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Schools & FE · School inspection (CIF)

Talmud Torah Chinuch Norim School

Inspected 7 Jul 2016 · URN 105993

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Summary

Inadequate

David Selby (lead), Eileen Mulgrew

What we read, and from where

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  • Inspection date verified

    7 Jul 2016

  • Inspectors verified

    David Selby, Eileen Mulgrew

  • Early years verified

    Requires improvement

  • Leadership and management verified

    Inadequate

  • Outcomes verified

    Requires improvement

  • Overall effectiveness verified

    Inadequate

  • Personal development, behaviour and welfare verified

    Inadequate

  • Teaching, learning and assessment verified

    Requires improvement

  • Postcode verified

    M7 2AU

  • Name on report verified

    Talmud Torah Chinuch N’orim

  • URN verified

    105993

Page 1 of 10
Page 1 of the report

Deep dive

What this report says

In plain English

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Grade profile

Each judgement on its scale, weakest to strongest.

  • OverallInadequate
  • Early yearsRequires improvement
  • Leadership and managementInadequate
  • OutcomesRequires improvement
  • Personal development, behaviour and welfareInadequate
  • Teaching, learning and assessmentRequires improvement

Tone of the report

How positive or critical the inspectors' language is, from the words they chose. No AI involved.

−3Mixedmore positive than 82% of reports of this type graded Inadequate
OutstandingGoodRIInadequate

In line with other reports of this type graded Inadequate.

Markers show where typical reports of each grade sit.

Praiseeffectiveindependentpositiverapid progresseffectivelystrengthsconsistentlyenjoy
Criticismlimitedinadequateinconsistentnot metpoorseriousnot alwaysconcerning

How the report reads, start to finish

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FindingsWhat needs to improveLeadershipAbout the inspection positive critical
  • Findings993w−18
  • Leadership1002w−26
  • What needs to improve2417w+20

Strengths

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Concerns

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Next steps

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What the report dwells on

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Anatomy of the report

How the report is built, against others of the same type and grade.

Pages
10
Words of findings
4,298
longer than usual (typical 3317)
Reading level
Hard
Flesch 49, typical 46
Average sentence
19 words
Next steps
8
typical 8
Hedged sentences
9%
“some”, “not always”, “most”…

Where the words go

Findings 19%Leadership 19%What needs to improve 46%About the inspection 16%

Full report text

Talmud Torah Chinuch N’orim 11–13 Wellington Street East, Salford, Manchester M7 2AU

p.1

Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Personal development, behaviour and welfare Inadequate Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement Early years provision Requires improvement

p.1

This is an inadequate school

 Leaders have not ensured the safety of pupils. There are hazards in the outdoor area of the school and the checks made on new staff are not rigorous enough. Staff have not received training on all aspects of safeguarding.  The new buildings are not cleaned well enough. Not all the required facilities have been provided.  Attendance registers are not kept systematically. This makes them less useful in ensuring that attendance is as good as possible and identifying any concerns about absence. In addition, the admissions register is incomplete.  The strengths of leadership in the different areas of the school are not used consistently across the school.  School policies do not always reflect the work of this particular school.  Pupils’ achievement is inconsistent. They do less well in Chol (secular) subjects than in Kodesh (religious) subjects. The approaches to improving teaching and learning are at an early stage of development for

p.1

This is an inadequate school

some Chol subjects. Pupils gain little experience in some important subjects.  The restricted outdoor area for the early years and limited resources reduce opportunities for learning. Staff in the early years are still developing the accuracy of their assessments.  The quality of teaching is inconsistent. Opportunities to improve teaching through training and work with other schools are not systematically identified.  The proprietor and other leaders have not ensured that the school meets the independent school standards, including those relating to equalities.

p.1

The school has the following strengths

 The proprietor and other leaders have a clear vision for the school that reflects the principles of the local Orthodox Jewish community and contributes to the school’s positive ethos.  Pupils are proud of their school. They work hard, behave well and are happy.  Relationships in the school are good. Pupils are respectful and polite.  Parents strongly support the school.  The move to the new building indicates leaders’ determination to improve the school. It has allowed for better teaching and learning.  Teaching and learning is closely monitored in Kodesh lessons and pupils make rapid progress.  Leaders and teachers are building on improvement already started in the early years and secular subjects.  When required, leaders work closely with partners from outside the school to support pupils.

