Hasmonean High School for Girls

Inspection of Hasmonean High School for Girls 2–4 Page Street, Mill Hill, London NW7 2EU

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Inspection dates: 20 and 21 September 2023

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Sixth-form provision Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Overall effectiveness Good

The headteacher of this school is Katherine Brice. The school is part of the Hasmonean Multi-Academy Trust, which means that other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Andrew McClusky, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Gary Swabel. 20 and 21 September 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy to be part of the ‘Hasmonean family’. They are safe and well cared for. Pupils know how to stay safe online and in the wider world. Pupils build respectful relationships with each other and with staff. They make strong friendship groups. Pupils learn that unkind words can hurt others. Consequently, incidents of bullying are rare. New pupils to the school, including in Year 7, receive a warm welcome. Having their own ‘buddy’ in the sixth form helps students to settle in quickly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for all pupils to achieve well. Pupils value their learning and relish the many opportunities the school provides. These include the annual Year 7 residential trip, Year 10 visit to Scotland and Year 12 trip to Poland. Pupils believe in giving back to their local community. Many of them volunteer, for instance in local primary schools or care homes.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well in class and in corridors. They are polite and articulate. Pupils take great pride in their school. Typically, pupils concentrate well and display positive attitudes to learning.

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better?

Leaders provide a broad and ambitious curriculum for all pupils. Typically, they study two languages until the end of Year 8, including modern Hebrew. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) also access a broad offer. Teachers are well informed about pupils’ individual needs. They make helpful adaptations to lessons and the use of resources. These help pupils with SEND to achieve well. A very small number of pupils need extra help with reading. The school identifies these pupils quickly and provides them with bespoke support. Pupils love to read. They enjoy recommending books to each other.

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better?

The school has planned and sequenced pupils’ learning with care. Leaders have identified the important concepts that pupils must understand to deepen their knowledge and skills across subjects. Teachers build regular opportunities for pupils to revisit key knowledge sequentially. For example, in science pupils enjoy regular practical work. This helps them to consolidate and build their understanding of working scientifically. Pupils tackle more complex tasks as they move through the school. This prepares them well for GCSE and A-level study.

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better?

Teachers provide regular opportunities for checking pupils’ understanding. This helps teachers to review and adapt learning for pupils. In the sixth form, students receive effective support and guidance that helps them to improve their work with precision. In Years 7 to 11, the effectiveness of teacher checking of pupils’ understanding is more variable. On occasion, teaching moves on too quickly before pupils are ready for new content. This creates gaps in pupils’ knowledge and leads to misconceptions. 20 and 21 September 2023

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Typically, pupils are ambitious and keen to do well. As a result, attitudes to learning are positive. On occasion, when pupils do not fully understand what is required of them, they lose concentration. In the sixth form, pupils show an excellent commitment to their studies.

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The school continues to prioritise improving pupils’ attendance. There is robust follow-up of persistent absence. Leaders are analytical in their approach to identifying trends in pupils’ attendance and acting on these.

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Pupils enjoy an exceptional offer beyond the academic. This encompasses a well- planned personal, social and health education curriculum. Pupils learn about the importance of topics such as mental well-being and consent in an age-appropriate manner. The school makes judicious use of external speakers to supplement pupils’ learning. Pupils have a strong understanding of British values, particularly respect and tolerance. They enjoy learning about other religions. The school hosted a visit for pupils from a local school on Holocaust Memorial Day. Pupils experience a range of educational trips to museums in central London. They can take part in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme. Pupils select from a range of clubs on offer each day. For younger pupils, their favourite part of the week is the Friday ‘HIPE’ activities. They celebrate religious events and festivals through food, song and dance.

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From Year 7, pupils access an aspirational careers programme. They learn about university and vocational routes. Pupils in Years 10 and 12 go on work experience. Sixth-form staff help students to manage the university application process. The school makes use of alumni, external speakers and careers fairs to ensure that students have high-quality interactions with employers and higher education institutions.

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Trustees and governors know the school well. They have helped leaders with their approach to staff recruitment in recent months.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 On occasion, teaching moves on too quickly before pupils are fully ready. This creates gaps in learning which lead to misconceptions in pupils’ understanding. The school should ensure that checks on pupils’ grasp of their learning are used routinely and purposefully so that they are fully prepared to learn new content. 20 and 21 September 2023

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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.

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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’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding ( this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 20 and 21 September 2023

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Information about this school

 The school opened as a new school in 2019 after de-amalgamation from the boys’ school.  The school has an Orthodox Jewish religious character. The school’s last section 48 Pikuach inspection took place in November 2017. The next inspection is due later this academic year.  The school makes use of one unregistered alternative provision.  The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information and engagement about approved technical qualifications and apprenticeships.  At the end of Year 13, most pupils progress to ‘gap’ years. They further their Jewish religious studies before attending universities. 20 and 21 September 2023

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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

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  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.  Inspectors met with leaders and staff in the school, including those responsible for the quality of education, behaviour, attendance, personal development and safeguarding.  Inspectors met with representatives from the trust and the local governing board. These included the chief executive officer, the chair of the trust and the chair of the local governing body.  Inspectors carried out deep dives into art, English, modern foreign languages and science. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils

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Information about this inspection

about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and inclusive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.

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Inspection team

Lisa Strong, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Jonty Archibald Ofsted Inspector 20 and 21 September 2023

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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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