Al-Falah Primary School

Inspection of Al-Falah Primary School 48 Kenninghall Road, Clapton, London E5 8BY

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management 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?

Pupils arrive each morning with enthusiasm. They are happy and safe here. They consider themselves lucky to come to this school and would happily recommend it to others. Pupils have forged positive, nurturing working relationships with all the staff, who know them well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Expectations are high and communicated consistently by all staff. Behaviour here is exceptional. Pupils treat each other and staff with utmost respect. Pupils focus on their learning with great enthusiasm. They concentrate and work hard both independently and as part of a team. Bullying is extremely rare and dealt with seriously by all staff. Staff here expect the very best for every pupil. They work hard to remove any barriers to pupils’ learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy the many visits planned by the school each year, such as visits to local museums and parks. Staff bring pupils’ learning to life by taking them to exhibitions or inviting in inspiring visitors. In addition, fun days out to amusement parks help motivate pupils and build a sense of community. Pupils in the school council are voted for by their peers. They feel listened to by school leaders and proudly describe improvements in the school, such as new playground equipment.

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better?

Leaders have made sure that the curriculum is ambitious for all pupils here. The school has high aspirations for all pupils. Generally, subject curriculums are carefully thought through to ensure that pupils develop a breadth of knowledge and skills. In most subjects, the sequence of lessons has been carefully considered and teachers are clear about exactly what they need to teach and in what order. This helps teachers to successfully build on pupils’ prior knowledge. Staff check pupils’ knowledge routinely to identify any gaps or misconceptions. Once identified, plans are adjusted and where necessary, additional support is given.

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better?

Typically, across the curriculum, pupils can recall their learning with confidence and achieve well in these subjects. In some subjects, the school has not routinely adapted its curriculum thinking to closely meet the needs of their pupils. In these subjects, learning has not been broken effectively into small enough components. This limits staff teaching important content to build pupils’ deeper subject-specific knowledge and skills.

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better?

The school has systems in place to identify any pupils who may fall behind the learning of curriculum content. These pupils are identified quickly, and appropriate support and interventions are put into place immediately. The school does not have robust procedures in place to identify the small proportion of pupils who may have specific special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school’s systems to identify and support any pupils with social and/or emotional needs are not as well developed. 2 to 4 July 2024 Pupils read fluently, with confidence and enthusiasm. The school has invested in a phonics programme, which they deliver well across key stage 1. Teachers deliver the phonics curriculum with confidence. Any pupils falling behind are helped to catch up quickly. Books are matched closely to pupils’ phonics ability. The love of reading is promoted across the school. Pupils get to choose from a range of books in their

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better?

The school’s work to build pupils’ personal development is exceptional. Pupils learn about, discuss and debate a number of themes. They learn about what makes a good local and global citizen. Pupils learn how to be respectful members of the community. Staff teach pupils about different faiths and customs. Staff encourage pupils to understand how to thrive in life in modern Britain. Staff foster a positive attitude towards learning in every pupil.

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better?

Leaders have carefully planned enrichment opportunities for all pupils. Staff teach pupils about the importance of healthy, respectful relationships and friendships. Older pupils learn about how their body changes as they get older.

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better?

Trustees and governors work closely with the staff at the school. They support leaders but also provide appropriate challenge when necessary. The proprietor body makes sure that the school meets the independent school standards. The school complies with schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010. Staff are very happy working here.

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better?

Staff work closely with families. Parents and carers are overwhelmingly positive about the school. Leaders make attendance and punctuality a priority and work successfully with parents to ensure that this remains high. Pupils’ behaviour is excellent. Staff make sure that pupils are very well supported. This means that lessons continue smoothly and without disruptions.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 In a few subjects, the school has not identified in as much detail the specific subject content that pupils need to learn or the sequence in which it is taught. This means that links between new knowledge and bigger subject concepts are not taught consistently, which limits the depth of pupils’ learning. The school needs to identify equally clearly the key knowledge and skills that pupils need to learn in all subjects and key stages.  The school’s procedures to identify some social and emotional needs of pupils with SEND are not precisely developed. This limits the school’s ability to support potentially vulnerable pupils closely. The school must make sure that appropriate 2 to 4 July 2024 senior staff and teachers are trained so that they are all able to identify pupils’ wide range of needs.

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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. 2 to 4 July 2024

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School details

Unique reference number 133449 DfE registration number 204/6410

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School details

Inspection number 10322579 Type of school Other Independent School

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 28 to 30 January 2020 2 to 4 July 2024

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Information about this school

 Al-Falah Primary School is an independent day school in Hackney. It is in a residential area of Clapton.  The school has a Muslim ethos. Typically, secular curriculum subjects are taught in the morning, and the Islamic curriculum is taught in the afternoon.  The school is registered for 120 pupils, comprising boys and girls between the ages of 5 and 11. There are currently 109 pupils on roll from Year 1 to Year 6.  There are no pupils with SEND. No pupil has an education, health and care plan.  The school uses no 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.  This was the first routine inspection 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 carried out deep dives in four subjects: early reading, mathematics, design and technology, and personal, social and health education. For each deep dive, inspectors met with curriculum leaders, visited lessons, spoke to pupils about their learning, spoke to teachers and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also listened to pupils read. The inspectors also sampled a few other subjects.  Inspectors met with the headteacher and other leaders throughout the inspection. Inspectors also spoke with trustees of the proprietor body, and governors.  Inspectors met with the school’s safeguarding leaders and reviewed a range of

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Information about this inspection

related documentation, including pre-employment checks on staff.  Inspectors met with a group of pupils to hear their views about their school. The discussion focused on pupils’ perceptions of their safety, learning and personal development as well as their education.  Inspectors considered staff’s, pupils’ and parents’ responses to Ofsted’s online surveys.  Inspectors reviewed a range of evidence to check compliance with the independent school standards. 2 to 4 July 2024

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Inspection team

Aliki Constantopoulou, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

David Lloyd Ofsted Inspector 2 to 4 July 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.

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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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