Suffah Primary School

Suffah Primary School

Address: Hounslow Jamia Masjid, 367 Wellington Road South, Hounslow, TW4 5HU Unique reference number (URN): 134243

p.1

Safeguarding standards not met

Leaders have not ensured that there is an open and positive culture around safeguarding. This puts pupils at significant risk of harm, Therefore, standard 7 of the independent school standards is not met.

p.2

Safeguarding standards not met

The proprietor does not maintain effective oversight of safeguarding practice in the school. Staff are familiar with expected procedures for reporting a concern. However, the proprietor has not ensured that staff are vigilant to the sign of a pupil being at risk or that they report such concerns in a timely and consistent manner. The school's systems for recording and following up safeguarding concerns and risks to pupils' welfare, health and safety, lack organisation and detail. They contain minimal evidence that concerns are dealt with appropriately. The members of the extended safeguarding team, newly formed since the previous inspection, have received appropriate training. However, the proprietor has not provided sufficient support to ensure that the leaders with responsibility for safeguarding have acted on the priorities for improvement swiftly.

p.2

Safeguarding standards not met

Since the previous inspection, leaders have worked closely with external partners to develop the school's safeguarding practice. Staff have attended training and received guidance about safer recruitment. This has ensured that all required pre-employment checks are completed in a timely manner and recorded suitably in the school's single central record.

p.2

How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

p.2

How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met. Insufficient evidence: Inspectors were unable to gather sufficient evidence to judge whether safeguarding standards are met.

p.2

Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Leaders have established systems to monitor pupils' attendance and follow up absences. They understand some of the reasons for individual pupil's absence. However, leaders' analysis of attendance information at whole-school or group level is not sufficiently developed to enable them to identify broader patterns and trends. This limits leaders' opportunities to intervene early to remove barriers that prevent pupils from attending school regularly. As a result, their work to improve attendance has variable impact, including for those pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Some pupils are absent from school too often. Pupils behave positively and respectfully around the school, interacting pleasantly with staff and each other. The school environment is generally calm. Pupils remain settled in lessons and eager to contribute sensibly to discussions. Incidents of bullying or any discriminatory

p.2

Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

behaviour rarely happen. Pupils are confident that staff deal with any concerns effectively.

p.3

Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

There are appropriate systems for recording behaviour incidents. However, leaders' review of this information is minimal and tends to occur only when a concern is raised by a parent or carer. Staff do not consistently report or record incidence of behaviour incidents. Pupils understand the expectations for conduct, and they usually follow them well. Even so, occasional inattentiveness occurs when staff's expectations are not consistently high.

p.3

Inclusion Needs attention

Leaders do not have well-established systems in place to check that pupils are receiving the right support or to review and refine the approaches used by staff to ensure that pupils achieve as well as they should. Leaders have not ensured that staff have the training and expertise so that they know how to meet pupils' individual needs.

p.3

Inclusion Needs attention

Staff demonstrate commitment to supporting pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) in their learning and participation in all aspects of school life. Leaders have recently focused on developing inclusive practice in the school. Partnerships with external agencies are working well to help staff identify the needs of pupils with SEND and to develop key targets and strategies to support them. However, these developments are in the very early stages of leading to consistent and purposeful adaptations to teaching to enable these pupils to learn well.

p.3

Inclusion Needs attention

While leaders are making improvements to the provision for pupils with SEND, there is limited consideration of other barriers to learning and wellbeing that pupils may face, such as disadvantage and/or vulnerability due to their specific circumstances.

p.3

Inclusion Needs attention

The school has a suitable accessibility plan that meets the requirements of schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010.

p.3

Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

Pupils have limited opportunities to broaden their outlook beyond their subject learning, with no routine extra-curricular opportunities. Although pupils enjoy occasional trips, these are not consistently designed to deepen or extend their learning.

p.3

Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

The school's personal, health, social and economic (PSHE) education programme contributes well to pupils' personal development. The programme covers all required themes, such as healthy eating, relationships education and the importance of issues around equality and diversity. Pupils know about, and are considerate of, those with faiths and beliefs other than their own. The values of their own faith are important to them and they recognise these correspond with fundamental British values.

