Beis Rochel d'Satmar Girls' School

Beis Rochel d’Satmar Girls School Independent school progress monitoring inspection report

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DfE registration number 204/6296 Unique Reference Number (URN) 100293 Inspection number 404123 Inspection dates 25 June 2012 Reporting inspector Michael Glickman achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under

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T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk No. 090137 Independent school progress monitoring inspection report

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Purpose and scope of the inspection

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under Section 162A of the Education Act 2002, as amended by schedule 8 of the Education Act 2005. 1,2

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Purpose and scope of the inspection

The inspection was conducted at the request of the Registration Authority for independent schools in order to monitor the progress the school has made in implementing its action plan following the previous inspection.

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Information about the school

Beis Rochel d'Satmar Girls' School opened in 1965. It consists of: Early Years Foundation Stage and Year 1 provision in Stoke Newington; infant and junior and separate senior provision in a single building in Amhurst Park; and a seminary for sixth formers in Stamford Hill. These different sections of the school are known as departments. There is no overall headteacher and departments have considerable autonomy. However, steps are being taken to bring the departments closer together.

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Information about the school

There are 1,135 girls on roll aged from three to 19 years, with 208 in the Early Years Foundation Stage. There are four pupils with a statement of special educational needs, mainly linked to behavioural issues and 122 of the children in the Early Years Foundation Stage receive government nursery funding.

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Information about the school

The majority of the pupils are from the Satmar community of Orthodox Judaism but there are also girls from other Chassidic communities and the Yemen. The majority of pupils come from homes where Yiddish is the main language spoken and English is the second language. The school is run substantially on voluntary contributions. There are no fees but parents and carers are expected to pay whatever they can. The last inspection was in 2008 followed by a progress monitoring visit in 2010.

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Information about the school

The school aims to develop each girl in her Jewish identity while experiencing success academically, personally and socially. It seeks to develop in each girl ‘a moral understanding and a range of skills, talents and values such as modesty, tolerance, respect of others, courtesy and general demeanour as a Bas Yisroel (daughter of the Jewish faith)’.

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Information about the school

There is also a boys’ school a short distance from the Amhurst Park site. It currently regards itself as part of the girls’ school but this has not been approved by the Department for Education (DfE). To regularise the position of the boys’ school and incorporate it into the girls’ school, the girls’ school requested a material change.

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Information about the school

1 www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2002/32/contents . 2 www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2005/18/contents . Independent school progress monitoring inspection report

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Context of the inspection

The school was last inspected in February 2012. A material change inspection was carried out on the same date to report on the incorporation into the school of a boys’ department on separate premises. This change was not recommended, as at that time, the school failed to meet a significant number of regulations and Early Years Foundation Stage requirements. The school submitted an action plan in April 2012. The purpose of this visit was to evaluate the progress that the school has made in implementing its action plan. This is the first monitoring visit that the school has received. At the request of the DfE, the regulatory failures identified during the material change inspection have been included in the issues examined in this monitoring visit.

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action plan

Since the last inspection, the school has appointed an administrator with responsibility for ensuring compliance with regulations across all departments. As a result, all regulations and requirements for the Early Years Foundation Stage are now either met or satisfactory progress has been made towards meeting them.

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action plan

The previous inspection identified that there was insufficient opportunity for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage to learn English. The school has incorporated English into wall displays and staff have introduced English vocabulary for numbers, shapes and colours into their teaching. English language books are available in book corners. The school has purchased a series of culturally-appropriate English-language science books and is developing schemes of work and lesson plans to use these for teaching knowledge and understanding of the world from September. It also plans to introduce a daily story in English, for which suitable books have already been purchased. At present, this regulation has not been met, but the school is on track to implement the schemes and to fully introduce the new materials at the beginning of the autumn term.

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action plan

The previous inspection identified that, although the school had an appropriate child protection policy in place, staff were not familiar with it. The designated persons responsible for child protection had not been appropriately trained and some staff had received no child protection training. Two members of staff from each department have now received training as designated persons and the rest of the staff have been suitably trained. Child protection training has been made part of the induction process for new staff. Staff express their confidence in following child protection procedures should the need arise, and have a good knowledge of the procedures.

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action plan

The previous inspection identified that the school had not carried out risk assessments or fire risk assessments of the premises. Comprehensive risk assessments have now been carried out and a professional fire risk assessment has Independent school progress monitoring inspection report been completed for each building. The equipment recommended in this assessment has been purchased and the work recommended has been carried out.

