Peninim

Peninim 27 Green Lane, Barnet, London NW4 2NL

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Satisfactory

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a school that requires improvement

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Leaders and governors are not rigorous enough in identifying the school’s strengths and weaknesses.  Pupils’ progress is not monitored often enough to identify those who are not making the progress they should for timely support.  Systems for holding teachers to account for the quality of education are ineffective.  Governors do not routinely receive information on pupils’ progress and the quality of teaching to hold senior leaders accountable for the work they do.  Sometimes, work is not sufficiently challenging for the most able pupils.  Some pupils’ phonics skills are not well developed to help them improve their reading, particularly the lower attainers.  Pupils do not routinely write at length in English and other subjects to improve their writing skills.  Expectations of pupils’ presentation of their work are not consistently high.  Attendance is below average.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Children in the early years make good progress because of the effective teaching they receive.  Pupils make good progress in the ‘Kodesh’ (religious) curriculum.  The school’s religious character contributes strongly to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and promoting respect for other people.  Pupils’ behaviour is good and they have positive attitudes to learning. Pupils feel safe.  The newly appointed head of the ‘Chol’ (secular) curriculum is having a positive impact on improving the system to track pupils’ progress.  Staff are very supportive of the school’s leadership. The morale in the school is high. Compliance with regulatory requirements

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The school meets the requirements of the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 (‘the independent school standards’) and associated requirements.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment by ensuring that: – staff skills in the teaching of phonics are enhanced to help pupils read difficult or unfamiliar words to improve their reading, especially the lower attainers – the most able pupils are routinely challenged with work that makes them think hard – pupils routinely write at length in English and other subjects to improve their writing skills – expectations of pupils’ presentation of their work are consistently high.  Improve the quality of leadership and management by ensuring that: – leaders and governors evaluate the school’s strengths and weaknesses more effectively to bring about continuous improvement – pupils’ progress is monitored more frequently to identify those who are not making the progress they should for timely support – systems for the performance management of staff are robust to improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

– governors are routinely provided with information on pupils’ progress and the quality of teaching so that they can hold senior leaders accountable for the work they do – pupils’ attendance is average or better.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

 Leadership has not been effective in ensuring that teaching, learning and assessment are good in the Chol curriculum. Consequently, pupils do not make consistently good progress in different subjects across the school.  Leaders have not ensured that there is a robust self-evaluation system in place to accurately identify the school’s strengths and weaknesses. Improvement plans are, therefore, not fit for purpose to bring about improvements in the quality of teaching, learning and assessment and raising pupils’ achievement.  Leaders do not monitor the progress of pupils frequently enough. Consequently, they have not been able to identify pupils who are not making the progress they should quickly enough to provide them with effective support.  The arrangements for performance management of staff, including staff training, are not robust enough to ensure that the quality of teaching, learning and assessment continues

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

to improve.  Although attendance has improved, it remains below average. Leaders know that they need to work more closely with a few families to improve attendance further.  The curriculum is broad and balanced and promotes pupils’ skills in numeracy, literacy, speaking and listening. It is enriched by visits, for example to museums, London Zoo and London landmarks to support their learning. There are a range of extra-curricular activities such as knitting, sewing and flower arranging. Pupils’ involvement in school productions and speech days enhances pupils’ confidence in public speaking. These events contribute well to preparing pupils for the next stage of their education.  The Kodesh curriculum, which is delivered solely in Yiddish, is particularly strong and promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well. Pupils learn about, for example, staying healthy, respecting and valuing people whose characteristics and life

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

styles are different from their own and the differences between right and wrong.  British values are promoted well. Pupils learn about elections, democracy and the rule of law. For example, pupils have been involved in discussions around Britain’s exit from the European Union and the recent snap election. Pupils have opportunities to present and debate current affairs and news items. Pupils learn about respect and responsibility, which form the core values of the school. Pupils have many opportunities to reflect and they have a good understanding of how people from different cultures and backgrounds contribute to life in modern Britain.  The school has an updated school policy on safeguarding which takes into account the current statutory requirements. The safeguarding policy is provided to parents on request.  The headteacher has high expectations of pupils, including their achievement. Her ambition for pupils is shared by all leaders, including governors, and staff. The

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

headteacher, along with governors and the proprietor, have ensured that all of the independent school standards continue to be met.  The newly appointed head of the Chol curriculum works closely with the headteacher and has been effective in improving the systems for staff development and tracking pupils’ progress. However, these systems have not had sufficient time to be fully established and it is too early to measure their overall impact.  There are strong links with parents and regular newsletters keep them informed about school events and pupils’ achievements.  There were insufficient responses to the Ofsted online survey, Parent View, to produce a report. However, the parents who spoke to the inspector were highly supportive of the school’s leadership.