p.3

Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

The PSHE curriculum is largely delivered through assemblies. This works well to promote whole-school themed events, such as anti-bullying week and initiatives to promote a sense of community and respect. Delivery of PSHE in this way limits opportunities for age-

p.3

Urgent improvement

appropriate discussions around some themes such as relationships. Nevertheless, leaders ensure that older pupils receive guidance on topics that are relevant to them, such as puberty and careers. Pupils are well versed in online risks and e-safety, with regular reminders in lessons.

p.4

Urgent improvement

Pupils take on responsibilities, such as being a member of the student council, sensibly and maturely. They demonstrate clear and fair insight into ways in which they could benefit from wider opportunities beyond the taught curriculum. They are articulate and respectful when expressing their views. Pupils feel safe in school and think that adults in school care for them and will help them if they have any worries.

p.4

Achievement Urgent improvement

Pupils do not develop knowledge, understanding and skills across a broad range of subjects, including reading, writing and mathematics. The school's assessment practices are inconsistent, which means gaps in pupils' learning are not identified or addressed quickly enough. Leaders do not ensure that the support given to pupils to overcome barriers to their learning, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, addresses the key areas in which they need the most help. Pupils do not catch up promptly, and misunderstandings persist over time

p.4

Achievement Urgent improvement

Pupils are not well prepared for the next stage of their education. Older pupils lack the depth of subject knowledge and the essential skills, particularly in writing, needed for a smooth transition into secondary learning.

p.4

Achievement Urgent improvement

Pupils develop some technical vocabulary, especially in English, mathematics and Arabic. However, the wider curriculum does not provide the structure or progression needed for pupils to deepen and build on their learning across subjects over time.

p.4

Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

Leaders, including the proprietor, do not have a clear understanding of the priorities for improvement in the school's curriculum or how it should be delivered. Leaders have started to review the curriculum and check on the quality of teaching across the school. This work is at too early a stage to provide a clear picture of what pupils are learning well and where there are specific training needs for staff.

p.4

Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

The school does not systematically check on pupils' learning. Leaders do not identify precisely where there are gaps in pupils' knowledge and understanding. Staff identify pupils who are falling behind in their learning in reading and mathematics and provide pupils with extra help. However, the school does not routinely check on the impact of this extra support, or that the strategies that are being used are well matched to pupils' needs.

p.4

Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

The teaching of phonics is disjointed. The proprietor has not ensured that staff are suitably trained or that there are appropriate resources to establish and maintain a coherent approach to teaching early reading. Additional support for those pupils who find reading difficult does not target accurately the key sounds they need to practise.

p.4

Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

The school's curriculum provides insufficient opportunities for pupils to develop knowledge across a broad range of subjects. Pupils' learning in science and most other subjects is limited. The subject content taught from one year to the next is not well thought through. Pupils have few opportunities to consolidate and build on their learning over time.

p.5

Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

Teachers' subject knowledge in Arabic, English and mathematics is generally secure. However, the proprietor does not provide training or guidance to support teachers' effective delivery of the curriculum in other subjects.

p.5

Early years Urgent improvement

The proprietor has not ensured that the outdoor space available to children in the early years meets the statutory requirements of the early years foundation stage. Recent construction on the area previously being developed for the early years outdoor provision has severely limited children's learning opportunities. Although remaining space provides an area where children can play outside, it is not suitably equipped or free from hazards. This means it cannot be used reliably as a safe or purposeful learning environment.

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Early years Urgent improvement

In contrast, the indoor areas provide pleasant, purposeful and well-organised learning spaces. The Nursery and Reception classrooms are suitably equipped to support children's development across the seven areas of learning.

p.5

Early years Urgent improvement

The early years curriculum is well designed to enable children's progression of skills and knowledge. Leaders ensure that staff have appropriate guidance and resources to promote children's language development and expanding vocabulary. This includes the effective teaching of early reading and phonics and helpful interactions between children and staff.

