Iqra Academy

Inspection of Iqra Academy Enterprise Way, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire PE3 8YQ

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Sixth-form provision Insufficient evidence 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 are confident and articulate individuals. They strive to achieve excellence in all areas of their learning and personal development. They are aspirational and resilient learners. They embrace challenges. Over time, this builds their self-belief. Pupils love their school and their teachers.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Skilful teaching and pupils’ commitment to their education ensure that they achieve well in most subjects. Pupils explain that the staff help them to want to do well in life and to be the best that they can be. This culture of ambition and mutual respect creates an environment where pupils flourish.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have unwaveringly high expectations. Pupils consistently exhibit excellent behaviour and self-regulation. Additionally, they show a high level of independence in managing their conduct. They also positively influence their peers through respectful and considerate interactions.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leadership opportunities enable pupils to make a meaningful impact on their school life. For instance, they have devised the pupil charter, which they willingly follow since it reflects their decisions. Additionally, all pupils contribute positively to their school community in various ways, for instance raising money for a homeless shelter.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ talents and skills develop well. For example, pupils participate in sporting tournaments and cook food from different countries.

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better?

The school has a broad and ambitious curriculum. Teachers generally have strong subject knowledge. They are subject specialists. Their skills and expertise help them to explain new concepts to pupils effectively. In lessons, pupils complete appropriate tasks that help them reinforce their understanding. Teachers check pupils’ knowledge effectively. They adapt their teaching as needed to meet the needs of their pupils. However, in a minority of foundation subjects, teachers do not deepen pupils’ understanding as effectively. While pupils continue to learn aspects of the curriculum, they do not develop knowledge in these subjects as deeply as they do in others.

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better?

Pupils read often and widely. The school ensures this in various interesting ways, for example through competitive activities that pupils enjoy participating in. Pupils who are not fluent and confident readers receive the targeted and effective support that they need to improve.

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better?

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have their individual needs identified accurately. The school, parents and carers and pupils work together to understand pupils’ strengths and aspirations. Staff use this insight to tailor support and adapt teaching strategies. They ensure that pupils with SEND can 1 to 3 July 2025 access the curriculum successfully. As a result, pupils with SEND make strong progress through the curriculum.

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better?

Staff promote exceptional behaviour throughout the school. They encourage pupils to take full ownership and responsibility for their actions. Pupils’ attitudes are superb. They are considerate and highly motivated. They show genuine care for one another. A calm and purposeful atmosphere helps pupils to succeed.

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better?

Pupils learn a deep understanding of their own and other faiths. They articulate their knowledge and interest in these remarkably well. They have a clear sense of morals and values. They debate ideas often. Pupils know about fundamental British values. They understand how these protect them and others in the country. They understand cultural differences and value diversity as a strength. Additionally, pupils complete a significant amount of community and charity work. Teachers prepare pupils exceptionally well for the next stage of their education.

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better?

The school and the proprietor have high levels of engagement with the wider community, local schools and parents. They show a strong determination to provide pupils with an excellent education. Additionally, they ensure pupils leave the school as well-rounded, aspirational individuals. The school has enlisted the help of outside experts, such as subject specialists, to enhance the curriculum and teaching methods.

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better?

Leaders motivate staff and make them feel valued. Staff development at all levels is very effective. Staff share the school’s ambition to achieve the best possible outcomes for pupils.

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better?

Effective systems are in place to ensure that the independent school standards are met and that the school fulfils its statutory duties. The school complies with the Equality Act 2010.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 In a small number of foundation subjects, teaching does not consistently enable pupils to deepen their skills and knowledge. As a result, some pupils do not make the sustained progress needed to reach their full potential. The school should ensure that teachers have the skills and guidance they need to deliver the curriculum effectively in all subjects. 1 to 3 July 2025

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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. 1 to 3 July 2025

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School details

Date of previous inspection 22 to 24 June 2022 1 to 3 July 2025

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Information about this school

 The school does not currently use any alternative provision.  Iqra Academy is an independent day secondary school for girls with a religious ethos. It is registered with the Department for Education to admit 205 pupils, aged from 11 to 19. Currently, there are no pupils in the sixth-form 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 meets the independent school standards. These are the requirements set out in the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation 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 carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, mathematics, art and personal, social, health and economic education. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors met leaders, looked at curriculum documentation, reviewed evidence of work and spoke with pupils about some other subjects.  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

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Information about this inspection

culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  To check compliance with the standards, the lead inspector undertook a premises check.

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Inspection team

Jessie Linsley, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Bessie Owen His Majesty’s Inspector 1 to 3 July 2025 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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