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Governance

 Governance requires improvement.  Governors and the proprietor have not worked effectively with leaders to evaluate the school’s strengths and weaknesses. Consequently, they have not ensured that the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement continue to improve.  Governors and the proprietor do not receive sufficient information on the progress pupils make to hold senior leaders to account for the work they do on raising achievement.  Governors and the proprietor have ensured that the weakness identified in the previous inspection in relation to the outdoor provision in the early years is fully addressed. For example, they have allocated sufficient resources to improve the outdoor area to ensure that it is effectively used and supports children’s learning well.  Governors maintain close contact with parents. They visit the school and classrooms regularly and check on pupils’ engagement in their learning. They know the teachers and

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Governance

pupils well.  Governors and the proprietor work well with senior leaders to ensure that pupils are well cared for and that safeguarding is effective.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  All staff have had recent training on safeguarding based on the current guidance, including ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ (September 2016). Staff are aware of the correct procedures to follow if they have concerns in relation to a child’s safety. Staff know that they can share any concerns that they may have about safeguarding, including with the local authority.  All staff are appropriately checked to make sure that they are suitable to work with children.  Leaders, including governors and the proprietor, ensure that safeguarding records, documents, processes and procedures are successfully implemented to create a vigilant and safe culture in the school.  The parents that the inspector met stated that their children are well cared for and kept safe by the school. Parents had no safeguarding concerns.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

 Teaching over time has not been effective in ensuring that pupils consistently make good progress in reading, writing, mathematics and other subjects.  Sometimes, the most able pupils are not challenged enough through tasks that enable them to think hard and deepen their learning. Occasionally, the most able pupils have to wait to be given more challenging work to extend their learning. This slows their progress.  Staff do not always demonstrate a secure knowledge of phonics. Consequently, some of the pupils, particularly the lower attainers, do not have the strategies to read difficult or familiar words. This slows their progress in reading.  In some classes, pupils do not routinely write at length in English and other subjects to improve their writing skills.  Some teachers do not have consistently high expectations of pupils’ presentation of their work. Occasionally, teachers accept pupils’ poor presentation of their work without

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

challenging pupils.  In mathematics, pupils use their mathematical skills well to solve a range of mathematical problems. Their knowledge of number is particularly strong.  Teachers use questioning well to test and strengthen pupils’ understanding.  Teachers’ subject knowledge in the Kodesh curriculum is particularly strong. This engages pupils well and gives them much confidence in their learning.  The strong working relationships between staff and pupils creates a positive atmosphere of trust and confidence and motivates pupils to learn and do their best.  Teachers ensure that there are sufficient opportunities for pupils to enhance their speaking and listening skills. For example, in a Year 6 lesson on persuasive language, pupils discussed their ideas well and created a poster using persuasive language to advertise and ‘sell’ their products to others.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  Pupils are very kind, courteous and friendly and are eager to talk about their achievements. They are highly respectful to each other and adults.  Pupils are focused and have strong attitudes to their learning. However, sometimes pupils do not take enough pride in the presentation of their work to ensure that it is well presented.  Pupils show great care for each other. In the playground, the older pupils play with younger pupils and look out for them to ensure that they are safe. Pupils are taught about unsafe situations, including road and fire safety. Older pupils know how to keep themselves safe when using the internet.  Pupils that inspectors met said that they feel safe in school and that if they had any worries they would tell a member of staff, who would ‘sort things out’. They also said that they can post any concerns that they may have in the ‘letter box’, which are followed up

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Personal development and welfare

by teachers.  Pupils said that pupils overall are ‘generous’ and ‘respectful of each other’. They insist that bullying or name-calling, including racist or homophobic language, are not issues for the school.  Pupils have a few responsibilities around the school and would welcome more, particularly the older pupils.  Pupils recognise the importance of healthy eating and keeping fit and enjoy participating in physical education, sporting activities and swimming. In science, pupils learn about oral hygiene and the importance of keeping healthy.  Pupils learn about respecting others, including those from different cultural faiths and beliefs.  All of the parents that spoke to the inspector said that their child feels safe and is well looked after at the school. All the staff who responded to the staff questionnaire strongly agreed that pupils are safe at the school.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils are polite, respectful and behave well in lessons and throughout the school. They are very welcoming of visitors and greet them well with a smile.  Pupils understand the school behaviour policy and know that the expectations of their behaviour are high. They make their own classroom rules to ensure that they behave well.  All of the pupils that spoke to the inspector said that pupils’ behaviour is good and incidents of poor behaviour are very rare. This is reflected by the very few incidents of poor behaviour recorded by the school. There are no cases of exclusions or records of any bullying or discrimination.  Leaders have worked well with parents to improve attendance. However, leaders know that they need to work more closely with a few families to improve attendance further so that it is in line with the national average.  All of the parents that spoke to the inspector agree that pupils’ behaviour is good and

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Behaviour

bullying is not an issue at the school. All the staff who responded to the staff questionnaire strongly agreed that pupils’ behaviour is good.

