Gateshead Jewish Boarding School

Gateshead Jewish Boarding School 10 Rydal Street, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear NE8 1HG

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Inadequate

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a school that requires improvement  Leaders and managers have not ensured that all the independent school standards have been met. This is because the quality of leadership and management requires improvement overall.  Risk assessments written by staff planning school trips do not always follow the school’s written policy accurately.  The school’s complaints policy does not ensure that complainants receive a copy of the outcome of any complaints investigation undertaken by the school.  Leaders have not ensured that the quality of teaching and assessment is consistently good. In some lessons, planned learning does not meet the needs of pupils. This slows pupils’ progress, particularly of the most able.  Pupils make better progress in mathematics than in English. This is because pupils often start at a lower level in English than in mathematics.  Leaders have not ensured that enough time is allocated in the curriculum for pupils to study

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

English and other secular subjects.  Leaders and governors have not put in place an effective system to check the progress made by pupils from their starting points. Currently, it is not possible to identify the progress of different groups of pupils across the school, for example the most able.  A citizenship curriculum, which ensures that pupils develop an understanding of British values and the protected characteristics identified in the 2010 Equalities act, is taught in school. However, this curriculum is currently for just one year group, not the whole school as directed in the previous monitoring visit report.  The proprietor and governors do not hold school leaders to account with sufficient rigour for the progress made by pupils in secular subjects, including mathematics, English, science and information technology.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

The school has the following strengths  The current, recently appointed headteacher has brought about much change. For example, boys have access to trained counsellors should they need help and support.  The leadership team has a clear vision for the future of the school which is shared by staff.  Pupils behave well both inside and outside the classroom. They report that incidents of bullying rarely happen and staff deal with them should they occur.  Governors and the proprietor visit the school regularly and diligently check pupils’ attendance.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

Compliance with regulatory requirements  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 full report.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching, learning, assessment and outcomes for pupils by: – ensuring that work set more accurately meets pupils’ needs, particularly the most able – developing a consistent approach to teaching English skills across the school, particularly grammar and punctuation.  Increase the effectiveness of leadership and management by: – making sure the school’s complaints policy meets the requirements of the independent school standards – ensuring that all risk assessments written by staff follow the school’s risk assessment guidance closely and are signed off by a member of the leadership team – increasing the representation of members of the secular teaching team within the leadership team – ensuring that a more effective system is in place to measure and monitor pupils’ progress across the curriculum – continuing to increase the amount of time allocated to secular subjects to increase the

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

number of pupils attaining higher grades in GCSE examinations, particularly in English – continuing to implement the planned introduction of the citizenship curriculum into all year groups – developing the role trustees play in monitoring the quality of teaching and learning and the progress of pupils.  The school must meet the independent school standards, as set out in the annex of this report.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

 Leaders and governors have not ensured that all the required independent standards have been met.  The school has a risk assessment policy in place. The policy ensures that the level of risk is identified alongside avoidance actions. Most of the risk assessments looked at during the inspection followed the requirements of the policy. However, a few were not sufficiently detailed and did not identify the main risks accurately. Leaders also acknowledged that they needed to sign off all risk assessments to improve their consistency.  The school leaders have put in place a policy for dealing with complaints. At the time of the inspection, most aspects of the policy were compliant. However, the policy failed to make provision for the final outcome from a panel hearing to be shared with the complainant. This is a requirement within the independent school standards.  The school’s curriculum is divided into the Kodesh curriculum (Jewish studies) and the

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

secular curriculum which includes English, mathematics and science. The previous inspection report asked leaders to increase the time pupils spent in English. Leaders have increased the time but not sufficiently so for pupils to make the required progress from their often very low starting points.  The teachers who teach secular studies are not yet represented on the leadership team. The headteacher is aware of this and has plans for remedying this. He recognises this is likely to improve the monitoring of the quality of teaching and learning. However, no time line is in place for this to happen.  School leaders recently introduced a system to measure and monitor pupils’ progress. However, the system proved to be too complicated to manage with the smaller numbers of pupils who attend the school. While systems are securely in place in subject areas, senior leaders recognise that more work is needed to design a whole-school system.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

