Al Jamiah Al Islamiyyah

School progress monitoring inspection report

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Al Jamiah Al Islamiyah Willows Lane, Bolton, Lancashire BL3 4HE

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Main inspection findings

Part 1. Quality of education provided Paragraphs 2(1), 2(1)(a), 2(2), 2(2)(d) to 2(2)(d)(ii), 2A(1), 2A(1)(b), 2A(1)(d) to 2A(1)(g), 2A(2)  At the standard inspection in September 2024, inspectors found the school to be at the early stages of developing its curriculums for personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education and relationships and sex education (RSE). These curriculums lacked clarity about what pupils should learn and when they should learn it. Inspectors found that parents and carers had not been consulted, and there was no provision for parents to withdraw their child from sex education.  When the school’s action plan was evaluated in December 2024, it was judged that leaders’ plans to improve the quality of education for pupils regarding the curriculum were not sufficient to meet this independent school standard (the standard).  The school has finalised the scheme of work for PSHE. It also incorporates all aspects of

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Main inspection findings

RSE. All pupils now receive a thoughtfully planned curriculum in these subjects through regularly timetabled lessons. The PSHE curriculum pays full regard to protected characteristics as set out in the Equality Act 2010. The school has been thoughtful and pragmatic in its approach as to how these lessons are taught while also reflecting their faith.  Regarding the RSE curriculum, the proprietor and school leaders have been thorough in their consultation with parents about this provision. They have offered face-to-face consultation opportunities and diligently answered any questions that have arisen. There is now an RSE statement and policy on the school’s website, and there is provision for parents to withdraw their child from sex education. Paragraphs 2(2)(e) to 2(2)(e)(iii)  At the standard inspection, inspectors found that the careers education programme was not as developed as it should be.  When the school’s action plan was evaluated, it was judged that leaders’ plans to

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Main inspection findings

improve the quality of the careers education programme were not sufficient to meet this standard.  The school now has a detailed careers policy, as well as useful additional guidance to make clear to all pupils the careers offer available to them. Older pupils receive weekly sessions on aspects of careers education. School leaders have organised individual, impartial advice and guidance ready for when pupils are in key stage 4. Pupils enjoy the broad range of visiting speakers and career options that they have access to. School leaders are in the process of setting up opportunities for work experience for when pupils are in Year 11.  The standards checked in this part are met.

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Main inspection findings

Part 3. Welfare, health, and safety of pupils Part 6. Provision of information Paragraphs 7 to 7(b), 32(1)(c)  The proprietor has continued to ensure that there is a suitable safeguarding policy in place and that this is published on the school’s website. This policy has due regard to current statutory guidance.  There are robust procedures in place for staff to report any concerns that they might have about a pupil’s welfare. The school communicates effectively with other professionals to ensure that pupils are safe and well when they are not in school.  Staff receive regular safeguarding training. This helps staff recognise when pupils may be at risk from harm. The proprietor knows that the school must carry out the required checks on the suitability of staff whenever it appoints new ones.  The standard in paragraph 7 and the requirement in paragraph 32(1)(c) continue to be met.

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Main inspection findings

Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Paragraphs 34(1) to 34(1)(b)  At the standard inspection, inspectors found that although there had been many improvements in the quality of education, the proprietor had still not ensured that the school met the requirements of the standards for PSHE and protected characteristics as set out in the Equality Act 2010, RSE, and the careers education provision.  When the school’s action plan was evaluated, it was judged that leaders’ plans to improve leadership and management would not fully address the unmet standards.  The school has ensured that there is now the required scheme of work in place for PSHE. It meets all requirements, including those with regards to protected characteristics set out in the Equality Act 2010. It is sufficiently detailed and well considered. The school has also ensured that it meets the standards related to RSE and careers

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Main inspection findings

education. Pupils report that they enjoy their learning in these subjects.  The school has taken professional advice on curriculum development and looked at best practice in other successful independent schools. Through the school’s governing body, there is now a regular cycle of quality assurance and checks on the quality of education. The proprietor has set up more rigorous systems to ensure that leaders at all levels are regularly held accountable for their work, responsibilities and the ongoing development of the school in these areas. This includes regular checks to ensure that the standards are met.  The standard in this part is met.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school meets the requirements of the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 (‘the independent school standards’) and associated requirements that were checked during this inspection. This included the standards and requirements that the school was judged to not comply with at the previous inspection. Not all of the standards and associated requirements were checked during this inspection.

