Islamia Primary School

Islamia Primary School

Address: 129 Salusbury Road, London, NW6 6PE Unique reference number (URN): 101574

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

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

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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.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils are generally well prepared for the next stage in their education. They develop secure foundational knowledge and skills, particularly in reading and mathematics. They apply their knowledge with accuracy. This is reflected in their achievement in national tests, which is typically above the national average for the majority of pupils. Disadvantaged pupils also achieve at least as well and sometimes better than their non-disadvantaged peers when compared with national figures.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils' achievement is generally appropriate in most other curriculum subjects. In these subjects, in lessons and discussions, pupils are able to talk about their learning with confidence. For instance, pupils are able to use the subject-specific vocabulary with accuracy. They are able to make links between new knowledge and what they have learned already. In a very small number of subjects, however, leaders' work to improve the curriculum and its delivery is at an earlier stage. In these subjects, some pupils find it more difficult to remember learning or to make connections in their knowledge. At times, the quality of pupils' writing varies across subjects, because expectations for this are not as embedded as they could be.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders have prioritised the improvement of attendance. Overall attendance figures are broadly in line with national figures. This includes for those pupils who are disadvantaged, as well as those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Until recently, the number of pupils who were persistently absent was higher than the national average. Leaders have made changes to their work to strengthen how they analyse and understand reasons for absence. This improvement is enabling leaders to work more effectively with families. Persistent absence is now reducing and is in line with the national average.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Pupils' behaviour is typically calm, orderly and respectful across the school. Where some variability exists, particularly during less structured times, leaders are taking effective steps to address this. Staff implement the school's behaviour expectations and values consistently. Pupils understand these expectations. They typically settle quickly to learning and sustain their focus and engagement. This is evident from the start of the day, when pupils arrive calmly in their classrooms and begin handwriting activities without any delays. Other wider opportunities provide pupils with opportunities to develop concentration, resilience and self-control.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders use records of poor or unacceptable behaviour to identify patterns and trends. This helps them to respond appropriately, for example, by providing effective adaptations and tailored support for those pupils who need it.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The leadership team has made a number of important changes to the curriculum. This curriculum is broad and ambitious, and leaders are clear about what they want pupils to learn. They have organised and refined the curriculum carefully in most subjects so that pupils build sufficient and secure knowledge over time. This is especially the case in reading, writing and mathematics.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

In most subjects, teaching is typically clear and purposeful. Staff use their secure subject knowledge to present new learning effectively to pupils. Staff routinely check pupils' understanding, for instance, by using carefully considered questions. This helps them to address any gaps or misconceptions that pupils may have. Pupils have regular opportunities to remember the knowledge that they have already learned and put this learning into practice. This supports pupils to retain important subject concepts and content over time, and to deepen their understanding. In a very small number of subjects, on occasion, teaching is not as effective in ensuring that pupils are clear about the knowledge they have learned. When this happens, pupils find it more difficult to remember learning securely or to make connections with what they already know.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Staff usually make well-judged adaptations and adjustments where needed to support pupils who experience barriers to learning. For example, staff provide additional resources or make changes to the learning environment. This helps to ensure that all pupils are able to learn, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Early years Expected standard

The early years curriculum is well organised. It identifies the key knowledge that leaders want children to learn. The curriculum also sets out the order in which children should learn this key knowledge. This helps them to build on what they already know and can do.

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Early years Expected standard

Leaders ensure that staff prioritise the development of children's communication and language. They have provided staff with training to improve the way that they interact with children. These interactions are typically of high quality. Staff routinely model language well to children. This helps to develop children's own ability to understand and use language with confidence and accuracy. This includes children who speak English as an additional language and children with speech and communication difficulties.

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Early years Expected standard

Staff design learning carefully for children. Children have a range of opportunities to practise and embed the essential knowledge that they need in early reading, writing and mathematics. For example, children develop their mathematical knowledge when they count the different fruits in the story, 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar'. Staff quickly identify and address any misconceptions so that children's understanding is secure.

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Early years Expected standard

