Manchester Junior Girls' School

School progress monitoring inspection report

p.1

Manchester Junior Girls’ School 64 Upper Park Road, Salford, Lancashire M7 4JA

p.1

Main inspection findings

Part 1. Quality of education provided Paragraph 2(1), 2(1)(a), 2(2), 2(2)(d) and 2(2)(d)(ii).  At the previous standard inspection, this standard was unmet because leaders did not fully provide for pupils’ personal, social, health and economic education. In particular, pupils had limited awareness of people with some of the protected characteristics set out in the Equality Act 2010.  The action plan that school leaders submitted to the Department for Education (DfE) in June 2017 was judged to be acceptable. In it, leaders planned to review their policies on personal, social, health and economic education so that there would be special attention given to the protected characteristics outlined in legislation about equality. They also planned to introduce an enhanced scheme of work to teach personal, social, health and economic education, which would contain increased emphasis on respect for and tolerance of those who have protected characteristics.

p.1

Main inspection findings

 Leaders have promptly put their plan into action. The school’s revised equality policy, which informs leaders’ work on personal, social, health and economic education, is appropriate and contains specific reference to the protected characteristics described in the relevant act. Teachers now follow the new scheme of work. They plan and deliver a variety of activities that are effective in increasing pupils’ appreciation of the full range of protected characteristics. The lead inspector met with pupils from different year groups in key stage 2, who demonstrated a mature understanding of and respect for protected characteristics, including those that align less easily with Orthodox Jewish beliefs.  This standard is now met.

p.1

Main inspection findings

Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Paragraph 7, 7(a), 7(b), 32(1) and 32(1)(c).  At the previous standard inspection, this standard was met. A check was carried out during this inspection at the request of the registration authority for independent schools.  Leaders have ensured that there is a suitable safeguarding policy in place that takes into account current government requirements. They provide all parents with a school prospectus, in which there is clear information about how parents may acquire a copy of the school’s safeguarding policy.  There is a safe culture in the school. Leaders make the required checks on members of staff thoroughly. Pupils show by their behaviour and by comments made to the lead inspector during the inspection that they feel safe in school and can rely on adults to support them if they have any safeguarding concerns. Staff are positive and caring. They are alert to pupils’ needs and make sure that pupils enjoy school and feel safe there.

p.1

Main inspection findings

Part 2. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils Paragraph 5, 5(a), 5(b), 5(b)(vi)  At the previous standard inspection, this standard was not met as leaders did not fully promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. This was because pupils had a limited awareness of people with some of the protected characteristics contained in the Equality Act 2010.  In the action plan that leaders submitted to the DfE, leaders undertook to revise policies relevant to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development so that there would be greater focus given to the full range of protected characteristics outlined in legislation about equality. They planned to introduce an enhanced scheme of work for personal, social, health and economic education to support them in achieving this. This included a planned expansion of ‘circle time’ for Year 2 and Year 3, where the whole class could

p.2

Main inspection findings

come together as a group to talk about relevant topics, following agreed rules that enabled pupils to feel able to speak freely.  Leaders have been quick to act. They revised their equality policy, which relates to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, making specific reference to all the protected characteristics. The new scheme of work for personal, social, health and economic education is in place and is effective. Teachers plan and deliver a variety of activities that successfully increase pupils’ appreciation of the full range of protected characteristics. As well as teaching lessons that focus, over the course of the year, on all the protected characteristics contained in the relevant legislation, teachers also respond well to any concerns or questions pupils may have. They do this through ‘circle time’, where the whole class comes together as a group to talk about relevant topics, following

p.2

Main inspection findings

agreed rules that allow pupils to feel able to speak freely. They also use recently introduced ‘worry boxes’, which enable pupils privately to express their concerns in writing and then discuss them with an external counsellor that leaders have commissioned. Adults also respond to issues that pupils may raise in other contexts. For example, in the early years, leaders planned and delivered an activity about different family structures, based on a conversation they overheard between children at play.  This standard is now met. Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Paragraph 34(1), 34(1)(a), 34(1)(b) and 34(1)(c).  At the previous standard inspection, this standard was not met, as leaders did not ensure that the school met all the independent school standards. In particular, they did not ensure that pupils were aware of the full range of protected characteristics set out in the Equality Act 2010.