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Early years Urgent improvement

Children gain an understanding of number and learn to use technical, subject-specific words, such as names of shapes and directions. Staff establish clear routines and build warm, caring relationships with children, enabling them to settle quickly, interact positively and develop growing confidence and independence. Children are proud to speak about what they have achieved in the setting. They are well prepared for further learning.

p.5

Early years Urgent improvement

Since the previous inspection, leaders have made improvements to the school's admissions procedures. Early communication with parents and carers ensures that staff receive important information, such as medical needs, before children start school. Assessment information on entry helps staff gain an accurate picture of children's starting points.

p.5

Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

The proprietor has not ensured that the independent school standards are consistently and securely met across all aspects of the school's work. The proprietor does not ensure that it is well placed to know and check that the school's policies are up to date, meet statutory requirements and are then implemented effectively. Lines of communication and accountability within the proprietor body lack clarity. The proprietor's decisions are not consistently in the best interests of the children who attend the school, for example in limiting the availability of suitable outdoor space for use by children in the early years.

p.5

Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

Since the previous inspection, the proprietor has made changes to the school's leadership. School leaders have started to review policies and systems following these changes. They have focused on key areas to improve, prioritising the school's safeguarding practices. They have engaged productively with external support to review and develop systems and provide staff training, for example to ensure safer recruitment practices are in place. However, the proprietor has not ensured that school leaders have sufficient capacity to oversee the effective implementation of the school's policies and expected procedures. The necessary actions to improve safeguarding have not been implemented with appropriate urgency. While there are policies that are relevant to the welfare, health and safety of pupils and staff, the proprietor does not make sure that staff are as vigilant and responsive as they need to be to potential and actual risks within the school site. Most of the independent

p.6

Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

school standards (ISS) found to be unmet at the previous inspection continue to be unmet. This inspection has found further ISS to be unmet. The proprietor does not demonstrate capacity to meet all ISS over time.

p.6

Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

The proprietor does not maintain close oversight of the quality of curriculum and teaching in the school. Staff receive little professional learning opportunities. Teachers receive insufficient information and guidance to enable them to develop their roles. The proprietor does not ensure that a suitable curriculum is in place to enable pupils to achieve well across a broad range of subjects.

p.6

Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

Staff are generally positive about their work at the school. They appreciate that school leaders are approachable and supportive, including if staff have concerns about their workload and changes in leadership. Some staff are concerned about the lack of training and support they receive with teaching the curriculum.

p.6

What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Leaders expect that pupils will have a positive school experience. However, these expectations are not reflected in key aspects of their work. The proprietor does not ensure that all areas of the school present a safe and suitable learning environment. The proprietor does not check that staff are alert to spotting and resolving safeguarding concerns and risks to pupils' safety. The outdoor area does not provide a suitable space for pupils' recreation. The same area used by children in the early years does not offer appropriate learning opportunities.

p.6

What it's like to be a pupil at this school

The school does not provide an ambitious curriculum that enables pupils to achieve well across a broad range of subjects. Pupils are enthusiastic about their lessons in a few subjects, such as English, mathematics, physical education and art and design. However, teachers do not routinely help pupils to recap and remember their learning over time and to apply it to more complex ideas. Staff identify when pupils are not progressing, but leaders do not ensure that the strategies to support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities or those with barriers to learning are effective. Pupils are polite and considerate and behave well in lessons and around the school. They have respectful and pleasant relationships with each other and staff. Pupils enjoy coming to school. They socialise happily with friends and gain a sense of belonging in the close school community. New pupils, including children starting in the early years, are welcomed and

p.6

What it's like to be a pupil at this school

settle quickly. Incidents of poor behaviour, including bullying, are infrequent. Pupils say they feel safe in school and are confident that staff help them if they have any worries.

p.7

What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils have few opportunities to broaden their interests and experiences beyond school. However, the school helps them understand fundamental British values and how these relate to the values of their faith. This helps them to be well prepared for life in modern Britain. School council members take on their responsibility admirably, gathering classmates' views to share with leaders. Pupils talk excitedly about occasional trips, for example to a museum and to an outdoor adventure park. Pupils would like the clubs they attended in the past to restart. They are proud when their work is celebrated in the school's newsletter.

