Bnei Zion Community School

Inspection of Bnei Zion Community School 49a Ravensdale Road, London N16 6TJ

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

The quality of education Inadequate Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Inadequate Leadership and management Inadequate Early years provision Inadequate Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Inadequate

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Does the school meet the independent school standards?

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ communication, language and reading development in English is poor. This limits pupils’ ability to understand basic words in the English language. The quality of education in secular subjects is weak. This limits pupils’ depth of understanding in many subjects, including history and geography. Pupils’ knowledge about other faiths, beliefs and cultures is severely limited. Leaders have not ensured that the school meets the requirements of all the independent school standards.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour at the school is excellent. They show a great deal of care towards one another. For example, older pupils help younger ones without being asked to. Pupils have a great sense of responsibility in looking after the school environment. The school is a calm and nurturing place. Pupils love coming to school. They value learning about their own faith.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Bullying is very rare at the school. This is because adults deal with any issues very quickly. Pupils feel at ease to share any concerns with adults should they arise.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers are highly supportive of the school. They receive regular updates about how pupils in the school are doing. Parents value the high levels of care that adults provide.

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better?

Children in early years begin to communicate in the English language. However, they do not learn letters and sounds to help them to read, write and communicate well. This limits their speaking and reading fluency in English. Through their time at school, most pupils do not manage to learn English to an acceptable standard. This is a failure of the school’s leadership to prepare pupils for modern Britain.

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better?

Pupils begin to learn phonics in Years 1 and 2. Teachers are knowledgeable about how to teach pupils letters and sounds. They follow clear phonics plans. However, pupils’ progress through the phonics programme is too slow. This means they struggle to read simple sentences. In key stage 2, pupils read stories and non-fiction books. Pupils enjoy this. However, pupils’ ability to understand the meaning of words and phrases that they read is not strong.

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better?

There are no plans for geography and history teaching. Pupils learn only about Jewish history. They do not develop an understanding of different sources of evidence in history. Pupils are not exposed to differing views of historians. In other subjects, for example art, physical education and science, leaders have subject plans, but these are not ambitious enough. As a result, pupils’ learning in these subjects lacks depth. In early years, children learn to be confident. Leaders have improved early years provision. Children now experience most areas of learning. However, this is not the case for children’s development in English communication and language, reading or writing. 3–5 December 2019

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In mathematics, pupils develop strong calculation skills. Leaders know what pupils should learn. They provide some training to staff to develop their expertise. This helps teachers to have stronger subject knowledge. Pupils learn to solve problems in different topics. For example, Year 5 pupils learned about translating shapes in different quadrants.

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Leaders’ plans to give pupils opportunities to learn about diversity in modern Britain are superficial. Pupils’ knowledge about other beliefs, cultures and faiths is severely limited. They do not interact with people of different cultures. The personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education plans do not take into account all of the protected characteristics.

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Pupils know about the importance of being respectful. They have a well-developed sense of being kind to each other and others. Older pupils have a growing understanding of democracy. For example, Year 6 pupils learn about the role of Parliament and how laws are made in Britain.

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Teachers’ training is focused on areas such as classroom management. Staff receive some training in phonics and mathematics. This helps these teachers to have strong subject knowledge. Teachers do not have opportunities to develop their expertise in other secular subjects.

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Leaders have not ensured that the school meets the requirements of all the independent school standards. The school continues to breach its registration agreement. The school admits pupils that are older and over the maximum limit that its registration allows.

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The proprietor knows the school well, particularly the health and safety of the school site. Recent renovations to the school building have been managed well. As a result, the school is tidy, organised and a positive environment to learn in. The proprietor has recently hired an associate headteacher. This is to support the headteacher to develop the school’s secular subjects.

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Pupils’ behaviour in classes and around the school is exceptional. They interact very positively with each other and adults. Pupils move around the school calmly; they wait for others and give way to adults and each other while using the stairs. Pupils have many opportunities to ask questions. They listen attentively to each other and to adults, but also have time to enjoy themselves and laugh. Pupils take their responsibilities seriously. They look after their classrooms and environment, for example by tidying up. Pupils do this with little fuss. Older pupils help younger ones as they arrive in the morning. This helps children in early years to settle very quickly at the start of the day. The very small minority of pupils who struggle to focus consistently receive positive support. Leaders and teachers know these pupils’ individual needs well. Pupils’ attendance and punctuality are high.

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Pupils enjoy the wider experiences in the school. Pupils like getting prizes when they receive tokens for good behaviour. They like going on trips, for example to the local museum. Pupils have many opportunities to be creative. They take part in the choir, 3–5 December 2019

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experience different musical instruments and make models as part of celebrating their own festivals.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have a good understanding of their statutory responsibilities. They update policies and procedures in a timely manner. Staff receive regular training, including in the ‘Prevent’ duty. They know how to manage concerns should they arise.

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Safeguarding

Leaders take pupils’ personal safety seriously. Although pupils do not use the internet at school, they understand the benefits and risks of its use. They know about how social media is used and the potential dangers of inappropriate messages. Pupils feel safe. They know how to keep themselves safe, including from grooming, and when travelling on public transport.

