Getters Talmud Torah

Getters Talmud Torah 86 Amhurst Park, London N16 5AR

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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 Inadequate

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Leaders and governors have not ensured that all of the independent school standards are met. This is the same as at the time of the previous inspection.  The curriculum does not enable pupils to progress in all required areas. It prepares pupils inadequately for their future lives.  Teaching is inadequate. Some aspects of the curriculum are not taught. Teachers use assessment ineffectively.  Leaders do not know enough about how well the oldest pupils progress to the next stage of their education.  Pupils’ personal development is restricted by the narrow curriculum. They do not learn enough about culture, belief and lifestyles beyond their own community.  Pupils do not learn about some types of bullying which may affect them.  The early years statutory requirements are not all met. Assessment of children’s progress and achievement is weak and incomplete.  The proprietor has not ensured that the number of pupils remains within the range for which the

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Pupils make good progress in learning to read and write in Hebrew. They develop a secure understanding of their own religion and culture.  Pupils behave well.  Leaders ensure that the premises are safe and pupils are well cared for while in school.  Parents and carers are typically very supportive of the school’s aims and work.

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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 annex to the full report.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Immediately broaden the curriculum so that teaching and learning across a wide range of subjects lead to pupils making good progress.  Improve leadership and management so that leaders and governors possess the capacity and determination to ensure that all of the independent school standards are met.  Ensure that leaders’ know what pupils need to be well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

 Leaders continue not to ensure that all of the independent school standards are met.  The curriculum does not meet the requirements of the independent school standards. Subjects other than mathematics, English and religious studies have not been taught since January 2017. Leaders and parents agreed at this time (without a legal basis to do so) that the school should no longer be responsible for teaching many aspects of the curriculum. As a result, leaders have no expectations for the impact of the school’s work on pupils’ progress in a wide range of subjects. There is no provision for pupils of secondary school age to receive careers guidance.  Pupils spend most of the school day studying the faith curriculum, which is devoted to religious, cultural and historical study of Judaism. Leaders said that this prepares pupils well for the next stage of their education. However, they could provide little evidence of

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

the effectiveness of pupils’ transition to their next schools.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education does not provide adequate opportunity for them to learn about cultures and views beyond their own faith and immediate community. Pupils do not learn about British institutions and services in sufficient depth to prepare them adequately for their future lives. For example, they learn little about the contribution women have made to shaping modern British society. Leaders encourage and expect pupils to show respect for others regardless of their belief. However, they do not teach pupils enough about the cultures and lifestyles of others. As a result, pupils’ respect is based on obedience rather than an informed choice.  The leader responsible for the secular curriculum has left the school. He has not been replaced. As a result, leaders have very limited capacity to check the quality of teaching

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

of English and mathematics. The performance of teachers is not managed effectively. Leaders do not know how much progress pupils are making in these subjects from their different starting points. They have investigated systems for tracking pupils’ progress but have yet to implement them.  The school is registered for up to 200 pupils between the ages of three and 14. However, leaders told inspectors that there were 224 pupils on roll at the school at the time of the inspection. This is a breach of the school’s registration.  Parents are supportive of leaders’ work. All parents have signed a document agreeing to take responsibility for many aspects of their child’s learning rather than expecting the school to make provision for this. The school has relied on this agreement to reduce the secular curriculum on offer to pupils even though there is no legal basis for the school to do so.

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Governance

 The proprietor has sanctioned the removal, since January 2017, of many aspects of the curriculum required by the independent school standards. He has accepted a written agreement with parents as permission to limit the education on offer by the school, even though there is no legal basis for this. He has also allowed the number on roll at the school to remain above the number for which the school is registered.  Governors have not ensured that leaders possess the skills and capacity to monitor and improve the quality of teaching. As a result, they have not ensured that the school meets the independent school standards found to be unmet at the school’s previous progress monitoring inspection.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Leaders promptly obtained missing information about the suitability of staff after the previous progress monitoring inspection. They have now ensured that the independent school standards related to the suitability of staff are all met.  The leader responsible for safeguarding has a good understanding of current statutory guidance. He makes sure that his own training and that of his staff is updated and remains relevant to the school’s community. Staff understand how to report a concern and know the role of the local authority designated officer.  The designated leader for safeguarding has a secure understanding of the ‘Prevent’ duty. There was variability in how well other staff could explain their understanding of this.  Leaders keep a close check on risks posed by the premises and school activities. They have ensured that the safeguarding policy meets requirements and is available to parents.

