Jamia Islamia Birmingham

Jamia Islamia Birmingham

Address: Fallows Road, Sparkbrook, Birmingham, West Midlands, B11 1PL Unique reference number (URN): 134571

p.1

Safeguarding standards not met

Leaders have not ensured that there is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that adequately protects children from harm. Therefore, standard 7 of the independent schools standards is not met.

p.2

Safeguarding standards not met

The proprietor has not ensured that staff are suitably skilled to identify or respond to concerns about pupils’ welfare. Leaders, including those responsible for safeguarding, have an insufficient understanding of the risks pupils are likely to encounter in their daily lives. Consequently, staff have not received the training they need to understand risks outside of school and do not recognise key indicators of harm.

p.2

Safeguarding standards not met

Staff are unclear about how to raise concerns about pupils’ wellbeing. When concerns are raised, leaders do not respond to these in a timely manner. This leaves pupils at risk of harm.

p.2

Safeguarding standards not met

A significant proportion of pupils are persistently absent from school. Leaders, including the proprietor, do not recognise that absence may indicate safeguarding concerns. Leaders lack the professional curiosity needed to ensure that pupils are safe when they do not attend school.

p.2

Safeguarding standards not met

The proprietor does not provide sufficient oversight of safeguarding systems and has not identified weaknesses in the school’s approach. They have failed to ensure that safeguarding policies, systems and processes are effective and kept under review. For example, there is no current policy or system in place to respond appropriately to incidents involving restrictive physical intervention.

p.2

Safeguarding standards not met

Leaders do make the required checks on staff to make sure they are suitable to work in schools.

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

Achievement Needs attention

Pupils do not achieve as well as they could. Variability in the delivery of the curriculum means that too often pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, develop an insecure understanding of the things they are taught. Consequently, pupils do not make suitable progress from their starting points and struggle to apply their learning successfully in external examinations. Pupils’ classwork is often of poor quality. Errors in their writing are not routinely addressed.

p.2

Achievement Needs attention

Leaders have recognised weaknesses in pupils’ achievement and have begun to take appropriate action to improve pupils’ outcomes. For example, they have employed subject specialists in some areas such as mathematics and English and have begun to monitor pupils’ progress more closely. However, while these actions are generally appropriate, they are at an early stage, and the impact on pupils' achievement is yet to be seen.

p.3

Achievement Needs attention

Leaders have prioritised the teaching of English and mathematics for pupils in Year 10 and Year 11. Pupils’ progress in these areas is beginning to show signs of improvement. However, this has come at the expense of wider curriculum subjects such as pupils' personal, social and health education. As a result, pupils do not make sound progress across the curriculum.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Leaders do not routinely monitor the quality of the school curriculum. As a result, they do not have an informed understanding of its strengths and the areas requiring further refinement.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Although leaders have recently focused their attention on improving curriculum content, this work is not yet having the desired impact on pupils’ learning. Across most subjects, the curriculum is well planned so that the knowledge pupils encounter builds upon the things they have been taught before. However, some teachers do not routinely check pupils’ understanding or address misconceptions before moving on. This holds pupils back. In addition, leaders have not supported staff to develop their subject knowledge. Consequently, the activities which teachers choose to provide do not always support pupils to learn the intended knowledge.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Leaders are beginning to identify pupils with gaps in their literacy and numeracy knowledge. They provide additional support where needed. However, this support often has limited impact because it is not always well matched to pupils’ needs. Leaders do not pay close enough attention to the information they receive when pupils join the school. Consequently, they do not have a clear understanding of pupils’ starting points, which holds pupils back.

p.3

Inclusion Needs attention

Leaders' approach to identifying and meeting the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is underdeveloped. The information that leaders hold about pupils’ needs is limited and does not include the views of pupils or their parents. Access to specialist support following assessment of need is not well established. As a result, leaders do not consistently ensure that staff have a secure understanding of pupils’ needs. This means that the support in place for pupils is sometimes not well matched to their needs. This limits the progress they make.

p.3

Inclusion Needs attention

The school has recently sharpened its approach to inclusion and is beginning to identify the needs of pupils with SEND more readily. They are also beginning to monitor the progress of

p.3

Urgent improvement

these pupils. This work is at an early stage and has not yet had any measurable impact on the experiences of pupils with SEND.

p.4

Urgent improvement

Despite the recent improvements in provision for pupils with SEND, leaders have not established a suitable approach to supporting pupils who face other barriers to their learning and wellbeing. As a result, the support in place for pupils is inconsistent. For example, some pupils receive helpful pastoral support and some staff make suitable adaptations to enable pupils to access the curriculum. However, this is not always the case and undermines the progress of some pupils.

p.4

Urgent improvement

There are currently no pupils at the school who are known to, or previously known to, social care. However, leaders have not considered how they would support such pupils should they join the school.