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

 There is insufficient information available on pupils’ progress in reading, writing and mathematics and other subjects from their various starting points over time.  There have been no external entries in the end of key stages 1 and 2 national tests to make any national comparisons. Similarly, pupils in Year 1 have not completed the Year 1 phonics screening check to make national comparisons.  Some pupils do not have sufficiently strong skills in phonics to read difficult or unfamiliar words, particularly the lower attainers. This slows their progress in reading.  The most able pupils are sometimes not challenged sufficiently in lessons to ensure that they make the progress of which they are capable. This slows their progress.  Leaders have very recently administered assessments based on 2017 key stages 1 and 2 tests. The results show broadly average attainment overall from September 2016 in reading and mathematics at key stage 1 and in mathematics, reading and English

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

grammar, punctuation and spelling at key stage 2. However, there is a lack of information to show pupils’ progress and attainment over time.  Work in pupils’ books shows that pupils, overall, do not make consistently strong progress across a wide range of subjects, including in reading, writing and mathematics. However, the progress of Year 6 pupils is stronger overall compared with other year groups, because of the typically stronger teaching that is reflected in pupils’ books. This ensures that Year 6 pupils are prepared well for the next stage in their education.  Pupils enjoy reading and writing in Hebrew and their overall progress in the Kodesh curriculum is good.

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Early years provision Good

 The majority of children enter the early years with skills and abilities that are below those typical for their age, particularly in communication and language and personal, social and emotional development.  Staff track children’s progress in all areas of learning well. The tracking information and the learning journals show that most children are making good progress, including in communication and language and personal, social and emotional development.  Staff do not, however, routinely identify the next steps in children’s learning and the activities to address any gaps in their knowledge and understanding to ensure that children make rapid progress.  The leadership of the early years is good. The early years leader knows the strengths and weaknesses of the provision. She is implementing a new tracking system to improve the monitoring of children’s progress from their different starting points. Effective leadership

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Early years provision Good

ensures that the quality of teaching is good and children make good progress. The area for improvement from the previous inspection in relation to the outdoor play area has been fully addressed. The outdoor area is well equipped and supports the different areas of learning well. The local authority provided the school with some funding to resource the outdoor provision.  Children follow routines well and display a ‘have a go’ approach to their learning. Children are absorbed in their learning and no child is left wandering and not knowing what to do, including the very few children who are under the age of three who integrate well with other children.  Children are very kind to each other and are keen to share resources. They interact well with each other, have good attitudes to learning and behave well, both indoors and outdoors.  There are good opportunities for children to improve their speaking and listening skills

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Early years provision Good

through staff using questioning well and modelling language. This particularly helps children who speak English as an additional language to make good progress, particularly in communication and language.  There is a strong partnership between parents and staff, which helps parents to support their child’s learning more effectively. For example, parents are involved in the assessment process by writing notes on what their child can do and has achieved. Parents are provided with their child’s work, including photographic evidence of the activities they have been involved in, to take home every week. In this way, parents can see for themselves how well their child is learning.  There is strong supervision of children by well-qualified and trained staff. Staff have received first-aid and paediatric training. Leaders ensure that children are kept safe and that safeguarding is effective.  The school meets the independent school standards in relation to the early years

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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

Annual fees (day pupils) Nursery: £4,210 School: £3,636 Telephone number 020 3620 9735

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School details

Date of previous inspection 18−19 June 2012

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Information about this school

 Peninim is an independent Jewish Orthodox primary school for girls. There are currently 39 pupils on roll, taught in five classes. There are pupils on roll in the Nursery, and Years 1, 2, 4 and 6.  The Nursery opened in April 2017 and runs from 9am to 2pm. There is no Reception Year. There are very few children under the age of three in the Nursery.  Currently, there are no pupils identified as having special educational needs and/or disabilities or who are disadvantaged.  All pupils are from the Jewish Orthodox community. Most pupils speak English as an additional language, with Yiddish as their first language.  The school aims to provide ‘a high level of excellence in both religious and secular studies based firmly on Torah principles.’  The sole proprietor is also the chair of governors.  The school opened in September 2010 and registered as a school in September 2011. The school was judged to be ‘satisfactory’ at the time of its first full inspection in June 2012.

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Information about this school

All the independent school standards were met.  In November 2013, the school moved to new premises in Hendon, North London. In December 2013, the school received a material change inspection when a number of independent school standards were found to be unmet. In April 2015, the first progress monitoring inspection judged the previously unmet standards to be met. However, it also identified a number of different standards which were not met.  In March 2016, the school was judged to meet all the independent school standards at its second progress monitoring inspection.  The school does not have a website but all the required policies are available from the office.

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Information about this inspection

 This full standard inspection took place with one day’s notice.  The inspector observed teaching and learning across the school, all jointly with the headteacher.  The inspector held a meeting with pupils in key stage 2 and spoke to pupils in the playground about their learning and views about the school. He also listened to pupils read in lessons, particularly Years 1 and 2, and discussed their reading with them.  The inspector scrutinised books, checked the single central register of employment checks on staff, and looked at pupils’ attendance and behaviour records. He also examined documents and policies on the curriculum, safeguarding, welfare, and health and safety.  The inspector met with senior leaders, parents and the chair of governors, who also is the sole proprietor.  There were too few responses the Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, to generate a report. However, the inspector met six parents at the start of the school day. He also

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Information about this inspection

considered seven responses to the survey for staff.

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Inspection team

Avtar Sherri, lead inspector Ofsted 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

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 .

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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