Paradise Primary School

Independent School

DfES Registration Number 3826021 Unique Reference Number 132099 Inspection number 301585 Inspection dates 3-4 July 2007 Reporting inspector Ronald Cohen AI

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Independent School

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 162A of the Education Act 2002 (as amended by schedule 8 of the Education Act 2005). Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Independent School

This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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Purpose and scope of the inspection

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under section 162A of the Education Act 2002, as amended by schedule 8 of the Education Act 2005, in order to advise the Secretary of State for Education and Skills about the school’s suitability for continued registration as an independent school.

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Information about the school

Paradise Primary School was established in1998 in Dewsbury as an independent Islamic day school for boys and girls aged between three and 11 years. It s erves the local Muslim community. There are currently 226 pupils on roll. The school accepts pupils of vastly differing abilities, including those with learning difficulties and disabilities. There are no children with statements of special educational need. The school is currently housed in rented accommodation on two sites, but hopes to move to its own permanent single site within the next academic year. The school began as a provider of nursery education. It has grown and now offers education until the age of 11. This is the first inspection of the school’s provision for pupils age 5-11. However, the provision for nursery funded children age 3 and 4 was inspected in 2004.The aim of the school is ‘to fulfil the first objective in life, which is to faithfully

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Information about the school

serve the One who has created us’. In order to attain that objective, the school’s mission is ‘to provide a warm, safe, happy and consistent environment, and ensure the development of a child’s emotional, physical, social and intellectual well being’.

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Evaluation of the school

This is a good school. Parents express a high level of satisfaction with the school and rightly so, as it provides a good quality of education for their children and is successful in achieving its aims, and their aspirations. It gives a broad and balanced curriculum, which affords all pupils opportunities to develop their intellect and skills. The quality of teaching is good. As a result, all pupils make good progress, achieve good standards and are prepared well for the next stage of their education. The school makes good provision for pupils’ welfare, health and safety and staff show good levels of care for pupils. Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. These positive features owe much to the effective leadership of the experienced and thoughtful head teacher, and to his dedicated staff, who strive to raise achievements despite the limitations imposed by, amongst other

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Evaluation of the school

things, by the rented accommodation and the limited resources of the school. The school has made good progress in dealing with the issues, pertaining to the provision for pupils age 3 and 4, which were raised in the previous report.

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Evaluation of the school

The school complies with most of the regulations.

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Quality of education

The curriculum is good. It is broad and balanced with a deliberate emphasis on literacy and numeracy and provides a secure foundation for other subjects. In the Reception class, the school follows the Foundation Stage guidelines effectively, and children make good progress, particularly in their social and emotional development. The planning of the primary curriculum is good. It follows commercial schemes of work that are based on the National Curriculum and it ensures continuity and progression of learning. The core subjects include English, mathematics, science, Arabic and Islamic studies. Social sciences comprise history, geography and some aspects of citizenship. In addition, pupils have art, information and communication technology (ICT) and physical education (PE) lessons.

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Quality of education

Pupils are taught subjects of the National Curriculum by their class teacher. They are taught Islamic subjects, in English, by specialist teachers. The programme of personal, social and health education reflects the Islamic ethos of the school, whilst preparing pupils to live in a multicultural society. Speaking and listening skills are promoted effectively and reading skills are well taught. The school successfully uses opportunities to develop writing in other subjects.

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Quality of education

Resources are just adequate in range and quantity. The number of after school extra-curricular activities is limited because of the attendance of pupils at religious classes at local mosques. Nevertheless, pupils have regular opportunities to sing nasheeds (Islamic songs) and, for example, during lunchtime to play boardgames and multisports. Pupils’ learning is further enriched through a small number of educational visits. These range from visits to activities centres, such as ‘Xscape’ and to the York Railway Museum.

