Beis Medrash Elyon

233 West Hendon Broadway, West Hendon, London NW9 7DH

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Main inspection findings

Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Paragraphs 7, 7(a), 7(b), 16, 16(a), 16(b)  Leaders organised a residential visit for 73 pupils in Llandudno, Wales for two nights in July 2020. They did this, in their words, ‘to improve pupils’ mental health after a long period of lockdown’. However, this was in clear breach of government guidance in place at the time of the visit, which advised ‘against domestic trips (residential and non-residential) for children under 18 organised by educational settings’.  Leaders report that they organised pupils into year-group ‘bubbles’ and ensured that there was no mixing between these groups throughout the trip. The planning for this trip was detailed and included a number of health and safety checks. However, the risk to pupils of catching COVID-19 (coronavirus) or transmitting it to others unknowingly was not given sufficient consideration within those health and safety

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Main inspection findings

checks. In allowing the trip to go ahead in breach of government guidance, leaders failed to put safeguarding at the front and centre of their considerations.  The school’s child protection and safeguarding policy draws on guidance from the local authority. However, the policy references the September 2018 version of ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’. It has not been updated in line with the 2019 or 2020 statutory guidance. Despite this, leaders understand recent changes, for instance in guidance related to peer-on-peer abuse. Staff spoken to were able to explain adequately what they would do in these instances.  The school’s overall risk assessment policy is dated August 2019 and does not take account of issues relating to COVID-19. Individual risk assessments for school trips prior to March 2020 showed appropriate action being taken to assess and reduce risk. However, the trip to Llandudno in July 2020 did not follow government guidance and,

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Main inspection findings

consequently, put pupils at risk. These parts of the welfare, health and safety standards are not met.  The school does not meet all the independent school standards that were checked (listed above). Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Paragraphs 34(1), 34(1)(a), 34(1)(b), 34(1)(c)  Leaders have not ensured that they are compliant with all the independent school standards checked during this inspection. The standards have not been met consistently.  In allowing the residential visit to Llandudno, leaders failed to follow the guidance issued by the Secretary of State. As a result, pupils were placed under unnecessary risk, which could have had serious consequences.  The school does not meet all of the independent school standards that were checked (listed above).

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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. 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

Headteachers Rabbi Y Lang Rabbi Z Lebovicz Annual fees (day pupils) £6,000

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School details

Date of previous standard inspection 2 April 2019

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Information about this school

 Beis Medrash Elyon is based in north west London and is registered to admit up to 100 boys between the ages of 11 and 16 years.  The school was judged to be inadequate in June 2018. It did not meet all the independent school standards that were checked at its last progress monitoring inspection in April 2019.  All pupils are from Orthodox Jewish backgrounds.  There are no pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, or education, health and care (EHC) plans.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  The school is led by two headteachers, one responsible for the religious (Kodesh) curriculum and the other for secular studies (Chol).  A governing body oversees the school’s strategic leadership.  The school does not have a website, but all the required policies are available to parents and carers on request.

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Information about this inspection

 This emergency inspection was prompted by information received by the regulation authority, which raised concerns about a potential breach of government guidance about residential visits during the COVID-19 pandemic. These concerns were considered during this inspection.  The inspection was commissioned by the Department for Education as the regulation authority.  The inspection was conducted without notice and in accordance with the most recent government guidance related to COVID-19.  The inspector was asked to report against some of the regulations contained within Parts 3 and 8 of the independent school standards.  The inspector held discussions with the two headteachers, the proprietor, three members of staff and six pupils.  The inspector reviewed key documents and policies related to safeguarding and the school’s risk assessment procedures.

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Inspection team

Nasim Butt, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

 7 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that–

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

– 7(a) arrangements are made to safeguard and promote the welfare of pupils at the school; and

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

– 7(b) such arrangements have regard to any guidance issued by the Secretary of State.

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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–

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

– 16(a) 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

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

– 16(b) appropriate action is taken to reduce risks that are identified.

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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; and

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

– 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

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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/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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