Dar Ul Madinah

Overview

This independent school provides a supportive environment where pupils are “well known and cared for,” fostering a culture of “respect and tolerance.” Leaders have maintained a “suitably ambitious curriculum” despite recent changes in leadership and pupil numbers, ensuring most pupils achieve well and behave positively. The school meets independent school standards, though it must address specific gaps in curriculum delivery and support for vulnerable pupils.

Strengths

• Pupils display “positive attitudes to learning” and treat each other with “kindness and consideration.”
• The curriculum is “carefully organised” to help pupils “build knowledge logically over time,” particularly in established subjects.
• Reading is prioritised effectively; staff deliver the phonics programme well, helping most pupils become “confident and fluent readers.”
• Pupils benefit from diverse opportunities beyond the classroom, such as visits to museums and zoos, enhancing their understanding of the wider world.
• Staff well-being is supported, with leaders providing time to “embed new ways of working.”

Areas to improve

• The school must ensure staff have the expertise to adapt teaching effectively for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), as current adaptations prevent these pupils from achieving as well as they could.
• In subjects with newer curriculums, the school should ensure pupils have sufficient opportunities to revisit learning, preventing gaps in knowledge when moving to new content.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with clear procedures, trained staff, and a culture that puts pupils’ interests first.