Getters Talmud Torah

Progress monitoring school report Getters Talmud Torah

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86 Amhurst Park, Hackney, London, N16 5AR

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Context of the inspection

 This inspection was undertaken at the request of the Department of Education, registration authority for independent schools, in order to monitor the progress the school has made in implementing its action plan and to check if independent school regulations are met in the following areas; the quality of education (part 1 and part 2) and the quality of leadership and management (part 8).  The school was inspected in December 2014. Leadership and management were judged inadequate because the proprietor failed to ensure regulations are met. The quality of teaching and the achievement of pupils were judged inadequate.  Pupils’ behaviour and safety was judged as good. The provision in the Early years Foundation Stage was judged to require improvement.  Following the inspection the school submitted an action plan to address the inspection findings in June 2015. This was evaluated to require improvement.

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Main findings

 The inspection in December 2014 found that the proprietor hd not ensured that there was a written curriculum policy with appropriate schemes of work that were implemented effectively.  In the school’s action plan, leaders intended to write schemes of work in geography, history, science, music, technology, arts and crafts. This has not been done.  School leaders have drafted schemes of work for history and geography. This indicates pupils should study topics such as, investigating rivers, coastal erosion, Tudor Britain, World War 1 and 2. However, the schemes of work lack detail. They do not demonstrate how pupils will make progress or develop subject specific skills. No allowance is made for pupils to learn in different ways appropriate to their aptitudes and abilities.  Pupils’ secular studies books contain insufficient work. For example, in the sample given to inspectors for scrutiny, since May 2014, there were only 11 pieces of work in a combined

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Main findings

science and geography book.  By September 2015, the school planned to write schemes of work for music, technology, arts and crafts and to introduce a weekly art lesson. These actions have not occurred.  No evidence was available to demonstrate that pupils have opportunities to develop their physical education skills as they progress through the school.  School leaders have begun to reorganise the existing mathematics curriculum so that pupils are working at a more appropriate level. Published schemes of work have been reviewed and updated. Teachers have received guidance about how to challenge pupils to achieve more in lessons. Teachers’ expectations about pupils’ performance have risen since the last inspection because of this input, but work in pupils’ English and mathematics books still shows too much repetition of basic skills and exercises. Pupils are not acquiring new knowledge or making good

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Main findings

progress in secular areas of the school’s curriculum.  In the school’s action plan leaders undertook to introduce homework. Pupils confirmed that this has been implemented. They told inspectors they find it helpful to practise their work at home.  Senior leaders have begun to review and update teaching methods and raise awareness of the Monitoring report: Getters Talmud Torah, 3 September 2015 2 of 6

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Main findings

need to make more effective use of class time. But these initiatives have taken too long; consequently the quality of teaching and assessment is not improving quickly enough.  The quality of education in the nursery class is now more appropriate and meaningful for young children. Leaders have introduced a wider range of learning experiences. Adults allow children to explore open ended activities in addition to adult-led instruction. Children are assessed and this information is used to plan further teaching and learning opportunities. Whilst this approach has been effectively implemented in the nursery, it has not started in the reception.  Leaders’ work to track pupils’ progress remains underdeveloped. New staff training enables teachers to understand how a framework referenced against national norms can raise standards. However, the school development plan of October 2014 states that voluntary tests

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Main findings

would be introduced during the academic year 2014/2015 to ‘provide a clearer picture of pupils’ development.’ This was not done.  The school still does not meet the assessment requirements in Part 2 of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. An Early Years Foundation Stage Profile is not completed for each child. Children’s achievement at the end of the reception is not assessed against the early learning goals. The required information is not reported to parents or to the local authority.  The safeguarding policy is not compliant with ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ guidance. Since the last inspection there have been two updates to the statutory guidance in March 2015 and July 2015. The school’s policy contains no reference to either of these revisions.  Other policies have not been reviewed by the stated time, notably teaching and learning and assessment policies.  Senior leaders are reviewing and updating school practice. Since the last inspection, teachers

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Main findings

are being observed and provided with feedback about their work, schemes of work are being updated and awareness of the need to review the curriculum and other aspects of established practice are beginning to change. This work is not occurring fast enough.  The proprietor has not ensured that independent school standards are met consistently.

