Independent Jewish Day School

Inspection of Independent Jewish Day School 46 Green Lane, Hendon, London NW4 2AH

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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 Requires improvement Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Ofsted has not previously inspected Independent Jewish Day School as an academy school under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 as, until November 2020, the school was exempted by law from routine inspection, so there has been a longer gap than usual between inspections.

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Judgements in this report are based on the current inspection framework and also reflect changes that may have happened at any point since the last inspection of the predecessor school. 7 and 8 December 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils very much enjoy being part of this friendly and welcoming school. Pupils feel valued and well cared for. They are safe and happy. Pupils work hard in lessons. They try their best to demonstrate the school’s values of being ready, respectful, safe and kind.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are keen to learn and want to do well. Their behaviour in lessons and during social times is good. Pupils benefit from nurturing and respectful relationships with staff. Staff sort out any bullying that happens. Pupils, parents and carers said that they value the school’s work to support pupils’ emotional well-being.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils contribute a great deal to the life of the school. They take their responsibilities seriously. For example, the eco-council committee works passionately to promote the environment and energy-saving ideas.

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What is it like to attend this school?

All staff and governors have high expectations and want pupils to achieve. But there are weaknesses in how different subjects are planned and delivered. This affects pupils’ learning and achievement. Some subjects are not given enough time to allow pupils to gain the knowledge they need.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Children settle well into the early years. However, there are inconsistencies in how well staff promote children’s language and communication. The outdoor areas are not used well to support children to learn and practise important knowledge.

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better?

Leaders have developed a curriculum which enables pupils to study a range of subjects as well as Jewish studies. However, in many subjects, leaders have not considered carefully the knowledge that pupils need to learn. Leaders have not identified the most important subject content to be delivered in each topic. This often means that teachers select for themselves the content to be taught and the activities to deliver this knowledge. This leads to inconsistencies in how things are done. For example, sometimes, pupils are introduced to too many concepts at once. Furthermore, this lack of clarity in curriculum thinking sometimes leads to pupils doing work which does not build on their previous learning.

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better?

Pupils do not have sufficient time to study art or computing in depth. These subjects are not planned coherently to enable pupils to build up their knowledge securely.

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better?

Pupils achieve well in reading. Children start the school’s phonics programme in the early years. As pupils move into Years 1 and 2, they learn to read and spell accurately and fluently using phonics. Staff provide extra sessions for pupils who need to catch up in reading. Pupils really like their renovated school library. The junior librarians help others to choose books and keep things organised. 7 and 8 December 2022

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Children enjoy their time in the early years. They enjoy a range of activities that help them to be creative and which promote their reading and writing. However, staff do not make the most of opportunities to support children’s language and communication skills. The outdoor area, particularly for children in the Reception Year, does not support the development of children’s knowledge and understanding well enough. The activities offered do not promote the different areas of learning consistently well.

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Pupils build up their mathematics knowledge in a sensible order. Teachers help pupils to use what they have been taught in previous lessons in order to tackle more complex mathematics questions. Overall, pupils develop secure and detailed mathematical knowledge. In reading and mathematics, teachers check carefully pupils’ knowledge and understanding. Leaders are developing the use of assessment in the other subjects.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities get the help they need. Extra support is well planned to meet pupils’ needs. However, some of the inconsistencies in how the curriculum is planned and taught affect these pupils.

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Pupils are proud of their school. They show positive attitudes to learning. They are keen to earn rewards for their efforts. Pupils like seeing their names displayed on the ‘golden star wall’. Pupils show kindness and respect to others. ‘Playground buddies’ look out for those who might need cheering up. Pupils said that the ‘blue room’ really helps them. It is a space where they can relax and talk through any worries they might have.

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Pupils take on responsibilities readily. For example, pupils regularly collect litter in the local community. They came up with the idea of shrinking crisp packets to make keyrings that could be sold to raise funds for charity. In lessons and assemblies, pupils are taught to respect others and to understand the importance of equality. For example, pupils in Year 6 learned about the role of women in the Second World War.

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Staff enjoy working here. They feel valued and well supported by leaders and governors. Leaders consider staff workload. Staff said that leaders support their personal well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that all the required suitability checks are undertaken prior to staff working here. Staff keep up to date with safeguarding matters. They are well trained to identify pupils who might be at risk. When they report concerns, leaders take appropriate action. Leaders work with external agencies to get families the help they need and to keep pupils safe. Pupils learn about how to keep themselves safe in a range of situations, including online. 7 and 8 December 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In many subjects, the curriculum is not carefully planned. Leaders have not considered with sufficient precision what pupils need to know and remember in each subject and topic. Often, the curriculum does not identify the most important subject content that pupils need to learn. This leads to inconsistencies in how subjects are delivered. It affects pupils' learning and how well they build their knowledge over time in each subject. Leaders need to ensure that, in all subjects, the curriculum is planned coherently. They need to ensure that teachers are clear about the most important subject content that pupils need to learn and when.  Pupils do not gain a broad or deep understanding in art or computing. This is because leaders have not ensured that these subjects are given sufficient time. There are often long periods of time between these subjects being taught. This affects pupils’ learning over time. They do not remember what they have learned

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

previously and their knowledge is not secure. Leaders should ensure that these subjects are well planned. They should ensure that pupils have sufficient time to study these subjects and build up their knowledge securely.  Inconsistencies in the early years provision affect children's learning. Staff do not make the best use of opportunities to promote children's language and communication. In the Reception Year, the outdoor provision does not support children's learning and development well enough. Leaders should ensure that provision is equally strong across the Nursery and Reception Years. They should ensure that staff have training and support in order to promote children's language and communication skills effectively. Leaders should ensure that, in the Reception Year, high-quality outdoor provision is in place, which promotes children’s understanding across all areas of learning.

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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. 7 and 8 December 2022

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, 'disadvantaged pupils' refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. 7 and 8 December 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10211844 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Independent Jewish Day School converted to become an academy in February 2012. When its predecessor school, Independent Jewish Day School, was last inspected by Ofsted it was judged to be outstanding overall.  The school has a Jewish religious character. The school’s most recent section 48 inspection took place in January 2019.  Leaders do not make use of alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school 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. 7 and 8 December 2022

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 Inspectors met with the headteacher, assistant headteachers and other senior leaders. The lead inspector met with governors and representatives of the proprietor body.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, history and science. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also spoke with leaders about the curriculum in other subjects and in the early years.  Inspectors met with groups of pupils and staff. Inspectors considered the responses to the parent and carer, staff and pupil surveys. An inspector met with some parents at the start of the day.  Inspectors reviewed the single central record of staff suitability checks. They met with leaders responsible for safeguarding.  Inspectors observed pupils during social times, including breaktimes.

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Inspection team

Gary Rawlings, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Diane Rochford Ofsted Inspector 7 and 8 December 2022

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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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