Madani Boys School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Short inspection of Madani Boys School

Following my visit to the school on 6 March 2019 with Tracey Lord, Ofsted Inspector, I write on behalf of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Education, Children's Services and Skills to report the inspection findings.

The visit was the first short inspection carried out since the school was judged to be good in January 2016. This school continues to be good. The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection.

You, and the senior leadership team, have continued to lead the school with determination and dedication. All leaders play an important role in the continued success of the school. Subject leaders are knowledgea...ble.

They are enthusiastic and committed to improving their respective subject areas. Staff know the pupils well in this smaller-than-average-sized secondary school and are determined to help them reach their full potential. All the staff who responded to the online survey agreed they are proud to be members of staff.

You promote with passion the school's values of honesty, excellence, accountability, respect and tolerance. The learning environment is warm, welcoming and calm. Pupils enjoy coming to school.

They are friendly, polite and show respect for each other and towards adults. Relationships between staff and pupils are strong. Pupils understand about different forms of bullying.

They report that should there be any bullying, staff would deal with it. You provide pupils with varied and plentiful enrichment activities. Pupils value their learning community.

They explained to the inspectors how much they appreciate the support that teachers and other staff provide. Almost all parents and carers who responded to Parent View are supportive of the school. This is further demonstrated by the school's popularity and oversubscription.

You, leaders at all levels, and teaching staff, have ensured that pupils' progress overall has continued to improve. Pupils make good progress in a range of subjects. In 2017 and 2018, pupils' overall progress was above average.

By the end of key stage 4, pupils' attainment is above the national average in many subjects. In English and in mathematics, pupils' progress is particularly strong, and attainment is above the national average. You have an accurate and realistic understanding of the school's performance.

You know what needs to improve and take effective action to make the improvements needed. The school's improvement plan, however, could be more effective in supporting leaders and governors in meeting the school's aims of achieving outstanding outcomes. You have continued to improve the quality of teaching since the previous inspection.

You provide teachers and teaching assistants with effective training. Links with other providers help teachers gain a wider perspective on teaching approaches. Teachers appreciate the opportunities provided to develop new skills and teaching expertise.

They plan learning which allows pupils to gain a strong grasp of basic knowledge. Teachers do not, however, provide pupils with enough opportunities to take on responsibility for their own learning. At times, pupils do not attempt more challenging activities in a timely manner.

You have been successful in improving the areas identified at the previous inspection. Your actions have been most effective in reducing the number of fixed-term exclusions. You have also improved the standards reached by the most able pupils in some subjects.

A higher proportion of the most able pupils than in previous years achieved the higher standards in the 2018 examinations. This was especially true in French and in design and technology. You understand, however, this is not yet consistent across the school.

Members of the governing body are highly committed to the school. They are passionate about the school's ethos and values. Governors bring different skills and experiences to their roles.

They understand what needs further development and check on pupils' achievement. Governors are not afraid to have challenging conversations to hold leaders to account. They do not, however, have rigorous systems in place to do this methodically enough.

Safeguarding is effective. All safeguarding arrangements are fit for purpose. You have created a very strong culture of safeguarding within the school.

Staff know this school community well. They provide pupils with high-quality support to help keep them safe. Life skills lessons and pastoral programmes contribute to pupils' learning of how to keep themselves safe.

Pupils told the inspectors unanimously they feel safe in school. The senior designated teacher for child protection and safeguarding works in harmony with several other designated leaders. They keep themselves, and other staff, well informed about, and trained in, all safeguarding matters.

Governors understand the current guidance relating to safeguarding. They make thorough checks to ensure that leaders have implemented the guidance. Arrangements for the safe recruitment of staff are carried out methodically.

The designated team of staff have established strong relationships with parents. They access any extra support or care pupils may need effectively. All the parents who responded to Ofsted's online survey, Parent View, said that their children feel safe.

Inspection findings ? Leaders have given careful thought to the structure of the curriculum in this small school. They have reviewed the curriculum to ensure that it raises pupils' aspirations. At key stage 4 leaders have refined teaching programmes in some subjects.

They have also introduced a knowledge-based approach to the key stage 3 curriculum. There is now a clear structure to what pupils need to learn, which is designed to ensure that pupils develop subject-specific knowledge, skills and understanding over time. Specialist teaching is not always possible in this small school.

Some staff are required to teach more than one subject. Leaders have, therefore, provided teachers with training to increase their confidence in teaching subjects that they do not specialise in. In other subjects, newly appointed specialist teachers have better subject knowledge.

• Leaders have recently restructured the subject offer at key stage 4. They have also introduced a second language into the school. Pupils now study a modern foreign language through to GCSE.

The proportion of pupils choosing subjects within the English Baccalaureate qualification is, therefore, increasing. ? Leaders have ensured that the most able pupils continue to make good progress. They have supported teachers in placing a greater focus on the needs of the most able pupils.

The proportion of the most able pupils reaching the high standards they should, however, is not consistent across different cohorts or subjects. At times, teachers do not set some pupils tasks at a level which matches their needs. Teachers' questioning does not routinely promote deeper understanding.

On these occasions, pupils are not challenged enough or encouraged to take responsibility for their own learning. ? Disadvantaged pupils make good progress. Often, their progress has enabled them to close the attainment gaps with other pupils nationally.

This is not yet, however, consistent for all cohorts of disadvantaged pupils. Leaders have prioritised this area for further development to ensure that attainment gaps close for the different groups. A pupil-premium champion is bringing a sharp focus for improvement.

Leaders now place a greater emphasis on identifying the barriers faced by this group of pupils. They have put a range of strategies in place to support disadvantaged pupils in overcoming these barriers. ? Pupils' attitudes to learning are a strength of the school.

Teachers have consistently high expectations of pupils' behaviour during lessons. To improve pupils' behaviour even further, leaders have refined the school's behaviour system. There is a new house system and a team of 'attitude to learning' mentors.

Leaders methodically check on pupils' behaviour and measure the impact of any actions that they take. The number of incidents of poor behaviour is low and has reduced over time. The proportion of fixed-term exclusions has also reduced and is now below the national average.

Inspectors saw high standards of behaviour in lessons and around the school. Next steps for the school Leaders and those responsible for governance should ensure that: ? they modify the school's improvement plan to place a sharper focus on further improving and sustaining pupils' progress, including for disadvantaged pupils and the most able pupils ? governors better hold leaders to account for the achievement of different groups of pupils ? teachers provide pupils with more opportunities to move on to more challenging work, better matched to their learning needs, and support them in taking more responsibility for their own learning. I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children's services for Leicester.

This letter will be published on the Ofsted website. Yours sincerely Vondra Mays Ofsted Inspector Information about the inspection During the inspection, inspectors discussed leaders' self-evaluation of the school. Inspectors held meetings with you, the deputy headteachers, subject leaders and several members of staff.

The lead inspector also met with members of the governing body. In several lessons, inspectors, together with one of the deputy headteachers, observed pupils' learning. Inspectors also observed pupils' behaviour during lessons and around the school.

Inspectors spoke with pupils informally, met formally with two groups of pupils and examined samples of pupils' work. In addition, inspectors considered a range of documents. These included the school improvement plan and records relating to pupils' progress, attainment and behaviour.

The lead inspector considered the responses to Parent View, as well as staff survey responses. Inspectors reviewed the school's safeguarding practices. The school's website was also checked to confirm whether it meets the requirements on the publication of specified information.

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