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Regulations 2014 and associated requirements

 The proprietor must ensure that there is a written policy on the curriculum, supported by appropriate schemes of work, which is implemented effectively (paragraph 2(1)).  The proprietor must ensure that the curriculum gives pupils experience in linguistic, mathematical, scientific, technological, human and social, physical and aesthetic and creative education (paragraph 2(2)(a)).  The proprietor must ensure that the curriculum offers subject matter which is appropriate to the ages and aptitudes of pupils, including those with a statement of special educational needs (paragraph 2(2)(b)).  The proprietor must ensure that the curriculum provides opportunities for pupils acquire speaking, listening, literacy and numeracy skills (paragraph 2(2)(c)).  The proprietor must ensure that the curriculum gives all pupils the opportunity to learn and make progress (paragraph 2(2)(i)).  The proprietor must ensure that teaching enables pupils to acquire new knowledge and make

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Regulations 2014 and associated requirements

good progress according to their ability so that they increase their understanding and develop their skills in the subjects taught (paragraph 3 (a)).  The proprietor must ensure that teaching fosters in pupils self-motivation, the application of intellectual, physical and creative effort, interest in their work and the ability to think and learn for themselves (paragraph 3 (b)).  The proprietor must ensure that teaching at the school involves well-planned lessons and Monitoring report: Getters Talmud Torah, 3 September 2015 3 of 6

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Regulations 2014 and associated requirements

effective teaching methods, activities and management of class time (paragraph 3, 3(c)).  The proprietor must ensure that teaching at the school shows a good understanding of the aptitudes, needs and prior attainment of the pupils, and ensures that these are taken into account in the planning of lessons (paragraph 3, 3 (d)).  The proprietor must ensure that teaching demonstrates good knowledge and understanding of the subject matter being taught (paragraph 3 (e)).  The proprietor must ensure that teaching demonstrates that a framework is in place to assess pupils’ work regularly and thoroughly and use information from that assessment to plan teaching so that pupils can progress (paragraph 3 (g)).  The proprietor must ensure that a framework for pupil performance to be evaluated, by reference to the school’s own aims as provided to parents or national norms, or both, is in place (paragraph 4).  The proprietor must ensure that arrangements are made to safeguard and promote the welfare

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Regulations 2014 and associated requirements

of pupils at school with regard to any guidance issued by the Secretary of State (paragraph 7 (b)).  The proprietor ensures that the persons with leadership and management responsibilities demonstrate good skills and knowledge appropriate to their role so that the independent school standards are met consistently (paragraph 34 (1) (a)).  The proprietor ensures that the persons with leadership and management responsibilities fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards are met consistently (paragraph 34 (1) (b)).

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Statutory requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage

 The proprietor has failed to ensure that the school meets the assessment requirements in Part 2 of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. Monitoring report: Getters Talmud Torah, 3 September 2015 4 of 6

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Inspection team

Ann Debono, Lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Andrew Wright Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Information about this school

 Getters Talmud Torah is an independent, strictly orthodox Jewish day school for boys aged from three to 13 years  The three core values upon which the school was established, and continues to operate, are its unconditional adherence to the Torah, the Shulchan Aruch (Code of Jewish Law) and the Mesorah (Received Tradition of Education).  The school admits pupils from a range of different groups and traditions within the orthodox Jewish community. Almost all pupils speak Yiddish as their first language.  Kodesh studies are taught in Yiddish. Chol studies are taught mostly in English. By the time they leave, most boys have a working knowledge of Yiddish, Hebrew, Aramaic and English.  The school is open six days a week, Sunday to Friday, for 43 weeks per year. The majority of teaching time is given to Kodesh studies.  There are 45 children in the Early Years Foundation Stage, taught largely in Yiddish in two classes. All of

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Information about this school

these attend full time. No children are in receipt of public funding.  Around one in 16 pupils are on the school’s register for special educational needs. One of these has a statement of special educational needs.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision for its pupils. Monitoring report: Getters Talmud Torah, 3 September 2015 5 of 6

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School details

Unique reference number 132041 Inspection number 10006664 DfE registration number 204/6405 This inspection was conducted at the request of the registration authority for independent schools. It was carried out under section 109(1) and (2) of the Education and Skills Act 2008.

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School details

Type of school Jewish primary School status Independent school Age range of pupils 3−13 Gender of pupils Boys Number of pupils on the school roll 238 Number of part time pupils 0 Proprietor Mr Benjamin Stern Chair Mr Benjamin Stern Headteacher Mr Benjamin Katz Date of previous school inspection 9−11 December 2014 Annual fees (day pupils) No fees charged Telephone number 0208 802 2512 Monitoring report: Getters Talmud Torah, 3 September 2015 6 of 6

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School details

guidance 'Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . 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

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School details

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School details

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School details

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School details

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