Dar Ul Madinah

Inspection of Dar Ul Madinah Granville Road, Blackburn, Lancashire BB2 6HD

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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 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?

In this small school, everyone is well known and cared for. Pupils and their parents and carers, appreciate the supportive environment that the school provides. Around the school, there is a culture of respect and tolerance built on the school’s values. Pupils respond well to this. They treat each other with kindness and consideration. Pupils are happy and enjoy their time at this school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for its pupils. Pupils rise to meet these expectations in their behaviour and achievement. This is reflected in their positive attitudes to learning. Pupils strive to earn house points for their efforts. They are delighted when they have their work displayed on the ‘proud wall.’ Pupils work hard and most achieve well across a range of subjects.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from a range of opportunities to develop themselves beyond the academic curriculum. For example, they go on visits to museums, cathedrals, parks, and zoos. This allows them to gain an understanding of their local community and the wider world. Pupils also make a positive contribution to the life of the school. For example, as house captains and school council members.

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better?

The school has experienced changes to leadership and pupil numbers have increased since it was last inspected. Despite this, it has taken effective action to ensure that pupils continue to benefit from a suitably ambitious curriculum. This is reflected in the school’s curriculum offer, which provides a broad range of subjects. The curriculum fulfils the requirements of the independent school standards (the standards).

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better?

The school has recently strengthened its curriculum thinking. It has introduced new subject curriculums that are carefully organised from the early years to the end of key stage 2. The content of these curriculums is designed to help pupils to build knowledge logically over time. The school has constructed the new curriculums, taking into consideration the mixed-age classes in the school. This supports pupils to build their learning securely.

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better?

The school prioritises reading. Staff have the expertise to deliver the new phonics programme well. In the Reception Year, staff help children to use their phonics knowledge accurately. This helps children sound and read simple words confidently. Teachers ensure that the books pupils read are matched to the sounds that they know. Staff provide prompt help for pupils who struggle to read. As a result, most pupils become confident and fluent readers.

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better?

In subjects where curriculums are more established, the school successfully identifies and addresses pupils’ misconceptions to support them to build secure subject knowledge. However, where curriculums are at an early stage of being 1 to 3 July 2025 taught, pupils have fewer opportunities to revisit and strengthen their learning. In these subjects, pupils’ knowledge of some aspects of their learning is not as secure.

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better?

The school has recently strengthened its systems for identifying the individual needs that pupils may have. It ensures that staff have appropriate information about those needs. However, the school has not fully ensured that staff are confident in adapting their teaching to best meet the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) effectively. This prevents these pupils from achieving as well as they could.

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better?

Children in the early years settle into routines quickly. They learn to take turns and share with others. This positive start is built on as pupils move through the school.

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better?

A small number of pupils do not attend school as regularly as they should. The school works closely with parents and, where necessary, external agencies to support these pupils to attend school more regularly.

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better?

Pupils understand that everyone is unique. They learn that people have different families, backgrounds, cultures, and beliefs. Pupils are able to speak confidently and maturely about the importance of treating everyone equally. They understand the importance of keeping physically and mentally healthy. Pupils are also supported to understand and respect other people’s viewpoints. They are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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better?

Staff are proud to work at the school. They feel that the school provides them with the time that they need to embed new ways of working. This supports staff’s well- being and workload, while continually improving the offer for pupils.

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better?

The proprietor makes checks on the quality of education provided by the school. It makes sure that the school complies with the standards. It also ensures that the statutory requirements for the early years are met. There is a suitable health and safety policy and a range of risk assessments in place.

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better?

The school meets the requirements of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. The school has also ensured that it complies with schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010. For example, there is an appropriate accessibility plan in place.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 For some pupils with SEND, the school is not effectively adapting the delivery of the curriculum to meet their needs. As a result, these pupils do not achieve as well as they could. The school should ensure that staff have the expertise and 1 to 3 July 2025 knowledge to make suitable adaptations to teaching that meet pupils’ individual needs effectively.  In some subjects, the school has not fully considered where pupils have had less opportunity to secure some aspects of their learning and may have gaps in their knowledge due to recent changes in curriculums. This means that, at times, pupils are moved on to new content without the secure foundation of knowledge that they need. The school should ensure that newer curriculums are embedded and support pupils to develop a strong body of knowledge over time.