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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;  2(2) For the purposes of paragraph (2)(1)(a), the matters are- – 2(2)(d) personal, social, health and economic education which- – 2(2)(d)(i) reflects the school’s aim and ethos; and – 2(2)(d)(ii) encourages respect for other people, paying particular regard to the protected characteristics set out in the 2010 Act[9]; – 2(2)(e) for pupils receiving secondary education, access to accurate, up-to-date careers guidance that- – 2(2)(e)(i) is presented in an impartial manner; – 2(2)(e)(ii) enables them to make informed choices about a broad range of career options; and – 2(2)(e)(iii) helps to encourage them to fulfil their potential.

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

 2A(1) The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor- – 2A(1)(b) ensures that every registered pupil who is provided with secondary education at the school is provided with relationships and sex education, except in so far as the pupil is excused as mentioned in sub-paragraph (2), – 2A(1)(d) in making arrangements for the purposes of paragraphs (a), (b) or (c), has regard to any guidance under section 80A of the Education Act 2002 that applies in relation to the provision of education by maintained schools, – 2A(1)(e) makes and keeps up to date a separate written statement of its policy with regard to the provision of education as required by each of paragraphs (a) and (b), – 2A(1)(f) consults parents of registered pupils at the school before making or revising a statement under sub-paragraph (e), and – 2A(1)(g) publishes a copy of the statement on a website and provides a copy of the statement free of charge to anyone who asks for one.

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

 2A(2) Arrangements made by the proprietor for the purposes of sub-paragraph (1)(b) must ensure that where a pupil’s parent requests that the pupil is wholly or partly excused from sex education provided as part of relationships and sex education, the pupil is so excused until the request is withdrawn, unless or to the extent that the head teacher considers that the pupil should not be so excused.

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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.

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 109(1) and (2) of the Education and Skills Act 2008, the purpose of which 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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School details

School category Independent boarding school

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School details

Proprietor Al-Jamiatul Islamiyah Darul Uloom, Lancashire UK Chair Yakub Nanji

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School details

Email address info@boltondarululoom.org.uk

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School details

Date of previous standard inspection 24 and 25 September 2024

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Information about this school

 Al Jamiah Al Islamiyah is an Islamic faith boarding school for boys. At the time of this inspection, there were no pupils between 11 and 18 years old who were boarding. The school opened in November 1995.  The school operates from premises at Willows Lane, Bolton, Lancashire, BL3 4HE.  The school is registered to admit up to 302 pupils aged from 11 to 25. At the time of the inspection, there were 36 pupils on the school roll. There were no pupils in key stage 4 or in the sixth form.  The school does not make use of alternative provision.  The proprietor is Al-Jamiatul Islamiyah Darul Uloom, Lancashire UK, not Trustees of Islamic Institute which has been recorded at previous inspections. The proprietor is recorded correctly on the government’s Get Information about Schools website. The trustees have engaged a group of governors to act as the governance for the school.  The present chair of the proprietor body is Yakub Nanji. However, he is intending to step

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Information about this school

down in the future from this role. The lead inspector made the chair of governors aware that trustees need to inform the Department for Education (DfE) of any changes to the registration agreement.  The school’s previous standard inspection took place from 24 and 25 September 2024.

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Information about this inspection

 This inspection was carried out at the request of the registration authority for independent schools. The purpose of the inspection was to monitor the progress the school has made in meeting the independent school standards and other requirements that it was judged to not comply with at its previous inspection.  This was the first progress monitoring inspection since the standard inspection in September 2024. It was conducted with no notice.  The DfE required the school to prepare an action plan. This plan was statutory. Ofsted evaluated the plan on 23 December 2024. It was evaluated as not acceptable.  The inspector met with the headteacher and senior leaders, who were also the designated safeguarding leads. She also met with the teaching staff who are responsible for developing the curriculum.  The inspector met with the chair of the governing body. Also, in the absence of the chair of the proprietor body, who was unavailable at the time of the inspection, the inspector

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Information about this inspection

spoke on the telephone with another member of the proprietor body.  The inspector looked at curriculum plans, schemes of work and the curriculum policy.  The inspector spoke to a group of pupils about their experiences of the curriculum and life at the school.  The inspector looked at a wide variety of documentation in relation to the standards checked.  The inspection also considered the school’s safeguarding arrangements, including the single central record of pre-employment checks and whether the school’s safeguarding policy is available to parents and carers. These requirements of the independent school standards are met.

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Inspection team

Sue Eastwood, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector guidance ‘Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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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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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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