Abu Bakr Al-Ihsaan Academy, Walsall
Abu Bakr Al-Ihsaan Academy is an independent school for pupils aged 4 to 16 in Walsall. It was rated Inadequate at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in January 2025. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in January 2026 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Inadequate (2025)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Abu Bakr Al-Ihsaan Academy in detail
Abu Bakr Al-Ihsaan Academy in its own words
In its own words: "To provide a seamless and outstanding educational journey from Nursery through to Secondary education, where academic excellence is nurtured alongside Islamic values, strong character, and personal growth. As a unique all-through educational campus, we offer families the convenience and continuity of a single learning community, comprising our Nursery, Primary School, Girls’ Secondary School, and Boys’ Secondary School."
From the headteacher's welcome: "It is my pleasure to warmly welcome you to Abu Bakr Girls School, a place where faith, knowledge, and character come together to inspire and empower the next generation of Muslim women."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include STEM and debating.
Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)Clubs (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
The Department for Education's GCSE measures do not count IGCSEs, which many independent schools take instead of GCSEs, so the Attainment 8 and English and maths figures it publishes for Abu Bakr Al-Ihsaan Academy can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other independent schools to Abu Bakr Al-Ihsaan Academy are Abu Bakr Boys School (0.4 miles, Requires improvement); Emmanuel School (0.8 miles); Mayfield Preparatory School (1 mile); and Hydesville Tower School (1.2 miles).
Abu Bakr Boys SchoolEmmanuel SchoolMayfield Preparatory SchoolHydesville Tower School
What parents say
10 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Abu Bakr Al-Ihsaan Academy (as of September 2025): 90% would recommend the school, 90% say their child is happy there and 100% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (100%); the weakest, that their child is happy at the school (90%).
Who goes there
In 2026, 8 pupils (5.1%) received SEN support and 0 (0%) had an education, health and care plan.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Walsall Rail Station, about 1040 metres away (roughly a 13-minute walk).
10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Bescot Crescent (adjacent), 30 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Abu Bakr Al-Ihsaan Academy stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 686 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, shoplifting and vehicle crime. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Walsall (297), as is usual near a town centre.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 9 months agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Safeguarding: not effective
Independent school standards
Did not meet the independent school standards in Part 1 (quality of education), Part 3 (welfare, health and safety), Part 5 (premises and accommodation), Part 6 (information for parents), Part 7 (handling of complaints) and Part 8 (leadership and management).
- Part 1: quality of educationNot met
- Part 2: pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural developmentMet
- Part 3: welfare, health and safetyNot met
- Part 4: suitability of staff and proprietorsMet
- Part 5: premises and accommodationNot met
- Part 6: information for parentsNot met
- Part 7: handling of complaintsNot met
- Part 8: leadership and managementNot met
Ofsted also found the school was not keeping to the terms of its registration (for example its age range or pupil numbers).
Progress-monitoring inspection, 7 January 2026: The school did not meet all the standards Ofsted checked.
Source: Ofsted, non-association independent schools inspections and outcomes (Open Government Licence)
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's January 2026 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
The school has made significant progress in improving teaching quality through staff training and now uses modern interactive screens effectively in lessons. Teachers demonstrate good subject knowledge and present information clearly. The school has a strong safeguarding culture and has resolved previous health and safety issues with toilets and basic site hazards.
Key Strengths
- Teachers now have secure subject knowledge and present information clearly to pupils
- Effective assessment system in place to track pupil learning and identify gaps
- Strong safeguarding strategies with trained staff and detailed records
- School has improved toilets and fixed immediate site hazards
- Comprehensive complaints policy now available to parents
Areas for Improvement
- Fire exit signage not correctly displayed in many rooms
- Inadequate heating in some classrooms during cold weather
- Uneven playground surfaces and trip hazards around drains remain
- School continues to operate as single-sex secondary despite breach of registration
- Leadership and management standards not yet consistently met
Safeguarding
Safeguarding is effective with trained staff, detailed records, and a shared culture of safeguarding across the school supported by regular staff meetings.
Abu Bakr Al-Ihsaan Academy is an Islamic day school for ages 4-16 in Walsall. The school does not meet all independent school standards, with ongoing concerns about site safety, fire exit signage, and unlawful sex-based discrimination in secondary admissions.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
10 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Secondary Performance (GCSE)
The Department for Education's GCSE measures do not count IGCSEs, which many independent schools take instead of GCSEs, so the Attainment 8 and English and maths figures it publishes for Abu Bakr Al-Ihsaan Academy can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
GCSE Subjects Offered
2025/26 academic year - entries by number of pupils
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby all-through schools
Keep up with Abu Bakr Al-Ihsaan Academy
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Abu Bakr Al-Ihsaan Academy.
- KIDZ HUB930m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 31
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 11
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 31 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 29 slight.
11 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 4 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 6 in a vehicle or otherwise.
3 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Walsall is 20.5 (the median across 134 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
17%
Available places
157 pupils
909 places
752 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Walsall
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Walsall
Across Walsall council
Places available
4,069
Applications
3,782
Got 1st preference
77.4%
Got preferred school
94.0%
All secondary applications across Walsall council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(7)
Independent school Progress Monitoring inspection
Outcome: the school did not meet all the standards Ofsted checked.
Did not meet the independent school standards in Part 1 (quality of education), Part 3 (welfare, health and safety), Part 5 (premises and accommodation), Part 6 (information for parents), Part 7 (handling of complaints) and Part 8 (leadership and management).
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
8
SEN Support
0
EHC Plans
5.1%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Key Indicators
157
Total Pupils
40
Boys
117
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Abu Bakr Al-Ihsaan Academy
Showing 10 of 14 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Abu Bakr Al-Ihsaan Academy
What are GCSE results like at Abu Bakr Al-Ihsaan Academy?
The Department for Education's GCSE measures do not count IGCSEs, which many independent schools take instead of GCSEs, so the Attainment 8 and English and maths figures it publishes for Abu Bakr Al-Ihsaan Academy can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
What is Abu Bakr Al-Ihsaan Academy's Ofsted rating?
Abu Bakr Al-Ihsaan Academy's most recent Ofsted inspection, in January 2026, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in January 2025, it was rated Inadequate.
Does Abu Bakr Al-Ihsaan Academy meet the independent school standards?
At its most recent standard inspection, in January 2025, Abu Bakr Al-Ihsaan Academy did not meet the independent school standards in Part 1 (quality of education), Part 3 (welfare, health and safety), Part 5 (premises and accommodation), Part 6 (information for parents), Part 7 (handling of complaints) and Part 8 (leadership and management). At a later progress-monitoring inspection in January 2026, the school did not meet all the standards Ofsted checked.
How many pupils go to Abu Bakr Al-Ihsaan Academy?
Abu Bakr Al-Ihsaan Academy has around 157 pupils on roll.
How do I apply to Abu Bakr Al-Ihsaan Academy?
Abu Bakr Al-Ihsaan Academy is an independent school and runs its own admissions rather than going through the local authority. Contact the school directly for entry requirements, assessment dates, fees and any bursaries.
Does Abu Bakr Al-Ihsaan Academy have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club within a kilometre of Abu Bakr Al-Ihsaan Academy: KIDZ HUB (930m away, registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near Abu Bakr Al-Ihsaan Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 31 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 29 slight. 11 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 4 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 6 in a vehicle or otherwise. 3 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Walsall is 20.5 (the median across 134 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Abu Bakr Al-Ihsaan Academy?
Abu Bakr Al-Ihsaan Academy is at 154- 160 Wednesbury Road, Palfrey, Walsall, West Midlands, WS1 4JJ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)