Jamia Al-Hudaa (Muslim School - Girls)

Inspection report for boarding school: Jamia Al-Hudaa (Muslim School - Girls) 1 Jamia Al-Hudaa (Muslim School-Girls) Board of Trustees of Madni Trust Jamia Al Hudaa, Forest House, Berkeley Avenue, Nottingham NG3 5TT

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this boarding school

This is an independent Islamic school with boarding provision for girls aged 11 to 19 years. The school is managed by the Madni Trust and provides education in Islamic sciences alongside the national curriculum. There are 128 girls who board at the school. Boarding accommodation is located in the main building and is situated on two floors. The school is in a residential area of Mapperley Park, Nottingham.

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Information about this boarding school

The inspectors only inspected the social care provision at this school.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The boarding school is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 2 July 2024 Inspection report for boarding school: Jamia Al-Hudaa (Muslim School - Girls) 2

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improvement to be good

The children express appreciation for the support and quality of education they receive from the school. The children find the teachers to be approachable and encouraging. The children report feeling happy and supported in the school. As well as enjoying their classes, the children value spending time with their peers and taking part in activities, which contributes to their sense of belonging.

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improvement to be good

New students receive a thorough induction into the school community. A well- structured induction programme helps new children settle in by guiding them through routines while they receive support from staff. From the outset, children feel a sense of belonging, which is particularly valuable for those who have relocated from outside the area. This support plays a vital role in helping them adjust and feel settled. The children spoke positively about their experiences at the school, with some describing it as a ‘second home’. Many highlighted the meaningful friendships they have formed and stressed how important these relationships are to them, with one child saying, ‘This is my family.’

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improvement to be good

The joined-up approach between the school and boarding provides many benefits for the children, enabling them to carry the learning and values gained at school into their boarding life. Some staff teach in the school and then work in the boarding area. This means that children can develop and build positive relationships with adults who they trust and know very well.

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improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, there has been a strong focus on gathering children’s wishes and feelings. The mentoring system and school council meetings encourage a greater student voice, providing increased opportunities for children to offer feedback and contribute suggestions. These processes contribute to children’s sense of ownership and involvement in their educational experience.

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improvement to be good

The children are active learners, and the whole curriculum is based around children continually improving their knowledge and skills. However, managers have not implemented any form of system that captures progress made by children. As a result, it is difficult to demonstrate the actual progress that the children have made.

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improvement to be good

The children continue to share accommodation with others. They have personalised their specific bedroom space to reflect their personalities. There are still significant concerns regarding the accommodation for the children. The roof needs to be repaired, and water damage has occurred in the accommodation. In some of the children’s bedrooms, there are specific issues that could affect their health. Inspection report for boarding school: Jamia Al-Hudaa (Muslim School - Girls) 3

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improvement to be good

Safeguarding training for staff is detailed and covers all aspects of safeguarding. It provides staff with an overview of what has happened in the locality and in school over the last year. Staff received a refresh on this topic in spring 2025, ensuring that they are well trained and better equipped to protect children from harm.

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improvement to be good

The leadership team is aware of the safeguarding risks that are present in the local area. The children have also carried out a local survey and spoken to residents about their worries. In addition, they are working with local agencies to strengthen their links and to exchange information effectively. As a result, they are informed about what is happening in the area.

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improvement to be good

There is an established rota in place that seeks to ensure that all the health and safety checks are carried out on a regular basis. However, maintenance logs do not accurately reflect work required in the boarding provision.

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improvement to be good

A complaints tracker is used to record any complaints that are received. However, there is no record of the complainant receiving the outcome. Furthermore, when reviewing a complaint, the details recorded do not accurately reflect the incident and lack information such as dates and times of correspondence with parents.

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improvement to be good

Medication systems are robust. As a result, there have not been any medication errors, and medication is administered in line with the prescribers’ instructions.

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improvement to be good

Staff recruitment procedures do not protect children. Managers have not identified incomplete employment and educational histories during the recruitment process. Furthermore, they have failed to ensure that references are obtained before staff commence in the role. This does not ensure the safe recruitment of staff and shows that management monitoring systems are ineffective.

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good

The head of boarding has been in her position for one year, and it is clear that she is committed to the children in her care and works with the team to ensure that their needs are met. She is a caring and supportive professional who has high expectations of the staff team and great aspirations for children.

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good

The staff have invariably been educated at the school themselves, and they already have the school’s culture deeply embedded in their values and morals when they come to work in the boarding provision. This ensures that they are very suitable as role models for the children.

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good

The leadership team strives to ensure that all information is recorded accurately. However, a review of the records revealed several inaccuracies in key documents. Inspection report for boarding school: Jamia Al-Hudaa (Muslim School - Girls) 4 Furthermore, the leadership team is not using a system to record and monitor children’s progress.

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good

The head of boarding carries out termly observations of the staff team and provides feedback to improve practice. Team meetings are held each term, and minutes are recorded. These could be enhanced to capture the details of discussions in full, ensuring that all training and development is thoroughly recorded for future reference.

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good

A real strength is training in relation to child-specific health issues. Information about the children's health issues and face-to-face training have equipped the staff to respond appropriately when necessary. However, training could be improved in relation to staff having the necessary training for their specific roles, such as supervising staff or supporting staff and developing their skills regarding behaviour management. Inspection report for boarding school: Jamia Al-Hudaa (Muslim School - Girls) 5

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schools

The school does not meet the following national minimum standard(s) for boarding schools:

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schools

 Leaders should ensure that all records are accurate and detailed. In addition, there needs to be a system in place that captures and monitors children’s progress. (Boarding schools: national minimum standards Part A)  Leaders should ensure that the accommodation is clean and maintained. In addition, the maintenance log needs strengthening and monitoring. (Boarding schools: national minimum standards 4.4)  Leaders should ensure that the required safer recruitment checks are carried out in accordance with Schedule 2. (The School Staffing (England) Regulations 2009)

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Points for Improvement

 Leaders should ensure that records relating to incidents are accurate and detailed, and they should clearly record all actions taken.  Leaders should ensure that team meetings are recorded in full. In addition, staff should undertake suitable training relating to their specific roles.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people using the social care common inspection framework. This inspection was carried out under the Children Act 1989 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the national minimum standards. Inspection report for boarding school: Jamia Al-Hudaa (Muslim School - Girls) 6

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Boarding school details

Social care unique reference number: SC002270

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Boarding school details

Headteacher/teacher in charge: Raza Ulhaq

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Inspectors

Zoey Lee, Social Care Inspector Lizette Watts, Social Care Inspector Linda Mason, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for boarding school: Jamia Al-Hudaa (Muslim School - Girls) 7 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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