Beis Medrash Elyon

School progress monitoring inspection report

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

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Main inspection findings

Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Paragraph 7, 7(a), 7(b), 16, 16(a), 16(b), 32(1)(c)  At the monitoring inspection in September 2020, these standards were not met because the child protection and safeguarding policy referenced the September 2018 version of ‘Keeping children safe in education’. The policy had not been updated with the 2019 and 2020 statutory guidance. Furthermore, the school’s overall risk assessment policy was dated August 2019 and did not take account of issues relating to COVID-19 (coronavirus). In addition to this, the residential trip to Llandudno in July 2020 did not follow government guidance and consequently put pupils at risk.  Leaders have updated the child protection and safeguarding policy to take account of current government requirements. There is an addendum to the policy to reflect the impact of COVID-19 on child protection and safeguarding. Leaders with designated

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Main inspection findings

responsibility for safeguarding are up to date with the latest training. Leaders ensure that all staff receive regular safeguarding training in person and online. Both leaders and staff know whom to report concerns to within the school and at the local authority. Pupils said that they feel safe in school. They know whom to report concerns to and they said that they are listened to. The safeguarding policy is available to parents and carers on request.  Leaders have updated the risk assessment policy and they have also undertaken a COVID-19 risk assessment. Leaders considered the risks for those pupils returning to school in March 2021 and for those learning remotely. Leaders have implemented measures to mitigate these risks.  The school now meets the requirements of the independent school standards in this part. Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Paragraph 34(1), 34(1)(a), 34(1)(b), 34(1)(c)

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Main inspection findings

 In the past three inspections in 2018, 2019 and 2020, leaders have not ensured that all the independent school standards have been met. The report of the inspection in April 2019 acknowledged the improvements made in relation to some of the standards. However, this report also identified some standards that remained unmet.  The inspection in September 2020 identified that previously met standards relating to safeguarding and risk assessment were unmet.  Leaders are not ensuring that they are consistently meeting the independent school standards.  Leaders have now ensured that the standards regarding the welfare, health and safety of pupils are met.  The school does not meet all the requirements of the independent school standards in this part.

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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. 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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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 23 September 2020

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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 two progress monitoring inspections in April 2019 and September 2020.  All pupils are from Orthodox Jewish backgrounds.  There are no pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, or education, health and care plans.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  The school is led by two headteachers, one responsible for the ‘Kodesh’ (religious) curriculum and the other for ‘Chol’ (secular) studies.  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 on request.

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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.  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 designated safeguarding lead, two members of staff and four pupils.  The inspector reviewed key documents and policies related to safeguarding and the school’s risk assessment procedures.

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Inspection team

Mark Smith, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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The school does not meet the following independent school standards

Standards that were not met at the previous inspection and remain unmet at this inspection

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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; – 34(1)(b) fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards are met consistently; and

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

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Part 6. Provision of information

 32(1)(c) particulars of the arrangements for meeting the standard contained in paragraph 7 are published on the school’s internet website or, where no such website exists, are provided to parents on request;

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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. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 1231, 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

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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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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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