Tashbar of Edgware

Tashbar of Edgware Mowbray Road, Edgware, Middlesex HA8 8JL

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Inspection dates 30 January – 1 February 2018

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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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Early years provision Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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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 have not improved the overall quality of education since the previous inspection. Leadership of the ‘Chol’ (secular studies) curriculum lacks the capacity to make the improvements needed.  The most able pupils are not sufficiently challenged in lessons and therefore do not make the progress of which they are capable.  Opportunities for pupils to write at length and across subjects are limited and this reduces their ability to write to the highest standard.  The quality of teaching and learning in the Chol curriculum is not consistently good enough to ensure that pupils make good progress over time.  The Chol curriculum is not well structured and the assessment system is weak. Therefore teachers do not have the support they need to ensure that pupils make good progress and achieve well across all Chol subjects.  Provision for technology teaching lacks the time and structure it needs to ensure that pupils

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

make good progress. Lack of experience with information and communications technology means that pupils do not understand how to keep themselves safe when working online.  Leadership of the early years is not ensuring consistency in the quality of provision and teaching to secure good progress for all children.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Behaviour is good and pupils are respectful and courteous. Pupils have very positive attitudes to work and they want to do well.  Progress made by pupils in the ‘Kodesh’ (religious studies) curriculum is good due to effective teaching, assessment and very clear schemes of work to guide progression.  Provision for pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) is good.  Staff are well trained on safeguarding procedures. The school is vigilant in making sure that pupils are safe.  Leaders ensure that the school complies with the independent school standards.

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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 effectiveness of teaching and learning across the Chol curriculum, by making sure that: – leadership capacity is strengthened to bring about more rapid change – teachers have up-to-date schemes of work and guidance to plan for progression – assessment is undertaken accurately and used efficiently to plan work that enables pupils to achieve well – opportunities are planned for pupils to write at length and make good progress in the quality of their writing across subjects – most-able pupils achieve well through the provision of challenging work across subjects – weaknesses in teachers’ subject knowledge are tackled swiftly.  Improve the quality of provision and outcomes in the early years, by making sure that: – the provision is well led and managed to support teachers and adults in planning appropriately to support continuity and progression in children’s learning – the curriculum in the nursery (known in this school as the kindergarten) includes a

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

breadth of opportunities for all pupils to develop their skills and knowledge, particularly in mathematics and outdoor activities.  Improve the provision for pupils to make good progress in technology and better understand how to keep themselves safe when working online.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

 Leaders are enthusiastic and work hard to fulfil their responsibilities. However, they have not sustained the good provision identified in the previous inspection. Issues identified for action, particularly library provision and outdoor learning in the early years, remain issues today. Although leaders have ensured that all standards for independent schools are met, some gaps had not been identified early enough and were only addressed during the inspection.  Leaders work together well to ensure that all systems are in place to promote a good and orderly community where pupils develop respect for each other and are keen to learn. However, divisions of responsibility do not promote consistently good curriculum provision, teaching and learning over the whole school day. Whereas the morning curriculum is effective and leaders have accurate information about pupils’ progress in Kodesh studies and Hebrew, the afternoon curriculum is less successful. The challenges of

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

managing the broad range of subjects taught, supporting new teachers in overcoming some gaps in subject knowledge, and also developing a consistent approach to curriculum and assessment, are considerable. The school does not have middle leaders who can share this responsibility. Therefore it takes too long to put right identified weaknesses. This affects consistency and continuity in provision, and the progress that pupils make across subjects taught during the afternoon Chol curriculum.  The curriculum and assessment of the Kodesh curriculum and Hebrew are well established. Good information is drawn together to track the progress that pupils make in these subjects. This is used well to guide teachers in planning and intervening where pupils may be falling behind. However, across the rest of the curriculum, assessment is not regular, so information is not readily available to inform leaders and teachers of the

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

progress pupils make. A new assessment record has been introduced into pupils’ books. This aims to help teachers and pupils understand what has been achieved and what pupils need to do next. However, gaps in learning and inconsistencies in the progress made by pupils in different subjects and classes are not identified quickly enough. Therefore, weaknesses in progress and achievement, particularly in writing and in science, are left for too long.  Pupils have an appropriately broad curriculum that prioritises Kodesh studies and the teaching of Hebrew. It also captures a wider range of subjects to encourage creativity through the afternoon Chol curriculum. Literacy and mathematics are taught along with humanities and a knowledge and understanding of science. Pupils are introduced to technology in a measured way although this lacks a scheme of work to guide teachers in their planning. Consequently, there is limited progression in the skills that pupils learn in