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action plan

The previous inspection identified that the school did not have a plan to fulfil its obligations under the Equality Act 2010. The school has now prepared appropriate plans and has installed disabled toilets in each building.

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action plan

The previous inspection identified that the school had not carried out or could not evidence having carried out, the required checks on the suitability of all of its employees and did not maintain a single central register of checks covering all departments. The school has now carried out the required checks on all staff and has recorded this information in staff files. All information is now recorded in a single central register which covers all departments and is maintained electronically.

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action plan

The previous inspection identified a number of regulatory failures regarding the premises and accommodation. Some washbasins lacked hot water and there were insufficient washroom facilities for pupils, staff and visitors in the main building. The washrooms in the Early Years Foundation Stage building were not maintained in a hygienic condition and not all staff toilets there had hand-washing facilities. The entrance to the main building was inadequately controlled. Maintenance failures and potential hazards were identified within the building and the material change visit identified that one of the playgrounds in the boys’ department had an unfenced drop at one side.

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action plan

All washbasins now have a tap which supplies hot water and hand-washing facilities have been installed in the staff toilets in the Early Years Foundation Stage building. The toilets in all buildings are clean and cleaning staff are active throughout the day.

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action plan

The school has installed 11 new pupils’ toilets in the main building and has engaged a contractor to carry out building works over the summer holidays to create a further five new pupils’ toilets and two staff toilets, which will provide sufficient washroom facilities in all departments to comply with regulations when completed. At present, this regulation has not been fully met, but the school is securely on track to meet it at the start of the autumn term.

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action plan

The entrance to the main building is now appropriately secured. Teachers now carry out a daily check of their classrooms for any damage or potential hazards and record these on a checklist. The administrator performs similar checks on the hallways, washrooms and other communal areas. A maintenance operative attends after school hours and remedies any defects identified. All cleaning materials are stored securely in a locked room. A wooden fence has been installed at the playground in the boys’ department, with steps to aid pupils’ safe access.

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action plan

The previous inspection identified that there were insufficient staff with appropriate qualifications within the Early Years Foundation Stage to provide the required staff-– children ratios. The school has recruited additional staff with NVQ Level 3 qualifications and most classes now have the required ratio. The school is training a Independent school progress monitoring inspection report number of its unqualified staff to NVQ Level 2 to provide sufficient staff to meet requirements. These trainees are currently working alongside qualified staff. As a result, four classes do not have the required ratio of qualified staff at present, although there are sufficient staff to ensure adequate supervision. At present, the requirements have not been met but the training schedule means that the school is on track to meet the requirements in the near future.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

As a result of this inspection, the school must take action to meet The Education (Independent School Standards) (England) Regulations 2010 3 (‘the Regulations’), as follows:

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school does not meet all requirements in respect of the quality of education provided (standards in part 1) and must:

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

 ensure that there is a curriculum policy set out in writing which is supported by appropriate plans and schemes of work, and is implemented effectively (paragraph 2(1))

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

 in the Early Years Foundation Stage, ensure that the school provides lessons in written and spoken English (paragraph 2(2)(d)).

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school does not meet all requirements in respect of provision for welfare, health and safety of pupils (standards in part 3) and must:

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

 ensure there are sufficient washrooms for staff and pupils, including facilities for disabled pupils and those with special educational needs, which take account of regulations 3 and 4 of the Education (School Premises) Regulations 1999 (paragraph 23(j)).

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

In order to comply with the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage, the school must:

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

 ensure that the setting provides lessons in written and spoken English.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

In order to comply with the welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage, the school must:

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

 ensure that the ratio of staff to children complies with statutory requirements

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

 ensure that staff have the correct level of qualification to comply with statutory requirements.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

3 www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2010/1997/contents/made . Independent school progress monitoring inspection report

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School details

Number of pupils with a statement of special educational needs

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School details

Annual fees (day pupils) No fees charged in school Nursery -– £10,000 per year

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School details

Address of school 51–57 Amhurst Park London N16 5DL Telephone number 020 8800 9060

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School details

Email address beisrochelschool@gmail.com

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School details

Headteacher Mrs Jakobovics/Mrs Gluck/Mrs P Schlesinger/Mrs R Knopfler

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School details

Proprietor Beis Rochel D’Satmar Charitable Trust

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