Beis Ruchel D'Satmar London

School progress monitoring inspection report

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

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Main inspection findings

Part 1. Quality of education provided Paragraphs 2(1), 2(1)(a), 2(2), 2(2)(a), 2(2)(d), 2(2)(d)(ii), 2(2)(i), 2A(1), 2A(1)(d), 5, 5(a), 5(b), 5(b)(v), 5(b)(vi)  At the previous inspection in June 2021, leaders were not fulfilling their legal duties under the Equality Act 2010. They did not actively encourage pupils to respect people who are of a different sexual orientation or who change their gender. Leaders, governors and the proprietor had not planned to provide the required programme of relationships education to pupils of secondary age. Leaders, governors and the proprietor provided no sex education, including reproduction in the context of the academic subject of science. Leaders, governors and the proprietor did not actively promote the fundamental British values of mutual respect and tolerance of those with different religions, faiths and beliefs.  The school’s action plan was too vague. It stated that policies and the curriculum would

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Main inspection findings

be reviewed and revised ‘as necessary’. There were no specific actions or success criteria referencing the protected characteristics, relationships education or different faiths and beliefs.  This inspection confirms that the school’s approach has not changed. Sex education continues to be excluded from the science curriculum. Leaders, governors and the proprietor are clear that in line with the school’s faith perspective and parents’ and carers’ strongly held wishes, pupils, including those in the secondary phase, are not taught relationships and sex education. This means that pupils are not taught about families, respectful relationships, including that everyone is unique and equal, or about being safe, including the concepts of sexual consent, harassment and domestic abuse. Leaders, governors and the proprietor continue to omit any encouragement of respect for other people, paying particular regard to the protected characteristics and any

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Main inspection findings

coverage of the different beliefs, customs and values of those with different faiths. As a result, pupils continue to be unprepared for life in modern British society. The independent school standards checked (as listed in the report’s annex) continue to be not met. Standards relating to relationships education, 2A(1)(d), and scientific education, 2(1), 2(1)(a) and 2(2)(a), are also judged to be not met. Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Paragraphs 7–7(b), 32(1)(c)  The previous inspection judged safeguarding to be effective. This inspection’s routine checks on pupils’ safety found that leaders continue to maintain a culture of care. Pupils feel safe at school. Staff have been trained in light of the latest statutory guidance in ‘Keeping children safe in education 2022’. Leaders have ensured that the school’s safeguarding policy reflects this statutory guidance. It is available in hard copy from the

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Main inspection findings

school’s office.  Leaders and staff make effective use of the school’s system for identifying, recording and following up any safeguarding concerns quickly when they arise.  These independent school standards checked continue to be met. Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Paragraph 34(1), 34(1)(a), 34(1)(b)  At the previous inspection, the proprietor, governors and leaders were not fulfilling their statutory responsibilities. They had not made sure the requirements of the independent school standards were met. Leaders had not planned the curriculum in sufficient detail to support teachers’ lesson planning. The early years curriculum was weak. Although the governing body had provided useful support, members were not holding school leaders to account effectively.  As stated in the school’s action plan, this inspection found that the proprietor and governors have employed new leaders and commissioned external support to review and

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Main inspection findings

implement changes, including to the curriculum. Governors are more actively involved in enhancing the effectiveness of the school. Work to improve curriculum thinking and planning is underway, but there is still a lot of work to do. Curriculum thinking in some subjects, especially physical education, remains a work in progress. The quality of early years provision is improving.  The proprietor is committed to abiding by the school’s distinctive faith perspective and parents’ wishes, rather than the independent school standards. As a result, some of the independent school standards, including the standard checked in this part, remain unmet. Statutory requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)  The previous inspection reported that the curriculum in the early years was not ambitious enough. The curriculum was not suitably designed and sequenced to enable children to achieve the standards they should by the end of Reception. Leaders did not

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Main inspection findings

ensure that phonics was taught in Reception. Children were not ready for Year 1.  The proprietor’s action plan made no reference to the EYFS at all. However, this inspection found that leaders have reviewed the provision in the Reception Year. The curriculum is now planned and organised more coherently. Leaders have thought more carefully about what children learn and when in the early years. Children in Reception now learn to read following the same systematic, synthetic phonics programme that is used from Year 1 onwards. Staff have been suitably trained, and primary phase leaders work closely with early years leaders to ensure that children are better prepared for Year 1.  The statutory requirements of the EYFS checked in this part (1.6 and 1.7) are now met.

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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

Type of school Orthodox Jewish day school for girls

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School details

Email address mainoffice@satmarschool.org.uk

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School details

Dates of previous standard inspection 8 to 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 917 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. The school therefore continues to be in breach of its registration agreement with the Department for Education because it has exceeded the maximum number of pupils on roll that it is registered to admit by 107, and continues to admit pupils below and above the registered age range.  There are 192 children in the early years provision, which comprises nursery, kindergarten and reception sections. The school is not registered for children aged under five.  The school’s most recent standard inspection was in June 2021.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision.

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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.  This was the school’s first progress monitoring inspection since its last graded inspection in June 2021. The inspection was conducted without notice.  Following the previous inspection, leaders were asked to submit an action plan. This was evaluated by Ofsted as not acceptable in May 2022, and was subsequently rejected by the Department for Education.  The focus of the inspection was to check whether the school complied with particular requirements within Parts 1, 2, 3, 6 and 8 of the independent school standards, and some of the EYFS requirements.  The inspector toured the premises with the headteacher and met with the governing

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Information about this inspection

body. He had meetings with the school’s safeguarding leader and other leaders responsible for the curriculum and early years.  The inspector met with a group of pupils in Year 10. In line with leaders’ request, the inspector did not ask pupils anything about sex and relationships or other religions, faiths and beliefs. The inspector also heard some pupils in Year 1 read to a teacher.  The inspector reviewed a range of evidence to check compliance with the independent school standards.  There were no recent responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View.

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Inspection team

James Waite, lead inspector Ofsted 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 1. Quality of education provided

 2(1) The standard in this paragraph is met if– – 2(1)(a) the proprietor ensures that a written policy on the curriculum, supported by appropriate plans and schemes of work, which provides for the matters specified in sub-paragraph (2) is drawn up and implemented effectively.  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. – 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; and – 34(1)(b) fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards are met consistently.

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

Standards that were met at the previous inspection, but are now judged to not be met at this inspection

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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)(a) full-time supervised education for pupils of compulsory school age (construed in accordance with section 8 of the Education Act 1996), which gives pupils experience in linguistic, mathematical, scientific, technological, human and social, physical and aesthetic and creative education.  2A(1) The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor– – 2A(1)(d) in making arrangements for the purposes of paragraphs (a), (b) or (c), has regard to any guidance under section 80A of the Education Act 2002 that applies in relation to the provision of education by maintained schools.

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The school now meets the following EYFS requirements

 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 years, if a child’s progress in any prime area gives cause for concern, practitioners must discuss this

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The school now meets the following EYFS requirements

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, practitioners must assess children’s skills in English. If a child does not have

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The school now meets the following EYFS requirements

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. 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 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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The school now meets the following EYFS requirements

Parent View You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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The school now meets the following EYFS requirements

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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The school now meets the following EYFS requirements

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The school now meets the following EYFS requirements

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The school now meets the following EYFS requirements

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The school now meets the following EYFS requirements

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