p.2

Main inspection findings

 In the action plan that leaders submitted to the DfE, they proposed acceptable actions to address the issues identified. These included revising the policies relevant to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, introducing a new scheme of work for pupils’ personal, social, health and economic education and providing extra support for pupils’ well-being, such as the commissioning of an external counsellor.  Leaders have put in place their plan to address these issues swiftly and successfully. The recently revised policies and schemes of work are effective in ensuring that the school pays particular regard to the people with the full range of protected characteristics identified in national legislation. In conversation with the lead inspector, pupils said they appreciate the opportunity to speak with the school’s counsellor if they have any worries.  This standard is now met.

p.3

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.

p.4

The school now meets the following independent school standards

 The proprietor must ensure that the curriculum policy, plans and schemes of work provide for and effectively implement personal, social, health and economic education which encourages respect for other people, paying particular regard to the protected characteristics set out in the Equality Act 2010 (paragraph 2(1), 2(1)(a), 2(2), 2(2)(d), 2(2)(d)(ii)).  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 and ensures that principles are actively promoted which encourage respect for other people, paying particular regard to the protected characteristics set out in the Equality Act 2010 (paragraph 5, 5(a), 5(b), 5(b)(vi)).  The proprietor must ensure that persons with leadership and management responsibilities

p.4

The school now meets the following independent school standards

at the school demonstrate good skills and knowledge appropriate to their role so that the independent school standards are met consistently and 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)).

p.4

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.

p.5

School details

Proprietor Mr Aryeh and Mrs Hannah Ehrentreu

p.5

School details

Annual fees (day pupils) Voluntary contributions

p.5

School details

Date of previous standard inspection 7 February–7 March 2017

p.5

Information about this school

 Manchester Junior Girls’ School is an independent primary day school in Salford. It opened in 1993 to provide education for girls from Orthodox Jewish families. Within the local community the school is known as Beis Chinuch.  The school previously provided education for girls up to the age of 13. However, since the opening of Beis Chinuch High School in 2015, the school now has no pupils in Years 7 and 8, and girls move on from the school at the end of Year 6.  The school aims to ‘equip girls with the academic skills needed to move confidently into British Jewish seminaries and to develop in each girl a deep appreciation for, and a joy in the practice of, the Jewish religion, as laid down by the Torah.’  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is broadly similar to the national average.  The school does not receive additional government funding to support disadvantaged

p.5

Information about this inspection

 This first monitoring 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 not to have complied with at its previous inspection.  The school was last inspected on 7–9 February and 7 March 2017, when it was judged as requires improvement in terms of its overall effectiveness. Following this inspection, the school submitted an action plan to the registration authority for independent schools on 12 June 2017.  The school’s action plan was evaluated on 15 August 2017 and was judged to be acceptable.  This was the first progress monitoring inspection of the school to check on its progress in meeting the independent school standards that were judged to be unmet in March 2017.  The lead inspector carried out short visits to classes in the early years, key stage 1 and

p.7

Information about this inspection

key stage 2. All of these were joint visits with the head of secular studies. The proprietor, the deputy headteacher and the head of secular studies also met regularly for discussions with the lead inspector throughout the inspection.  A range of documentation was scrutinised, including schemes of work, lesson plans, policy documents, the school’s single central record of checks and vetting of staff and documents connected with the safeguarding of children, including the school’s safeguarding policy.  The lead inspector had discussions with other members of staff and with pupils from different year groups in key stage 2.  This inspection was undertaken without notice to the school.

p.7

Inspection team

Mark Quinn, 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 .

p.7

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.

p.8

Inspection team

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visitwww.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk, or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted .

p.8

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.

p.8

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

p.8

Inspection team

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspection team

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

p.8