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Safeguarding

However, leaders’ decisions about when and how to record information about some issues which relate to safeguarding, such as analysis of attendance, are less well considered.  Parents, staff and pupils who expressed their views to inspectors mentioned no concerns about safeguarding.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

 There is no teaching of subjects other than mathematics, English and the faith curriculum.  Teachers of English and mathematics do not assess pupils’ starting points effectively. They do not use assessment information to plan lessons. They start pupils off with similar or identical work regardless of their abilities.  Limitations in teachers’ subject knowledge leads to them using published textbooks in mathematics ineffectively. They do not help pupils learn to choose the most effective approach to different calculations. Teachers fail to recognise when most-able pupils are ready to try to use and apply mathematical skills.  Teachers do not ensure that pupils have a wide enough range of books in English to help nurture a love of reading. They do not provide effective support to make sure that pupils learn about different authors. The restricted range of subjects taught means that pupils do not learn how to use books to deepen their knowledge and understanding across the

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

curriculum.  Pupils do not benefit from sufficient opportunities to apply their writing skills. Inspectors asked to see examples of pupils’ independent writing, but leaders could not provide any.  The teaching of Hebrew in the faith curriculum is effective in enabling all pupils to read about and understand their own religion.  Teachers ensure that pupils are respectful and well behaved in lessons.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is inadequate.  Leaders make no provision for pupils’ personal, social, health and economic education. They do not provide careers guidance for secondary-aged pupils. They said that this is parents’ responsibility.  Leaders expect parents to be responsible for helping their child learn about types of bullying related to the internet. They do not promote pupils’ understanding regarding the types of bullying that are linked to some protected characteristics. This leaves pupils inadequately prepared for their future lives in modern Britain.  Pupils learn about the importance of contributing to their own community. They sing for residents of a nearby care home for the elderly and help keep the local park free of litter. However, leaders do not make enough arrangements to help pupils participate in and contribute to wider society in London and beyond.

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Personal development and welfare

 Pupils’ attendance is recorded systematically and accurately. However, leaders do not analyse overall attendance over time precisely and therefore do not know how this compares to attendance in similar schools.  The checks that leaders make on the safety and maintenance of the premises are meticulous and effective. This contributes well to pupils’ welfare while at school.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils behave considerately and conscientiously in lessons and around the school. Lessons are seldom disrupted due to poor behaviour. However, lessons and other activities do not develop pupils’ ability to manage their own behaviour in a wide enough range of circumstances.  Pupils show respect for one another and for visitors. They understand the expectations of school leaders and act on them obediently.  The records kept by leaders show that discriminatory behaviour and bullying are rare.

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Outcomes for pupils Inadequate

 Many aspects of the curriculum required by the independent school standards are not taught and so pupils make no progress as a result of the school’s work. This is inadequate.  Pupils make inadequate progress in English and mathematics. They are not expected to apply their skills in grammar and spelling when writing independently and at length. Their progress in reading English is restricted due to the limited range and poor quality of books available to them in school. Pupils’ work in mathematics shows that they learn a narrow range of skills. The most able are not offered guidance or opportunities to progress in using or applying these skills.  Leaders possess little information about the progress pupils are making in mathematics or English from their different starting points. They do not compare pupils’ progress against the school’s own expectations or against national norms. Pupils do not know how much

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Outcomes for pupils Inadequate

progress they have made and neither do their parents.  Pupils make substantial progress in learning to read and write in Hebrew. As a result, they can use religious texts to deepen their understanding of the Jewish faith and its history. Pupils are challenged to question and discuss issues in their religious studies lessons.

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Early years provision Inadequate

 Leaders do not assess children’s starting points on entry to the early years. They have no information about how many children achieve a good level of development by the end of the Reception Year. As a result, leaders cannot tell how much progress children have made. The statutory requirements for the early years foundation stage with regard to assessment are not met.  Leaders are not ensuring that teachers possess the necessary skills to challenge and support children in the early development of their skills in reading and writing in English, and in mathematics.  Teaching staff do not use enough opportunities to speak and listen in English during lessons to help children progress well. They have not noticed that some of the few reading books in English available for children contain spelling and grammatical errors.  Most children speak Yiddish as their first language. Adults use this as the primary

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Early years provision Inadequate

language of teaching throughout the day. They provide effective support to help children learn to recognise letters and write in Hebrew.  Children have opportunities to learn outdoors, but the range of activities on offer is not broad enough to help them make progress across all the required areas of learning.  The statutory welfare requirements for the early years foundation stage are met, and safeguarding is effective. Children are well supervised and encouraged to learn collaboratively. As a result, they behave well and show curiosity for the activities on offer.

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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

Inspectors were able to obtain limited information about the views of pupils during the inspection. This was because nearly all parents had provided letters stating that they did not wish inspectors to speak to their children, and because a whole year group of pupils was not on site during the second day of the inspection visit.

