Abu Bakr Boys School

Inspection of Abu Bakr Boys School 72 Queen Mary Street, Walsall, Walsall, West Midlands WS1 4AB

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Inspection dates: 27 to 29 February 2024

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Inadequate

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Does the school meet the independent school standards?

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils embody the ethos of the school, which promotes mutual respect. They are polite and well-mannered. Pupils are cheerful and welcome visitors to their school. They enjoy learning and are rarely absent.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Positive relationships exist between staff and pupils. Pupils appreciate the family feel of the school. They say the staff are always at hand if they have a worry or a concern. This helps them to feel safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders at all levels, backed by the proprietor, want the very best for all pupils. They have worked as a team to drive improvements across the school. Consequently, many pupils achieve positive results in GCSEs. However, they are aware that there is more work to do to improve the curriculum, so that pupils experience a better quality of education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils get along with each other and enjoy being with their friends. Their conduct around the school is impeccable. In lessons, pupils pay attention and focus on their work most of the time. However, if the work set for pupils is not matched to their needs, they become distracted and lose interest.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the school. They appreciate the level of support that the staff provide for their children.

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better?

In many subjects, the school has considered the order of learning within and across year groups. As a result, teachers are clear about what to teach and when to teach it. However, in a small number of subjects, the curriculum lacks clarity. In these instances, the precise knowledge and skills that pupils need to learn have not been identified.

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better?

In most instances, teachers have secure subject knowledge and explain new learning in a clear manner. However, in many lessons, all pupils complete exactly the same task. For some pupils, the task is too easy, and for some, it is too difficult, and they are not given the required help to support their learning. As a result, some pupils do not achieve as well as they could, and they switch off from their learning. In addition, some pupils are not taking a pride in their work, and this is not being addressed. As a result, standards of handwriting and presentation are variable, and at times, work is untidy.

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better?

The school have systems in place to identify the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) accurately. Pupils with SEND are included in lessons. However, where learning activities are not well matched to pupils’ needs, this makes it difficult for all pupils and particularly those with SEND to access their learning. 27 to 29 February 2024 The school identifies pupils at the early stages of reading by making checks on their reading age when they join the school. However, they do not check if there are any gaps in pupils’ phonics knowledge. Also, there is no structured phonics programme in place to fill these gaps, if required. This hinders the progress of some pupils in reading, which hinders how well they access other areas of the curriculum.

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better?

The school works well to prepare pupils for life in modern Britain. Fundamental British values are threaded through citizenship lessons and the wider curriculum. As a result, pupils understand the importance of treating other people with respect, even if they hold views that are different to their own. Pupils have a secure understanding of online safety and are aware of the dangers that can be associated with the internet. The school organises a range of trips linked to the curriculum. However, pupils would relish the opportunity to attend after-school sporting clubs. Pupils take on positions of leadership linked to the day-to-day running of the school. In addition, some pupils are elected to sit on the school council, which has led to positive changes in the school. For example, the buzzer on the school gate is a direct result of their work, which they are rightly proud of. Pupils embrace opportunities to raise money. They have raised funds for overseas disasters and the

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better?

nearby hospital. The school is keen for pupils to engage more actively in the local community, and they have plans in place to extend this work further.

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better?

The careers programme begins with identifying pupils’ career aspirations. The school guides pupils to follow the relevant curriculum pathway linked to their chosen career choice. Pupils are made aware of post-16 options, including colleges, sixth forms and apprenticeships, so that they can make informed choices about life after Year 11. External visitors come into school to speak with pupils about different career choices.

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better?

The proprietor, supported by school leaders, have worked well together to improve the school, while at the same time managing a move into new premises. Recently, leaders have improved the premises, such as the brand-new medical room and office. However, some of the classrooms are tired and require further redecoration.

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better?

Opportunities to make checks on how well the curriculum is being taught are limited. As a result, the school has not identified and addressed some areas that need to improve. Consequently, some of the independent school standards (the standards) continue to be unmet.

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better?

Teachers value the training they receive, including safeguarding training, which helps them to do their job better. They appreciate the opportunities provided by leaders to help them progress in their respective careers. Teachers say there is a family feel in the school and they feel part of a team. They say that leaders are considerate of their well-being and are there to step in if they require extra support. Teachers are fully invested in the school.

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better?

