The youngest children at Derby’s Muslim free school have moved into new classrooms after the Government agreed changes must be made.
The primary pupils at Al-Madinah School have swapped an office block in Friar Gate, with no safe outdoor space, for several large airy rooms and a playground area at Midland House, in Nelson Street.
The move comes after a damning inspection report called for the closure of the secondary section of the school and a decision that the primary accommodation in Norman House, Friar Gate, was not suitable.
Since last September, the children have been unable to play outside because of health and safety concerns. This led to many parents of the 180 children complaining that their youngsters were staying indoors all day and watching DVDs at lunch and break times to keep them amused.
Additionally, the classroom areas were large open spaces, often preventing children in different classes from being able to hear the teacher because of noise from other pupils in different age groups.
As early as last December, it was being suggested that the primary children should move to the school’s secondary site at Midland House.
Plans were put in place to make the move with proposals to create a new play area and fit out a suite of classrooms and a dining area adjacent to each other and separate from the secondary section.
The result is a series of light, airy spaces, which even after only a few days looked as if they had been the children’s classrooms for far longer.
The walls are adorned with children’s artwork and brightly-coloured posters.
The move has been engineered by Barry Day, chief executive of education charity Greenwood Dale Foundation Trust.
The trust stepped in at the request of the Government after Al-Madinah School hit the headlines last year.
Its poor standard of education – across both the primary and secondary age ranges – resulted in it being placed in special measures following a damning report from Ofsted.
The Government intervened, ordered a financial inquiry and, it is believed, considered shutting the school.
But the request from Schools Minister Lord Nash to Mr Day led him to get involved. He declined to adopt the school into his trust’s family of schools but has been giving time to creating an action plan for Al-Madinah School.
He also become chairman of the school’s new trust board when it was set up on February 1.
As a result, Lord Nash announced he would be closing the secondary section of the school at the end of the summer term, giving the primary section a chance to carry on.
The news has had a mixed reception among parents of pupils at the school, who are still campaigning to keep the secondary section open.
But another new trust board member, Arshed Ahmed, secretary of the school’s parents and friends association, said his son was delighted with the new primary section.
He said: “My son told me, ‘Dad, you’ve done a good job’. Although it is not just me who has been involved, I am delighted with the new accommodation for the children.
“There’s loads of natural light and a real feel-good factor. It’s important that we get this just right because we want the children to be happy and to want to come to school.”
Safeena Higgins is acting head of Al-Madinah School, and Suzanne Sutherland has been re-appointed as head of the primary section – a role she held when the school was first opened in September 2012 but later left.
Mrs Higgins said: “Everyone has settled in really well, both staff and teachers.
“Parents who have called in are also very impressed and pleased that we are continuing with our Islamic ethos.
“As well as taking the form of Islamic studies and pupils learning Arabic as a modern foreign language, it also affects manners and behaviour and a ‘take care’ attitude.
“As well as the classrooms, we have a large hall and, in the long term, will have a games area outdoors.”
Mr Day is delighted with how the move has gone from one site to another.
He said: “The staff have been so supportive during the move, which we have been able to make without any problems and in record time.
“It is important that old inappropriate buildings are not used as schools.”
Mr Day is pleased that parents have shown faith with the school and not taken their primary-age children out, although many secondary pupils have started to leave.
He said: “We had two extra pupils join us during the February half term and I expect to be over-subscribed for September and for more than 60 children to want to come.
“In the meantime, we have to make sure that the next monitoring report by Ofsted, due before Easter, shows improvement is taking place.”
Two more members are due to join the trust board in the near future, bringing the total to six.
One will be a professional person and the other from Derby City Council.
Mr Day added: “We have managed to eradicate the need for supply teachers, which the school was surviving on at one time, and we are looking forward to moving forward at a steady pace.
“Mr Nash has indicated that, if we get the primary school right, then a secondary school could return in a few years’ time.
“It’s up to us to drive on and ensure the school is outstanding as soon as possible.”