p.1

Compliance with regulatory requirements

 The school must take action to meet the requirements of the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 and the associated requirements. The details are listed in the full report.

p.1

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that the proprietor and other leaders improve the safety and welfare of pupils by: – removing all hazards in the outdoor area of the school as soon as reasonably possible – precisely following the statutory guidance concerning the pre-employment checks on staff – providing regular training on all aspects of safeguarding, including the protection of pupils from risk of radicalisation or contact with extremist views – requiring teachers to consistently mark the attendance registers so that any changes in attendance or patterns in absence can be analysed to understand the reasons and, where needed, addressed – filling any gaps in the admissions register – addressing the unacceptably low standards of cleaning – providing an appropriately equipped medical room, and changing facilities and showers for older pupils.

p.2

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that leaders and teachers build on the improvement already started to the secular subjects by: – developing and implementing schemes of work and assessment programmes in all secular subjects – providing pupils with more opportunities for physical education and practical experience, including in technology – making teaching more effective by sharing the models of effective leadership and classroom practice which already exist in the school – more closely monitoring to check that teaching is being effective and leading to faster progress.

p.2

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that leaders and teachers in the early years: – increase the accuracy of their assessment of children’s learning so that they can identify how to further speed up their progress – enhance the outdoor area to provide better opportunities for children to learn from their play – provide resources which give children broader and deeper experience across all the areas of learning expected in the early years.

p.2

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that leaders’ work has consistent impact across all parts of the school by: – seeking ways to learn from effective practice in other schools so that the standards achieved by pupils, particularly in secular subjects, rise – better using information about teachers’ work to identify any training which may help to increase its effectiveness – refining policies to precisely represent the work and context of the school, and sharing them so that all members of staff are aware of the detail of what is expected – ensuring that school’s policies and practice give due regard to all types of people as required by equalities legislation.

p.2

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 The school must meet the following independent school standards. – The proprietor must ensure that a written policy on the curriculum, supported by appropriate plans and schemes of work, which provides for personal, social and health education which encourages respect for other people, paying particular regard to the protected characteristics set out in the Equality Act is drawn up and implemented effectively (paragraph 2(1), 2(1)(a), 2(2), 2(2)(d) and 2(2)(d)(ii)). – The proprietor must ensure that principles are actively promoted which encourage respect for other people, paying particular regard to the protected characteristics set out in the Equalities Act 2010 (paragraph 5, 5(b), 5(b)(vi)). – The proprietor must ensure that arrangements are made to safeguard and promote the welfare of pupils at the school; and such arrangements have regard to any guidance issued by the Secretary of State (paragraph 7, 7(a) and 7(b)).

p.2

What does the school need to do to improve further?

– The proprietor must ensure compliance with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 1 (paragraph 12). – The proprietor must ensure that an admission and attendance register is maintained in accordance with the Education (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2006 2 (paragraph 15). – The proprietor must ensure that in the case of any person for whom, by reason of that person living or having lived outside the United Kingdom, obtaining an enhanced criminal record certificate is not sufficient to establish the person’s suitability to work in a school, such further checks are made as the proprietor considers appropriate, having regard to any guidance issued by the Secretary of State (paragraph 18(2) and 18(2)(e)). – The proprietor must keep a register which, in relation to each member of staff, shows whether checks were made pursuant to paragraph 18(2)(e) (paragraph 21(1), 21(3), 21(3)(a) and 21(3)(a)(viii)).

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

– The proprietor must ensure that suitable changing accommodation and showers are provided for pupils aged 11 years or over at the start of the school year who receive physical education (paragraph 23(1) and 23(1)(c)). – The proprietor must ensure that suitable accommodation is provided in order to cater for the medical and therapy needs of pupils, including accommodation for the short-term care of sick and injured pupils, which includes a washing facility and is near to a toilet facility (paragraph 24(1) and 24(1)(b)). – The proprietor must ensure that the school premises and the accommodation and facilities provided therein are maintained to a standard such that, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of pupils are ensured (paragraph 25). – The proprietor must ensure that suitable outdoor space is provided in order to enable physical education to be provided to pupils in accordance with the school curriculum; and pupils to play outside

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

(paragraph 29(1), 29(1)(a) and 29(1)(b)). – The proprietor must ensure that persons with leadership and management responsibilities at the school demonstrate good skills and knowledge appropriate to their role so that the independent school standards are met consistently; fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards are met consistently; and actively promote the well-being of pupils (paragraph 34(1), 34(1)(a), 34(1)(b) and 34(1)(c)).

