Talmud Torah Yetev Lev

Inspection of Talmud Torah Yetev Lev 393-395 Bury New Road, Salford, Lancashire M7 2BT

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Inspection dates: 15 to 17 November 2022

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years provision Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Does the school meet the independent school standards?

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils really enjoy coming to school. They like to learn and enjoy spending time with their friends. Pupils explained that they feel safe in school because teachers look after them well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils understand that teachers have high expectations that every pupil will work hard and behave well. In some subjects, pupils achieve well. However, in a number of subjects, they do not learn as much as they could. This is because leaders have not organised what they want pupils to learn well enough.

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What is it like to attend this school?

At times, pupils can be a little boisterous when they are moving about the school. However, teachers are good at calming pupils down if they get too excited. In class, pupils behave well. This helps them to work hard and do their best. Pupils told inspectors that bullying is infrequent. When it does happen, staff deal with it quickly and effectively.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy the opportunities that they receive to take part in sports like hockey or trampolining. A visit to a coal mine helped their learning about history and trips to outdoor adventure centres support their physical health. They take part in fundraising activities, both inside and outside the local Jewish community.

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better?

Leaders have a curriculum in place that contains a suitable variety of subjects. Pupils receive the full range of educational experiences prescribed in the independent school standards (the standards). Children in the early years gain knowledge that prepares them for learning in Year 1 and beyond. There is an appropriate balance between religious and secular learning.

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better?

In some subjects, leaders have designed the curriculum well. In these subjects, it is clear what pupils need to learn and the order that they need to learn it in. Where the curriculum is well structured, most pupils develop strong knowledge and understanding. This represents improvement compared to the findings at the previous inspection. However, in some other subjects, the picture is not so clear. Leaders have decided about the knowledge that they want pupils to acquire in these subjects by the end of each year. However, they have not thought carefully enough about what pupils will learn and when they will learn it, in order to reach these end points. Consequently, pupils do not build up their knowledge as strongly as possible across these subjects.

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better?

Teachers typically explain learning to pupils effectively and make sure that pupils understand what they are being taught. Many staff, including those in the early years, have secure subject knowledge. Those teachers who need support receive training and guidance from more experienced teachers. There are helpful methods 15 to 17 November 2022 of assessing pupils’ knowledge. These methods include formal tests and frequent informal checks on how much pupils remember.

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better?

The reading curriculum is well structured. Leaders have an effective phonics programme in place. This enables most pupils to build their knowledge of how letters link to sounds. This helps them to learn to read with increasing fluency. The majority of children in the Nursery Year learn about sounds and develop their communication and language skills well. Children in the Reception class begin to learn phonics soon after they start the year. Staff have secure subject knowledge that enables them to teach phonics effectively. They identify children and pupils who need extra support well and help them to catch up.

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better?

In key stage 1, the majority of pupils read fluently and accurately. However, some pupils who find reading more difficult are not able to read their books well. This is because the reading books which teachers give them do not match the sounds that they know closely enough. This means that pupils cannot apply the phonics knowledge that they have been taught to enable them to experience success by reading fluently.

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better?

Leaders continue to focus on teaching reading systematically as pupils progress through key stage 2. By the time pupils reach Year 6, they read a variety of books with fluency and accuracy.

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better?

Leaders identify the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities effectively. Staff benefit from training which ensures they are alert to signs that pupils may have additional needs. Leaders discuss pupils’ needs with teachers regularly. Teachers provide the help which these pupils need to access the curriculum.

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better?

Most pupils, including children in the early years, behave well. They have positive attitudes in class and there is very little disruption to learning. Sometimes, pupils can be a little boisterous when moving around the school. However, this behaviour is usually short-lived, as staff manage any misbehaviour effectively.

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better?

Pupils benefit from many activities that support their wider development beyond academic subjects. The Kodesh (religious) curriculum supports pupils’ understanding of the rule of law. Pupils are clear about fundamental British values, such as democracy, and are encouraged to show respect for all the protected characteristics in the Equality Act 2010. Leaders provide opportunities for pupils to appreciate the importance of respect for other religions. Leaders also provide effective relationships education that is in keeping with the government’s requirements and meets the relevant standards. All of these activities help pupils to be prepared for life in modern Britain.

