Yesoiday Hatorah Boys Academy

Yesoiday Hatorah School Sedgley Park Road, Prestwich, Manchester, M25 0JW

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Not previously inspected This inspection: Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  This increasingly popular and successful school is the heart of the local community.  Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage achieve well from their different starting points.  Pupils in all classes make good progress. By the end of Year 6, they reach standards that are broadly average, and rising, in reading, writing and mathematics.  Teaching is typically good and sometimes outstanding. As a result, pupils are now making faster progress.  The exceptionally positive relationships pupils have with staff help them to grow in confidence and mutual respect.  Pupils’ behaviour is good and sometimes outstanding. Their attitudes to learning are very positive. They are proud of their school and feel safe.  The charismatic and inspirational headteacher, ably assisted by the deputy headteacher, has successfully led improvements in leadership, the quality of teaching and the achievement of

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

pupils.  Governors are passionate about continually improving the school and provide rigorous challenge and support for senior leaders.  Staff and governors work as one team for the benefit of all the pupils and their families. Morale is exceptionally high.  The rich and broad range of subjects is well organised. The promotion of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is excellent.  The school has wonderful relationships with parents and the wider community and receive much praise for their work.  The school has excellent links with other schools, including those of other faiths.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Achievement is not as good in writing as in reading and mathematics.  Occasionally, pupils, in particular the most able, are not always given more demanding work quickly enough. Teachers’ marking does not always help pupils to improve their work.  Pupils do not use and extend their writing skills in a wide enough range of subjects.  In the Early Years Foundation Stage, children do not make quick enough progress in developing their communication skills, particularly in writing.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed 30 parts of lessons, looked at pupils’ work in books and around the school and examined records of their attainment and progress. They also listened to pupils read in Years 2 and 6 and discussed with them their views about reading.  The inspectors observed the school’s work and reviewed a wide range of documentation, including the school’s view of its performance, the school development plan and documents related to safeguarding, pupils’ behaviour and attendance.  The inspectors met with groups of pupils, teachers and senior leaders, members of the governing body, including the Chair of the Governing Body and an external consultant.  The inspectors took into account the views expressed by staff in the 17 voluntary questionnaires they returned.  Inspectors considered the 29 responses to Parent View, the Ofsted online questionnaire, the school’s own surveys of parents’ views and communications from parents that included letters

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Inspection team

Chris Maloney, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Chris Rigby Additional Inspector Doreen Davenport Additional Inspector Paul Latham Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This school is much larger than the average sized primary school. The number of pupils on roll is rising rapidly. Extensive building work is taking place to increase the accommodation.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is well below average. The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is broadly average  Pupils are taught in separate gender groups throughout the school, including in the Early Years Foundation Stage.  The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium is well below average. The pupil premium is additional funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals or looked after by the local authority.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is well above average. The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is also well above average.

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Information about this school

 The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6.  There have been significant changes in staff, including senior leaders, because the school has grown rapidly.  The school is a strategic partner to the Altrincham High Teaching School.  Yesoiday Hatorah School converted to become an academy school on 1 April 2011. When its predecessor school, Yesoiday Hatorah School was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good.  The headteacher is a Local Leader of Education and a member of a government primary education reference group.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching so that more is outstanding in order to further increase the achievement of pupils, particularly in writing, by: - ensuring pupils are given harder work as soon as they are ready, especially for the most able - ensuring teachers consistently provide guidance through marking on how pupils should improve their work and check to see that pupils have responded to their advice - ensuring pupils are able to use and extend their writing skills in a range of subjects.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the opportunities for learning in the Early Years Foundation Stage so that children make faster progress in developing their communication skills, particularly in writing.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children start the Early Years Foundation Stage with skills that are well below those typically expected for their age. They make good progress overall from their different starting points and are increasingly well prepared for their learning in Year 1. However, children’s progress is not quite as quick as it could be in developing their communication skills, particularly in writing.  Standards by the end of Year 2 had been significantly below average in reading, writing and mathematics in 2012. However, standards rose sharply in 2013 to broadly average overall and in reading and mathematics, with more pupils reaching the higher Level 3. Standards in writing remained weaker.  The standards reached by the end of Year 6 were broadly average in 2012 and 2013. In 2013, the proportion of pupils reaching the higher Level 5 was above average in reading, broadly average in mathematics but significantly below average in writing. The proportion of pupils

