Hafs Academy

Inspection of Hafs Academy Unit 3, 26 Maryland Road, Stratford, London E15 1JW

p.1

Inspection dates: 23 to 25 September 2025

p.1

Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Inadequate

p.1

Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Does the school meet the independent school standards?

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to this welcoming and inclusive school. Staff and pupils have built positive relationships. Adults know the pupils very well which ensures they are safe in school. Pupils follow a broad curriculum alongside their daily Islamic studies.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high expectations for what pupils can achieve. However, sometimes pupils do not retain important knowledge they have learned from the curriculum. They do not routinely have the opportunity during lessons to deepen and apply their learning. This means they sometimes do not have the depth of knowledge required to achieve well. Support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) enables them to achieve the aims of the curriculum.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils generally behave very positively during lessons and at social times. They are polite, friendly, and proud of their shared values of kindness and consideration for others.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The school helps to develop pupils’ talents and interests through a selection of wider opportunities. The boxing and football clubs are very popular with pupils, with many taking part in these each week.

p.2

better?

The school has recently redesigned the ambitious curriculum in a number of subjects. These are now in line with the expectations of the national curriculum. The school has identified the key knowledge it wants pupils to learn and when. The curriculum is designed to build pupils’ knowledge progressively over time.

p.2

better?

Teachers have a strong subject knowledge of their curriculum area. However, staff do not routinely check pupils’ understanding and address misconceptions. This means that pupils develop gaps in their learning as they progress through the curriculum.

p.2

better?

Learning activities during lessons do not consistently ensure that pupils practise and master what they are learning in sufficient depth. This means that pupils sometimes struggle to apply their prior knowledge. The school welcomes an educational consultant to support the development of staff’s skills and expertise in the delivery of the curriculum. However, leaders at all levels do not have clear, shared expectations for the quality of education that pupils experience. They do not have strategic plans in place to ensure that the learning from staff training becomes embedded in daily practice.

p.2

better?

The school knows and identifies pupils’ individual needs effectively. Pupils, including those with SEND, are able to access the curriculum effectively through adaptations made by staff during lessons. Reading is not a barrier to pupils’ learning, and they read confidently and clearly during lessons. Staff identify pupils who need help with 23 to 25 September 2025 reading when they join the school. Effective support is put in place for these pupils, which ensures they become fluent and confident readers.

p.2

better?

Pupils largely have positive attitudes towards their learning in lessons. They are enthusiastic, inquisitive, and interested to develop their knowledge across the curriculum. The school has effective measures in place to ensure attendance to school is very high. Staff work closely with parents and carers to support pupils to attend school regularly.

p.3

better?

The school has developed a thoughtful personal development programme. Pupils understand how to keep healthy and safe, including online. They learn about the importance of tolerance and respect of a wide range of beliefs and values. Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. The school provides pupils with purposeful careers advice and guidance. Pupils take part in a range of activities, including work experience, talks from external speakers and a visit to a careers fair. Pupils move on from the school to well-matched post-16 options.

p.3

better?

The school has made positive developments in the design of the curriculum and developing staff’s subject knowledge since the previous inspection. However, there is further work required to develop the skills and expertise of staff in the effective delivery of the curriculum. Trustees do not have a firm enough understanding of curriculum priorities to ensure they can hold school leaders to account fully for these improvements.

p.3

better?

The school has ensured that all the independent school standards (the standards) are met. It has implemented a suitable accessibility plan, which complies with schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and proprietor)

 The school has not ensured that pupils’ understanding is routinely checked, and any misconceptions identified during lessons. This means that pupils in some subjects have gaps in their knowledge and are not fully ready to learn new content. The school should ensure that teachers develop the skills and expertise to regularly identify and address any gaps in pupils’ understanding.  Sometimes, activities in lessons are not well selected to help pupils to practise and master subject-specific knowledge and skills. This means that pupils sometimes lack a depth of knowledge in subjects and cannot apply their learning. The school should ensure teachers have the knowledge and understanding to use activities in lessons that are well selected to deepen and strengthen pupils’ understanding. 23 to 25 September 2025  The school and trustees have not ensured that there is a clear strategy and improvement priorities in place to develop staff’s skills and expertise in the

p.3

(Information for the school and proprietor)

delivery of the curriculum. This means that the implementation of the curriculum is varied, and pupils do not learn as well as they should. Leaders at all levels should ensure that there is a clear process to develop the expertise of staff and carry out effective checks to identify whether the curriculum is being taught as intended. This is to ensure that pupils achieve well.

p.4

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school. 23 to 25 September 2025

p.4

School details

Unique reference number 138801 DfE registration number 316/6002

p.5

School details

Inspection number 10375107 Type of school Other independent school

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 19 to 21 September 2023 23 to 25 September 2025

p.5

Information about this school

 This school is located at Unit 3, 26 Maryland Road, Stratford E15 1JW  The school is registered for pupils age seven to 16. However, the school currently only offers places to pupils aged 11 to 16.  The school’s curriculum includes Islamic studies, which pupils study each morning.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.  The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information and engagement about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.  The school has had one progress monitoring inspection since the last standard inspection. This took place in October 2024.

p.6

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.

p.6

Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement 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 met with the headteacher, members of the senior leadership team and a range of staff. They also met with the proprietor and a trustee.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in the following subjects: English, science, history, and religious studies. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, had discussions with pupils, and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The curriculum in other subjects was also considered.  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

p.6

Information about this inspection

culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspectors considered the views of parents, pupils, and staff, including through responses to Ofsted’s online surveys. 23 to 25 September 2025

p.6

Inspection team

Simon Conway, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

p.7

Inspection team

Katerina Christodoulou Ofsted Inspector 23 to 25 September 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.

p.7

Inspection team

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspection team

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspection team

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspection team

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8