Yeshiva Lezeirim Preparatory Academy

Yeshiva Lezeirim Preparatory Academy 36–38 Gladstone Terrace, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear NE8 4EF

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Inadequate

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Teaching over time does not ensure pupils’ good progress across a wide curriculum, including in English and mathematics.  Systems to assess pupils’ learning, including those for Talmudic studies, are not well established. As a result, teachers and leaders are not fully aware of the progress pupils make over time.  The curriculum is too narrow. It does not provide pupils with sufficient experience in mathematical, scientific, technological, physical and aesthetic and creative education.  Leaders have not checked carefully where the school is not meeting the independent school standards. While leaders were aware of the areas requiring improvement highlighted in the pre-registration inspection, they have been too slow to respond to the findings. As a result, many of the independent standards are unmet.  Safeguarding is ineffective. Leaders have been complacent in their implementation of safeguarding checks across a range of areas.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Pupils do not receive access to impartial independent advice and guidance on careers, training and education. As a result, pupils have limited information on the available choices following completion of their studies.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Pupils’ behaviour is good. Pupils are happy, friendly and display immaculate manners. There are well-established positive relationships of mutual respect between staff and pupils.  Pupils engage well with the teaching provided on the Yeshiva preparatory programme. They can clearly explain to their peers and adults how this teaching is developing their learning.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

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

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Urgently improve safeguarding arrangements by: – ensuring that appropriate safeguarding checks are completed for all staff and that safeguarding information records meet national guidelines – completing regular fire drills effectively using the recently established register to check the safe evacuation of all adults and pupils – effective implementation of a risk assessment policy and taking action to reduce identified risks, including when pupils are involved in activities off the school site.  Promptly improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment by: – ensuring that teaching enables pupils to make at least good progress across a range of curriculum areas – raising expectations of what pupils can achieve in English and mathematics – improving assessment practice to enable accurate assessments of pupils’ progress, including their progress in the Yeshiva preparatory programme.  Rapidly increase the impact of leadership and management and accelerate the rate at

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

which the school improves by: – promptly addressing unmet independent schools standards – ensuring that the school’s curriculum and schemes of work clearly give pupils experience in linguistic, mathematical, scientific, technological, human and social, physical and aesthetic and creative education – improving the checks on the quality of teaching, performance management and professional development arrangements so that any underperformance can be identified and tackled swiftly – actively promoting opportunities for pupils to develop mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs and to contribute more to the lives of others in the local and wider community – ensuring that the school’s accessibility plan complies with the requirements of Schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010.  Improving pupils’ personal development and welfare by: – providing pupils with access to impartial, accurate, up-to-date careers guidance which

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

– the proprietor must ensure that a written policy on the curriculum, supported by appropriate plans and schemes of work gives pupils experience in linguistic, mathematical, scientific, technological, human and social, physical and aesthetic and creative education and that pupils acquire literacy and numeracy skills. The written policy, plans and schemes of work need to take into account the ages, aptitudes and needs of all pupils, including those pupils with an education, health and care plan (EHCP). (paragraph 2(1), 2(1)(a), 2(1)(b), 2(1)(b)(i), 2(2), 2(2)(a), 2(2)(b)) – the proprietor must ensure that personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE) encourages respect for other people, paying particular regard to the protected characteristics set out in the 2010 Act. That PSHE ensures that pupils have access to accurate, up-to-date careers guidance that is presented in an impartial manner to

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

enable them to make informed choices about a broad range of career options and helps to encourage them to fulfil their potential. That effective preparation of pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of life in British society is provided (paragraph 2(2)(d), 2(2)(d)(ii), 2(2)(e), 2(2)(e)(i), 2(2)(e)(ii), 2(2)(e)(iii)) – the proprietor must ensure that teaching: enables pupils to acquire new knowledge and make good progress according to their ability so that they increase their understanding and develop their skills in the subjects taught; 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; involves well planned lessons and effective teaching methods, activities and management of class time; shows a good understanding of the aptitudes, needs and prior attainments of the pupils, and

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

ensures that these are taken into account in the planning of lessons; demonstrates good knowledge and understanding of the subject matter being taught (paragraph 3(a), 3(b), 3(c), 3(d), 3(e)) – the proprietor must ensure that teaching utilises effectively classroom resources of a good quality, quantity and range (paragraph 3(f)) – the proprietor must ensure 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 to both, is in place (paragraph 4).

