An Islamic secondary school has achieved a Good rating from Ofsted following its first inspection.

Rawdhatul Ilm Wal Huda, in Moss Street, Blackburn, is registered to admit up to 450 girls between the ages of 11 and 25.

At the time of the inspection, the pupils were in year 7 to year 10, while the school occupies a new purpose-built building which incorporates both the school and the boarding provision over five floors.

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The school was registered with the Department for Education on September 23, 2022, and was undergoing its first inspection.

It received an Outstanding grade for behaviour and attitudes and Good in all other areas.

The report said: “The school is a friendly and welcoming community where pupils and staff are valued. Pupils love coming to school. This is reflected in their high rates of attendance and exemplary behaviour.

“The school has high expectations for all pupils’ achievement. Most pupils meet these expectations by learning well across the curriculum. The school caters equally well for pupils’ social and emotional development.

“Pupils experience high-quality support and guidance. They said their teachers really care about them. They are tolerant and respectful citizens.

“Pupils participate in a wide range of enrichment opportunities. These include trips and visits such as to an ice-skating rink, a farm, and museums. They also enjoy participating in a variety of clubs and sports, including cooking, art, football, and dodgeball.”

Inspectors also noted that many of the teachers had good subject knowledge and used their expertise well to explain ideas and concepts to students.

Areas for improvement highlighted included teachers not checking enough that pupils understand their learning before moving on, and the school’s systems to check how well older pupils are learning to read do not always identify where pupils have missed phonics knowledge.

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Head teacher Aysha Ahmed said:  "We are delighted with the report and grading Ofsted judged our school with. As a school, we opened our doors just 14 months ago and are proud of the phenomenal progress we've made.

"Within this short span of time, with the help of the Almighty and the support of our wonderful staff, hardworking students, supportive parents, well-wishers and the wider community, we have been able to provide a wonderful service as the report highlights.

"We would like to thank all our stakeholders for their unwavering support. We pray that the Almighty allows us to continue serving our communities positively."