 The leaders and governors of the school have introduced citizenship to the curriculum. The citizenship element of the curriculum is designed to foster British values and to develop pupils’ understanding of the protected characteristics within the Equalities Act 2010. In the last monitoring visit report, it was stated that the curriculum was to be introduced across the school. At the time of this inspection, this change had not been completed. However, leaders are aware of the changes needed and outline plans are in place.  School leaders have ensured that health and safety checks are regularly carried out on all areas of the building. Meticulous fire safety records are kept which illustrate well the leadership’s commitment to ensuring pupils’ safety while in school.  Since the previous inspection, there have been several changes to the leadership team, including the appointment of a new headteacher. The new leadership, under the guidance

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

of the headteacher, has brought about many improvements to the school. Boys now have access to careers education, both in school and from an external source. Professionals from the local community, including a doctor, have also visited the school and spoken about their career choices. Boys spoken with told the inspection team they feel they have a greater range of choices available to them now when they leave school.  The school buildings are well appointed and corridors are brightened by a range of displays and photographs of pupils’ visits. Photographs of the school choir singing to residents in local care homes and pupils helping to clean road drains blocked by leaves illustrate how pupils are developing a deeper spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding through helping the local community.

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Governance

 The proprietor and governors are regular visitors to the school. As a result, they have a clear understanding of the workings of the school.  The school is funded by the local community and the proprietor and governors are mindful that the opinions of parents and carers in the local community matter to the school. Governors ensure that the views of parents are sought for any proposed changes, particularly involving the curriculum. This sometimes makes change happen at a slower pace.  Governors are clear they want the school to succeed and improve and gave a clear description of how they hold school leaders to account around a number of issues, including pupils’ attendance. However, governors and the proprietor are less knowledgeable about how to hold leaders to account for the academic progress made by pupils.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  The school does not have a website; however, the safeguarding policy alongside other documents required by the independent school standards are available from the school office.  The safeguarding policy meets current requirements and makes clear reference to current legislative documentation.  School staff receive regular safeguarding training and both the designated safeguarding lead (DSL) and deputy DSL have updated their training recently. The headteacher is actively promoting a nurturing attitude within the school which ensures that staff are clear that safeguarding is the responsibility of everyone in school.  The headteacher, in his role as DSL, links with external agencies as and when needed. He has also brought in support from two counsellors who support pupils with emotional and mental health needs. The effectiveness of their work could be seen in the improvement in

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

 Teaching, learning and assessment across the school are not yet consistently good because work set does not always meet the needs of pupils, particularly the most able. This is because teachers do not always take into account pupils’ previous learning.  Staff do not always have consistent expectations of the work pupils produce. For example, the quality of written work in pupils’ exercise books seen during the inspection was variable. In some books, presentation was poor and spelling, grammar and punctuation, particularly in the Kodesh curriculum, went unchecked. For example, when an amalgamation of English and Hebrew is used, some sentences are poorly constructed and the meaning is lost. As a result, mistakes continue to be replicated in some books.  Teachers overall are good at asking questions which help pupils to think analytically, particularly in the Kodesh curriculum. The fine detail with which pupils examine religious

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

texts contributes to this well.  Teachers often have strong subject knowledge and are passionate about their subject. They often use recent and contemporary examples to illustrate their subject material. This enables them to challenge pupils to think deeply about their answers.  Pupils usually participate well in lessons. Low-level disruptive behaviour is rare. Overall, pupils are enthusiastic learners who are keen to do well. They are confident and not afraid to ask questions of their teachers in their quest for learning.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  Pupils are positive about attending school and say they feel proud to wear the school uniform. They are curious and confident in lessons and work hard to succeed and overcome any difficulties they may have.  The current headteacher is keen to make school a happy place to which boys enjoy coming. Supported by his leadership team, his ambition is to make school a place where learning is enjoyable in a caring community.  Boys spoken to say they feel safe in school and the surrounding community. They feel that school helps them to understand how to stay safe, for example when using the internet.  The support given by the school’s counsellors ensures that should pupils have a problem, they can gain support by seeking help directly themselves or through the headteacher.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils show courteous attitudes to staff, other pupils and visitors, both inside and outside the classroom.  Pupils spoken to said that bullying was rare, and they were clear that they understood what to do should an incident occur. Pupils were less comfortable discussing some aspects of bullying linked to the protected characteristics but answered politely, making reference to their religious beliefs.  Few serious behaviour incidents have been recorded in the last academic year and none this term. Also, no pupils have been excluded for difficult behaviour this year.  Attendance overall is higher than that expected nationally for secondary schools. At the time of the inspection, pupils’ attendance was at 96.5% overall for the year. Governors and leaders have high expectations of pupils’ levels of attendance and this is reflected in the ambitious targets set.