p.4

Attendance and behaviour Urgent improvement

Leaders do not have robust oversight of pupils’ attendance. They are unaware of their statutory duties and therefore fail to discharge them. For example, attendance registers are littered with inaccuracies and leaders do not inform the local authority when pupils are absent for prolonged periods.

p.4

Attendance and behaviour Urgent improvement

Leaders’ expectations of pupils’ attendance are too low. They accept excuses for pupils’ absence without challenge and fail to explore patterns in absence over time. As a result, too many pupils do not attend as regularly as they should. Leaders do not build a clear picture of the barriers pupils face to attending school. They do not do enough to support pupils to get back into school. Additionally, leaders do not take effective action to ensure the safety and wellbeing of pupils who do not attend.

p.4

Attendance and behaviour Urgent improvement

Pupils generally behave well in lessons and at social times. The school is typically a calm and happy environment. However, on occasions, and for some staff, pupils do not respond to polite requests to manage their behaviour. Where this happens, this undermines the learning of others. Bullying is not tolerated. Any incidents are dealt with quickly and effectively. For those pupils who struggle to manage their behaviour, by and large they are supported effectively to better manage their emotions.

p.4

Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

The proprietor has failed to fulfil its statutory responsibilities to keep pupils safe and to prepare them well for life in modern Britain. For example, leaders have not ensured that pupils receive appropriate education about relationships and sex education in line with statutory guidance from the Department for Education. In addition, required policies, including those relating to the use of restrictive physical intervention, are not in place. Leaders are unaware of their duty to have these policies and processes in place. The proprietor does not demonstrate the capacity to meet the independent school standards over time. They lack an understanding of the roles and responsibilities associated with leading an independent school. This has led to systemic weaknesses across the school. Additionally, the proprietor and school leaders do not monitor the effectiveness of their work closely enough and rely too heavily on external advice and guidance. This results in leaders

p.4

Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

not having an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths or the most urgent priorities for improvement. Consequently, the proprietor is unaware of significant weaknesses across the school and is unable to take effective action to address them.

p.5

Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

Staff speak positively about leaders and describe the school as ‘one big family’. They are also positive about their workload and wellbeing. However, the proprietor has not ensured that staff are equipped with the knowledge and skills they need to carry out their roles effectively. For example, staff have not received appropriate safeguarding training to help them identify pupils who may be at risk of harm. In addition, leaders have not ensured that staff are well prepared to meet the needs of pupils who face barriers to their learning or wellbeing.

p.5

Personal development and wellbeing Urgent improvement

Pupils’ personal development is not fostered well enough. Leaders have not ensured that pupils are taught the full breadth of the statutory relationships and sex education (RSE) content. As a result, pupils do not know how to keep themselves safe, either online or in their own personal relationships. They do not understand the risks they may face outside of school. Consequently, leaders are not preparing pupils well for life in modern Britain. Despite this, pupils do develop a sound understanding of the fundamental British values during their time at the school.

p.5

Personal development and wellbeing Urgent improvement

Leaders have not ensured that pupils receive a suitable careers education. While some pupils do benefit from impartial careers advice, many do not. As a result, pupils have a limited understanding of the range of opportunities available to them after leaving school. Leaders have not maintained sufficient oversight of this aspect of their work. Although some pupils, including students in the sixth form, do engage in work experience, this is not available to all and is not always well matched to pupils’ aspirations. Consequently, pupils lack the knowledge and understanding they need to make informed decisions about their next steps.

p.5

Personal development and wellbeing Urgent improvement

Leaders have not ensured that pupils benefit from a wide and rich range of experiences beyond the classroom. Opportunities for educational visits and enrichment activities are very limited. As a result, pupils do not have sufficient opportunities to broaden their horizons or develop their talents and interests. This hinders pupils' social, cultural and character development.

p.5

Post-16 provision Urgent improvement

As with the main school, leaders have failed to ensure that students in the sixth form develop an appropriately detailed knowledge about the world outside the school gates. While students learn to respect differences and an understanding of their role within their communities, they do not develop secure knowledge of important concepts such as financial education or healthy relationships. This leaves students underprepared for modern life. Students in the sixth form do not achieve well. As in the main school, inconsistencies in teaching, and a failure to take account of students’ starting points undermines the progress they make. Teachers do not use assessment well enough to check whether students have understood the things they have been taught. Gaps in learning go unnoticed, which hinders students’ progress, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. In addition, a significant minority of students in the sixth form do not attend school regularly.

p.5

Post-16 provision Urgent improvement

Leaders do little to challenge this. Students’ poor attendance further limits their achievement.