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

technology. Schemes of work to guide teachers in planning for progression across subjects vary in quality. They are good in Kodesh studies and Hebrew, with clear objectives and structure. In other subjects, schemes of work are not up to date. Teachers therefore lack a useful structure to guide them in their day-to-day planning. This restricts teachers’ ability to build on pupils’ prior learning and make sure that all pupils are sufficiently challenged.  Leadership of teaching and learning is inconsistent. Leaders manage staff and routinely observe them in lessons. However, weaknesses in subject knowledge and in the level of challenge set by teachers in some subjects are not picked up quickly enough. Consequently, inconsistencies in the quality of teaching and learning are taking too long to address in some classes and subjects within the Chol curriculum. This affects the progress and attainment of pupils.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

 Leaders promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development very well. The values of working together and taking increasing social responsibility are embedded effectively across the school. Great thought is given to promoting an understanding of British values. Pupils learn about their own faith and cultural traditions, but also about the importance of respecting other faiths and cultures.  The leadership of provision for pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is good. The leader has a good understanding of the needs of pupils and works well with teachers. The needs of individual pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities are known and work is planned accordingly. This is particularly the case for those pupils who have an education, health and care (EHC) plan. Their progress is kept under constant review and parents and carers are well informed. Consequently, the leader is able to intervene and provide suggestions

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

to teachers in setting new targets and maintaining good progress. Additional occupational therapy is provided for those pupils who need it. This is valued by parents.

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Governance

 Governors play a full part in supporting the school and in working to secure funding to improve the facilities and the quality of provision. They keep themselves informed and ask the right questions to understand what needs to be improved. They review spending and recognise that leadership and management need strengthening in order to improve teaching, learning and the quality of the curriculum. They maintain good relationships with the community.  Although governors have a broad understanding of the school’s priorities, they had not recognised the significance of some weaknesses related to the premises, against the independent school standards. However, governors’ commitment to pupils’ safety and well-being is strong and was matched with determination to address any weaknesses before the inspection was completed.  Governors take their roles and responsibilities seriously. They carry out a range of checks

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Governance

when recruiting new staff. They regularly make sure that all safeguarding procedures are up to date and implemented effectively.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff are vigilant in keeping a watchful eye on pupils for any signs of upset or worry. For example, teachers responsible for pupils during the morning sessions communicate any concerns to their colleagues who take over in the afternoon. Leaders ensure that staff are well trained and informed on all aspects of safeguarding. Good systems are implemented for referring any concerns that may arise. Leaders have good relationships with the local authority and they openly seek advice and guidance where necessary. Appropriate checks are made to make sure that staff are suitable to work with children. All records are maintained to an appropriate standard. Where pupils are taken off roll, the local authority is informed.  Pupils understand how to keep themselves safe around the school. They talk positively about the school and say that staff help them feel safe and valued. Pupils have limited

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Safeguarding

understanding of how to work safely on computers. They have limited access to computers in school and are not routinely taught how to keep safe when working online.  Leaders ensure that the school’s safeguarding policy reflects the latest statutory guidance and is available to parents on request.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

 The quality of teaching and learning lacks consistency across the school and between subjects. Although teachers work hard and plan their lessons carefully, the work they provide does not always build on pupils’ previous learning, or on what pupils already know. In some subjects, notably science and history, all pupils in the lesson do the same work and, for some, it does not provide the challenge they want. In talking with pupils during the inspection, some most-able pupils said that they did not always find the work they were given challenging enough. This was also evident in pupils’ books, where, irrespective of their ability, pupils often did similar work. For some pupils the work gave little challenge, but for others it was too difficult.  Teachers are not supported by a whole-school structure to the curriculum for subjects taught in afternoon sessions. There is limited agreement on how to assess progress and

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

learning within lessons or over time. Consequently, some teachers in the Chol curriculum do not identify gaps in pupils’ learning quickly enough, or use this information to plan work to address them. Pupils who are falling behind are not helped to catch up. Those who already understand are not challenged to go further. This affects the progress made by pupils over time in some classes.  Some teaching displays a lack of the subject knowledge and understanding needed to teach writing and ensure that pupils achieve well. The focus is placed on teaching punctuation and grammar, with pupils encouraged to write instructions and simple stories. However, pupils are not given a broad range of opportunities to write at length or to apply their writing in other subjects. Pupils receive limited guidance on how to improve the quality of their writing.  Some teaching is very effective, with clear learning objectives and good subject

