and girl. These pupils campaign tirelessly to enlist the votes of other pupils and staff and take enormous pride in their achievements. Pupils have had great success raising money for different charities. They are also delighted to have been successful in a recent enterprise project. These varied experiences help pupils to develop an understanding of fundamental British values and also to develop confidence and self-belief.

p.2

better?

The school has established a broad and ambitious curriculum. Its curriculum plans and schemes of work identify the important knowledge that pupils should learn. They also order pupils’ learning logically from the Reception Year to the end of Year 6.

p.2

better?

The school has addressed the weaknesses in the early years provision that were identified in the previous inspection. It has ensured that the indoor and outdoor environment, resources and premises fully support the ambition of the curriculum. Children are happy and curious and concentrate well on their learning. They confidently express their ideas to adults and other children. The school has ensured that the learning and welfare requirements for the early years are met.

p.2

better?

The school has ensured that staff have support to make sure that pupils of different abilities can learn well. However, it is in the early stages of introducing systems to identify special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Currently, the school has not identified any pupils with SEND. This means that the support that some pupils receive may not be as specific as it should be to fully meet their needs.

p.2

better?

In the main, teachers have the support that they need to deliver the intended curriculum well. In most subjects, they have sufficient knowledge and understanding to teach the curriculum effectively. However, in a few subjects, the work and activities provided for pupils do not enable them to deepen their understanding of that subject. Furthermore, in some subjects, pupils’ errors and misconceptions in their understanding are not consistently identified and addressed. This means that in 27 to 29 February 2024 some subjects, a few pupils do not develop sufficiently secure and detailed knowledge to be fully prepared for new learning.

p.2

better?

The school has prioritised reading across all year groups. Pupils understand why it is important to read widely and often, and they do so. The school has created an inviting library where pupils choose from a wide range of quality books and texts. The school has successfully adopted a new phonics programme. It is taught by staff who have had the support that they need to teach it with confidence and expertise. Pupils use their phonics knowledge to read new and unfamiliar words accurately. Pupils who have fallen behind, quickly gain the phonics knowledge that they need to become confident and fluent readers.

p.3

better?

The school has high expectations for pupils’ behaviour. Pupils understand these expectations and try their best to rise to them. They follow well-established routines and they listen to staff’s requests and instructions carefully. Most pupils behave in a calm and sensible way. They concentrate well in their lessons and play happily together at breaktimes. Bullying and discrimination are not tolerated and are dealt with swiftly should they occur.

p.3

better?

The school has designed a comprehensive personal, social and health education and relationships curriculum. It fully reflects the school’s ethos and values and pays particular regard to the protected characteristics as set out in the Equality Act 2010. It helps pupils to learn how to respect other people, how to be citizens in modern Britain and how to keep themselves physically and mentally healthy. They also learn about healthy and respectful relationships. Pupils enjoy the wider opportunities that the school provides, for example trips to museums, places of worship and the mayor’s parlour and activities such as taekwondo, crochet and gardening.

p.3

better?

The proprietor and school leaders have ensured that the education that the school provides has a positive impact on pupils. Leaders have a good understanding and knowledge of the independent school standards (‘the standards) and have ensured that these are consistently met. Leaders have also ensured that the school is compliant with schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010.

p.3

better?

The proprietor holds leaders to account effectively. It has also ensured that staff have the support and professional development that they need to fulfil their roles well. For example, leaders work closely with other schools and the local authority in order to access additional support and guidance. Staff appreciate the steps that leaders have taken to reduce their workload and value the training opportunities that they have. The school engages positively with parents and carers to further support pupils’ education and parents hold the school in high regard.

p.3

better?

The school meets the health and safety and premises requirements. The building is maintained to a high standard and classrooms and other spaces are bright, clean and well resourced. There is a safe and secure outdoor area that pupils can spend time in at breaktimes. 27 to 29 February 2024 Policies, including an effective safeguarding policy that meets the current government requirements, are made available to parents on request.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.4

(Information for the school and proprietor)

 The school is in the early stages of identifying pupils with SEND. This means that some pupils’ particular needs are not as precisely known as they should be. The school should ensure that pupils’ additional needs are identified so that their individual needs can be met effectively.  In a few subjects, the work and activities given to pupils at times do not help them to develop secure and detailed knowledge of the subject matter that is being taught. This means that some pupils do not acquire the depth of knowledge that they need to be fully prepared for new learning. The school should ensure that teachers provide pupils with work that deepens their knowledge and better prepares them for new learning.  In some subjects, the school has not ensured that errors and misconceptions in pupils’ understanding are consistently identified and addressed. This means that some pupils’ learning is not as secure as it should be. The school should ensure

p.4

(Information for the school and proprietor)

that errors and misconceptions are addressed before pupils learn new content.

p.4

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school. 27 to 29 February 2024

p.4

School details

Type of school Other independent faith school

p.5

School details

Proprietor Madrasa Tul Imam Muhammad Zakariya

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 12 to 14 November 2019 27 to 29 February 2024

p.5

Information about this school

 This is an Islamic faith primary school. The proprietor is Madrasa Tul Imam Muhammad Zakariya Trust.  The school is registered to admit up to 150 pupils.  The school is located at 2 Bairstow Street, Preston, Lancashire, PR1 3TN.  The previous standard inspection was 12 to 14 November 2019.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

p.6

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.

p.6

Information about this inspection

Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.

p.6

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.

p.6

Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection that the school 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 spoke with a trustee, the headteacher, the deputy headteacher and other school leaders and staff.  Inspectors reviewed a range of documentation, including those relating to the standards and the curriculum.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, 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.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free- text comments. They also considered the responses from the Ofsted survey for staff. There were no responses to Ofsted’s pupil survey. However, inspectors

p.6

Information about this inspection

spoke with pupils about their learning and experiences in school.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour at breaktime and lunchtime, in lessons and around the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and computing. They met leaders and teachers and visited a sample of lessons. Inspectors spoke with pupils about their learning in these subjects. They also considered the 27 to 29 February 2024 curriculum across some other subject areas and looked at examples of pupils’ work.  The lead inspector observed some pupils from Years 1 to 3 read to a familiar adult.  The lead inspector toured the school premises to check the suitability of the premises and accommodation against the relevant standards.

p.6

Inspection team

Sally Timmons, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

p.7

Inspection team

Lindy Griffiths Ofsted Inspector 27 to 29 February 2024 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.

p.7

Inspection team

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspection team

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspection team

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspection team

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

p.8