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Part 2. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils

– the proprietor must ensure that the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils actively promotes the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs. The proprietor must ensure that pupils show initiative and understand how they can contribute positively to the lives of those living and working in the locality in which the school is situated and to society more widely. The proprietor must ensure that principles are actively promoted which further tolerance and harmony between different cultural traditions by enabling pupils to acquire an appreciation of and respect for their own and other cultures; encourage respect for other people, paying particular regard to the protected characteristics set out in the 2010 Act (paragraph 5, 5(a), 5(b), 5(b)(iii), 5(b)(v), 5(b)(vi)).

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

– 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), 7(b)) – the proprietor must ensure that relevant health and safety laws are complied with by the drawing up and effective implementation of a written health and safety policy (paragraph 11) – the proprietor must ensure compliance with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (paragraph 12) – the proprietor must ensure 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 (paragraph 16, 16(a), 16(b)).

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Part 4. Suitability of staff, supply staff, and proprietors

– the proprietor must ensure the suitability of persons appointed as members of staff at the school by carrying out all appropriate checks and ensuring that all checks are recorded on the school’s single central record (paragraph 17, 18(1), 18(2), 18(2)(a), 18(2)(b), 18(2)(c), 18(2)(c)(i), 18(2)(c)(ii), 18(2)(c)(iii), 18(2)(c)(iv), 18(2)(d), 18(2)(e), 18(3), 20(6)(a), 20(6)(a)(i), 20(6)(a)(ii), 20(6)(b), 20(6)(b)(i), 20(6)(b)(ii), 20(6)(b)(iii)), 21(3), 21(3)(a), 21(3)(a)(i), 21(3)(a)(ii), 21(3)(a)(iii), 21(3)(a)(iv), 21(3)(a)(v), 21(3)(a)(vi), 21(3)(a)(vii), 21(3)(a)(viii)).

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Part 5. Premises of and accommodation at schools

– the proprietor must ensure that toilets and urinals have an adequate supply of cold water and washing facilities have an adequate supply of hot and cold water (paragraph 28(1)(b)).

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Part 7. Manner in which complaints are handled

– the proprietor must ensure that the manner in which complaints are handled is met if the proprietor ensures that a complaints procedure is drawn up and effectively implemented which deals with the handling of complaints from parents of pupils and which provides for a written record to be kept of all complaints (paragraph 33(j), 33(j)(i), 33(j)(ii)).

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

– 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), 34(1)(c)).

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Schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010

– the proprietor must ensure that arrangements are made to meet the requirements of paragraph 3 of schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

 Leadership and management are inadequate because leaders are failing to provide pupils with an adequate quality of education. There are a number of unmet independent school standards and safeguarding is ineffective.  Systems for checking the quality of teaching, performance management and professional development are weak. The chair of the governing body has begun to observe the quality of teaching but only limited evidence of this work was provided during the inspection. Plans are in place to work with Gateshead College to provide training on performance management.  The curriculum is too narrow. It focuses on the teaching of the Yeshiva preparatory programme and there are limited opportunities for the development of pupils’ mathematical, scientific, technological, human and social, physical and aesthetic and creative education. As a result, leaders could provide little evidence of pupils’ progress

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

across a range of curriculum areas.  A limited range of extra-curricular opportunities are in place for pupils to be involved in sports at local leisure facilities. These encourage healthy lifestyles and socialisation. Pupils are enthusiastic about the opportunities provided. There are some opportunities for involvement with music in school and at social events celebrating religious festivals. During the inspection, an inspector observed a high-quality presentation by the choir made up of a small number of pupils.  The recently appointed assessment and compliance adviser has begun to review where the school is not meeting the independent school standards. Along with other leaders, he has started to identify how to develop teaching and assessment approaches. This work is at too early a stage of development to determine its impact.  The building is generally fit for purpose. However, lack of hot water in the pupils’ toilets

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

means that this standard is not met. Plans are in place to move the school into the building where the boarders are housed.  While an accessibility plan is in place it does not comply with the requirements of Schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010. As a result, the plan does not identify how leaders are taking steps to increase the extent to which pupils who have a disability can participate in the curriculum, improve the physical environment of the school for these pupils or improve the delivery of information to pupils who have a disability.  Pupils have access to quality resources to support their Talmudic studies. However, other learning resources are limited. There were few resources to support teaching across other curriculum areas or to support pupils’ independent learning or interests.  The headteacher and chair of the governing body are determined to ensure the successful delivery of the Yeshiva preparatory programme. They have well-considered plans for