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School details

Annual fees (day pupils) Voluntary contributions

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School details

Date of previous inspection 9–11 December 2014

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Information about this school

 Getters Talmud Torah is an independent, orthodox Jewish day school. All of the pupils are boys. The school is situated on a single site in the Stamford Hill area of North London.  Nearly all pupils speak English as an additional language. There are no pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities.  The school is open for six days a week. The secular curriculum is available for all classes for at least an hour a day. All other teaching time is devoted to the Jewish studies curriculum.  In January 2017, parents signed an agreement with the school indicating that they would be responsible for all aspects of the secular curriculum except for mathematics and English. Leaders told inspectors that parents are able to request that the school teach their child the rest of the curriculum, but currently no parents have made this request.  The children in the early years attend full time. The main language used in lessons is

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Information about this school

Yiddish. None of the children is in receipt of funding from the local authority.  The school does not have any additional off-site provision.  The school’s last full inspection was in December 2014. At this time, the school was judged to be inadequate, and a number of independent school standards in part 1 of the regulations were found to be unmet. Since then, the school has had four progress monitoring inspections. At the most recent of these in January 2017 a number of the independent school standards were found to be still unmet.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors conducted observations in both faith and secular lessons, most alongside school leaders. The secular curriculum was not being taught on the second and third days of the inspection. Leaders said that this was due to the imminent Passover festival.  Inspectors looked at a range of pupils’ work. They asked leaders about the way they assess and keep track of pupils’ progress.  Inspectors spoke to leaders and a number of other staff members about their work. One of the school’s governors was also present at most meetings with inspectors.  A range of policies and documents relating to safeguarding, premises safety, behaviour and the curriculum was scrutinised. Inspectors also saw the agreements that parents had signed in relation to the curriculum.  Inspectors conducted a tour of the premises.  The inspection was conducted with one day’s notice. Nearly all parents either wrote to the school or made contact by telephone to insist that they did not wish inspectors to speak

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Information about this inspection

to their child or ask them any questions. Inspectors looked at over 100 letters from parents expressing this view.  Inspectors spoke with a small number of pupils whose parents had not indicated an objection to this. They considered the views of parents who had written to inspectors and the six written responses on Parent View. Inspectors received no responses to the staff survey.

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Inspection team

Andrew Wright, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

 2(1) The standard in this paragraph is met if ─

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

– 2(1)(a) the proprietor ensures that a written policy on the curriculum, supported by appropriate plans and schemes of work, which provides for the matters specified in sub- paragraph (2) is drawn up and implemented effectively; and

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

– 2(1)(b) the written policy, plans and schemes of work ─

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

– 2(1)(b)(i) take into account the ages, aptitudes and needs of all pupils, including those pupils with an EHC plan; and

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

– 2(1)(b)(ii) do not undermine the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

 2(2) For the purposes of paragraph (2)(1)(a), the matters are ─

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

– 2(2)(a) full-time supervised education for pupils of compulsory school age (construed in accordance with section 8 of the Education Act 1996), which gives pupils experience in linguistic, mathematical, scientific, technological, human and social, physical and aesthetic and creative education;

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

– 2(2)(d) personal, social, health and economic education which ─

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

– 2(2)(d)(i) reflects the school’s aim and ethos; and

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

– 2(2)(d)(ii) encourages respect for other people, paying particular regard to the protected characteristics set out in the 2010 Act;

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

– 2(2)(e) for pupils receiving secondary education, access to accurate, up-to-date careers guidance that ─

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

– 2(2)(e)(i) is presented in an impartial manner;

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

– 2(2)(e)(ii) enables them to make informed choices about a broad range of career options; and

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

– 2(2)(e)(iii) helps to encourage them to fulfil their potential;

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

– 2(2)(f) where the school has pupils below compulsory school age, a programme of activities which is appropriate to their educational needs in relation to personal, social, emotional and physical development and communication and language skills; – 2(2)(h) that all pupils have the opportunity to learn and make progress; and

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

– 2(2)(i) effective preparation of pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of life in British society.

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

 3 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that the teaching at the school ─

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

– 3(a) 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;

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

– 3(b) 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;

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

– 3(c) involves well-planned lessons and effective teaching methods, activities and management of class time;

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

– 3(d) 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;

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

– 3(e) demonstrates good knowledge and understanding of the subject matter being taught;

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

– 3(f) utilises effectively classroom resources of a good quality, quantity and range;

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

– 3(g) 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.

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

 4 The standard in this paragraph is met where the proprietor ensures 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.

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

 5 The standard about the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils at the school is met if the proprietor ─

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

– 5(b) ensures that principles are actively promoted which ─

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

– 5(b)(i) enable pupils to develop their self-knowledge, self-esteem and self-confidence;

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

– 5(b)(iii) encourage pupils to accept responsibility for their behaviour, 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; – 5(b)(iv) enable pupils to acquire a broad general knowledge of and respect for public institutions and services in England;

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

– 5(b)(v) further tolerance and harmony between different cultural traditions by enabling pupils to acquire an appreciation of and respect for their own and other cultures;

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

– 5(b)(vi) encourage respect for other people, paying particular regard to the protected characteristics set out in the 2010 Act.

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

 10 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that bullying at the school is prevented in so far as reasonably practicable, by the drawing up and implementation of an effective anti-bullying strategy.

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

 34(1) The standard about the quality of leadership and management is met if the proprietor ensures that persons with leadership and management responsibilities at the school ─

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

– 34(1)(a) demonstrate good skills and knowledge appropriate to their role so that the independent school standards are met consistently;

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

– 34(1)(b) fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards are met consistently; and

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

– 34(1)(c) actively promote the well-being of pupils. 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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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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