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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

Unique reference number 142931 DfE registration number 889/6015

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School details

Inspection number 10375138 Type of school Other independent school

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School details

Date of previous inspection 7 to 9 June 2022 1 to 3 July 2025

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Information about this school

 The school is located at Granville Road, Blackburn, Lancashire BB2 6HD  Dar-Ul-Madinah UK Ltd is the proprietor body.  The school provides education for Islamic boys and girls from the age of 5 to 11 years old. It is registered to admit up to 64 pupils.  The school is housed in a two-storey building, which also houses a separately registered nursery provision, overseen by the same proprietor.  The last standard inspection of the school took place on 7 to 9 June 2022. Since the previous inspection, the Department for Education (DfE) commissioned a material change inspection to increase the number of pupils the school can admit from 64 to 200. The material change inspection took place as part of this standard inspection.  Since the last inspection, a new acting headteacher has been appointed.  At the time of this inspection, refurbishments to the school building were being finalised. The school was in the process of transitioning from one part of the

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Information about this school

building to another. The refurbishments to the school include six new classrooms, additional toilets, a new sports hall, a lift, additional fire exits, additional offices and storage areas and breakout spaces.  The school does not make use of 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

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 the continued impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the deputy headteacher and other members of staff, including those responsible for SEND, pupils’ behaviour and attendance and personal development. The lead inspector also met with the chair of the proprietor body.  The lead inspector spoke to a representative of the local authority that the school is located in. She also completed a tour of the premises to check the school’s compliance with the standards. 1 to 3 July 2025  Inspectors carried out deep dives in English, mathematics, and geography. For each deep dive, they held discussions about the curriculum, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their

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Information about this inspection

learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects with leaders.  The lead inspector listened to pupils from Years 1, 2 and 4 reading to a familiar adult.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, 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 spoke to pupils about their experience of the school and their views on behaviour and bullying. They also observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons and at break and lunchtimes.  Inspectors scrutinised a range of documentation. This included documentation and information relating to the standards and the school’s improvement plans.  Inspectors spoke with staff about their workload and well-being.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free- text responses. Inspectors also spoke to parents at the start of the school day.  There were no responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for staff and for pupils. 1 to 3 July 2025

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The school’s proposed change to the maximum number of pupils

The school has applied to the Department for Education (DfE) to make a ‘material change’ to its registration. At the DfE’s request, we checked whether the school is likely to meet the relevant independent school standards if the DfE decides to approve the change. This part of the inspection was carried out under section 162(4) of the Education Act 2002.

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The school’s proposed change to the maximum number of pupils

The outcome of this part of the inspection is: the school is likely to meet the

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Part 3. Welfare, health, and safety of pupils

Paragraphs 7(a) and (b), 11, 12, 14, and 16 (a) and (b)

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Part 3. Welfare, health, and safety of pupils

 The school has clear procedures and necessary arrangements to safeguard pupils and to promote their welfare. Systems and procedures to keep pupils safe are in place. Staff have the safeguarding knowledge that they need to keep pupils safe from harm. The designated safeguarding leads have the necessary training and expertise to fulfil these roles. The school takes effective action when concerns are raised.  The safeguarding policy reflects the most recent government guidance and is published on the school’s website. The policy sets out the expectations for staff, including how to raise concerns about other adults who work in the school.  The school has a suitable health and safety policy in place. The school ensures that pupils are appropriately supervised. The school has clear and appropriate plans for increased staffing and deployment to meet an increase in pupil numbers. This will be reviewed by the school with consideration for pupils’ safety,