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The achievement of pupils is good

making better than expected progress was well below average for writing and mathematics, but above average in reading.  However, the work of current pupils in school and inspectors’ checks on records of their progress, show that all groups of pupils are now making good and sometimes outstanding progress. There is no significant gap between the progress of boys and girls.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs are making good and sometimes outstanding progress, due to the well-targeted additional help and high quality support they receive through therapy that is focused on art, social and emotional needs or speech and language.  The most able pupils are now making better progress because they are being given more demanding work to challenge their thinking and stretch their abilities. However, this is not yet consistent in all classes. The writing of some of the most able pupils lacks the richness of ideas

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The achievement of pupils is good

and quality of vocabulary expected.  Standards in reading are rising due to good quality teaching throughout school, the extra focus on developing early reading skills and the promotion of a love of reading throughout school. In the 2013 Year 1 check on reading, pupils attained higher than is expected by pupils nationally reflecting their increasing understanding of the sounds that letters make.  Pupils enthusiastically told inspectors about their love of reading at home and school and their excitement about using the high quality school library. They also shared their love of authors such as Enid Blyton and Miriam Waltzer.  Writing standards in all classes are rising, especially spelling, punctuation and grammar, but progress is slower than in reading and mathematics. Although writing skills are well promoted in English, pupils are not able to practice and extend their writing skills across a wide range of

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The achievement of pupils is good

subjects and in other studies in the school.  In mathematics, pupils are now achieving well. Calculation and problem solving skills are developed well.  Pupils from minority ethnic groups, including those who speak English as an additional language make good progress because of the skilled and sensitive support they receive with their learning.  In Year 6 in 2013 the gap in the attainment of pupils supported by the pupil premium, including those known to be eligible for free school meals, compared to their peers, closed significantly. Attainment was similar to that of the others in their year group overall in writing and mathematics but widened to a year behind in reading. Across the year groups currently in the school, the gaps in attainment of those supported through the pupil premium and the other pupils in school are closing or nonexistent. This reflects the school’s commitment to ensuring equality of opportunity for every pupil.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is typically good and occasionally outstanding. A particularly strong part of teaching is that teachers and support staff take every opportunity to get to know pupils exceptionally well as individuals and this boosts pupils’ self-confidence and self-esteem. There is a clear focus on developing the whole child.  Teaching in the Early Years Foundation Stage is good. Staff are very caring and nurture children’s love of learning well. There is a range of stimulating activities both in the classrooms and outdoors.  Where teaching is most effective, tasks engage all pupils with work that is challenging enough and so learning is at least good. Teachers use their good subject knowledge to ask searching questions to deepen pupils’ knowledge and understanding. They regularly check on pupils’ learning so that pupils can be given more challenging work as soon as they are ready. For example, in Year 6, pupils made rapid progress in identifying rights and responsibilities involved

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The quality of teaching is good

in the Feudal system as they prepared for their trip to York. Pupils were fully engrossed in their learning. Probing questions challenged pupils’ thinking and excited their interests via group and class discussions, where all contributions were valued and respected. Pupils were well motivated and expectations of what could be achieved were high.  However, sometimes pupils, in particular the most able, are not always given more demanding work quickly enough and this slows the progress they make.  The quality of marking is improving and there are some excellent examples in Key Stage 2 of what pupils should do to make their work even better. However, this good practice is not yet seen in all classes and teachers do not consistently check that pupils are following up the advice given.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils is good. They enjoy school and have very positive attitudes to learning. This is reflected in their excellent punctuality and above average and rising attendance.  They behave well in lessons, as they move around school and during break times. They play harmoniously and are considerate to each other. Sometimes their behaviour is outstanding.  Pupils are polite, courteous and extremely welcoming to visitors. They were keen to tell inspectors about their pride in their school. A typical comment was, ‘I love coming here, I know it will help me develop the skills I will need in the future’.  They are highly respectful of other cultures and faiths and show a good understanding of the challenges brought by an ever changing world.  Pupils have excellent relationships with staff. This boosts pupils’ self-confidence and self-esteem well. Pupils feel staff care about them as individuals. A typical comment was, ‘Whenever anyone