p.6

Post-16 provision Urgent improvement

Leaders have not ensured that students benefit from suitable study programmes. For example, some students enter the sixth form without having achieved a grade 4 or above in English and/or mathematics at GCSE. Leaders do not ensure that these students are given the support they need to improve in these subjects. As a result, gaps in students’ learning and achievement persist. Additionally, students do not benefit from work-related learning or high-quality guidance about their next steps. While some students access work experience through a limited range companies known to the proprietor, these placements are not well matched to students’ aspirations. This limits the value of these placements. Leaders do not check on the suitability or safety of these placements closely enough.

p.6

Post-16 provision Urgent improvement

Despite these weaknesses, students behave well. This is reflected in the positive relationships they have with each other and staff.

p.6

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

Significant weaknesses in safeguarding practices mean that pupils are not kept safe here. The proprietor has not ensured that staff are vigilant in identifying and addressing concerns about pupils’ welfare and attendance. Too many pupils are absent from school. Expectations of pupils' attendance are too low. In addition, pupils are not taught the knowledge they sorely need to be well prepared for life in modern Britain. This leaves pupils ill-prepared for life after school.

p.6

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

Pupils, including students in the sixth form, do not benefit from a sufficiently broad range of extra-curricular opportunities. They are not provided with enough experiences to broaden their horizons or nurture their talents and interests. In addition, pupils, including those in the sixth form, do not gain a sufficient understanding of the world of work. This leaves pupils underprepared to make informed decisions about their next steps.

p.6

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

Barriers to learning, including for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are not always addressed. This means that, on occasion, pupils do not make the progress they could from their starting points. Consequently, pupils’ do not achieve as well as they should, and fail to secure the qualifications that will support them in the future.

p.6

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

Despite these shortcomings, pupils generally enjoy school and report that they feel safe. They are confident that leaders will resolve any issues they have. Pupils develop positive, respectful relationships with staff and their peers. They hold a real sense of belonging to the ‘bubble’ that is the school. They talk positively about their studies. Overall, within lessons, and around the school site, pupils behave well. Occasionally, pupils’ behaviour falls short of leaders’ expectations. Where this happens the disruption to lessons limits the learning of others. Incidents of bullying are rare and dealt with quickly and effectively.

p.6

Next steps

The proprietor must act swiftly to embed a robust culture of safeguarding across the school. This must ensure that leaders and staff understand the risks faced to pupils, and are vigilant to these risks, and that swift action is taken to ensure pupils are kept as safe as possible where concerns arise. The proprietor must establish and maintain high expectations for pupils' attendance. They must ensure that leaders and staff recognise the risks posed by repeated absence and ensure that robust attendance systems and procedures are in place to monitor and tackle absenteeism. They must also ensure that pupils' attendance is recorded accurately. The proprietor should ensure that the school's provision for pupils' personal development and wellbeing meets the Department for Education's statutory relationships and sex education and health education guidance. The proprietor should provide opportunities for pupils, including those in the sixth form, to

p.7

Next steps

gain and benefit from a broad range of high-quality experiences and opportunities to enrich their learning, broaden their outlook beyond their school and develop their understanding about the world of work. The proprietor must acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to maintain ongoing and consistent compliance with all of the independent school standards. They should take immediate action to address the unmet independent school standards. The proprietor should ensure that leaders accurately identify the needs of pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They should make sure that staff are supported to adapt the delivery of the curriculum to meet pupils’ needs and they should monitor the impact of this work on pupils' progress carefully. Leaders should ensure that teachers check pupils’ knowledge and understanding effectively and use these checks to adapt their teaching to address any gaps in learning

p.7

Next steps

so that pupils develop a secure understanding of the things they are taught.

p.7

About this inspection

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

p.7

About this inspection

The school operates from a single site at Fallows Road, Sparkbrook, Birmingham, B11 1PL.

p.7

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.7

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.7

Independent school standards

Independent school standards are either met or not met for each category. Inspectors spoke with school leaders, including the headteacher, who is also the chair of the proprietor body. Inspectors spoke to one other representative of the proprietor body.

p.8

Independent school standards

The school does not make use of any alternative provision.

p.8

Independent school standards

The name of the proprietor is Jamia Islamia (Birmingham) Trust Limited.

p.8

Independent school standards

The chair of the proprietor body is Rezaul Haque.

p.8

Independent school standards

The fees currently charged are £2,400 per annum.

p.8

Independent school standards

The email address of the school is info@Jamia.bhma.sch.uk.

