Tashbar of Manchester

School progress monitoring inspection report

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Tashbar of Manchester 20 Upper Park Road, Salford, Greater Manchester M7 4HL

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Main inspection findings

Part 1. Quality of education provided Paragraph 2(1), 2(1)(a), 2(2), 2(2)(a), 2(2)(d), 2(2)(d)(ii)  This standard was identified as unmet at the school’s inspection in January 2019. This was because the school was not paying regard to the protected characteristics as set out in the equality legislation.  The action plan evaluation, of June 2019, acknowledged that leaders had considered how they would develop the school’s curriculum and practice to meet these standards in the future. However, the plan indicated that leaders were only paying particular regard to some of the protected characteristics. This was not acceptable.  Leaders have implemented the planned actions. For example, the school’s personal, social and health education policy has been amended to reflect all the protected characteristics.  Schemes of work have been revised to include protected characteristics such as other faiths, gender and disability. New resources have been bought to support pupils in Years

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Main inspection findings

1, 2 and 3 to learn about other countries and cultures through stories and English texts. In Years 5 and 6 projects allow pupils to explore life in Britain, diversity and gender equality. These have been embraced enthusiastically by pupils and staff. Such work has added greater breadth and richness to pupils’ learning.  However, the schemes, topics and activities do not include any reference to the protected characteristics of sexual orientation and gender reassignment. This means that pupils are not able to develop their knowledge and understanding of these particular protected characteristics in an age-appropriate way, for example by allowing them to develop their awareness of the different types of family groups which exist within society. Although activities were shared with the inspector that were intended to encourage pupils to think about a range of different family groups, all examples avoided

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Main inspection findings

any reference to, for example, same-sex parents or carers.  The standards in this part remain unmet. Part 2. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils Paragraph 5, 5(b), 5(b)(vi)  This standard was identified as unmet at the time of the January 2019 inspection because the school was not paying regard to the protected characteristics as set out in the Equality Act 2010.  The action plan evaluation, of June 2019, judged that the standards were unlikely to be met if leaders implemented the planned actions. Leaders planned to review the school’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural policy to reflect all protected characteristics. However, leaders stated, in the plan, that they did not consider the discussion of sexual orientation and gender reassignment to be age-appropriate.  The policy names all the individual protected characteristics. It continues to state that not all protected characteristics will be actively discussed in school.

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Main inspection findings

 Leaders offer good-quality counselling provision to pupils. This facility encourages pupils to share their worries and concerns. A large prominent display invites pupils to talk. The policy states that through this counselling service pupils can develop their understanding of ‘any pupils who present to the school with one of the protected characteristics or express feelings relating to one of the protected characteristics’. This includes, for example, gender reassignment. The policy also states that other pupils would be taught to ‘have respect for any pupils so affected or concerned’. This approach relies on pupils making the first step to get support. It does not allow pupils to actively develop their knowledge and understanding of some of the protected characteristics in an age- appropriate way. In other words, some protected characteristics will not be mentioned in school unless they are raised by pupils in the first instance.

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Main inspection findings

 The anti-bullying policy appropriately refers to homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying. However, different types of bullying are not actively discussed with pupils. Leaders do use assemblies to develop pupils’ understanding of some of the protected characteristics. For example, the role of male and female prime ministers, sex equality in the army and other faiths.  The standards in this part remain unmet. Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Paragraph 34(1), 34(1)(a), 34(1)(b)  This standard was identified as unmet during the January 2019 inspection. This was because leaders and the proprietor had not ensured that all the independent school standards were consistently met.  The action plan evaluation, in June 2019, acknowledged that leaders planned to develop the school’s approach to meeting these standards in the future. However, this planned approach did not allow pupils to develop their knowledge and understanding of the

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Main inspection findings

protected characteristics concerning sexual orientation and gender reassignment in an age-appropriate way.  This inspection confirms the consideration that leaders have given to address this unmet standard. The proprietor has consulted with other schools. The school’s policies and aspects of the curriculum have been amended. Leaders have led training with staff to explain changes and outline expectations around some protected characteristics. Leaders have set up a system to regularly monitor and review these aspects of the school’s work. Risk assessments outline the support that may be required by any pupils or staff affected by bullying in relation to all the protected characteristics.  Despite these improvements and a cautious willingness to improve further, leaders do not presently reflect regard for all the protected characteristics in their curriculum content. They are not fulfilling their responsibilities to meet the independent school

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Main inspection findings

standards effectively.  Leaders are concerned about the well-being and welfare of pupils and offer a good- quality support and counselling provision where pupils can approach adults for help. However, at present pupils are not actively taught to develop their knowledge and understanding of all the protected characteristics. Leaders do not actively promote the well-being of pupils.  These standards remain unmet.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school does not meet 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, as set out in the annex of this report. 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.

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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

Type of school Orthodox Jewish faith school

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School details

Annual fees (day pupils) Voluntary contributions

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School details

Date of previous standard inspection 22–24 January 2019

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Information about this school

 Tashbar of Manchester is an independent Orthodox Jewish day school for boys aged from three to 12 years. There are no 12-year-old pupils presently attending the school.  The school serves a growing Jewish community in the Greater Manchester area. Pupils are predominantly White British and all have an Orthodox Jewish background. The majority of pupils speak English as their first language.  The school is open six days a week from Sunday to Friday. The school aims ‘to provide an excellent education guided by giving over the principles of a true Toradik Chinuch’ (Torah education).  The school is led by a senior management team of five senior members of staff. Each leader has clearly defined responsibilities. The nominated representative of the senior management team is named as ‘headteacher’ in the school details section of this report.  Leaders are supported by the local authority and two local independent school

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Information about this school

headteachers, who act as leadership mentors for the management team.  The school uses no alternative provision.  At the time of the previous standard inspection the school roll was 529 pupils. The school is registered with the Department of Education (DfE) to admit up to 513 pupils. The school was advised to apply to the DfE for a material change to take account of this increase in pupil numbers. However, at the time of this inspection there are 509 pupils on roll. Leaders are aware that should numbers increase again above the registered admittance they will need to apply for a material change.

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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 previous standard inspection was carried out in January 2019. At that time the school was judged to not comply with the independent school standards.  The school was asked to prepare an action plan. The plan was evaluated by Ofsted in June 2019. This plan was not approved by the DfE.  The inspector met with the principal of kodesh, and the principal mentor. She also met with a group of teachers and staff responsible for maintaining safeguarding records.  The inspector met with the proprietor and spoke with the headteacher on the telephone.  The inspector toured the school premises.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector looked at a range of documents including policies, the single central record and risk assessments. She also examined a range of other documents, including schemes of work, planned activities, behaviour records and examples of pupils’ work displayed around the school.  The inspector examined the school’s safeguarding policy.  The inspection was conducted without notice to the school and was the first progress monitoring inspection.

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Inspection team

Sue Eastwood, 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– – 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  2(2) For the purposes of paragraph (2)(1)(a), the matters are– – 2(2)(d) personal, social, health and economic education which– – 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 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– – 5(b) ensures that principles are actively promoted which– – 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 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– – 34(1)(a) demonstrate good skills and knowledge appropriate to their role so that the independent school standards are met consistently – 34(1)(b) fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards are met consistently. 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

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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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