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 Leaders do not follow the statutory guidance for early years to ensure that children develop fluency in the English language. This limits children’s ability to speak, read and write in English. They are not adequately prepared for Year 1. Leaders should ensure that children in early years get off to a strong start by learning how to speak in English well. Leaders should also address this in key stages 1 and 2 so that pupils have well-planned opportunities to develop their spoken English language.  Pupils learn phonics in Years 1 and 2. Although they enjoy these lessons, they do not build their reading skills adequately through the phonics programme. This means that pupils lack fluency in being able to read by the time they are in key stage 2. Leaders should plan regular opportunities for pupils to practise reading texts with fluency.  Pupils learn to read some stories and non-fiction books in key stage 2. Most pupils

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

can decode words and read common words. However, pupils lack a deeper understanding of unfamiliar words and phrases they come across. This limits their comprehension of the texts that they are reading. Leaders should address this by ensuring that pupils read a variety of books in depth to expand their vocabulary. They should ensure that storytimes in English are enjoyable experiences where teachers model how to read with expression.  There are no subject plans for geography and history. Where plans in other secular subjects exist, these are not ambitious enough. Pupils’ knowledge in these subjects lacks depth. Leaders should ensure that planning in foundation subjects enables pupils to develop a deep knowledge and understanding of these subjects.  Leaders have clear plans for what pupils should learn in PSHE education. These help pupils to learn to be kind to others. However, opportunities for pupils to learn

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about cultures and faiths other than their own are limited. Leaders should ensure that PSHE education plans take into account well-thought-out opportunities for pupils to learn about those different from themselves. Leaders should also ensure that the PSHE education programme allows pupils to learn about the protected characteristics set out in the Equality Act 2010.  Leaders do not ensure that all the independent school standards are met. Leaders should ensure that the leadership of secular subjects is strengthened. Leaders should address the lack of expertise in subjects other than mathematics and phonics through a comprehensive training programme for staff.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use Ofsted Parent View information when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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How can I feed back my views?

If you’re not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted . 3–5 December 2019

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School details

Unique reference number 137318 DfE registration number 204/6001

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School details

Inspection number 10100151 Type of school Other independent school

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School details

Annual fees (day pupils) Variable (dependent on parents’ circumstances) Telephone number 07824 510435

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School details

Website The school does not have a website.

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School details

Date of previous inspection 20–22 November 2018 3–5 December 2019

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Information about this school

 The school’s previous full standard inspection took place in November 2018, when the school was judged to be inadequate.  The school is registered for 60 pupils between the ages of three and five. The school currently has 150 pupils on roll. It has pupils aged from 3 to eleven. The school no longer admits pupils into Year 7.  Pupils study Jewish religious studies for the majority of the time. These subjects are taught in Yiddish. The inspectors used an interpreter to understand these lessons. English and phonics lessons are taught in the English language.

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Information about this inspection

We carried out this inspection under section 109(1) and (2) of the Education and Skills Act 2008. The purpose of the inspection 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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Information about this inspection

The school has failed to meet the independent school standards. These are the requirements of the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014.

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Information about this inspection

The school has applied to the Department for Education (DfE) to make a ‘material change’ to its registration. At the DfE’s request, we checked whether the school is likely to meet the relevant independent school standards if the DfE decides to approve the change. This part of the inspection was carried out under section 162(4) of the Education Act 2002.

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Information about this inspection

 The outcome of this part of the inspection is: The school is likely to meet the relevant independent school standards for the premises and accommodation and welfare, health and safety of the site if the material change relating to the school provision is implemented. The renovations to the building mean that the facilities are of a good standard. Classrooms are tidy and well lit. Each floor has newly refurbished washing facilities. There would be sufficient capacity for 200 pupils to attend the school. However, there would be unmet standards for parts 1 and 2.  We completed deep dives in the following subjects: reading, mathematics, history and PSHE education. We visited lessons and looked at subject planning documents and pupils’ work.  We met with school leaders throughout the inspection. We also met with the proprietor. We met with members of staff.  We scrutinised a wide range of documentary information in order to check on the

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Information about this inspection

statutory requirements of the independent school standards. This included checking the school’s risk assessments, pupils’ attendance and information related to safeguarding. The school’s single central record was checked.  We met with pupils across the school to discuss their work and to gather their 3–5 December 2019

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Inspection team

Noeman Anwar, 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(2)(b) pupils acquire speaking, listening, literacy and numeracy skills;

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

– 2(2)(d)(ii) personal, social, health and economic education 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)(h) all pupils have the opportunity to learn and make progress; and

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

– 2(2)(i) [there is] 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(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 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)(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;

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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; 3–5 December 2019

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– 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–

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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

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requirements

1.5 Children have activities and opportunities to develop their communication and language; literacy development encourages children to links sounds and letters and begin to read and write. 1.7 Ensure that children have sufficient opportunities to learn and reach a good standard in English language. 3–5 December 2019

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