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

1 S.I. 2005/1541, to which there are amendments not relevant to these Regulations. 2 S.I. 2006/1751, to which there are amendments not relevant to these Regulations.

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

 The proprietor and other leaders have not ensured that all the independent school standards are met. Some of the unmet standards concern pupils’ welfare, health and safety. The outside area of the school is not as safe as it should be and pre-employment checks on new members of staff are not sufficiently rigorous.  Leaders have a clear vision for the purpose of the school that emphasises a commitment to provide a ‘warm and vibrant religious upbringing’ for its pupils. This principle is fully accepted by members of staff and shapes the approach they take towards pupils. It is also recognised very clearly by parents. Those who wrote to inspectors were very positive about the school.  Leaders have improved the school’s facilities considerably by securing the recent move into the new buildings. This has taken significant time and effort. Teachers and pupils explained to inspectors how the new building helps pupils to learn and behave well. However, leaders now need to ensure that the full

p.4

Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

benefits of the new buildings remain by arranging for improved cleaning.  Leadership in the school has three identifiable strands. These match the main sections of the school’s provision, in its Kodesh, Chol and early years work. Leadership in each of these strands has strengths, for example the system for checking the impact of teachers’ work in Kodesh lessons; the planning to improve the quality of teaching and learning in Chol work; and the careful support of staff in early years which, in turn, is used to identify training which will help teachers to improve. However, the school has not done enough to ensure that leaders learn well enough from each other. This means that opportunities to improve teaching and learning overall are sometimes missed.  The curriculum also reflects the main strands of the school. In the main school, the majority of time is spent on religious learning. Leaders of the school’s secular work accurately recognise that the limited time

p.4

Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

available makes it harder for them to help pupils to do as well as possible. They have taken steps to improve the quality of the school’s work in important subjects, including English and mathematics. However, these are still at a relatively early stage across most secular subjects.  The school’s secular curriculum gives pupils experience of a wide range of subjects. However, little time is given to some aspects, including physical education and technology. The curriculum is enriched through visits outside school. Pupils talked positively to inspectors about how much they enjoyed seeing a reconstructed Victorian street and taking part in outdoor pursuits, and how these experiences helped them to learn.  A central theme of the school’s ethos is tolerance and respect of others. This is seen in the good relationships within the school and the courtesy of pupils towards visitors. However, leaders have not

p.4

Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

ensured that pupils develop a broad understanding of the full range of people identified in national laws about equality. This is a weakness in pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education because it limits their preparation for life in modern Britain. Leaders have ensured that pupils develop good awareness of other aspects, such as the importance of democracy, for example, in work linked to the recent European Union referendum.  The school’s work is not always reinforced by its policies. Too often, these remain as model policies that could apply to many schools; they are not matched closely enough to the particular circumstances of this school.  The school’s registration with the Department for Education still assumes it is in the previous, now demolished, buildings. While the new buildings provide much-improved facilities and more space, the outstanding issues concerning safety and maintenance, and the lack of showers for older pupils to use

p.4

Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

after physical education, mean that the new buildings are not yet fully suitable. While the material change of a move to new premises has already been completed, the relevant independent school standards are not met.  The school’s registered age range is from two to 12. Some pupils who started this school year aged 12 are now 13 and so are older than permitted. There is plenty of space for classes including such older pupils. In addition, the curriculum and teaching they receive are sufficient to help them continue to make progress. However, shower facilities are not available for older pupils. Therefore, the school’s provision is not suitable for pupils aged from two to 13. While a material change in age range has already happened, the relevant independent school standards are not met.  The governance of the school – The proprietor has overall responsibility for all aspects of the school. Within this, he has a particular