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

knowledge used to challenge pupils and ensure that they make good progress. This is often the case in morning sessions, and also in mathematics with the oldest pupils in the school. Effective teaching also encourages pupils to apply their broader knowledge of English and mathematics in other subjects; pupils are guided and supported to make sure that they understand and are challenged to extend their learning.  Teachers maintain very positive relationships with pupils and work successfully to maintain an atmosphere that promotes the school’s values. Classrooms are welcoming and most are well organised. Additional adults working in classrooms work well to support pupils, particularly those who need extra help.  Reading is taught well. Pupils develop a good phonic knowledge through the Reception class and they learn to use this knowledge well in reading books. Pupils learn Hebrew step by step, with teachers providing a good level of challenge and clear progression.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

Older pupils read well. They are supported effectively in broadening their reading interests and in developing the skills to read for meaning and for pleasure.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  Pupils have positive attitudes to learning. They listen very well to adults and respect the contributions of other pupils in lessons. Relationships with staff are very strong. Pupils come to school ready to learn. They listen well and concentrate hard in their Kodesh studies and Hebrew lessons during the mornings. They mostly adapt well to the different teaching approaches adopted by adults leading the afternoon sessions, and are keen to broaden their knowledge and understanding across a full range of subjects. Where opportunities arise for pupils to work together and to solve challenging problems, they respond well. Pupils who were interviewed during the inspection spoke positively about interesting investigations that they have worked on together in science and history, for example. However, in some classes where work is not well matched to

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Personal development and welfare

the needs of individual pupils and is too challenging, pupils lack the skills to be able to solve the problems they are set independently and are too reliant on the teacher.  Pupils willingly take on responsibilities as members of the school council and meet regularly with the headteacher to discuss how to improve the school. They make suggestions and these are valued by staff. This has led to improvement in the provision of playground equipment, for example. Pupils develop in confidence and quickly learn to be responsible, taking care to look after other pupils when they need it.  Pupils learn about their own religious and cultural heritage, but also show respect for other faiths and cultures. Pupils have a good understanding of democracy and British values. They spoke positively about their visit to the Houses of Parliament, and about tolerance and respect for each other, for example. They know the difference between

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Personal development and welfare

right and wrong.  Pupils are keen to improve their work and apply any advice they are given by their teachers. Pupils want to succeed.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. They play together well in the playground and take care of each other. Pupils do not consider bullying to be an issue in the school but, if they experience others being unkind, they know that adults will step in and sort it for them. Classrooms promote good standards of behaviour. Teachers of the morning and afternoon sessions communicate together to ensure consistency in the way behaviour is managed and in the expectations that they set for pupils. Leaders work well to support this. Pupils understand the rules of the school and the expectations of teachers. They respond well to these and do not want to let their teachers down.  The school is a calm and orderly community where pupils walk carefully, play well together and respect each other. In breaks and lunchtimes, pupils take care and look after each other well. Both parents and staff appreciate the positive expectations set by

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Behaviour

leaders in promoting a caring environment where all pupils behave well.  Attendance is above the national average. Persistent absence is low. Daily attendance is monitored well and very good daily communication is maintained with parents so that any issues and concerns can be picked up immediately.

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

 Progress in some subjects taught during afternoon Chol sessions is limited due to the lack of relevant schemes of work to guide teachers in planning. The schemes of work do not reflect changes to the national curriculum in 2014; therefore they do not help teachers plan work that provides pupils with the challenge they need to meet current national expectations. Time given to some subjects, for example technology and computing, does not enable pupils to develop the skills and knowledge they need to prepare well for their move to secondary education.  Progress in writing is inconsistent. Pupils have few opportunities to write at length as they progress through the school and the range of written work that pupils produce is limited. They do not write for a broad range of purposes, or apply different writing styles. In some year groups, pupils do not make the progress that they should in basic writing skills,

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

including punctuation.  In the 2017 national assessments at the end of key stage 2, all pupils in Year 6 attained the expected standards in reading, writing and in mathematics, but none achieved the higher standard. The progress made by most-able pupils is affected by inconsistencies in the quality of teaching and learning, and in teachers’ use of assessment to plan work that provides the challenge they need. Too often, most-able pupils could do more.  Pupils make good progress in learning Hebrew and in increasing their knowledge and understanding of their own religious and cultural heritage. They read well and know to ask when they are uncertain. Over time, they develop fluency in and understanding of Hebrew. Step by step, teachers raise pupils’ expectations and increasingly provide opportunities for them to use and apply their knowledge, and challenge their thinking. This works well and pupils develop a good knowledge of Kodesh studies. They confidently

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

contribute to discussions, pose questions and explain the meaning of what they read.  Pupils make good progress in reading. They develop a good knowledge of phonics and use this well to read unfamiliar words. Older pupils read well with good understanding and fluency. They show positive attitudes to reading and talk positively about the books they read and the information they research.  Progress in mathematics is sustained across the school, guided by clear progression through a structured scheme of work. Most pupils make good progress in mathematics and older pupils use their knowledge well to solve complex mathematical problems.  Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities make better progress because their needs have been carefully diagnosed. Leaders work closely with teachers to support them in planning work that meets their learning needs. This ensures that they good make progress over time.