p.7

Next steps

• The proprietor must strengthen its oversight of safeguarding practice in the school, ensuring staff's vigilance, implementation of suitable reporting and recording systems to ensure that all safeguarding concerns are dealt with swiftly and effectively. • The proprietor must ensure that it has accurate knowledge and understanding of the requirements of the independent school standards (ISS) and the early years foundation stage (EYFS). • The proprietor should take swift action to ensure that all the requirements of the ISS and the EYFS are met, with clear and purposeful lines of communication and accountability across the proprietor body, trustees and school leaders. • The proprietor should ensure that school leaders have sufficient guidance and support in order to build leadership capacity and oversee the effective implementation of the school's policies. • The proprietor should ensure that the school's curriculum is carefully designed and

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Next steps

ambitious, reflecting the requirements of the ISS, with subject content sequenced logically so that pupils can build their knowledge securely across all subjects. • The proprietor should provide a professional learning programme to help staff fulfil their roles effectively in order to identify and then meet the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and other pupils who have barriers to learning. • The proprietor should ensure that teachers receive the information and guidance that they need to understand curriculum expectations. It should also provide teachers with the knowledge and skills to use assessment strategies consistently well to identify, and then address, gaps in pupils' learning. • The proprietor should ensure that the school's approach to teaching early reading and phonics is well designed, systematic and effective, supported with appropriate resources. • The proprietor should ensure that leaders complete rigorous and systematic analysis of

p.7

Next steps

attendance information and use this to inform effective strategies that improve the attendance of individual pupils and groups, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. • The proprietor must develop the outdoor area of the school to ensure it is a safe and suitable place for pupils to play and that it provides a positive and purposeful learning environment for children in the early years. • The proprietor should provide opportunities for pupils to gain a wide range of high-quality experiences and opportunities to enrich their learning and broaden their outlook beyond their school work.

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About this inspection

The school is an Islamic independent day school. It is registered as having a Muslim ethos.

p.8

About this inspection

The school operates from a single site at 367 Wellington Road, South Hounslow, Middlesex TW4 5HU in the London borough of Hounslow.

p.8

About this inspection

The primary phase is located on the first floor of the Hounslow Jamia Masjid & Islamic Centre. The early years setting is on the same site, located on the opposite side of a large car park from the main building.

p.8

About this inspection

Two new senior leaders were appointed in March 2025 on an interim basis: the director of education, who is onsite three days a week, and the director of school improvement, who is onsite one day a week. Both senior leaders are available to staff remotely on the days when they are not onsite.

p.8

About this inspection

The name of the proprietor is Hounslow Jamia Masjid & Islamic Centre. The chair of the proprietor body is Zubair Awan. The fees currently charged are £4,200 per annum. The email address of the school is office@suffahprimaryschool.co.uk.

p.8

About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this standard inspection under section 109(1) and (2) of the Education and Skills Act 2008, and checked the school's compliance with the independent school standards. These are the requirements set out in the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014.

p.8

About this inspection

As part of this inspection, inspectors also considered concerns raised with the Department of Education relevant to the school's processes for safer recruitment and pupils' welfare, health and safety.

p.8

About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty's Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

p.8

About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with school leaders, including the interim director of education, the interim director for school improvement and two representatives of the proprietor body, including the chair of the proprietor body. Inspectors also spoke with representatives of the local authority.

p.8

About this inspection

The school does not make use of any alternative provision.

p.8

About this inspection

The school’s progress in meeting previously failed independent school standards (ISS): During the inspection inspectors checked whether the school now meets the ISS that it was judged to have failed at its previous progress monitoring inspection on 25 January 2025.

p.8

Independent school standards

Independent school standards are either met or not met for each category. The outcomes of this part of the inspection are as follows: The school now meets the previously unmet ISS in Part 4. The proprietor has ensured safer recruitment practices are in place and recorded appropriately.

p.9

Independent school standards

The school continues to not meet the following ISS: Part 8 Paragraphs 34(1), 34(1)(a), 34(1)(b), 34(1)(c). As described in the leadership and governance section of this report card, the proprietor has not ensured that all the ISS are met. Some unmet ISS have a significant negative impact on pupils' welfare, health and safety and their academic development. The proprietor does not demonstrate capacity to meet all ISS over time.