p.4

Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

responsibility for the quality of the curriculum, teaching and learning in its Kodesh work. – He is advised by a small group of parents and other community members. This ensures that the principles and convictions of the local Orthodox Jewish community are given prominence. However, this arrangement does not provide for external scrutiny of the success of the school. – The proprietor works with a consultant to give him more independent advice and guidance. However, this has not been sufficient to ensure that the school meets all requirements. – The school relies on voluntary donations to fund its activities. The proprietor has worked with others to secure the considerable investment needed for the new school building.  The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective. The school has not paid sufficient attention to the Department for Education’s statutory guidance, ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’, in respect of the

p.4

Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

way checks on new members of staff are completed. This increases the risk of an unsuitable person being appointed. In addition, while leaders are aware of the government’s guidance on reducing the risk of pupils coming into contact with extremist views or experiencing radicalisation, no training for staff about this has been provided for all members. During the inspection, leaders updated the school’s safeguarding policy to include proper reference to this risk.

p.5

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

 The quality of teaching, and its impact on pupils’ learning, is inconsistent. Teaching in Chol subjects is less effective than in Kodesh subjects.  Leaders have recognised this inconsistency and have started to redesign the teaching and assessment arrangements for secular subjects. In addition, they are taking steps to ensure that children leaving the early years are better prepared than previously for future secular learning. However, these changes are still at a relatively early stage and pupils’ learning in English, mathematics and other secular subjects, particularly in the older classes, is less rapid than typically seen in other schools.  The new approaches to teaching and assessment in mathematics have included careful planning to ensure that skills are covered systematically. Teachers monitor pupils’ progress as each aspect is covered. However, the information gathered is not used as well as possible to help teachers plan for the next

p.5

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

stages in pupils’ learning.  Leaders have prepared a programme to develop pupils’ spelling which involves regular testing of lists of words of increasing difficulty. The same methodical approach is not in place across all other aspects of English learning.  Pupils’ learning in Chol subjects is assessed twice a year through formal tests. The results of these tests are shared as pupils move from year to year so that their new teachers know how well they are doing.  While the school’s marking policy recognises that feedback on pupils’ work may often be given verbally, pupils’ books provide little evidence that teachers are challenging some pupils’ poor standards of presentation or errors in written English.  The approaches to teaching, learning and assessment in Kodesh subjects are well established. These are effective in building up pupils’ knowledge and understanding of the religious content covered. In addition,

p.5

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

they develop a wide range of learning skills, including individual study, pair discussion and high levels of concentration when listening to their teachers. Teachers’ subject knowledge is strong.  Pupils explained to an inspector that teachers draw out secular learning when this overlaps with the content of religious lessons. Frequently, the themes covered in religious lessons not only enhance pupils’ spiritual development but also their broader social, moral and cultural understanding. One pupil explained this clearly when talking about his recent learning on ‘what we should do if we find something’.  If pupils are at risk of falling behind in their Kodesh learning, teachers provide additional one-to-one support. Pupils say that this helps them keep up. Pupils who are making slower progress in Chol subjects, for example because they are at an early stage of speaking English, receive extra teaching in small

p.5

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

groups. The rapid progress of some younger children with lower starting points is marked.  Teachers set the most able pupils more challenging work than other pupils. This helps them to achieve well in Kodesh subjects. Some Chol learning, for example in mathematics, is closely matched to different groups of pupils’ starting points. This is intended to provide learning which stretches each pupil. However, this is not sufficient to ensure that pupils, including the most able, do as well as possible.  Pupils are keen to learn and enjoy their learning. For example, an inspector saw Year 4 pupils enthusiastically practising group dancing to traditional music.

p.5

Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is inadequate.  Pupils are not as safe as possible because there are a number of hazards around the outside areas of the school site. Some of these have arisen as a result of temporary arrangements following the completion of the first stage of the building works. The proprietor is aware of the urgency of resolving the most serious of these hazards. The area of the school site still awaiting redevelopment is securely fenced.  The systems for checking that new members of staff are suitable are not sufficiently rigorous. Checks on staff who have lived or worked abroad are not complete and the school accepts references on new members of staff which provide inadequate detail.  The buildings, while providing much-improved accommodation compared to the previous premises, are not clean enough. Walls are dirty in areas where there is much movement of pupils and dust has not

p.6

Personal development and welfare

been cleaned from window ledges and other areas. The standards of hygiene found during the inspection were not high enough. Toilets for staff and pupils were not cleaned in preparation for the start of the school day. The school’s first-aid room does not include proper facilities for hand washing. This means that it is harder for standards of cleanliness to be high enough when pupils need first aid or have other medical needs.  Fire safety records were not available for scrutiny during the inspection.  The relationships in the school are positive. The pupils who talked with inspectors said they felt safe. They said that any bullying is very rare and, should it happen, would be quickly sorted out by teachers.  The school’s positive ethos helps pupils to be aware of themselves and others and to be happy. Pupils are proud of their school and were keen to talk to inspectors about their experiences.

