Bnos Beis Yaakov Primary School

Inspection of Bnos Beis Yaakov Primary School Kingsbury Synagogue, Kingsbury Green, London NW9 8XR

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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Overall effectiveness Good

Does the school meet the independent school standards?

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to be part of this school. They feel happy being with their friends. Pupils are safe and said that this is because staff always show care and kindness towards them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations. Staff support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) effectively. Teachers adapt curriculum content to meet pupils’ individual needs. This helps pupils with SEND to achieve well across different subjects.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Behaviour is exemplary. Pupils are courteous and polite. They are well mannered and respectful of others. Pupils know that staff listen to their concerns. Staff act quickly to deal with any bullying. They ensure that pupils behave sensibly across the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are highly motivated and eager to succeed. They enjoy the times they come together as a whole school community, such as singing their prayers on Rosh Chodesh and when they gather for weekly assemblies.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff organise an extensive range of clubs and events that reflect pupils’ interests and talents. Pupils’ participation in extracurricular activities is very high. Pupils are taught about other people, countries and cultures. They are respectful of differences. Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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better?

Leaders set ambitious goals for pupils to achieve. The sequence of knowledge and skills they want pupils to learn is clear in most subjects. For example, leaders ensure that in physical education, pupils learn a range of different positions and throwing skills when playing invasion games. Teachers develop pupils’ mathematical understanding and strategies well. Pupils use a range of skills and resources when solving problems. Teachers provide practical experiences for pupils to develop their understanding of numbers. For example, children in early years recognised numbers through rhymes and songs.

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better?

In a few subjects, leaders do not identify distinctly subject-specific knowledge and concepts. Teachers have secure subject knowledge and present new content clearly to pupils. They encourage pupils to draw on what they know when learning new things. Staff use pupils’ assessment information effectively to identify and address gaps in pupils’ learning.

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better?

Leaders prioritise early reading. Children in Nursery explore early sounds, including those made in the environment. They begin to learn phonics when they start in Reception. Teachers deliver the newly adopted phonics programme securely. Staff receive regular training to support pupils with their reading. Leaders are extending the range of books available for pupils to read to ensure that these match the 1 to 3 November 2022 sounds that pupils know. Pupils enjoy visits to the school library. Staff encourage pupils to discuss what they have read, which helps them to understand key events that appear in books. Teachers support pupils who struggle with their reading so they can keep up with their peers. Pupils become confident and fluent readers.

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better?

Pupils show high levels of self-control and highly positive attitudes towards their education. They are keen to do well. Pupils listen with sustained concentration and interest. For example, children in Nursery showed deep engagement and curiosity. Working relationships between staff and pupils are extremely positive. Pupils contribute widely to the community through the support of many charities, including those providing meals for patients in hospital. Leaders ensure that pupils interact with others in the community, such as visitors from local homes for the elderly.

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better?

Leaders provide opportunities for pupils to learn about different religions and faiths, as well as their own. This includes important traditions, customs and festivals. Teachers expose pupils to a wide array of social experiences, which supports their understanding of the world. This helps pupils to understand different beliefs in detail and with confidence.

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better?

Leaders ensure the delivery of well-sequenced relationships education and personal health education. The school’s ‘venishmartem’ programme teaches pupils about taking care of their bodies. Pupils are well supported in developing their self- confidence and self-esteem. They felt confident in raising questions and debating issues with their teachers and peers.

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better?

The proprietor and those responsible for governance have set a clear ambition for pupils. This underpins the school’s ethos and its commitment to fulfilling the requirements of the Equality Act 2010. Leaders ensure that pupils are taught about tolerance for others and the importance of equality. Leaders support staff’s workload and well-being. Staff reported that leaders are approachable and understanding. Leaders provide staff with opportunities to enhance their subject knowledge and expertise. Parents and carers were overwhelmingly positive about the school.

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better?

Leaders fulfil their statutory duties, meet all the independent school standards and demonstrate capacity. They use clear systems for registering and off-rolling pupils to account for all pupils who leave the school. The school fulfils the statutory requirements for the early years foundation stage.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have created a strong culture of safeguarding. Staff show vigilance in recognising the signs of danger and harmful risks pupils may face. They use clear procedures to identify pupils who may need help. Leaders work closely with parents and external agencies to act swiftly in protecting pupils and families. The safeguarding policy is suitable and made available to parents on request. 1 to 3 November 2022 The proprietor and those responsible for governance ensure that all safeguarding, and health and safety policies are relevant. The leaders check often to make sure that staff follow procedures consistently. Leaders ensure that the curriculum helps pupils understand how to stay safe. Staff teach pupils to use technology and social media appropriately.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, the sequence in which pupils learn key content, knowledge and skills is not distinctly defined. As a result, in these subjects, pupils do not develop subject-specific knowledge as well as in other subjects. Leaders must ensure that all subjects are well sequenced and set out clearly the progression of the important knowledge that pupils need to learn and when.  Leaders have made a good start in introducing the phonics programme. This is having a positive impact on pupils’ learning to read. Leaders must continue to ensure that the programme is consistently delivered and embedded. They must continue to make sure that all books available to pupils match the sounds they learn.

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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. 1 to 3 November 2022

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School details

Proprietor Bnos Beis Yaakov Primary School Ltd

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School details

Email address admin@bnosbeisyaakov.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 19 to 21 June 2018 1 to 3 November 2022

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Information about this school

 Bnos Beis Yaakov is a faith school for Orthodox Jewish girls.  The school has been open since September 2010. Its site is shared with Kingsbury Synagogue.  The school’s most recent standard inspection took place in June 2018, when it was judged to be good.  The school is undergoing major building works to add two classrooms, a hall, a staff room and offices.  The school’s curriculum includes Kodesh (religious) studies as well as secular (Chol) subjects. Leaders have organised the school day and curriculum to include the teaching of Jewish studies in the morning and secular subjects in the afternoon, on alternating days.  The school does not make use of any 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 the school had received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the chair of the board of governors, members of the governing body, the headteacher, senior leaders and a range of staff.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics and physical education. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and considered pupils’ work.  Inspectors considered the curriculum in other subjects.  Inspectors considered information provided about safeguarding arrangements. They scrutinised safeguarding records and the single central record. Inspectors also reviewed safeguarding procedures and processes by talking to leaders and

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Information about this inspection

staff and through discussions with pupils.  Inspectors considered the views of parents, pupils and staff in discussions and through taking into consideration responses to Ofsted’s online surveys. 1 to 3 November 2022

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Inspection team

Lascelles Haughton, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Jonathan Newby Ofsted Inspector 1 to 3 November 2022 regulates and inspects 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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