The environment is calm and focused on learning. There are clear routines for children to follow. Staff ensure that children learn important social skills, such as how to share resources as well as work independently. Leaders ensure that staff are well trained to follow appropriate care practices, such as administering first aid. Staff ensure that they communicate effectively with parents and carers so that important information is shared. Overall, children are well prepared for the next stage of their learning in Year 1.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders and staff have high expectations for all pupils, including those who are disadvantaged and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders with responsibility for SEND, behaviour and safeguarding work together effectively. This helps them to identify, as quickly as possible, any barriers to learning that pupils may be facing. Staff make carefully considered adaptations to enable these pupils to learn the full curriculum successfully alongside their peers. Staff monitor the progress of these pupils regularly. This enables them to make sure that these adaptations are having the impact that they intend for pupils. Consequently, disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND typically learn well.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders work successfully with a range of external professionals to ensure that those pupils who need expert help receive it promptly. Leaders provide staff with additional training to help them to meet the needs of pupils. Staff also receive support from professionals such as speech, language and communication specialists and those with expertise in autism. This support has a positive impact on the adjustments that staff make for pupils with SEND.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders make effective use of the pupil premium funding to improve the outcomes of disadvantaged pupils. For instance, some disadvantaged pupils, including those with SEND, receive swimming lessons in a smaller, quieter pool from specialist teachers. This helps to ensure that all pupils have access to their swimming entitlement regardless of their individual needs.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Improvements to leadership have helped to strengthen all aspects of the school's work. Leaders have an informed and accurate view of the school's strengths and the areas that they want to develop further. They evaluate and analyse the impact of these improvements carefully. This enables them to develop and refine their work over time. This includes, for example, ensuring that improvement initiatives are implemented consistently well and that next steps in the school's development are identified and acted on promptly.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Governance arrangements have also been developed further to maintain appropriate levels of support and challenge. Governors meet their statutory duties appropriately. For example, they have ensured that there is a highly effective safeguarding culture that puts pupils' needs and best interests at the heart of everything leaders do. Governors seek to improve their own work, for example, through audits and through the recruitment of new governors when necessary.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders provide comprehensive professional learning for staff across the school to ensure that they have the skills they need to deliver the school's provision effectively. Staff appreciate this, as well as the support they receive to help with their workload and wellbeing. Staff, pupils and families consistently benefit from leaders' work to foster a positive culture of support and collaboration.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders have established a well-considered personal development programme that reflects the school’s context and values. It is an entitlement for all pupils at the school. The curriculum is structured to build knowledge over time at an age-appropriate level, starting in the early years. There is suitable content to help develop pupils' understanding about appropriate and inappropriate relationships, as well as online and offline risks to their mental health and wellbeing.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The curriculum is enhanced through a range of meaningful experiences that extend beyond the classroom. Pupils benefit from opportunities to engage in real-life contexts, including participation in community-focused initiatives and pupil-led action to improve the local area. For example, pupils designed proposals for community improvements, presented these to councillors and collaborated with other schools on shared projects, creating a community mural. Such experiences help pupils develop confidence and a sense of responsibility, fostering active participation in their community. Pupils develop an understanding of fundamental British values. For example, they engage in democratic processes, including elections, where pupils write manifestos, present them to their peers and participate in voting.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Provision for personal development contributes positively to pupils’ social and emotional wellbeing. Social times are generally well organised. They provide opportunities for pupils to interact, cooperate and build relationships. Pupils engage positively with one another, showing respect and consideration. They demonstrate a sense of belonging within their community.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders provide a range of opportunities to develop pupils’ aspirations and confidence. There are regular performance opportunities, for example, including singing in the choir and school productions. These opportunities enable pupils to perform for wider audiences and develop their communication skills. Pupils also participate in whole-school events, such as large-scale celebrations. They have opportunities to take on responsibilities and leadership roles. These activities contribute to pupils’ growing self-confidence and sense of achievement.

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

Pupils are happy and safe at Islamia Primary School. They say this is because there are always adults around who help them when they need it. Bullying is rare. However, pupils are clear that should it happen, staff would deal with it quickly and effectively.

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

There is a well-established sense of belonging that permeates through all aspects of the school day. Pupils are well behaved. They are polite, well-mannered and respectful. Pupils learn respect and acceptance of others through what they learn in lessons and the school's values. This learning starts from their very first days in school in Reception Year. For example, pupils say, 'You don’t think about disability, you just think about it as a different ability.' Pupils demonstrate kindness and consideration for others, such as when they hold a door open for someone or greet them with a warm smile. Pupils enjoy their learning across the school's broad and balanced curriculum. They typically achieve well, especially in reading and mathematics. Overall, pupils are well prepared for the next stages of their education, developing both the knowledge and personal attributes they need to succeed. Additional support for pupils who experience barriers enables them to

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

access learning and do so with confidence.

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

There is a broad range of activities to broaden pupils' experiences and support their personal development. For example, pupils enjoy handwriting, sewing, football, art and taekwondo. Pupils talk with enthusiasm about the range of trips, visits and workshops that enrich their learning further. These activities develop pupils' understanding of citizenship and prepare them for life in modern Britain. This includes pupils who are disadvantaged and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Older pupils relish exciting opportunities, such as a trip to Thailand. These special experiences support their understanding of other cultures and ways of life.

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Next steps

Leaders and governors should ensure that their improvements to the curriculum are embedded consistently across all subjects so that they have the impact that they intend for all pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those with any other barriers to their learning and wellbeing. Leaders should ensure that expectations for pupils' writing are consistently high across all curriculum subjects. Leaders and governors should maintain and build upon the school's more recent work to promote high rates of attendance, including intervening swiftly to support and challenge parents and carers with children whose attendance needs to improve.

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About this inspection

The chair of the board of governors in this school is Isa Jolil.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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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.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, the assistant headteacher, the special educational needs coordinator and members of staff during the inspection.

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About this inspection

This school is registered as having an Islamic religious character. The school's last section 48 inspection was in May 2024.

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About this inspection

The school uses no alternative provision.

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Lead inspector:

Samantha Ingram, His Majesty's Inspector

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Team inspectors:

Rekha Bhakoo, Ofsted Inspector Karen Jaeggi, Ofsted Inspector Ruth Harding, Ofsted Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The data was used by the inspector(s) during the inspection. More recent data may have been published since the inspection took place.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The school has undergone a significant change since the last inspection. There have been new senior leaders and a new chair of governors.

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What does this mean?

The school is moving to a new school building in another part of Brent in September 2027.

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What does this mean?

Headteacher: Alim Uddin Shaikh The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational support needs at the school.

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What does this mean?

Based on the English Indices of Deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced Provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standards in a combined reading, writing and mathematics measure.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics.

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average

2024/25 (revised) 52% 47% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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average

2024/25 (revised) 67% 63% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

2024/25 (revised) 71% 61% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance gap

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after. The school disadvantage gap is the difference between the performance of the school's disadvantaged pupils compared to the performance of all non-disadvantaged pupils nationally.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics, including the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics and the disadvantaged gap.

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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Exceptional

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

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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.

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Needs attention

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

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Urgent improvement

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

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Urgent improvement

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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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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