Kerem Shloime

School progress monitoring inspection report

p.1

Kerem Shloime 33 Northumberland Street, Salford M7 4DQ

p.1

Main inspection findings

Part 1. Quality of education provided Paragraph 3, 3(a), 3(b), 3(c), 3(d), 3(e), and 3(g)  At the previous inspection, this standard was unmet because leaders did not ensure that teaching enabled pupils to make good progress in writing and in science. Teachers had ineffective methods of planning and assessing writing and science. Planned work in science did not take account of pupils’ abilities and ages, or allow them to think and learn for themselves.  Action to tackle these weakness was initially slow. Turbulence in staffing did not aid planned action. In June 2017, the school received notification from the Department for Education (DfE) of its intention to remove the school from the register of independent schools. This has prompted the proprietor and school leaders to take swifter and more intense action to improve the work of the school. The leadership structure has been reviewed. There is now an executive headteacher, who is being phased into his role. He

p.1

Main inspection findings

has the support of three operational governors, who take charge of the day-to-day leadership of specific areas, including early years and management of staff. The existing head of general studies retains his responsibilities.  Leaders have commissioned educational consultants, and leaders of a local maintained teaching school, to provide support and guidance to staff to improve teaching in writing and science. A programme of activities designed to boost staff confidence and skills is in place. Staff have visited the teaching school to observe strong practice. Staff from the teaching school have coached Kerem Shloime teachers through observation, the joint planning of lessons, and the modelling of effective lessons. At the time of this inspection teachers from key stage 2 were teaching lessons to pupils at the teaching school. Consultants carry out observations and give helpful feedback to staff, although currently

p.1

Main inspection findings

this tends to focus more on the management of the class and on marking and feedback and less on how to accelerate pupils’ progress. One consultant has started to give demonstration lessons to model effective strategies to engage pupils in writing.  There are now better-organised lesson plans in place for science that recognise the ages and abilities of pupils. These include opportunities for pupils to learn for themselves and develop self-motivation through interesting practical investigations. There is evidence that, in writing, pupils are gradually and more systematically acquiring the knowledge and understanding of different genres and of how to construct sentences more reliably. Pupils make the strongest progress in these subjects in Year 5 and Year 6, but elsewhere it is less consistent. Although pupils’ progress across other year groups is variable, many pupils, such as those in Year 1, have particularly low starting points

p.1

Main inspection findings

because of the poor progress they made previously. In the majority of cases, teaching is now effectively creating the conditions in which pupils can start to progress more strongly.  This standard is now met. 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 made sure there is an appropriate safeguarding policy in place which takes account of current government guidance and requirements. All parents receive a school prospectus, which contains details of how to obtain a copy of the school’s safeguarding policy.  There is a safe culture in the school. All staff receive appropriate training in safeguarding and understand reporting procedures. Pupils feel safe in school and leaders provide

p.2

Main inspection findings

them with books containing messages on how to stay safe outside school. Pupils say that bullying is rare and that staff are effective at listening to any concerns they have. Leaders make the necessary checks on members of staff efficiently and thoroughly.  This standard continues to be met. Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Paragraph 34(1), 34(1)(a) and 34(1)(b).  At the previous standard inspection, this standard was unmet because leaders did not make sure that the school met all the independent school standards. They did not ensure that teaching enabled pupils to make good progress in writing and science. They also failed to ensure that the statutory learning and development requirements for the early years foundation stage were met.  Since the previous inspection, leaders have taken effective action to ensure that teaching provides pupils with the tools that they need to make stronger progress. They

p.2

Main inspection findings

have revised their leadership structure and provided a range of opportunities for teachers to develop their skills and confidence in teaching writing and science. They have ensured that lessons in writing and science are better structured and that there are sharper assessment procedures in place. Although the progress of the current year groups in these subjects varies, many have low starting points because of previous underachievement and their work shows they are improving compared to previous performance. Pupils in Year 5 and Year 6 make the strongest progress in these subjects.  Since the previous inspection, leaders have taken effective action to meet the learning and development requirements of the early years foundation stage. They have made changes to the leadership of the early years provision and ensured that an adviser from the local authority provides support. These strategies have improved the learning

p.2

Main inspection findings

environment and have resulted in signs of improvement in children’s progress in writing.  This standard is now met. Statutory requirements of the early years foundation stage  At the previous inspection, this standard was unmet because leaders did not meet the learning and development requirements. They did not provide a learning environment that effectively supported children’s development in language and mathematics. They also failed to enable children to make good progress in writing.  Leaders have taken effective action to address the previous shortcomings connected with this standard. The local authority provides effective support to the recently appointed early years leader to bring about improvements in the early years provision. The new leader is energetic and knowledgeable. Essential improvements to the learning environment have taken place. There is now more focus on developing children’s

p.3

Main inspection findings

language and mathematics. Writing is showing signs of improvement as children now make better progress than was evident at the last inspection.  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 teaching at the school 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 (paragraphs 3, 3(a)).  The proprietor must ensure that the teaching at the school 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 (paragraphs 3, 3(b)).  The proprietor must ensure that the teaching at the school involves well-planned lessons and effective teaching methods, activities and management of class time (paragraphs 3, 3(c)).  The proprietor must ensure that the teaching at the school shows a good understanding of the aptitudes, needs and prior attainments of the pupils, and ensures that these are taken into account in the planning of lessons (paragraphs 3, 3(d)).

p.4

The school now meets the following independent school standards

 The proprietor must ensure that the teaching at the school demonstrates good knowledge and understanding of the subject matter being taught (paragraphs 3, 3(e)).  The proprietor must ensure that the teaching at the school demonstrates 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 (paragraphs 3, 3(g)).  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 (paragraphs 34(1), 34(1)(a)).  The proprietor must ensure that persons with leadership and management responsibilities at the school fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards are met consistently (paragraphs 34(1), 34(1)(b)).

p.4

The school now meets the following independent school standards

The proprietor must ensure that the statutory learning and development requirements for the early years foundation stage are met.

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

Executive Headteacher Rabbi D Roitenberg

p.5

School details

Annual fees (day pupils) No fees after early years

p.5

School details

Date of previous standard inspection 14–16 February 2017

p.5

Information about this school

 Kerem Shloime is an independent primary day school for orthodox Jewish boys. The school is registered to take up to 95 pupils aged from three to 10 years. There are currently 170 boys on roll, with 12 part time, following a request for a material change at the last inspection.  The majority of pupils come from families where English is not spoken as the first language.  The school is located in a large Victorian building. Part of the building is used by the community as a synagogue.  The school was registered by the registration authority for independent schools in December 2013.  Children in the early years provision attend on a full-time basis.  There have been recent changes to senior leadership at the school.

p.5

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 school was last inspected on 14–16 February 2017, when it was judged to be inadequate in terms of its overall effectiveness.  This was the first progress monitoring inspection of the school since its last standard inspection to check on its progress in meeting the independent school standards that were judged to be unmet in February 2017. An action plan was submitted to the DfE in November 2017. The lead inspector received no information about whether this plan was accepted. There is no record of an evaluation of this action plan being requested.  The lead inspector carried out observations of learning in four year groups, including the

p.7

Information about this inspection

early years. All of these were joint observations between the head of general studies and the lead inspector. The head of general studies also met regularly with the lead inspector throughout the inspection.  A range of documentation was scrutinised, including assessment information, 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 the proprietor, school leaders and other staff members. He had a conversation with pupils from Year 5 and Year 6. He also analysed pupils’ work in science and in writing. He also looked at the work of children in the early years.  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