Ahavas Torah Boys Academy

School material change inspection report

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Ahavas Torah Boys Academy Riverside, Agecroft Road, Pendlebury M27 8SJ

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The school meets the independent school

standards relevant to the material change.

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Main inspection findings

Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Paragraphs 7, 7(a), 7(b)  Leaders are fully aware of statutory guidance about safeguarding pupils. Leaders have put in place all the necessary arrangements to promote the welfare of pupils at the school and ensure that they are properly safeguarded.  Leaders have a suitable safeguarding policy in place. It is up to date, reviewed regularly and meets all current statutory requirements. Leaders are aware that they will need to take into account the 2018 changes to ‘Keeping children safe in education’ due to take effect from September 2018.  The headteacher is the designated safeguarding lead for the school. All new staff receive appropriate induction, safeguarding training and regular updates. This includes aspects such as the signs of child abuse, child sexual exploitation and radicalisation and extremism. Records of training are appropriate and thorough.

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Main inspection findings

Paragraphs 11, 12, 16, 16(a), 16(b)  Leaders have a health and safety policy that is tailored to the temporary premises of the school. It complies with all relevant laws. The premises have regular fire safety checks. The proprietors ensure compliance with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.  A risk assessment policy is in place. Detailed risk assessments exist for all classrooms and shared areas, as well as for all educational and extra-curricular activities. Leaders use their risk assessments well to identify hazards and to plan and take appropriate actions to mitigate potential risks.  The security and safety of pupils have been considered as part of the plans for the building refurbishments for temporary use. Leaders have made suitable arrangements to make sure that the school site is secure.  This temporary accommodation is already in use by the school. It meets the independent school standards in this part checked in this inspection.

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Main inspection findings

Part 5. Premises of and accommodation at schools Paragraphs 23(1), 23(1)(a), 23(1)(b), 23(1)(c), 28(1), 28(1)(a), 28(1)(b), 28(1)(c), 28(1)(d), 28(2), 28(2)(a), 28(2)(b)  The temporary school building is located on the site of a disused power station. The school building occupies parts of the first and second floors of the large administrative block. The building is in good repair and has required only minimal alteration to meet the needs of the temporary school. The headteacher remarked that the building is a great improvement on their previous permanent school site which was limited, tired and shabby. The school comprises a suite of teaching rooms, as well as toilets, changing facilities, a shower, a medical room, a kitchen and a large open space used as a school assembly and prayer area. The school also has two further open spaces for indoor recreation. All learning spaces are adequately furbished and heated.

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Main inspection findings

 There are appropriate toilet facilities for the sole use of pupils, including a designated disabled toilet. All toilets can be secured from the inside. There is running hot and cold water; the hot water is of an appropriate temperature. Pupils have suitable access to drinking water. Paragraphs 24(1), 24(1)(a), 24(1)(b), 24(2)  There is a medical room with suitable washing facilities and access to a toilet. A bed with a duvet, sheet and pillow are easily accessible. There is a first-aid kit located in the medical room. Paragraphs 25, 26, 27, 27(a), 27(b)  Accommodation throughout the school is of an appropriate standard and meets all the requirements for the health, safety and welfare of pupils. The acoustics and lighting of rooms are suitable. All teaching rooms have a good source of natural light. The school is well maintained; corridors and classrooms are clean and uncluttered. The exterior and interior lighting is of an appropriate standard.

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Main inspection findings

Paragraphs 29(1), 29(1)(a), 29(1)(b)  The pupils have access to a large, secure outdoor space where they can play. There is access to extensive outdoor space for recreation and to undertake physical education in accordance with the school’s curriculum requirements. This includes a football pitch and a hard-surface playground.  This temporary accommodation is already in use by the school. It meets all the independent school standards in this part.

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Main inspection findings

Part 6. Provision of information Paragraphs 32(1), 32(1)(c)  The school does not have a website. However, parents are offered a range of useful information about the school and their child’s education. This includes the opportunity to request school policies, including those in relation to the safeguarding of pupils.  Leaders have ensured that the independent school standards in this part checked in this inspection are met. Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Paragraphs 34(1), 34(1)(a), 34(1)(b), 34(1)(c)  Leaders demonstrate the knowledge and experience to open this temporary school site. They are well organised and have worked effectively and with understanding to make sure that this short-term site meets regulations and requirements.  Leaders fulfil their responsibilities to promote the well-being of pupils.  At the time of this inspection, there were 56 pupils on roll. The school is registered for

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Main inspection findings

up to 47 pupils.  Leaders have ensured that the independent school standards in this part are met.

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Main inspection findings

Schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010  Leaders have ensured that there is an accessibility policy in place for this temporary site.  Leaders have ensured that the requirements concerning the accessibility of the buildings are met.

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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 are relevant to the material change.

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 162(4) of the Education Act 2002, the purpose of which is to advise the Secretary of State for Education about the school’s compliance with the independent school standards relevant to the material change that the school has applied to make.

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School details

Proprietor Ahavas Torah Boys Academy Ltd

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School details

Date of previous standard inspection 5–7 June 2018

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recommendation

Age range of pupils 11 to 16 Not applicable Not applicable

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recommendation

Number of pupils on the school roll 56 Not applicable Not applicable

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Gender of pupils Boys Not applicable Number of full-time pupils of compulsory school age 56 Not applicable

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Number of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities None Not applicable

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Of which, number of pupils with an education, health and care plan None Not applicable

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Of which, number of pupils paid for by a local authority with an education, health and care plan None Not applicable

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Number of full-time equivalent teaching staff Not applicable Not applicable

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Number of part-time teaching staff Not applicable Not applicable

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Number of staff in the welfare provision Not applicable Not applicable

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Information about this school

 Ahavas Torah Boys Academy is a Jewish faith school for boys aged 11 to 16 years located in Salford. The proprietors have recently purchased and are renovating a new school building. However, this has taken longer than anticipated. Due to the lease on their present school building expiring, a temporary school site has had to be found. This temporary school site is the subject of the material change inspection. The headteacher anticipates that the new, permanent school site will be ready for occupation by the end of the new academic year.  The school was opened in response to the increasing demand for school places in the Orthodox Jewish communities of North Manchester, Salford and Prestwich and is registered for 47 pupils. However, at the time of this material change inspection, the school had 56 pupils on the school roll.  There is a class in each of Years 7 to 10. Pupils take GCSEs in mathematics and

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Information about this school

English language at the end of Year 10.  No pupils have an education, health and care plan.  The school aims to ‘provide an excellent secular education which is guided by and also gives over the principles of orthodox Judaism’ and to ‘build an atmosphere of happiness and achievement whilst instilling within pupils a deep and passionate love for, and understanding of, their own religion, coupled with an uncompromising respect for other religions and lifestyles different to their own’.  The school does not use alternative provision for pupils.  The majority of the school day is devoted to kodesh (religious studies), with chol (secular subjects) taught mainly in the afternoon. The school is open six days each week.  The school appointed a full-time headteacher prior to the previous inspection. There is a new chair of the board of directors of the company that forms the proprietorial body.

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Information about this inspection

 This inspection was commissioned in relation to the school’s request to open a temporary school site. The temporary site is located in Swinton on the edge of Salford and is approximately 2 miles away from the original school site. This temporary accommodation is already in use by the school.  This inspection was the first material change inspection concerning this proposed change.  During the inspection, documents and policies were scrutinised, including documents relating to safeguarding. The inspector toured the accommodation and held discussions with the headteacher.

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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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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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