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better?

Staff who spoke with inspectors explained that senior leaders are approachable and help teachers to manage their workload. Leaders are supportive of teachers’ well- being. 15 to 17 November 2022 The proprietor body has made sure that the school meets all the standards. This demonstrates improvement since the previous inspection. Members of the proprietor body know the school well. They understand its strengths and are clear about the work required to tackle its weaknesses. They also know the responsibilities attached to their positions, and have suitable systems to check on the performance of school leaders.

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better?

Leaders have ensured that the school complies with the statutory requirements of the early years foundation stage.

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better?

There is an appropriate accessibility plan. This policy meets the requirements of the Equality Act 2010. Leaders also have all other required policies and documentation in place.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and staff are well trained in safeguarding matters. They know the signs and symptoms of possible abuse. There are effective systems for reporting and recording any safeguarding issues relating to pupils and children in the early years. Leaders respond to any concerns swiftly. They know how to refer issues to external agencies, if needed. Leaders also know the processes involved in managing allegations against members of staff.

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Safeguarding

Pupils receive the help that they need promptly. Leaders provide pupils with information to help them keep safe. This includes teaching pupils about how to stay safe in the home, on the street and when using the internet.

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Safeguarding

There is a comprehensive and current safeguarding policy which is available to parents and carers on request.

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 In a number of subjects, leaders have not given enough thought to the content that they want pupils to learn and the order in which they want them to learn it. This means that pupils do not acquire deep knowledge about these subjects, which prevents them from making the progress of which they are capable. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum content in these subjects is well defined and the order of learning is clear, so that pupils can develop their knowledge strongly across the whole curriculum.  Some of the younger pupils who find reading difficult are provided with reading books that are too hard for them. This is because the words in the books do not contain the sounds that pupils know. Consequently, these pupils cannot apply 15 to 17 November 2022 their knowledge of phonics confidently, which results in a lack of fluency when reading. Leaders should ensure that teachers provide suitable reading books to

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

match pupils’ current knowledge of phonics, so that pupils can develop fluency in their reading.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View 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. 15 to 17 November 2022

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School details

Unique reference number 131435 DfE registration number 355/6035

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School details

Inspection number 10243488 Type of school Other independent school

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School details

Date of previous inspection 3 to 5 March 2020 15 to 17 November 2022

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Information about this school

 The school’s previous standard inspection took place from 3 to 5 March 2020.  The school is a Jewish boys’ school operated by members of the Satmar Chassidic Jewish community.  The school is currently operating beyond its registration agreement with the Department for Education. The school has exceeded the maximum number of pupils on roll that it is registered to admit. The school currently provides primary education to 434 pupils aged three to 12 years. The school’s registration with the Department for Education is for a maximum of 405 pupils.  The proprietor is Talmud Torah Yetev Lev Ltd. However, there is no record of the proprietor on the government’s ‘Get information about schools’ website.  Leaders do not use alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors 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 meets the independent school standards. These are the requirements set out in the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection that the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors spoke with members of the proprietor body, the headteacher and other school leaders.  Inspectors conducted deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, physical education, and personal, social, health and economic education. In each subject, they met with the subject leader and teachers. Inspectors visited lessons, looked at examples of pupils’ work and talked with groups of pupils about their learning. They also examined the curriculum in some other subjects.  Inspectors looked at the school’s safeguarding policy and related policies and documentation. They checked the school’s records of the suitability of staff to work with pupils. Inspectors talked with staff about their welfare and training.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors spoke with pupils about safeguarding matters, their personal development and pupils’ behaviour and attitudes. Inspectors looked at a range of policies and documents related to pupils’ welfare and education. They observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school. 15 to 17 November 2022  Inspectors conducted activities to gather evidence to check compliance with the standards. These included scrutinising documents, holding discussions with leaders and conducting a tour of the premises.  There were no responses to Ofsted Parent View or to Ofsted’s staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Mark Quinn, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Phill Walmsley Ofsted Inspector 15 to 17 November 2022 to 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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