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Quality of education

The quality of teaching and assessment is good and consequently, all pupils make good progress. Teachers demonstrate a high level of care, which pupils appreciate. In the majority of lessons, which are good, teachers establish good relationships in their classes and effective learning takes place in a relaxed atmosphere. The teaching is briskly paced, dynamic, interactive and stimulating, based on good subject knowledge and very high expectations. Lessons are well prepared. Teachers promote pupils’ thinking effectively through probing questioning and challenging tasks. However, when the questioning does not sufficiently engage the quieter pupils, the more proactive pupils are allowed to dominate the lesson. In the best lessons, the teaching also consolidates pupils’ learning and understanding very effectively at the end of the lesson. In the few lessons where the teaching is satisfactory rather than good, introductions are too long, which results in pupils

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Quality of education

losing interest and misbehaving. Sometimes, the sequencing of the tasks has not been planned with enough, resulting in pupils being unable to finish their work. Classroom assistants are not always deployed effectively. However, when they are, they support pupils’ learning well. Assessment is good. There is a good range of strategies to test pupils’ learning and assess their progress. Marking is regular and shows pupils how to improve their learning. The system currently used to track each pupil’s progress is rigorous and gives teachers all the information they need to ensure that pupils make good progress and achieve very well, for example, in national tests.

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Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of the pupils

Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. This is reflected in pupils’ good behaviour, in their good attendance, in the great courtesy they extend to visitors and in the consideration they show to each other. This is augmented by pupils engaging in several ways to promote the sense of ‘community’. For example, by acting as ‘playground buddies’. Pupils’ spiritual development is promoted successfully through Islamic studies, where teachers encourage reflection, and through pupils’ involvement in daily religious practices and assemblies. Pupils have a strong sense of identity enhanced by several annual cultural and social events. Furthermore, their cultural development is enriched by educational visits to places of worship of other religions, which the school uses effectively to re-enforce the pupils’ knowledge and understanding of these faiths. In this way the school

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Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of the pupils

successfully promotes attitudes of tolerance and harmony, which prepare pupils well for taking up their future role as citizens. Other visits to and from the school by, for example, the local MPs; the community police officer and the local Fire Brigade all add to pupils’ knowledge and understanding of British institutions. Pupils speak with confidence and maturity. They enjoy and appreciate learning in a secure, friendly environment where teachers show high levels of care. As one older pupil put it ‘Teachers are caring and kind; they teach us and look after us very well’.

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Welfare, health and safety of the pupils

The school ensures that the welfare, health and safety of its pupils are good. There are effective policies to promote the safety and well-being of pupils. The school’s arrangements for child protection and the training of staff on this and other matters, such as first aid, are up to date. Procedures for promoting good behaviour and eliminating bullying and racism work well. The school has few pupils with learning difficulties, although a small number find it hard to behave well at all times. These pupils get good support from staff. The school uses positive rewards to encourage good behaviour and works closely with parents to resolve occasional incidents where conduct is unacceptable. This, along with good levels of supervision, ensures that pupils learn in a calm, positive atmosphere and behave in a sensible way, for example, during rainy break times. The school considers potential hazards, such as in

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Welfare, health and safety of the pupils

the event of fire or when pupils take part in educational visits, and takes satisfactory steps to minimise them. However, the safety testing of electrical equipment is now overdue. Pupils are safety-conscious in their work and play and know the importance of healthy eating and of taking of exercise. However, a lack of playground space at the current site limits the activities in this area. There are currently no formal plans to improve access, facilities and resources for the disabled and, even though the school has no disabled pupils or staff, it does not comply with its duty in respect of the Disability Discrimination Act 2002.

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Suitability of the proprietor and staff

The school undertakes the full range of checks to ensure the suitability of all staff to work with children and young people.

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School’s premises and accommodation

The school’s premises and accommodation are satisfactory overall. Facilities for children on the Nursery site are good. They allow children’s learning in the Nursery and Reception classes to be stimulating and active in all areas of the Foundation Stage curriculum. The current accommodation for pupils in Years 1 to 6 is barely adequate for the numbers of pupils on the school roll. Whilst generally fit for purpose classrooms are small and give little scope for active learning. Furthermore, in some parts of the building, sound insulation is inadequate and noise from adjacent areas makes effective communication difficult. Furniture and fittings, including carpets throughout, are in a satisfactory condition, as is the general decorative order. As the premises are rented, the school has little effective control in this area, but does what is necessary to maintain a satisfactorily safe learning environment for its pupils.