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

has a problem, any member of staff will help.’  Pupils say they enjoy doing challenging work that stretches their abilities. However, when learning does not fully meet their needs, some pupils lose interest in their learning and this hinders the progress that they make. Some pupils do not take enough pride in the presentation of their work.  Pupils’ enjoyment of the many opportunities they have to help others or take responsibility is clear in the enthusiastic way they speak about being ‘Big Buddies’ or being a member of the ‘School Forum’.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. They know a lot about staying safe and have a secure understanding of different types of bullying, including prejudice-based. Pupils say bullying rarely happens, but are confident staff will always sort it out fairly and effectively.

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The leadership and management are good

 The exceptional headteacher has galvanised the whole-school community in sharing his high ambition and drive in leaving no stone unturned in making the school the very best it can be. He has received good support from the deputy headteacher in particular and other senior leaders, to ensure improvements in the quality of teaching and the achievement of pupils were a priority during a period of rapidly rising numbers of pupils, significant changes in leadership and extensive building work.  The high morale reflects the whole-school ethos of working together to provide the best possible learning experiences for pupils through the successful integration of familiar school subjects and Hebrew studies, called Kodesh. This focus on the whole child is an exceptional strength of the school.  The training and development of staff is strong and the school makes good use of local and national training opportunities for teachers and teaching assistants. Teachers have a good range

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The leadership and management are good

of opportunities to develop their leadership skills and to work closely with staff from the local authority, such as, with the mathematics adviser to help improve the teaching of mathematics and to model good practice.  Senior leaders rigorously check on the performance of teachers and support staff and work closely with middle and subject leaders to improve the quality of teaching and the achievement of pupils.  Closer checks are now being made on the progress of individual pupils as well as different groups of pupils and this means decisive actions can be taken quickly to support any who are in danger of underachieving. This underlines the school’s commitment to equal opportunities.  Senior leaders use their accurate understanding of the quality of teaching and the achievement of pupils to plan precisely measurable actions to bring about improvement. These have been successful in addressing inconsistencies seen in the past in pupils’ progress, especially in writing

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The leadership and management are good

and mathematics. Although pupils are now achieving well across school, senior leaders acknowledge that more needs to be done to fully embed the improvements made, especially in writing and to eradicate the few remaining weaknesses in teaching.  The many changes in leadership roles have been successfully introduced and these are enabling senior leaders and governors to very effectively manage the improvements in teaching and achievement in this rapidly expanding school.  The curriculum is rich and creative in the way it links subjects and other areas of learning together. It promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development exceptionally well. Music is a strength of the school and the quality of singing is truly spine tingling.  Particularly strong links exist with the teaching school syndicate based at Altrincham High School and this has improved the quality of staff training. Excellent joint ventures exist with schools of

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The leadership and management are good

other faiths, such as Church of England and Muslim. These experiences enhance pupils’ respect for other faiths and cultures.  The school has excellent links with parents. A typical parental comment was, ‘I am so happy my children go to this school and get the help that they need and I mean this from the whole of my heart.’  Good use has been made of the additional primary school sports funding to improve facilities at the school and the quality of sports teaching by school staff. This is having a positive impact on the well-being of pupils.  The governance of the school:  Governors are passionate about improving the school and never rest on their laurels. The Chair of the Governing Body is particularly impressive in the way he ensures governors support and challenge leaders so that all pupils, including the most able, achieve as well as they can. Governors have an accurate understanding how well the school is doing. They

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The leadership and management are good

rigorously hold teachers to account via arrangements for any increases in salary for pupils making good progress. All finances are carefully used, including the pupil premium and sports funding and their impact on pupils’ learning is carefully tracked. Governors have ensured that disruptions caused by the building work have been kept to a minimum and that safeguarding meets requirements.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 2 Good A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupils’ needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 3 Requires improvement A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school is

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Grade Judgement Description

failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors.

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School details

Unique reference number 136661 Local authority Not applicable Inspection number 443893

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School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Academy converter Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 812 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Modche Halpern Principal Jonathon Yodaiken Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Telephone number 0161 773 6364 Fax number 0161 773 3914 Email address info@yhs.org.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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School details

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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School details

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk, or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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School details

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 and 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. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please

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School details

telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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