Talmud Torah Yetev Lev

School progress monitoring inspection report

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Talmud Torah Yetev Lev 393–395 Bury New Road, Salford M7 2BT

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Main inspection findings

Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Paragraph 7, 7(a), 7(b), 32(1)(c)  Leaders updated the school’s safeguarding policy at the start of this school year, so that it reflects the latest government guidance about safeguarding. It provides clear information for staff and others should a safeguarding concern arise. The headteacher is in the process of refining this policy by incorporating additional details available in a model policy provided by the local authority.  The school does not have a website. However, the school’s safeguarding policy is readily available to parents, carers and others on request from the school.  Leaders are fully aware of their responsibility to report to the appropriate authority any person who has worked at the school but is not suitable to have contact with children and young people. Paragraph 16, 16(a), 16(b)  At the previous emergency inspection, these standards were not met, because leaders

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Main inspection findings

had not taken action to address all the hazards identified in a recent risk assessment undertaken by a specialist contractor.  The school’s action plan indicated that a full-time site manager would be appointed as part of closer routine monitoring of health and safety in the school. In addition, regular audits would be undertaken by an independent risk assessor. The plan also noted that actions to improve pupils’ welfare and safety had been completed within the timescales set out.  Leaders have completed the tasks they set for the school in their action plan. The hazards identified at the previous emergency inspection have all been rectified.  A full-time school manager has been appointed. His responsibilities include daily checking for potential hazards and weekly reporting of his findings to the headteacher. These weekly reports are checked by the headteacher and a governor who has responsibility for health and safety. This allows the headteacher to prepare a monthly

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Main inspection findings

report which is considered by the proprietor. This process is now part of the school’s routines.  The school’s records about health and safety checks are carefully maintained. These include audit reports from an external health and safety consultant. When these reports have recommended actions to improve the school premises, these have been completed and recorded.  The system for checking on potential risks in the premises is now well established and working well. However, the responsibilities of leaders to complete their roles within this system are not set out in either the health and safety or risk assessment policies.  Other aspects of risk assessment in the school are suitable and protect pupils. Leaders’ closer focus on risk assessment has led them to improve other aspects. For example, they have purchased a radio communication system for use when pupils are visiting other places as part of school activity.

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Main inspection findings

 Leaders have ensured that the standards in this part checked in this inspection are now met. Part 5. Premises of and accommodation at schools Paragraph 25  At the previous emergency inspection, this standard was not met. This was because leaders had not completed a number of actions required to maintain the premises to a standard that ensured the welfare and safety of the pupils.  The school’s action plan confirmed that concerns identified at the previous emergency inspection have been addressed. Photographic evidence of most of these improvements was submitted with the action plan.  The school is now properly maintained in a way that ensures that any potential health and safety risks to pupils are reduced. All maintenance requirements identified at the previous inspection have been completed. Parts of the building are shabby. However, leaders have organised a rolling programme of redecoration.  The system for checking on the premises has also allowed leaders to respond when

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Main inspection findings

faults have arisen. For example, staff were completing the replacement of an electronic lock on one of the outside doors on the day of the inspection. While this work meant that the door was unlocked and open, the entrance to the school continued to be monitored using the school’s closed-circuit television system. The checks on the premises also allow leaders to improve the school’s facilities. For example, they have arranged for old fluorescent strip lights to be replaced by bright, energy-saving LED lights in some parts of the school.  Leaders have ensured that the standard in this part, checked in this inspection, is now met. Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Paragraph 34(1), 34(1)(a), 34(1)(b) and 34(1)(c)  At the previous emergency inspection, these standards were not met. This was because leaders had not demonstrated good skills and knowledge about the independent school

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Main inspection findings

standards. They had not fulfilled their responsibilities effectively to ensure that all the independent school standards were met. In particular, they had not acted to remedy several hazards identified in a recent risk assessment, nor had they maintained the premises to a standard that ensured pupils’ welfare and safety.  The school’s action plan indicated that leaders judged that they were taking the actions needed to ensure that the previously unmet standards were now met. It also indicated that leaders judged that they had put in place staffing and systems to ensure that this consistently remains the case.  School leaders responded with appropriate urgency to the concerns identified at the previous inspection. This more effective aspect of leadership and management has been sustained since the start of this calendar year. The system for checking health and safety aspects of the premises is now routine. There is consistency in the school’s approach.

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Main inspection findings

 The proprietor is fully aware of, and directly involved in, the systems for checking that the health and safety aspects of the building are good enough. In this way, he ensures that pupils’ welfare and safety are properly protected. In addition, he has provided additional funding to allow for essential improvements to be completed.  Leaders have ensured that the standards in this part are now 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 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.

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The school now meets the following independent school standards

 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that the welfare of pupils at the school is safeguarded and promoted by the drawing up and effective implementation of a written risk assessment policy; and appropriate action is taken to reduce risks that are identified (paragraph 16, 16(a), 16(b)).  The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that the school premises and the accommodation and facilitates therein are maintained to such a standard that, so far as is reasonably practical, the health, safety and welfare of pupils are ensured (paragraph 25).  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 demonstrate good skills and knowledge appropriate to their role so that the independent school standards are met consistently; fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the

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The school now meets the following independent school standards

independent school standards are met consistently; and actively promote the well-being of pupils (paragraph 34, 34(1), 34(1)(a), 34(1)(b) and 34(1)(c)).

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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 day school

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School details

Date of previous standard inspection 9–11 May 2017

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Information about this school

 The school is owned and operated by members of the Satmar Chassidic Jewish community.  The school received its previous standard inspection on 9–11 May 2017.

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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.  An emergency inspection of the school was completed on 10 October 2018. This emergency inspection identified the unmet standards checked during the current inspection.  The Department for Education (DfE) required the school to prepare a statutory action plan following the emergency inspection. Ofsted evaluated the school’s action plan on 12 March 2019. The school’s plan was accepted by the DfE on 29 April 2019.  This was the school’s first progress monitoring inspection.  This inspection was conducted without prior notice to the school.  The inspector held discussions with the headteacher. He toured the premises

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Information about this inspection

accompanied by the headteacher. He had telephone conversations with the proprietor and a consultant who works with school leaders.  The inspector reviewed documents about health and safety in the school, including records of routine monitoring of the premises and an audit of health and safety in the school completed by an external contractor. He examined the school’s safeguarding policy.

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Inspection team

David Selby, 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 .

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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/ofsted .

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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.

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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