Madani Girls’ School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Madani Girls' is a friendly and welcoming school.

It is an exciting place in which to learn. Leaders' expectations are very high, with regard to the work pupils complete in school. Pupils are very polite, articulate and courteous.

They consistently live up to the school's 'HEART' values of honesty, excellence, accountability, respect and teamwork. A parent summed this up well, saying: 'Overall, a family feel at the school, where every single pupil can thrive to the best of her ability.'

Pupils follow an ambitious curriculum.

This is very well planned, although there are some very minor inconsistencies in how this is implemented at times. Pupils gain... deep knowledge and understanding in a wide range of subjects. Pupils achieve very high standards by the end of key stage 4.

Leaders have very high expectations of how pupils will behave. Behaviour is exceptional. There are respectful relationships throughout the school.

Pupils are happy and feel safe. Bullying is very rare. When it happens, pupils are confident that adults will sort it out swiftly.

Leaders provide pupils with a very wide range of experiences. These activities enrich and enhance pupils' learning and enable them to find their voice in an assertive but respectful way. Pupils can choose from the 36 extra-curricular enhancement clubs on offer.

These range from the Duke of Edinburgh's Award to Arabic cooking.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Governors have a very clear vision for the school. They work with senior leaders to ensure this is consistently realised.

Leaders and staff provide a high-quality education at this school. They think deeply about the curriculum that they provide for pupils. They have made sure that pupils can study a broad and ambitious range of subjects.

Almost all pupils choose to follow the English Baccalaureate suite of subjects at key stage 4. The curriculum prepares pupils very well for further study post-16 and beyond.

Leaders have organised subject curriculums well.

They have set out the essential knowledge that pupils need to learn. Leaders have thought very carefully about the order in which pupils learn this important knowledge. This is to make sure that pupils build securely and consistently on what they already know.

Leaders and staff identify pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) well. They work very effectively with parents and carers and with other professionals to secure help for these pupils if they need it. Teachers make appropriate adaptations where these will help pupils to learn well.

Consequently, pupils achieve highly, including disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND.

In most lessons, teachers work effectively with pupils to ensure they all know how well they are learning. However, very occasionally, staff do not check what pupils know and can recall from prior learning.

Leaders have placed a high priority on supporting pupils at the early stages of reading. Staff provide these pupils with the help that they need to improve their reading. This helps pupils to quickly catch up and learn as well as their peers.

They soon become confident and fluent readers.

Leaders are passionate about ensuring all pupils achieve highly. They encourage pupils to find their voice so that they can make a positive contribution to their school and the world in which they live.

Leaders provide a very wide range of opportunities for personal development. The opportunities have been carefully thought out and planned so that all pupils benefit extremely well from the experiences they have. Leaders are ambitious for every pupil to do well.

The wide range of extra-curricular activities are well attended by pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND.

All pupils receive appropriate careers advice and guidance. This prepares them extremely well for their future education and careers.

Leaders are determined that all pupils will gain in confidence, preparing them well to become positive and active citizens in modern Britain.

Leaders work well with parents and the local community. They promote high aspirations for pupils within and beyond the school.

Pupils can visit parliament and the National Space Centre. Leaders provide opportunities for pupils to make a positive impact in their local community. For example, by litter-picking locally.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have established a strong culture of safeguarding. They train staff in all aspects of safeguarding and provide weekly updates to maintain staff knowledge.

As a result, staff are vigilant and act promptly, should they have a concern about a pupil's welfare. Leaders respond very quickly to individual cases and work well with external organisations.

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe through a well-designed curriculum.

They revisit key topics frequently at an age-appropriate level. The strong relationships in school mean that pupils have an adult they can talk to and resolve any problems they have.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Approaches to checking what pupils know and can remember do not consistently identify gaps in pupils' learning.

Very occasionally, teachers do not check effectively enough how successfully pupils acquire knowledge and use it fluently. When this occurs, pupils are not clear if they are learning new knowledge and skills accurately. Leaders should ensure that staff reliably check on what pupils know and can recall so that they can build successfully on prior learning.

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