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Personal development and welfare

 Playtimes are well organised to make sure there is enough space for all pupils. Supervision of pupils is careful and attentive.  Leaders know pupils well. They work closely with external partners when they judge that this will help them to meet pupils’ wider needs.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Inspectors saw pupils behaving well in lessons and during breaktimes. Pupils are sensible as they move around the buildings, sometimes when others are still in their lessons.  Pupils work hard and show commitment to their work in both Kodesh and Chol lessons. However, some pupils do not try hard enough to present their written work really well, particularly in Chol subjects.  The pupils spoken to by inspectors say that they usually behave well and that teachers use a range of rewards to encourage them to do this rather than using punishments when things go wrong. The school’s record of serious instances of poor behaviour shows that there have been few recent incidents. This record has not been kept assiduously in the past.  Pupils want to come to school and so attendance at the school appears to be high compared to many other schools. However, teachers are not consistent in their use of register codes and the practice of

p.6

Behaviour

Kodesh and Chol teachers keeping separate registers means that it is less easy for leaders to check on attendance or to look for changes. The school does not have any continuing analysis of pupils’ attendance. The school’s admission register does not include all the necessary details for all pupils.

p.6

Outcomes for pupils require improvement

 Pupils make good progress in their religious learning. However, their progress in secular learning is slower.  A relatively small proportion of time is spent on English, mathematics and other secular subjects. This means that it is harder for pupils to do as well as typically seen in other schools. The short time available for such subjects also means that the breadth of pupils’ knowledge is narrower than for many other pupils.  Inspection evidence confirmed that pupils’ achievement in secular subjects, including English and mathematics, is lower than the average for other pupils of similar ages. Pupils, including the most able, are typically a year behind similar pupils in other schools in mathematics and English.  Until recently, the school had not established pupils’ starting points as they moved from early years to the first year of the main school. This means that older pupils have no secure baseline from which to judge

p.6

Outcomes for pupils require improvement

their progress in secular lessons. It is therefore hard for leaders to judge whether rates of progress in English, mathematics and other subjects are sufficient.  Parts of the teaching in the religious lessons rely on pupils reading confidently in Hebrew. Therefore, children in the early years learn to read in both English and Hebrew. They start to learn their letters and the sounds they make in English later than in most schools. Leaders explained to inspectors that this is to allow children to start their Hebrew learning too. However, this further restricts the limited time available to give pupils the best opportunity to let them do as well as possible in English. Resources for teaching reading in English are fairly limited. Children have access to few reading books.  The good progress pupils make in their Kodesh learning means that they are well prepared for their future religious education in similar faith schools. Their starting points for further secular learning are

p.7

Early years provision requires improvement

 The early years leader is aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the provision and is determined that children will learn well so that they have a good start to their education. She undertakes systematic observations of her team’s work and uses these to identify ways in which staff can adjust their teaching to speed up learning. This continuing review also allows her to arrange for staff to visit other provisions and to attend training to learn about effective approaches.  The early years leader has introduced rigorous systems to record how well children are doing. This system is still being embedded. Recent checks with other schools showed that the school’s judgements on children’s attainment at the end of the early years are overgenerous.  A small area is available for children to play and learn outdoors. They enjoy doing this, but this does not lead to as much learning as possible because simple resources to help them develop their early number

p.7

Early years provision requires improvement

and writing skills are not available. The path to the front door of the early years runs through the outdoor area. This further restricts the ways in which the area can be used. More suitable access is included in the plans for the second stage of the new building.  The teaching resources are limited. Teachers direct children to those that are available and children enjoy using them in their learning. Resources are used effectively by staff during teaching time, for example by using real fruit when teaching about healthy eating so that children can touch, smell and taste an array of fruits. This enhances learning and children make good progress. However, activities planned to extend this learning are limited as children do not have sufficient opportunity to make their own choices about what they want to use. Nor are activities and resources set out to extend the teaching.  Inspectors saw teaching which engaged the children and kept them interested. For example, in retelling a

