Al Khair Primary School

Inspection of Al Khair Primary School 61/63 Oak Way Green, Off Causeway Green Road, Oldbury, West Midlands B68 8LR

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Inspection dates: 20 to 22 February 2024

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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 Inadequate

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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?

‘Balance without compromise – education with an Islamic ethos’ is the motto that underpins everything that happens at Al Khair Primary School. High ambitions for every pupil, including disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are evident. All want children to do well. On the whole, these aims are realised.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at this school are delightful. They are welcoming, friendly and curious. Pupils enjoy learning and coming to school. The warm and respectful relationships between adults and pupils are a joy to observe. Pupils display positive behaviours. They say that all staff care about them. Pupils are confident that staff will deal with any issues quickly and effectively.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have placed emphasis on pupils’ personal development. Pupils benefit from a wide range of activities that develop their personalities and raise their aspirations. The activities include daily collective prayer, visitors and trips. Pupils are proud of their leadership roles, such as being a school councillor. The school’s work to ensure that pupils understand fundamental British values is strong. Pupils speak confidently about respect, compassion and equality.

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better?

Since the previous standard inspection, the school has improved significantly. There is a new curriculum in place. The new and ambitious curriculum ensures that all pupils learn in a wide range of subjects. The curriculum now sets out what pupils need to learn over time in each subject. Learning is well ordered and focuses on pupils’ communication and language skills. There are clear cross-curricular links in the curriculum. This helps pupils to bring their learning to life and deepen their learning.

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better?

Pupils are very well supported, including pupils with SEND. They receive bespoke support at every level, including in their lessons and through targeted interventions. All staff know pupils and their needs very well. Strong and positive relationships are used effectively to underpin this work. As a result, pupils overcome any barriers to learning that they may have.

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better?

Leaders have made reading a high priority. All pupils enjoy daily story- and reading time. Pupils read often and across the curriculum. The relatively new reading curriculum is sequenced effectively to focus on developing pupils’ phonics abilities. Staff quickly spot pupils who may need extra help. Interventions ensure that pupils catch up quickly. As a result of this work, pupils read at an age-appropriate level. Younger pupils read particularly well.

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better?

Teachers have good subject knowledge because of appropriate staff training. Staff use assessment effectively to check on what pupils can and cannot do. Teachers support pupils who are ‘stuck’ by giving them extra support. This works well. 20 to 22 February 2024 However, some teachers do not always support pupils who are ready to move on to new learning well enough. When this happens, pupils are often asked to repeat work that they can already do.

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better?

Children in early years settle well into school. Children are safe and happy. They learn about the links between letters and sounds as soon as they start school. Adults model language very well. Routines and expectations are very effectively taught so that children are well prepared for Year 1. While children have ample outside space to extend their learning beyond the classroom, this environment is underdeveloped. This means that there are limited opportunities to extend children’s learning.

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better?

Leaders support pupils’ personal development very well. This work is further underpinned by excellent relationships and the school’s personal, social and health education curriculum. Pupils have many varied opportunities to grow as people. For example, they are leaders in school or raise money for charities. Pupils learn about fundamental British values and possible future careers in an age- and ability- appropriate way. They are well prepared for life in modern Britain. The school has ensured that the statutory guidance on relationships and sex education and health education is met.

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better?

Staff and parents and carers are unanimous in their support for leaders. Staff feel valued and say that the school is a true community. They speak highly of the ongoing training they receive to improve their practice. Parents praise the pastoral support and education that their children receive.

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better?

Leaders and the proprietor have the understanding and expertise to carry out their roles effectively. The proprietor and leaders have ensured that the school meets all the independent school standards in a systematic and consistent way. They have ensured that the school meets the requirements of the Equality Act 2010 and the statutory requirements of the early years foundation stage.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 Some teachers do not move pupils on when they are ready to learn new things. This slows pupils’ learning because they are waiting for others to finish, or they are asked to repeat work they have already understood. The school should ensure that pupils are moved on to new content when they have secured previous knowledge.  The outside learning environment in early years is underdeveloped. As a result, there are limited opportunities to extend children’s learning. The school should 20 to 22 February 2024 ensure that the learning environment in early years is well resourced and designed to enhance children’s learning and development.

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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. 20 to 22 February 2024

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School details

Unique reference number 141001 DfE registration number 333/6006

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School details

Inspection number 10284430 Type of school Other independent school

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School details

Email address admin.oldbury@alkhairschool.org.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 29 to 31 March 2022 20 to 22 February 2024

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Information about this school

 Al Khair Primary School is a Muslim day school for boys and girls. It is registered for 70 pupils aged two to 11 years.  Five pupils are educated at home but attend Al Khair for a small number of sessions each week.  There are no pupils with an education, health and care plan.  The school’s last standard inspection was in March 2022. Since then, it has had two monitoring inspections, one in October 2022 and one in June 2023.  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

 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 that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the proprietor and the chair of the governing body. Inspectors met with the headteacher, other senior leaders, the designated safeguarding leads and curriculum leaders. Inspectors met with teachers and support staff.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics, science and history. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with leaders, conducted lesson visits and looked at a range of pupils’ work. The inspectors also reviewed work across the wider curriculum, including enrichment activities and work around fundamental British values.  Inspectors listened to pupils reading to a familiar adult.  Inspectors observed pupils in lessons and throughout the school day. Inspectors

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Information about this inspection

spoke to them about their experience at 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.  Inspectors took account of parents’ free-text comments and responses on Ofsted Parent View. Inspectors also considered the responses to the pupil and staff surveys. 20 to 22 February 2024  Inspectors spoke to parents at the school gate to gain their views about the school.

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Inspection team

Bianka Zemke, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Russell Hinton Ofsted Inspector 20 to 22 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

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

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