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

improving the learning environment for pupils.  Discussions with pupils demonstrate that they do have respect and tolerance for people who hold different beliefs or come from different backgrounds to themselves. Pupils have a good understanding of the rule of law and democracy. For example, they could express balanced views on the general election and the Brexit referendum outcome. However, leaders have not actively established any formal links with those of other faiths or cultures. Opportunities for pupils to contribute positively to their local or the wider community are also limited. Overall, pupils have some preparedness for life in modern Britain but this aspect is not fully developed.  The parents who responded to the online questionnaire, Parent View, were overwhelming positive about the care, support and education provided by the school.

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Governance

 The recently appointed governor has begun to identify the strengths and areas for development in the school. Through links with Gateshead College, he has begun to instigate changes to develop the breadth of the curriculum, assessment procedures for the Yeshiva preparatory programme and opportunities for impartial careers guidance. However, these initiatives are at an early stage of development.  The governor has taken steps to strengthen leadership capacity and is planning to improve the provision for the teaching of English and mathematics.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.  Leaders have been too complacent in their approach to creating a safe culture in the school and ensuring robust safeguarding systems are in place. Prior to the inspection safeguarding checks on some staff had not been completed in a timely fashion. Similarly, some staff had not completed required safeguarding training. Leaders and staff responded promptly to address these shortcomings.  Leaders have a lack of clarity regarding health and safety policies and risk assessments. As a result, some activities, which pupils complete outside of the school building, are not fully risk assessed. Leaders made efforts to improve records of safeguarding checks on staff during the inspection, but this document remains incomplete and does not meet statutory requirements. During the inspection, leaders addressed weaknesses in aspects of fire safety, including signage in the building and improving their approach to fire drills.

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Safeguarding

This involved introducing registration for pupils when they arrived in the school building at the start of the day. The school has a suitable safeguarding policy, which takes into account the current government requirements and is available to parents on request. However, the policy is not applied robustly, particularly with regard to staff training.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

 The quality of teaching over time is inadequate and, as a result, outcomes are inadequate.  Leaders and staff were unable to provide sufficient evidence of the impact of teaching on pupils’ learning and progress. However, pupils’ assessment tasks showed that they have weak English grammar, spelling and punctuation skills, which are well below those expected for their age. Only one example of pupils’ work in mathematics showed a basic understanding of area, volume and ratio. This illustrates the lack of coverage of mathematical experience proved for pupils.  Teachers’ expectations for pupils’ literacy skills are not high enough. No evidence was found of pupils completing any extended English writing. While pupils could read confidently, the school provides no resources to encourage pupils to read beyond the Yeshiva preparatory programme.  Leaders have taken small steps to improve the quality of assessment of pupils’ progress

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

on the Yeshiva preparatory programme. Regular tests and teachers’ meetings are helping to assess pupils’ progress and identify if pupils need support to improve. However, the underpinning assessment criteria for this programme are at a draft stage and there are no systems in place to assess pupils’ progress in other curriculum areas. Plans to work with Gateshead College to establish external accreditation of the Yeshiva preparatory programme are at an early stage of development and too recent to evaluate fully. Leaders aim to have this in place for the next academic year.  Resources for teaching the Yeshiva preparatory programme are of a high quality and readily available for pupils. However, other resources for teaching or individual research are limited. This restricts pupils’ opportunities to improve their independent learning skills and wider knowledge.  Teachers have a good understanding of the Yeshiva preparatory programme. In study

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

sessions, pupils work in pairs to discuss their interpretation of Talmudic scholars’ writings. Teachers are available to respond to questions where pupils have questions arising from this work. In these sessions, which involve all pupils in the school working together in the study hall, there are high levels of engagement.  Other lessons in smaller groups provide knowledge development in Talmudic studies. Occasionally, these make links to other subject areas, but not enough to provide a continuity of learning across the breadth of the curriculum.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is inadequate.  Safeguarding is ineffective and, as a result, pupils are not safe.  Pupils have so far had no access to accurate, up-to-date careers guidance. As a result, they have limited knowledge of how to make informed decisions about a broad range of career choices. The chair of the governing body has recently put in place plans to begin to address this before the end of term.  Although there is no specific personal, social and health curriculum, pupils receive some guidance on the risks associated with drugs and alcohol.  Pupils receive clear pastoral and academic guidance. One-to-one guidance from the dean of students provides pupils with frequent personal and welfare support. The pupils also have access to an independent listener who is not a member of the school staff. Teachers provide regular praise to pupils for their learning and progress in their Talmudic studies.

