Beis Ruchel D'Satmar London

Inspection of Beis Ruchel D’Satmar London 117 Stamford Hill, London N16 5RS

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good 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?

Children in the early years do not get off to a good start. Children and adults communicate in Yiddish and the teaching of phonics is held back for too long. This means they are not well prepared for key stage 1. That said, most children achieve better in Year 1, due to a suitable early reading curriculum and effective teaching.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils study a suitable range of secular subjects. The quality of the curriculum in some subjects has improved over time, and this is appreciated by pupils. There has been limited progress in other subjects, for instance physical education (PE). Pupils are disadvantaged by decisions that leaders have taken. For example, key stage 4 pupils are not allowed to study some concepts in science which are part of their international GCSE course. Pupils of secondary school age are not taught about relationships and sex education, which is a statutory requirement.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils say that school is a happy place. They form strong friendships. Pupils feel safe and looked after. They told us that they have an adult they can talk to if they have any concerns.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are respectful and behave consistently well around the school. They know about most types of bullying and believe that bullying is rare here. If it happens, pupils are confident that adults will resolve any issues quickly.

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better?

The curriculum in the early years is weak. Staff have not had enough training to teach phonics or other areas of the curriculum well. Children’s reading books are not matched closely to their reading skills. The choice of books is limited, and many are in a poor state. Children do not take books home to practise reading with their parents. All children in the early years are kept safe and are well cared for.

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better?

Pupils’ early reading skills improve in Years 1 and 2. This is because leaders have trained teachers well to deliver a consistent phonics programme that pupils enjoy learning. Although older pupils’ love for reading is developing steadily, it is limited by the choice of texts available in the school.

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better?

In mathematics teachers explain ideas to pupils clearly. They check and provide the right level of support to help pupils learn well. The concepts in mathematics are organised well and pupils are quick to recall previous learning. As a result, most pupils achieve well by the end of each key stage.

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better?

Leaders and governors do not fulfil their legal duties under the Equality Act 2010. They do not teach pupils to respect people who are of a different sexual orientation or people who change their gender. They take an active part in promoting selected, but not all of the, fundamental British values. They do not actively promote the fundamental British values of mutual respect and tolerance 8–10 June 2021

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of those with different faiths and beliefs. Leaders have not planned a programme to deliver relationships and sex education to pupils of secondary school age. In practice this means that pupils are not given the opportunity to discuss issues about some important aspects of their personal development. Hence, they are not prepared well for life in modern Britain. Leaders said that no aspect of sex education is taught in the school, not even reproduction in the context of an academic subject like science. The collective view of parents, strongly held, is that such teaching should take place in the home only, by parents and carers.

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Leaders have organised external support for curriculum advisers (middle leaders) who lead on implementing curriculum subjects across all year groups. More time has been invested in developing curriculum plans for Years 7 to 11 to help students study for some GCSE examinations. Pupils in Year 10 are studying GCSEs in English, mathematics, art, science, history and geography. However, leaders’ plans do not identify in sufficient detail how the knowledge to be taught is organised to support teachers’ short-term lesson-planning. As a result, there is not enough clarity about how pupils’ knowledge and skills build up over time, from one year to the next. Curriculum advisers in the same subject, but working in different key stages, collaborate to plan and assess pupils’ learning. However, their work does not focus well enough on what it means to make strong progress in their subject, in the context of an all-through school.

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All the content of the GCSE science course is taught to Year 10 pupils, except for reproduction. This means pupils are disadvantaged at the outset when preparing for their science examinations. Inspection evidence shows that when pupils are taught suitably connected subject content, their retention of knowledge is strong as they move up the school. This is the case for several secular subjects, including history and science. The curriculum for PE, however, is not well organised. The same level of attention committed to other secular subjects has not been given to PE. As a result, pupils’ achievement in this subject is weak.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive appropriate support. Leaders and staff use pupils’ education, health and care plans to meet their needs. These pupils are fully included in the school’s curriculum, both Kodesh and secular. Many pupils are confident in debating issues, in both Kodesh studies and secular subjects, in Yiddish and English.

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Pupils’ behaviour helps to ensure that learning in lessons is rarely disrupted. Poor behaviour is very rare. There have been no exclusions since the previous standard inspection in June 2016. Pupils are polite and respectful to each other and staff. Pupils and staff are confident that there are no instances of bullying of any kind, as the school’s records show.

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Leaders ensure that all the required checks are carried out that secure pupils’ welfare, health and safety. The proprietor has enlisted the support of an external consultant to improve leaders’ knowledge and understanding of the relevant independent school standards. As a result, the school’s premises and 8–10 June 2021

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accommodation are maintained effectively. The school’s accessibility plan complies with schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010.

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Governance requires further improvement. Suitable support has been provided in recruiting curriculum advisers who lead subjects and provide professional development for teachers. However, governors do not hold leaders to account in a systematic way for the quality of education which the school provides.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders’ checks on the staff who work at or visit the school meet requirements. Leaders ensure that staff receive the necessary training about important safeguarding information. This includes how to make a direct referral to social care if that is deemed necessary. Staff know the signs to look out for in checking that pupils are safe. Staff know what to do should they be worried.

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Safeguarding

Records show that leaders get help from experts to stop a concern becoming more serious. For example, if a pupil stops coming to school, leaders know to contact the local authority quickly and not take the pupil off the school’s roll.