p.9

Independent school standards

Part 3 Paragraphs 7, 7(a), 7(b), 11, 16, 16(a), 16(b). Part 5 Paragraphs 25, 29(1), 29(1)(b) As described in the safeguarding and leadership and governance sections of this report card, the proprietor does not ensure that the school's safeguarding and child protection policy and the health and safety and risk assessment policies are implemented effectively.

p.9

Independent school standards

The following ISS are now unmet: Part 1 Paragraphs 2(1), 2(1)(a), 2(1)(b)(i), 3, 3(c), 3(d), 3(g) As described in the curriculum and teaching section of this report card, the proprietor does not ensure that the school's curriculum is suitably ambitious, structured and taught to enable pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, to build on their learning over time.

p.9

Independent school standards

The following early years foundation stage (EYFS) requirements unmet at the previous inspection continue to be unmet: 3.5, 3.9. This is due to the whole-school shortfalls in safeguarding practice.

p.9

Independent school standards

The following EYFS requirements unmet at the previous inspection are now met: 3.12, 3.14, 3.64, 3.76, 3.77 This is due to improvements in the school's admissions, safer recruitment and first-aid practices.

p.9

Independent school standards

The following EYFS requirement met at the previous inspection is now unmet: 3.79. This is because the provider does not ensure that the outdoor space is a suitable learning environment for the children attending the EY provision.

p.9

Independent school standards

The following unmet ISS 11 16, 16(a), 16(b), 25 are relevant to concerns raised to the Department for Education considered on this inspection.

p.9

Independent school standards

Interim director of education: Dr Abdul Haqq Baker

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Independent school standards

1. Quality of education provided Standards not met The following standards have not been met: Paragraph 2(1)

p.9

Independent school standards

The standard in this paragraph is met if–

p.10

Independent school standards

(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; and

p.10

Independent school standards

(b) the written policy, plans and schemes of work– (i) take into account the ages, aptitudes and needs of all pupils, including those pupils with an EHC plan; and

p.10

Independent school standards

The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that the teaching at the school–

p.10

Independent school standards

(c) involves well planned lessons and effective teaching methods, activities and management of class time; (d) shows a good understanding of the aptitudes, needs and prior attainments of the pupils, and ensures that these are taken into account in the planning of lessons; (g) demonstrates that a framework is in place to assess pupils' work regularly and thoroughly and use information from that assessment to plan teaching so that pupils can progress;

p.10

Independent school standards

2. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils Standards met

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Independent school standards

3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Standards not met

p.10

Independent school standards

The following standards have not been met:

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Independent school standards

The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that–

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Independent school standards

(a) arrangements are made to safeguard and promote the welfare of pupils at the school; and (b) such arrangements have regard to any guidance issued by the Secretary of State.

p.10

Independent school standards

Paragraph 11 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that relevant health and safety laws are complied with by the drawing up and effective implementation of a written health and safety policy. Paragraph 16

p.10

Independent school standards

The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that–

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Independent school standards

(a) the welfare of pupils at the school is safeguarded and promoted by the drawing up and effective implementation of a written risk assessment policy; and (b) appropriate action is taken to reduce risks that are identified.

p.11

Independent school standards

4. Suitability of staff, supply staff, and proprietors Standards met

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Independent school standards

5. Premises of and accommodation at schools Standards not met

p.11

Independent school standards

The following standards have not been met:

p.11

Independent school standards

The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that the school premises and the accommodation and facilities provided therein are maintained to a standard such that, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of pupils are ensured.

p.11

Independent school standards

The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that suitable outdoor space is provided in order to enable–

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Independent school standards

6. Provision of information Standards met

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Independent school standards

7. Manner in which complaints are handled Standards met

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.

p.12

186

8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Standards not met

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186

The following standards have not been met:

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186

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–

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186

(a) demonstrate good skills and knowledge appropriate to their role so that the independent school standards are met consistently; (b) fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards are met consistently; and (c) actively promote the wellbeing of pupils.

p.12

Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

p.13

Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

p.13

Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

p.13

Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

p.13

Insufficient evidence

Inspectors were unable to gather reliable enough evidence to grade an evaluation area. This is rare and normally only happens if there are no pupils on roll at the school.

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Insufficient evidence

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Insufficient evidence

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Insufficient evidence

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Insufficient evidence

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