Beis Hatalmud School

School progress monitoring inspection report

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Beis Hatalmud School 62 Wellington Street West, Broughton, Salford, Lancashire M7 2FD

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Main inspection findings

Part 1. Quality of education provided Paragraphs 2(1), 2(2)(e), 2(2)(e)(i), 2(2)(e)(iii) and 2(2)(e)(iii)  At the time of the previous inspection in June 2016, the school’s provision for careers education and guidance was not compliant with the independent school standards. This was because pupils were not adequately aware of the routes available to them when they leave the school at the end of Year 10 or at the end of their full-time education.  The action plan evaluation in November 2016 judged that the standard was likely to be met if the school’s proposed actions were implemented.  This inspection confirmed the inspector’s judgements in the action plan evaluation.  Leaders’ actions to strengthen the school’s provision of impartial careers advice and guidance have been effective. The new headteacher has reviewed and improved the careers guidance policy and strategy. A new policy for careers guidance took effect in

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Main inspection findings

January 2017.  The school has a systematic approach to engaging external speakers, from a wide range of professions, to improve pupils’ understanding of the demands of the world of work. Pupils spoken to by the inspector were able to recall visits by financial, recruitment and plumbing specialists. The pupils agreed that, following the visits by the speakers, they have a better understanding of the requirements for entry into the professions discussed than they previously had.  Careers guidance is frequently interwoven into the teaching of both the secular and Kodesh curriculum. For example, pupils were taught about employment opportunities related to market research in a statistics topic in mathematics and engineering in a topic on forces in physics. As a result, pupils’ understanding of the variety of employment routes available to them following full-time education is improving.  A very small proportion of pupils spoken to by the inspector are aware that local post-16

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Main inspection findings

colleges provide a route to gaining the additional qualifications required to enter some professions. However, this is not typical. Pupils do broaden their understanding of a range of different professions, along with the entry requirements of these professions, while at Beis Hatalmud School. However, leaders agree that pupils do not have an appropriate awareness of how and where they might gain additional qualifications once they leave school.  Leaders have begun to take action to boost pupils’ workplace skills. Leaders have introduced additional voluntary lessons in English. Pupils who gained below a GCSE grade C in English at the end of Year 9 have the opportunity to improve on their previous result. Despite the strong progress of most of the pupils in these classes, the impact of the initiative has been hindered by the low level of uptake overall. Leaders indicated that only one third of pupils who did not gain a high grade in GCSE English, at

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Main inspection findings

the end of Year 9, attended the additional lessons. Consequently, at the time of the inspection, leaders were considering extending the amount of time devoted to the formal teaching of English, by extending this element of the secular curriculum into Year 10, as a means of raising standards further.  As a result, the standards relating to careers education and guidance are met. Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Paragraphs 7, 7(a) and 7(b)  The inspection in June 2015 indicated that this standard was met.  The scope of the inspection in July 2016 did not include this standard.  The scope of the action plan evaluation of November 2016 did not include this standard.  This inspection corroborated the view that the school’s actions to safeguard pupils are robust. The school is in the process of reviewing its safeguarding policy. The draft version, scrutinised by the inspector, is detailed in nature and makes appropriate links to

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Main inspection findings

statutory guidance and the local safeguarding children’s services. The school’s records show that there are 34 part-time and full-time staff working at the school. The records also show that all of the adults have been vetted by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) at an appropriate level. Teachers have been checked against the Secretary of State’s prohibition from teaching list. Adults at the school have received an appropriate level of training in how to keep children safe. The adults spoken to by the inspector were conversant with the latest statutory guidance on how to keep children safe in education. Pupils speak confidently and willingly to adults. In classrooms, corridors, communal areas and in the playground, pupils were seen by the inspector engaging well with each other and with adults. The inspector judged that pupils are happy and feel safe in school.  As a result, the standards relating to the safeguarding of pupils are met.

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Main inspection findings

Paragraphs 16, 16(a) and 16(b)  The previous inspection, in June 2016, indicated that this standard was not met because leaders’ written assessments for school trips were not detailed enough.  The action plan evaluation in November 2016 judged that the standard was unlikely to be met if the school’s proposed actions were implemented.  This inspection judged the school’s procedures for the risk assessment of proposed off- site activities were detailed, appropriate and effective in supporting adults to keep pupils safe.  The school’s recently introduced risk assessment template gives clear guidance to adults in their assessment of the potential risks associated with off-site activities and trips. Examples of completed risk assessments, scrutinised by the inspector, showed that each risk assessment gives a clear indication of how the severity of identified risks can be reduced by adults’ actions. Adults spoken to by the inspector confirmed that leaders