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Part 3. Welfare, health, and safety of pupils

as well as their learning as the school grows.  The proprietor has ensured that the school identifies and has systems to monitor risks as set out in the risk assessment policy. There are suitable risk assessments in place. Samples of these risk assessments show that the school suitably identifies risks and draws up appropriate plans to mitigate them, for example when pupils will make use of a local park for physical education (PE) lessons.  The proprietor has put a suitable first-aid policy in place. The majority of staff have relevant first-aid qualifications. Furthermore, the proprietor has paid due regard to the safe storage of medication and recording systems for the administration of first aid and medication.  The school has ensured compliance with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. For example, fire safety equipment is in good working order. Clear signage is visible for all emergency exit routes. In addition to this, maps of the

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Part 3. Welfare, health, and safety of pupils

emergency exit routes are displayed throughout the building. The school site is safe and secure.  However, these arrangements are not suitable to accommodate the proposed increase in the number of pupils on roll. This is because the school is not likely to 1 to 3 July 2025 meet the requirements for the safety and welfare of pupils and staff regarding access to sufficient outdoor space for safe evacuation and emergency muster points should the proposed increase to a maximum of 200 pupils be implemented. In addition, the school would not be likely to meet the requirements for outside recreational and early years learning space if maximum pupil numbers were increased to 200 pupils. The current access to safe, outdoor space is sufficient to accommodate an increase to a maximum of 105 pupils.  The standards in this part are likely to be met if the request for the material change is approved if the proposed increase to maximum pupil numbers is

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Part 4. Suitability of staff, supply staff, and proprietors

 An electronic single central record is in place. It meets the requirements for the information that it must contain.  The required checks for the proprietor, leaders and staff for the school have been completed. The school makes sure that the checks are completed satisfactorily before staff commence employment.  The planned induction for any new staff includes staff completing safeguarding training as well as ensuring that staff understand the potential risks to pupils’ welfare and safety.  The standards in this part are likely to be met if the request for the material change is approved.

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Part 5. Premises of and accommodation at schools

 The school is set in a two-storey building. It operates over two floors. At the time of this inspection, refurbishments to the school building were being finalised. The school was in the process of transitioning from one part of the building to another. The refurbishments to the school include six new classrooms, additional toilets, a new sports hall, a lift, additional fire exits, additional offices and storage areas and breakout spaces. The proprietor has ensured that the accommodation is of a good standard and is well maintained. The school site has sufficient internal space and resources to cater for the proposed increase in the number of pupils should the material change be approved.  There are several secure external areas that pupils will use during breaktimes. Pupils also have timetabled PE lessons in accordance with the school’s curriculum. However, the outdoor space is not suitable to accommodate the proposed

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Part 5. Premises of and accommodation at schools

increase in the number of pupils on roll, should it increase. The school is not likely to meet the requirements for the safety and welfare of pupils and staff regarding access to sufficient outdoor space for safe evacuation and emergency muster points or for recreational use and early years learning. The current access to safe, outdoor space is sufficient to accommodate an increase to a maximum of 105 pupils.  There are adequate toilet and washing facilities, which have been increased in number as part of the refurbishment works. Toilet cubicles can be locked from the inside. 1 to 3 July 2025  The proprietor has made arrangements to ensure that pupils will have access to drinking water throughout the day.  There is a medical room should pupils feel unwell, need first aid or other medical care.  Classrooms are tidy and furnished appropriately. Equipment is kept in good condition.  Teaching spaces have suitable lighting and acoustics. There is suitable external

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Part 5. Premises of and accommodation at schools

lighting so that pupils, staff, and visitors can enter or exit the building safely in the dark.  The standards in this part are likely to be met if the request for the material change is approved if the proposed increase to maximum pupil numbers is reduced to 105 pupils.

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

 The proprietor has ensured that those with responsibility for leadership and management have sufficient knowledge and expertise to carry out their roles effectively.  The proprietor has the knowledge to ensure that the school meets the standards.  The proprietor and leaders have the experience required to carry out their roles successfully. It is committed to providing a high quality of education for pupils and actively promotes the well-being of pupils.  The standards in this part are likely to be met if the request for the material change is approved.

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Inspection team

Rebecca Jewitt, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Gil Bourgade Ofsted 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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