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

 Currently, pupils can only enter for five GCSE examinations. This is an increase on previous years when pupils were only able to enter for three GCSEs. Pupils also leave school at the end of Year 10, making early entry for GCSE examinations the only option.  Pupils make less progress in English than in mathematics. Last year’s results showed a dip in science attainment. Staff feel this was partly because pupils were not felt to be ready and had not had sufficient time to complete the required course work in the time available.  Senior leaders have taken some action to increase the number of books in the school library. This has increased pupils’ opportunities to read. However, the library is not well used. Its position in a locked cupboard does not enhance access or display the books in a welcoming fashion. Leaders are keen to improve boys’ reading but, as yet, have not put in place a plan for a new location for the library.

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

 Since the last inspection, staff and leaders have put in place a system to evaluate pupils’ levels of achievement on entering school. Data shows that pupils’ attainment in mathematics and English is low on entry. For example, this year’s data shows that only one third of pupils have reached age-related expectations in English. Just over a third have reached this level in mathematics.  Last year, a higher than average proportion of pupils left the school having attained grade 4 or above in GCSE mathematics. A lower proportion than the national average attained higher levels in mathematics. Pupils made less strong progress in English, with a lower proportion than the national average attaining grade 4. This data shows that too few pupils attained the higher standards.  The school works hard to ensure that individual pupils are supported to succeed. Extra support is given to pupils who are found to be falling behind in both the secular and

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

Kodesh curriculum. Similar support is also available to pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Further support is also offered from links with Haskel School, a local Jewish special school, which the school uses as an alternative education provider. As a result, pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities make similar progress to others in the school, progress which requires improvement.

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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

Annual fees (day pupils) Contributions from parents and the community Telephone number 0191 477 1431

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School details

Website The school does not have a website

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School details

Email address admin@gjbs.gateshead.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 5–7 July 2016

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Information about this school

 The school is also known as Gateshead Mechina.  The school was last inspected in July 2016 and received a monitoring visit in April 2017.  Gateshead Jewish Boarding School is registered for up to 147 pupils. At the time of the inspection there were 94 pupils on roll. This number was expected to rise at the start of the school year in September.  The school caters for boys of differing abilities whose families are part of the Orthodox Jewish community.  Parents send their sons to the school to enable them to gain a sound knowledge of the Jewish faith by studying the Talmud (the core of the Kodesh curriculum). Most leave the school to attend a yeshiva at the end of Year 10. However, due to an increase in the breadth of careers education, a small number leave for other destinations, such as local colleges.  The school uses the services of Haskell College, a local special school, as an alternative

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Information about this inspection

 The inspection team observed learning in classrooms across the school.  Meetings were held with staff, leaders, governors, the proprietor and pupils.  The inspection team scrutinised a range of documents, including safeguarding documents, curriculum documents and health and safety documents.  No responses were received via Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire. However, the school sent parents a questionnaire asking similar questions. Forty-two responses were received. These, alongside the 24 responses received from members of staff, were taken into consideration by the inspection team when making inspection judgements.

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Inspection team

Marian Thomas, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

 16 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that- – 16(b) appropriate action is taken to reduce risks that are identified.

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Part 7. Manner in which complaints are handled

 33 The standard about the manner in which complaints are handled is met if the proprietor ensures that a complaints procedure is drawn up and effectively implemented which deals with the handling of complaints from parents of pupils and which- – 33(i)(i) provided to the complainant and, where relevant, the person complained about.

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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; and – 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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