Talmud Torah London

Talmud Torah London 69 Amhurst Park, London N16 5AW

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Main inspection findings

Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Paragraph 7, 7(a) and 7(b)  Leaders have not ensured that the building is safe for pupils and staff. The school is not currently operating from these premises. Leaders are refurbishing the building to make it safe.  Leaders have updated and amended the school’s safeguarding policy. It pays due regard to the most recent guidance from the government about keeping children safe. In addition, extra sections reflect central and local government advice about COVID- 19 (coronavirus) precautions.  The safeguarding policy is suitably comprehensive. It names the designated staff responsible for safeguarding and sets out arrangements for safer recruitment. Guidance for staff about how to recognise the signs of abuse is clear. Appropriate reference is made to external agencies such as the local authority’s social care services. Staff have had appropriate training on the revised policy.

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Main inspection findings

 The safeguarding policy is available to parents on request.  Standards 7 and 7(a) are unmet because leaders have not ensured that the premises are safe for pupils. Standard 7(b) is met because leaders have followed government guidance in relation to implementing their safeguarding policy. Paragraphs 11, 12, 16, 16(a) and 16(b)  Leaders have updated the health and safety policy to take account of COVID-19, including information for visitors. The policy takes account of government and local authority guidance and includes information about risk assessments. Leaders provided evidence of the risk assessments in relation to the building.  However, the building is not yet in a satisfactory state to accommodate pupils and staff. No pupils are in school. The building is currently being refurbished but the work is not yet complete. As a result, the health and safety policy and risk assessments have not yet been implemented effectively.

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Main inspection findings

 Following the fire in the basement, leaders commissioned a new fire risk assessment. The report details the remedial action needed to ensure that the premises meet legal requirements. Much of this work has been completed. For example, new electrical wiring and self-closing fire doors are now installed. A new fire alarm system, emergency lighting and exit notices were installed in February 2020. However, the work to improve fire safety is unfinished. For example, a fire exit door was being re- constructed to open safely. Compliance with the legal requirements for fire safety and implementation of the fire risk assessment is not complete.  Standards 11, 12, 16, 16(a) and 16(b) are unmet. Part 5. Premises of and accommodation at schools All paragraphs  Inside and outside lighting, ventilation, drinking water and acoustic conditions are suitable. There are appropriate toilet and washing facilities. A room in the playground

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Main inspection findings

has been converted to a medical room and has hot and cold washing facilities. However, it is not close enough to a toilet.  At the time of the inspection, there was no hot water in the main building because the boilers were switched off.  Despite improvements to the building, much remains to be done. The floors and some walls, especially in the shared areas and the stairs, need repairing and painting. Replacement windows are on order and some are not yet fitted. Overall, the condition of premises and accommodation, at the time of the inspection, did not ensure the health, safety and welfare of pupils.  The independent school standards 24(1), 24(1)(b), 25, 28(1) and 28(1)(b) are unmet. Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools All paragraphs  The proprietor and school leaders relocated the school to new premises without prior approval from the Department of Education (DfE). This was in breach of their

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Main inspection findings

registration agreement as an independent school. Leaders had not ensured that the new building was in a good state of repair to accommodate pupils and staff. The proprietor and leaders have also breached the registration limit for the maximum number of pupils. The school is registered to teach 20 pupils. However, at the time of the fire, there were 67 pupils on roll.  Following the fire in the basement, leaders are clear about what needs to be done to ensure that the premises and accommodation meet the independent school standards. Leaders have started to improve the building.  However, the building work remains unfinished. Currently, leaders cannot ensure that the building is safe for pupils and staff. Leaders have rightly stopped pupils from using the building.  The independent school standards in this part are 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. 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

Annual fees (day pupils) Variable according to the context of the family Telephone number 0203 322 7879

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School details

Email address talmudtorahlondon@gmail.com

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School details

Date of previous standard inspection 15–17 January 2019

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Information about this school

 Talmud Torah is a Jewish faith school taking pupils from the Orthodox Chassidic community of Hackney, in north London. It moved to new premises in September 2020, but without agreement from the DfE.  The school is registered to provide 20 places to boys aged five to 11. There are currently 67 pupils on roll.  The school is in breach of its registration agreement.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  The school has one pupil with an education, health and care plan.  The school’s last full inspection was in January 2019, when it was judged to be good. A material change inspection was carried out in November 2019. This was for proposed new premises at 89 Lordship Park, London N16 5UP. The school did not relocate to these premises and consequently the material changes were not approved by the DfE.

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Information about this inspection

 This emergency inspection was carried out at the request of the registration authority for independent schools following a fire at the school’s new premises. In addition, the purpose of the inspection was to check whether the new premises met the independent school standards.  The inspection was conducted with 30 minutes’ notice.  The inspector spoke with the headteacher and proprietor to discuss how they ensured that the independent school standards were met.  The inspector considered the written policies for safeguarding, health and safety and risk assessments. The inspector toured the building.

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Inspection team

Brian Oppenheim, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

 7. The standard is this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that– – 7(a) arrangements are made to safeguarding and promote the welfare of pupils at the school.  11. The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that relevant health and safety laws are complied with by the drawing up and effective implementation of a written health and safety policy.  12. The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures compliance with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.  16. The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that– – 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 – 16(b) appropriate action is taken to reduce risks that are identified.

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Part 5. Premises of and accommodation at schools

 24(1). The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that suitable accommodation is provided in order to cater for the medical and therapy needs of pupils, including – – 24(1)(b) accommodation for the short-term care of sick and injured pupils, which includes a washing facility and is near to a toilet facility.  25. The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that the school premises and the accommodation and facilities provided therein are maintained to a standard such that, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of pupils are ensured.  28(1) The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that– – 28(1)(b) toilets and urinals have an adequate supply of cold water and washing facilities have an adequate supply of hot and cold water.

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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

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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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