AN independent school in Kidderminster has been slammed for being unsafe for students and not educating them properly.

Following inspections in October last year, Ofsted rated the Madinatul Uloom Al Islamiya School and its boarding provision as 'inadequate.'

The school, located off Heath Lane, is an independent Islamic boarding and day school for boys and young men aged between 11 and 28. There are 219 pupils at the school and at the time of the inspection there were 190 pupils boarding.

The inspection report for the school, which was published earlier this month, highlighted that "some of the independent school standards are not being met."

Inspectors said: "This means that pupils are not receiving a suitable education and being kept safe".

An inspection report of the boarding provision, which was carried out at the same time as the school, highlighted that "significant failures in safeguarding practice have left children at risk of harm and there is a poor safeguarding culture in the school."

The report said: "Leaders and managers do not act as needed to safeguard children. For example, the designated safeguarding lead does not quickly gain further information when the school is alerted that there is reasonable cause to suspect that a child is suffering or is likely to suffer significant harm.

"As a result, leaders and managers do not have all relevant information to help them decide whether children are safe to go home. Leaders are too willing to believe children and parents without corroborating what they tell them.

"This lack of professional curiosity and over-optimism does not safeguard children".

Elsewhere in the report of the school, inspectors found that the secular curriculum "lacks quality, both in its construction and in its delivery" which "hinders pupils’ progress".

Inspectors found that many teachers at the school "do not have the subject knowledge they need to teach their subject well".

There is also a concern for the careers of students at the school, with the report highlighting that the sixth-form curriculum "lacks breadth" and that pupils have a "narrow range of subjects to choose from".

The school report rated the behaviour and attitudes of students as ‘good.’

It added that "pupils are keen, happy and enthusiastic individuals.

"They greet each other, staff and visitors with a warm and welcoming smile each day.

"Staff and pupils treat each other with genuine care, courtesy, politeness and respect. One pupil’s comment that ‘the school is like a family’ was echoed by all".

"Pupils feel safe. The strong, respectful school community means that pupils do not worry about bullying. Pupils trust adults to resolve any issues and know who to turn to for help.

"However, leaders lack the professional curiosity needed to safeguard pupils. Leaders wait to be told the detail if another agency raises a concern. They do not follow up reports quickly to help ‘join the dots’ and keep pupils safe".

Inspectors said leaders are “determined to improve the curriculum” and have already made some “positive changes.”

The Shuttle has approached Madinatul Uloom Al Islamiya School for comment.