A private school has been given the lowest Ofsted rating possible after inspectors found evidence of a mouse infestation and electrical faults.
Islamia School for Girls in Brent, London, which charges £7,500 a year, was rated ‘inadequate’ in the latest Ofsted report – leading to criticism of the school’s leadership.
Inspectors discovered a mouse infestation on the grounds which had not been dealt with and a number of dangerous electrical issues.
They also found cupboards storing hazardous waste had not been secured properly.
The report, which was published in January, criticised the school’s leadership.
The inspector said: “Leaders’ knowledge of safeguarding practice is weak. Leaders have not prioritised the safety and well-being of the pupils. They do not check carefully that safeguarding systems are effective.”
There were also bullying concerns, despite the school claiming to have a firm grasp on dealing with the issue.
Inspectors said that, according to a survey, around a fifth of students said they would not know who to approach if something was worrying them.
There were also concerns that pupils from both Islamia and the primary school next door had shared access and could mix freely.
According to the report, the school had “not assessed the risks to pupils from this arrangement”.
While safeguarding at the school was marked ‘inadequate’ – which ultimately determined its overall rating – other aspects of the report were positive.
Inspectors said teachers were “knowledgeable” and the interest in their specialist subjects “rubbed off on pupils”, many of whom said they enjoyed studying at Islamia.
Gaps in pupils’ learning were identified quickly and addressed to ensure they can achieve as high a grade as possible when it came to GCSEs.
The report also praised the school’s updated personal, social, health and economic education programme – where pupils were taught about healthy relationships, mental health, online safety and how to avoid dangers outside of school.
The inspector said: “Leaders aim to prepare pupils for life in modern Britain and to inspire pupils to be global citizens as well as Islamic citizens. Pupils are encouraged to understand and respect differences. Leaders also teach pupils about rights and responsibilities that affect different parts of society.”
While behaviour and attitudes and personal development were rated as ‘good’ in this latest report, the quality of education was said to ‘require improvement’ – mainly due to a “lack of ambition” in the curriculum, which focuses mainly on the GCSE syllabus.
Jam Press has contacted Islamia School for Girls for comment.