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Main inspection findings

monitor the use of risk assessments rigorously because they insist on checking each assessment prior to a party’s departure. Pupils spoken to by the inspector agreed that adults routinely give them guidance on how to stay safe when on activities beyond the school grounds.  As a result, the standards relating to the school’s use of risk assessments are met. Part 6. Provision of information Paragraph 32(1), 32(1)(c)  The inspection in June 2015 indicated that this standard was met.  The scope of the inspection in July 2016 did not include this standard.  The scope of the action plan evaluation of November 2016 did not include this standard.  Records provided by leaders indicate that all parents are made aware, annually and in writing, of how they can access the safeguarding policy. Leaders do not keep a record of the number of parents who request copies of school policies. Leaders indicated to the

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Main inspection findings

inspector that they could not recall any parents requesting sight of the safeguarding policy.  As a result, the standards relating to the school’s requirement to provide to parents, on request, a copy of the safeguarding policy are met. Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Paragraph 34(1), 34(1)(b)  At the inspection in June 2016, this standard was not met because not all the required standards for independent schools were met.  The action plan evaluation of November 2016 indicated that this standard was unlikely to be met if the school’s proposed actions were implemented. The school’s planned actions to improve risk assessments for school trips lacked sufficient and necessary detail.  The inspector judged that the school met all of the independent school standards that were checked during this inspection.  As a result, the standards relating to the leaders’ responsibility to ensure that the

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Main inspection findings

independent school standards are met consistently are met.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school meets the requirements of the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 (‘the independent school standards’) and associated requirements that were checked during this inspection. This included the standards and requirements that the school was judged to not comply with at the previous inspection. Not all of the standards and associated requirements were checked during this inspection.

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The school now meets the following independent school standards

 Ensure that pupils receiving secondary education have access to accurate, up-to-date careers guidance that is presented in an impartial manner, enables them to make informed choices about a broad range of career options, and helps to encourage them to fulfil their potential (paragraphs 2(1), 2(2)(e), 2(2)(e)(i), 2(2)(e)(iii) and 2(2)(e)(iii)).  Ensure that the welfare of pupils at the school is safeguarded and promoted by the drawing up and effective implementation of a written risk assessment policy and appropriate action is taken to reduce risks that are identified (paragraphs 16, 16(a) and 16(b)).  Ensure that leaders fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards are met consistently (paragraph 34(1), 34(1)(b)).

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School details

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.

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School details

Of which, number on roll in sixth form 0

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School details

Date of previous standard inspection 16–18 June 2015

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Information about this school

 Beis Hatalmud is an Orthodox Jewish independent day school for boys aged 11 to 16 years.  The school opened in August 2006.  The school is located in the Broughton area of West Salford, which is about two miles northeast of Salford City Centre.  There are 81 pupils on roll, all of whom live close to the school.  There are no pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities or an education, health and care plan.  The school is open for six days per week. The majority of each school day is given over to the Kodesh curriculum (Jewish studies) with Chol (the secular curriculum) in the afternoon.  The school received a standard inspection in June 2015 and was judged to require improvement. The school was judged not to be meeting the independent school standards.  The school received an additional inspection in June 2016 and was judged not to be meeting the independent school standards.  An action plan evaluation was carried out in November 2016 and the school was judged

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Information about this school

unlikely to meet all of the independent school standards.  All pupils are educated on the school site.  The school aims to provide an education for pupils aspiring to become Talmudic scholars and develop pupils so that they become caring, discerning, secure and well-balanced individuals.

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Information about this inspection

 This inspection was carried out at the request of the registration authority for independent schools. The purpose of the inspection was to monitor the progress the school has made in meeting the independent school standards and other requirements that it was judged to not comply with at its previous inspection.  The scope of the inspection required the inspector to report against paragraphs 2(1), 2(2)(e), 2(2)(e)(i), 2(2)(e)(iii), 2(2)(e)(iii), 16, 16(a), 16(b), 34(1) and 34(1)(b) of the standards for independent schools. All commissioned inspections should include a check of the school’s safeguarding policy (Part 3 of the standards) and check that the safeguarding policy is published on the school’s website or otherwise made available (Part 6).  The inspector held conversations with leaders of the school, two teachers and a small group of Year 10 pupils.  The inspector toured the school, spoke with pupils and adults and observed learning

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Information about this inspection

taking place during the morning and afternoon. The inspector also observed pupils’ behaviour around school and during their breaktimes.  The inspector scrutinised a wide range of documentation provided by the school.

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Inspection team

Drew Crawshaw, lead inspector 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

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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