Al Hikmah Boys School has two overriding aims that are fully entwined with each other. The school’s vision is to give boys the knowledge and skills they need to become good Muslims. The school sees it as equally important that boys are taught to be useful and effective members of modern British society. Leaders and staff share this view and it influences every aspect of the school’s work. Leaders and staff have high expectations of how pupils should behave. They make these expectations clear, and pupils respond very well to them. Sanctions are proportionate and applied consistently. As a result, classrooms are calm, productive places where pupils can learn. The atmosphere around the school is welcoming and friendly. Pupils are notably polite and well mannered. Leaders and staff also have high expectations of pupils academically. Pupils are expected to work hard and to achieve as well as they can. Leaders and staff monitor pupils’ progress regularly to check that they are learning the curriculum as well as they should, from their individual starting points. Pupils enjoy coming to school and feel safe there. Pupils told inspectors that the school ‘is like a family’ and that they have no concerns about bullying.