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 Staff’s expectations of what children in Reception can do are low. The curriculum in the early years is not ambitious enough. Leaders need to review the provision in the Reception Year. They should consider the amount of time children are engaged in learning activities. Staff should raise their expectations of what children can do. The curriculum needs to be suitably designed and sequenced to enable children to achieve the standards they should by the end of the Reception Year.  The reading programme is not effective for children in the early years. Leaders need to ensure that the teaching of phonics is accurate and consistent (as it is in key stage 1). Leaders should ensure that pupils have access to more high-quality texts to further promote a love of reading.  Leaders and governors do not meet the requirements of the Equality Act 2010. They do not actively promote the fundamental British values of mutual respect

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs. They must ensure that pupils are encouraged to show respect for all of the protected characteristics, in particular sexual orientation and gender reassignment. They must actively promote all five fundamental British values. In addition, leaders should plan a programme to deliver relationships and sex education to pupils in Years 7 to 11.  Leaders have not planned the curriculum in sufficient detail to support the short- term lesson planning of teachers. This means that staff are not clear about what 8–10 June 2021

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it means for a pupil to make strong progress in their subject. Leaders should plan in greater detail how the knowledge to be taught is organised for each year group in all the secular subjects. This includes PE, where leaders are further behind in their curriculum thinking compared to other secular subjects. Leaders should also ensure that all parts of the science curriculum are taught to key stage 4 pupils so they are not disadvantaged in their GCSE examinations.  Although governors have provided useful support, they do not have enough knowledge and understanding about the quality of education that the school provides. Therefore, they are not able to hold school leaders to account effectively. Governors need training on how to use self-evaluation to ask relevant questions and offer sharp challenge to school leaders.

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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 are the provider and you are not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted . 8–10 June 2021

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School details

Unique reference number 137505 DfE registration number 204/6002

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School details

Inspection number 10193507 Type of school Other independent school

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School details

Email address mainoffice@satmarschool.org.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 28–30 June 2016 8–10 June 2021

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Information about this school

 Beis Ruchel D’Satmar School is a strictly Orthodox Jewish independent day school for girls in the London Borough of Hackney.  The school is registered for 810 girls between the ages of five and 11 years. However, there are 844 girls aged three to 16 years on the school’s roll. The permitted number of pupils was revised by the registration authority from 200 to 810 in November 2020. Hence, the school continues to be in breach of its registration agreement with the Department for Education.  There are 235 children in the early years provision, which comprises nursery, kindergarten and reception sections.  The school’s most recent inspection was its fifth progress monitoring inspection, in February 2020.  At the time of the previous standard inspection in June 2016, the school’s overall effectiveness was judged to be inadequate.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision for pupils.

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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

 Inspectors carried out this inspection with one day’s notice.  Inspectors considered early reading, mathematics, history and art as part of this inspection. Inspectors met groups of pupils in the primary and secondary sections of the school to discuss their learning in these subjects, and looked at their work. Inspectors also met the teachers of these subjects.  Inspectors also met with a group of pupils to discuss their views about the school, behaviour and safety.  Inspectors met with governors, the headteacher, the school’s consultants and a range of academic and pastoral leaders who work in different phases across the school.  Inspectors scrutinised a range of policies and documents. Inspectors checked the school’s compliance with the independent school standards.  To inspect safeguarding, inspectors reviewed a range of the school’s documentation and safeguarding records and held discussions with leaders and

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Inspection team

Nasim Butt, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

James Waite Ofsted Inspector 8–10 June 2021

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

 2(2) For the purposes of paragraph (2)(1)(a), the matters are– – 2(2)(d) personal, social, health and economic education which– – 2(2)(d)(ii) encourages respect for other people, paying particular regard to the protected characteristics set out in the 2010 Act[9] – 2(2)(i) effective preparation of pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of life in British society.

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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– – 5(a) actively promotes the fundamental British Values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs; – 5(b) ensures that principles are actively promoted which– – 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– – 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.

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Part 1. Early Years statutory framework

 Learning and development requirements – 1.6 Practitioners must consider the individual needs, interests, and stage of development of each child in their care, and must use this information to plan a challenging and enjoyable experience for each child in all of the areas of learning and development. Practitioners working with the youngest children are expected to focus strongly on the three prime areas, which are the basis for successful learning in the other four specific areas. The three prime areas reflect the key skills and capacities all children need to develop and learn effectively, and become ready for school. It is expected that the balance will shift towards a more equal focus on all areas of learning as children grow in confidence and ability within the three prime areas. But throughout the early 8–10 June 2021

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years, if a child’s progress in any prime area gives cause for concern, practitioners must discuss this with the child’s parents and/or carers and agree how to support the child. Practitioners must consider whether a child may have a special educational need or disability which requires specialist support. They should link with, and help families to access, relevant services from other agencies as appropriate. – 1.7 For children whose home language is not English, providers must take reasonable steps to provide opportunities for children to develop and use their home language in play and learning, supporting their language development at home. Providers must also ensure that children have sufficient opportunities to learn and reach a good standard in English language during the EYFS: ensuring children are ready to benefit from the opportunities available to them when they begin Year 1. When assessing communication, language and literacy skills,

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practitioners must assess children’s skills in English. If a child does not have a strong grasp of English language, practitioners must explore the child’s skills in the home language with parents and/or carers, to establish whether there is cause for concern about language delay. 8–10 June 2021

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