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Early years provision Requires improvement

 Leadership of the early years is not strong enough to ensure continuity of learning and progress through the early years. This leads to inconsistency in provision between the two classes, with gaps in children’s learning and insufficient attention to checking their progress over time.  From starting points that are broadly similar to those expected of their age when children enter the school, children leave the Reception class with skills and knowledge that are also similar to those expected nationally. The proportion of children achieving a good level of development varies year by year, but overall is similar to the national average over time. Progress through the early years varies. It is better in the Reception class and stronger in children’s personal, social and emotional development, and in their communication and language skills, than in other areas of learning.  Teachers and supervisors plan a range of activities to promote children’s language and

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Early years provision Requires improvement

communication skills, and also their personal development. However, they do not routinely plan work that promotes a good understanding of number. Therefore the progress that children make in mathematics is limited.  Teachers’ assessments of children’s progress is not always accurate in the nursery class. Adults observe children in their care and take photographs to record what children have done and what they are learning. However, this information is not used to ensure that activities provide the right levels of challenge. Sometimes, too, adults insufficiently guide children to help improve their learning. Children therefore do not always progress as well as they should through the nursery, or kindergarten as it is known in this school.  Although a suitable range of activities is provided to encourage creativity indoors, provision for outdoor learning is limited. This restricts the opportunities for children to use

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Early years provision Requires improvement

and apply their knowledge and skills across the curriculum.  Children entering the Reception class settle very quickly into routines. They have good relationships with both their morning and afternoon teachers. Children make good progress in their Kodesh studies and Hebrew. They show good attitudes and want to learn. They are well supported and this ensures that they understand and make progress in their work.  During the afternoon sessions, Reception children explore a broad curriculum. This develops a wide range of skills and knowledge and introduces children to subjects including science and creative art and design. They are taught phonics well and make good progress in reading. Children learn to count and use their knowledge of mathematics to solve simple problems and understand patterns and shapes. Children make good progress across the curriculum and show increasing responsibility and independence in the way that they learn. Assessment is accurate and detailed learning

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Early years provision Requires improvement

records are put together with photographs and samples of work to show the progress that children are making. These are valued by parents.  Overall, children are well prepared for entry into Year 1.  Leaders ensure that the school complies with the independent school standards in relation to the early years provision.

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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) £3,900 (voluntary contribution)

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School details

Website The school does not have a website

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School details

Date of previous inspection 10–12 June 2014

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Information about this school

 Tashbar is an independent, strictly orthodox Jewish boys’ day school in Edgware, North London. It is registered for 240 pupils from three to 11 years of age. It was last inspected in June 2014.  Pupils are taught on one site in a dedicated school building, supplemented with a room in the adjacent synagogue during morning sessions.  There are currently 211 pupils aged between three and 11 years on roll. The proportion of pupils who have an EHC plan is lower in than other schools nationally. Provision is split into two distinct sessions, with Kodesh (religious studies) taught by teachers in the mornings and Chol (secular studies) taught in the afternoons by a different group of teachers. The school aims to provide ‘an education that will aid the boys to develop their knowledge and allegiance to Judaism…and equip them with the vital skills for life’.  Leadership is provided by two headteachers, one who takes responsibility for the Kodesh

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Information about this school

curriculum taught in the mornings, and the other for the Chol curriculum taught in the afternoons. Both work together to lead on whole-school issues, including safeguarding and behaviour management.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed learning in all classes and across a broad range of subjects covering the Kodesh and Chol curriculum during morning and afternoon sessions respectively.  Inspectors held a meeting with governors. The 75 responses to Ofsted’s survey (Parent View) were read and analysed. A sample of pupils read to inspectors and discussions took place with pupils about their work and their views of the school.  Inspectors scrutinised a wide range of documentation. This included the school’s self- evaluation and improvement plan, attendance data, behaviour logs and health and safety audits. Inspectors also scrutinised policy documents, including curriculum and assessment information. They also considered safeguarding records.  Inspectors scrutinised pupils’ work from different year groups and observed pupils’ conduct around the school and at break and lunchtimes.

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Inspection team

Paul Wagstaff, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Helen Bailey 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

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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