p.7

Early years provision requires improvement

Bible story to four- and five-year-olds, the teacher used movement and repetition that helped children to concentrate well and, in turn, build up their knowledge and extend their vocabulary.  Expectations of children’s behaviour are high. Children settle quickly when they arrive in the morning and are friendly and sociable. They are well trained in routines. For example, they sensibly move their chairs and collect their ‘snack’ bag when they are asked to do this.  Strong relationships and familiar routines that children follow well support children’s progress. When children join the Nursery, staff work with parents to find out about what their children can do and know. In this way, the early years leader is setting a firm baseline from which progress can be measured more effectively. Observations of learning, talking to parents and looking at children’s work show that most children are making expected progress from their starting points.

p.7

Early years provision requires improvement

 Staff quickly identify children who may need support to learn and provide help.  Children’s progress and their good behaviour and willingness to learn in the early years mean that they are ready for their move into the main school. Leaders understand that the increasingly effective early years provision will set a firmer foundation for children’s learning as they get older.  Staffing levels are sufficient and children are looked after well.  Parents are highly supportive of the work of the early years leader and other staff. They appreciate the regular formal and informal contact with home and the way in which the provision helps children as individuals.  The independent school standards are met in the early years provision.

p.7

School details

Unique reference number 105993 Inspection number 10020752 DfE registration number 355/6007 This inspection was carried out under section 109(1) and (2) of the Education and Skills Act 2008, the purpose of which is to advise the Secretary of State for Education about the school’s suitability for continued registration as an independent school. Type of school Orthodox Jewish faith school School status Independent school Age range of pupils 2–12 Gender of pupils Boys Number of pupils on the school roll 285 Number of part-time pupils 52 Proprietor Rabbi J Waldman Headteacher Mrs E Margulies Annual fees (day pupils) Voluntary contributions Telephone number 0161 792 9292 Website N/A Email address ttcnmanc@gmail.com Date of previous inspection 11–12 January 2012

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Information about this school

 Talmud Torah Chinuch N’orim is an independent day school for up to 288 boys aged between two and 12 years. A small number of pupils who started this school year aged 12 are now 13.  The school serves several orthodox traditions within the Jewish community of Manchester and Salford.  The school opened in 1955 and moved to new premises in 2016. A material change has not yet been requested by the school.  The school is owned and maintained by a charitable trust. Compulsory fees are not charged.  The school is bilingual. Over half of the pupils speak Yiddish as their first language.  None of the pupils on roll has a statement of special educational needs or an education, health and care plan.  The school aims to ‘provide a secure environment which meets the school’s stated religious aims’.  The school was previously inspected in January 2012, when it met all requirements.  Emergency inspections were conducted in February 2013 and May 2016. Unmet independent school

p.8

Information about this school

standards were identified in both of these inspections.

p.8

Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teaching and learning in Kodesh and Chol lessons.  Inspectors made two tours of the school’s premises, the first accompanied by senior staff.  The behaviour of pupils was observed throughout the school day.  Inspectors held discussions with the proprietor, the headteacher, the early years leader and the curriculum leader for Chol. Inspectors met formally with two groups of 11 pupils in total and had informal conversations with others.  There were no responses to the Ofsted online survey, Parent View. Inspectors read 25 letters received from parents and had short meetings with a small number of parents. Questionnaires returned by seven members of staff were also considered.  School policies and other documents were examined to check compliance with the independent school standards and to provide other inspection evidence. Records including those relating to admissions, attendance and behaviour were also reviewed.

p.9

Information about this inspection

 Inspectors examined pupils’ exercise books in lessons and during separate scrutiny of written work in Chol subjects.  As part of this standard inspection, the Department for Education commissioned Ofsted to consider the material change required to the school’s registration in respect of its move into the new building. In addition, inspectors considered the suitability of the school for pupils aged 13.

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Inspection team

David Selby, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Eileen Mulgrew Her Majesty’s Inspector 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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Inspection team

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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Inspection team

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.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted .

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Inspection team

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, further education and skills, 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 the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Inspection team

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

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

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