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School’s premises and accommodation

There are sufficient washrooms for the numbers of pupils and staff, but the way that the use of these facilities is organised does not meet regulations. The current arrangements do not ensure adequate levels of privacy for girls, boys and adults. Similarly, facilities for pupils who become ill do not meet regulations, because the room assigned for this purpose does not have a sink with running water. The outside play area is satisfactory for a single class to do PE, but it is too small for all pupils to play simultaneously and safely at break times.

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Provision of information for parents, carers and others

Information for parents and carers meets most of the regulations. There is regular informal contact between staff and parents. In their responses to the questionnaires sent to parents before the inspection, almost all said they were happy with the information provided. The school prospectus provides a wealth of useful information but this falls short of requirements, because it does not include key facts about the school’s procedures relating to discipline and exclusions or about arrangements for pupils with special educational needs This information is available on request but is not provided, as is required as a matter of course, to all parents and carers. The school provides informative newsletters to parents and termly information about the topics that pupils will cover. This, along with timely contact from the headteacher to the parents of any pupil whose performance is causing concern, puts parents in a

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Provision of information for parents, carers and others

good position to support their children’s learning. End of year reports are detailed and descriptive but not always sufficiently evaluative. For example, they lack National Curriculum levels and clear targets to show parents how to help their children do even better, although these matters are discussed at meetings with parents.

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Procedures for handling complaints

The school has a complaints policy that meets all of the regulations. Parents and prospective parents are to be advised of this. There have been no formal complaints from parents.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school meets all of the Education (Independent School Standards) (England) Regulations 2003 as amended January 2005, with the exception of those listed below.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school does not meet all requirements in respect of provision for pupils’ welfare, health and safety (standard 3) and must:

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

 maintain its electrical equipment with regard to the DfES guidance Health and safety: responsibilities and powers (DfES 0803/2001) (paragraph 3(4)).

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school does not meet all requirements in respect of the premises and accommodation (standard 5) and must:

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

 organise the use of the washrooms for staff and pupils, including facilities for pupils with special needs, which take account of the Education (School Premises) Regulations 1999 (paragraph 5(k))  improve facilities for pupils who are ill, in accordance with the Education (School Premises) Regulations 1999 (paragraph 5(l))  improve sound insulation and acoustics to allow effective teaching and communication in all parts of the school (paragraph 5(o))  make appropriate arrangements for outside space for pupils to play safely (paragraph 5(t)).

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school does not meet all requirements in respect of the provision of information for parents, carers and others (standard 6) and must:  provide particulars of the school's policy on and arrangements for admissions, discipline and exclusions (paragraph 6(2)(e))  provide particulars of educational and welfare provision for pupils with statements of special educational need and for pupils for whom English is an additional language (paragraph 6(2)(f)).

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

In order to comply with the regulations of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 2002 the school should devise a three-year accessibility plan.

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School details

Name of school Paradise Primary School DfES number 3826021 Unique reference number 132099 Type of school Nursery/primary Status Independent Date school opened September 1998 Age range of pupils 3-11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number on roll (full-time pupils) Boys: 88 Girls: 138 Total: 226 Number on roll (part-time pupils) Boys: 0 Girls: 0 Total: 0 Number of boarders Boys: 0 Girls: 0 Total: 0 Number of pupils with a statement of special educational need Boys: 0 Girls: 0 Total: 0 Annual fees (day pupils) £ 650 Address of school White Hart Inn Thornhill Road Dewsbury West Yorkshire WF12 9BX Telephone number 07717 804547 Fax number 01924 439803 Email address Paradise786@gmail.com Headteacher Mr Rashid Kola Proprietor Mr Farooq Yunus Reporting inspector Ronald Cohen AI Dates of inspection 3-4 July 2007

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