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Personal development and welfare

Consequently, pupils are happy and their self-confidence grows.  Pupils know what bullying is, including online bullying. They report that while there is no bullying at the school they are confident that teachers would provide the support they needed if necessary.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  In lessons, pupils listen attentively; they are keen to learn and work hard. Pupils are polite, friendly and pleased to share their learning. They move sensibly around the school and display exemplary manners, for example holding doors for adults.  Pupils’ attendance levels are high. This reflects the high value that pupils and their families place on the education provided by the school.  Sometimes pupils do not always show pride in looking after the tidiness of the building. For example, there is graffiti in the boys’ toilets.

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Outcomes for pupils Inadequate

 Outcomes for pupils are inadequate because they do not make progress in areas of the curriculum other than the Yeshiva preparatory programme.  Pupils have completed their GCSEs in the secondary school prior to moving to the Yeshiva Academy. However, while the majority of pupils have successfully achieved an A* to C grade at GCSE level in English and mathematics, a number of pupils have not. There is no provision for pupils to continue their studies in English and mathematics. A review of pupils’ folders by inspectors found pupils’ attainment in English writing skills and mathematics to be low in the examples provided.  Leaders could provide no evidence of pupils’ progress in other areas of the curriculum, despite numerous requests from inspectors throughout the inspection.  Leaders have recently introduced a system to check pupils’ progress in relation to the Yeshiva preparatory programme. Pupils’ progress is assessed using marked tests and

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Outcomes for pupils Inadequate

using teachers’ judgements. At present, there are no established agreed assessment criteria. The information provided by the school indicates that overall, pupils, including the most able pupils, make good progress on the Yeshiva preparatory programme. However, pupils who have low attainment at the start of the programme make weaker progress. Furthermore, school assessments at the midway point indicate that a significant minority are not on track to achieve the attainment scores leaders expect pupils will need to achieve to be successful at the next stage of the programme.  Leaders’ plans to establish external level 2 accreditation for the preparatory programme are unlikely to be in place by the end of this academic year. Therefore, leaders will not have implemented measures to validate pupils’ progress externally in the current academic year.  The majority of pupils, although not all, will be well prepared for the next stage of the

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Outcomes for pupils Inadequate

Yeshiva programme. However, pupils who choose alternative education, training or employment routes will not be fully prepared. This is particularly the case for those who have not been successful in their previous English and mathematics achievements.

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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

School category Independent boarding school

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 This is the school’s first standard inspection following registration by the Department for Education (DfE) in August 2016.  The Preparatory Academy School is one of three distinctive departments of the Yeshiva Lezeirim in Gateshead, which is an institute for Talmudical studies.  The Preparatory Academy provides a one-year programme for 15 to 16-year-old boys of the orthodox Jewish faith. Pupils attend following the completion of their GCSE studies in other educational provisions.  None of the pupils currently on roll has a disability, a statement of special educational needs or an education, health and care plan.  The school operates from one site and does not give or receive services from any other provider.  The school has provision for boarders. Inspection of the boarding provision will be subject to a separate report.  The school has plans to relocate to a building situated a few hundred metres away. This

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Information about this school

building was formerly the Swallow Hotel, High West Street, Gateshead NE8 1PE. At the time of this inspection the school was still operating in the premises on Gladstone Terrace, NE8 4EF, in which it was previously inspected.

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Information about this inspection

 This inspection was carried out over two and half days by two of Her Majesty’s Inspectors.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, the dean of students, the assessment and compliance adviser, teaching staff and the chair of the governing body.  Inspectors took into account nine responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View.  Inspectors spoke to pupils either formally or informally at different times during the school day. They heard pupils read and considered work in pupils’ folders and books.  Teaching was observed at different times of the school day, as was behaviour.  The lead inspector toured the building with the headteacher both inside and outside to ensure that the relevant independent school standards were met and that pupils’ welfare is taken into account.  The inspectors examined school documentation, including a range of policies required as part of the independent school standards. Documents relating to safeguarding, behaviour

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Information about this inspection

and welfare, as well as health and safety documents, were also studied.

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Inspection team

Michael Reeves, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Jo Sharpe 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

Parent View 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

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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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