Leicester Islamic Academy

Overview

The inspection found that Leicester Islamic Academy is a ‘happy and cohesive’ school where pupils are ‘well-cared for’ and behave well. Leaders have designed an ‘ambitious curriculum’ that builds cumulatively, enabling pupils to develop a ‘strong knowledge base’ and apply learning in new contexts. The school successfully aims to raise ‘British Muslim Citizens of the UK who give back to their society’, with staff and parents reporting a ‘nurturing and supportive environment’.

Strengths

• The curriculum is ‘designed and implemented’ with clear expectations, logical sequencing, and cumulative building of knowledge.
• Pupils demonstrate ‘impressive recall’ of learning and can apply it across the majority of subjects.
• Personal development is a strength, with a well-designed PSHE curriculum supporting social, moral, spiritual and cultural growth.
• Early years provision is positive, with staff who ‘know children well’ and take good care of them.
• The school is ‘well led and managed’, with leaders who are ‘quick to act where improvements are needed’.

Areas to improve

• The phonics programme lacks consistency; reading books do not always align with taught sounds, slowing mastery for early readers.
• Teachers do not always adapt lessons sufficiently for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), limiting their access to the curriculum.

Safeguarding

The report states that ‘the arrangements for safeguarding are effective’.