The proprietor has ensured that the school meets the requirements of schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010 as a suitable accessibility plan is in place. 27 to 29 February 2024

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 In some subjects, the school has not clearly identified the knowledge and skills that pupils need to learn. In these instances, the curriculum lacks clarity and does not support teachers to deliver a well-sequenced programme of learning. In these subject areas, the school should map out the precise knowledge and skills that pupils will learn within and across year groups.  The school is not using formative assessment effectively to inform teaching and the selection of learning activities. As a result, some learning activities are too easy and some are too difficult, and pupils are not given the required help to support their learning. This limits pupils’ progress through the curriculum and some pupils switch off from their learning. The school should use formative assessment to inform next steps in pupils’ learning more consistently.  The school is not ensuring that pupils take pride in their work across a wide range

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

of subjects. As a result, the quality of handwriting and presentation in pupils’ books is variable. The school should take action to ensure that pupils consistently take pride in their work across the curriculum.  The school does not have a system in place to identify gaps in pupils’ phonics knowledge for those at the early stages of reading. As a result, gaps in pupils’ phonics knowledge remain unchecked, which hinders their progress in reading. The school should develop an assessment system to identify potential gaps in pupils’ phonics knowledge, so that they can be filled.  The school is not making effective checks on how well the curriculum is being taught. In these instances, inconsistencies relating to the implementation of the curriculum remain and pupils do not achieve as well as they could. The school should make effective checks on how well the curriculum is being delivered in all subjects, so that inconsistencies can be identified, and appropriate support put in

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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. 27 to 29 February 2024

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School details

Unique reference number 135483 DfE registration number 335/6013

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School details

Inspection number 10284425 Type of school Islamic Day School

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School details

Annual fees (day pupils) £3,500 to £4,000

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School details

Date of previous inspection 28 to 30 June 2022 27 to 29 February 2024

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Information about this school

 Abu Bakr Boys School is an independent Islamic day school that caters for boys aged 11 to 16.  The school is part of the Abu Bakr Trust.  The school received its last full inspection in June 2022 and was judged inadequate for the quality of education and leadership and management. Since then, the school has received two progress monitoring inspections prior to this inspection.  The school is currently operating from 154 to 156 Wednesbury Road, Walsall WS1 4JJ. The school has notified the Department for Education (DfE) that it is operating beyond its registration agreement.  The school does not use any alternative 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 has failed to meet the independent school standards. These are the requirements of 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.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken this into account in their evaluation.  The DfE commissioned Ofsted to carry out a progress monitoring inspection as part of this standard inspection. The purpose of the progress monitoring inspection was to monitor the progress the school has made in meeting the standards and other requirements that it was judged to not comply with at its previous inspection. The outcome of this part of the inspection is the school does not meet all of the standards that were checked during the inspection.  The lead inspector met with the proprietor, the headteacher and the associate headteacher.  Inspectors held meetings with a range of leaders to discuss safeguarding, provision for pupils with SEND, pupils’ attendance, careers, personal development

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Information about this inspection

and pupils’ behaviour.  As part of the inspection, inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, including reading, mathematics, history and personal, social, health and economic education. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with 27 to 29 February 2024 subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning, and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors spoke with pupils formally and informally about their learning and experiences at school.  The lead inspector toured the school premises to check their suitability.  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 were unable to consider responses to Ofsted Parent View, due to the

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Information about this inspection

small number of responses received. However, they considered the free-text responses received during the inspection.  The inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s staff survey.  The inspectors looked at a range of documentation provided by the school. This included the school’s development plan, school policies, curriculum documents and SEND records.

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Inspection team

Wayne Simner, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Russell Hinton Ofsted Inspector 27 to 29 February 2024

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

 2(1) The standard in this paragraph is met if- – 2(1)(a) the proprietor ensures that a written policy on the curriculum, supported by appropriate plans and schemes of work, which provides for the matters specified in sub-paragraph (2) is drawn up and implemented effectively; and  3 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that the teaching at the school- – 3(c) involves well planned lessons and effective teaching methods, activities and management of class time; – 3(d) shows a good understanding of the aptitudes, needs and prior attainments of the pupils, and ensures that these are taken into account in the planning of lessons; – 3(g) demonstrates that a framework is in place to assess pupils' work regularly and thoroughly and use information from that assessment to plan teaching so that pupils can progress;

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

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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