p.8

Independent school standards

1. Quality of education provided Standards not met

p.8

Independent school standards

The following standards have not been met:

p.8

Independent school standards

The standard in this paragraph is met if–

p.8

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.8

Independent school standards

For the purposes of paragraph (2)(1)(a), the matters are–

p.8

Independent school standards

(e) for pupils receiving secondary education, access to accurate, up-to-date careers guidance that– (i) is presented in an impartial manner; (ii) enables them to make informed choices about a broad range of career options; and (iii) helps to encourage them to fulfil their potential;

p.8

Independent school standards

(g) where the school has pupils above compulsory school age, a programme of activities which is appropriate to their needs; (i) effective preparation of pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of life in British society. Paragraph 2A(1)

p.8

Independent school standards

The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor–

p.9

Independent school standards

(b) ensures that every registered pupil who is provided with secondary education at the school is provided with relationships and sex education, except in so far as the pupil is excused as mentioned in sub-paragraph (2), (d) in making arrangements for the purposes of paragraphs (a), (b) or (c), has regard to any guidance under section 80A of the Education Act 2002 that applies in relation to the provision of education by maintained schools, (e) makes and keeps up to date a separate written statement of its policy with regard to the provision of education as required by each of paragraphs (a) and (b), (f) consults parents of registered pupils at the school before making or revising a statement under sub-paragraph (e), and (g) publishes a copy of the statement on a website and provides a copy of the statement free of charge to anyone who asks for one.

p.9

Independent school standards

Arrangements made by the proprietor for the purposes of sub-paragraph (1)(b) must ensure that where a pupil's parent requests that the pupil is wholly or partly excused from sex education provided as part of relationships and sex education, the pupil is so excused until the request is withdrawn, unless or to the extent that the head teacher considers that the pupil should not be so excused.

p.9

Independent school standards

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

p.9

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.9

Independent school standards

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

p.9

Independent school standards

3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Standards not met The following standards have not been met: Paragraph 7

p.9

Independent school standards

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

p.10

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

The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that an admission and attendance register is maintained in accordance with the School Attendance (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2024.

p.10

Independent school standards

The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor—

p.10

Independent school standards

(a) ensures that a procedure is in place for recording each use of force incident in accordance with section 93A of the Education and Inspections Act 2006; (b) ensures that a procedure is in place for recording each incident in which a member of the school staff secludes, restrains or immobilises a pupil for whom education is being provided at the school (a "seclusion or restraint incident"); and (c) takes all reasonable steps to ensure that both procedures are complied with.

p.10

Independent school standards

The procedure under sub-paragraph (1)(b) must require that the record is made in writing as soon as practicable after the incident.

p.10

Independent school standards

The procedure under sub-paragraph (1)(b) need not provide for any action to be taken in relation to a seclusion or restraint incident that also constitutes a use of force incident within the meaning of section 93A of the Education and Inspections Act 2006 and therefore falls to be recorded under the procedure referred to in sub-paragraph (1)(a).

p.10

Independent school standards

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

p.10

Independent school standards

5. Premises of and accommodation at schools Standards met All standards have been met.

p.10

Independent school standards

6. Provision of information Standards not met

p.11

Independent school standards

The following standards have not been met:

p.11

Independent school standards

The standards about the provision of information by the school are those contained in this Part.

p.11

Independent school standards

(1) The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor— (a) ensures that the procedures for recording use of force incidents and seclusion and restraint incidents referred to in paragraph 16A(1)(a) and (b) include procedures for information about each such incident (except where the pupil concerned is aged 20 or over or provision made under sub-paragraph (2) applies) to be provided to each parent of the pupil as soon as practicable after the incident; and (b) takes all reasonable steps to ensure that those procedures are complied with.

p.11

Independent school standards

(2) A procedure under sub-paragraph (1)(a) must include provision to the effect— (a) that a person (“R”) who would otherwise be required by the procedure to provide a parent with information about an incident must not provide it to that parent if it appears to R that doing so would be likely to result in significant harm to the pupil; and (b) that if it appears to R that there is no parent of the pupil to whom R could provide information about the incident without that being likely to result in significant harm to the pupil, R must provide information about the incident to the local authority (within the meaning of the 1989 Act) within whose area the pupil is ordinarily resident.

p.11

Independent school standards

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

p.11

Independent school standards

(a) the information specified in sub-paragraph (2) is provided to parents of pupils and parents of prospective pupils and, on request, to the Chief Inspector[1], the Secretary of State or an independent inspectorate[2];

p.11

Independent school standards

The information specified in this sub-paragraph is–

p.11

Independent school standards

(c) where there is a governing body, the name and address for correspondence of its Chair; and

p.11

Lead inspector:

Alexander Laney, His Majesty's Inspector

p.12

Facts and figures used on inspection

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

p.12

School capacity

7. Manner in which complaints are handled Standards met

p.12

School capacity

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

p.12

School capacity

The following standards have not been met:

p.12

School capacity

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–

p.12

School capacity

(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.

p.13

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.

p.13

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. 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.13

Insufficient evidence

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p.14

Insufficient evidence

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Insufficient evidence

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

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