The Gateshead Cheder Primary School

Inspection of The Gateshead Cheder Primary School Bede House, Sunderland Road, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear NE8 3HY

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Requires improvement 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 genuinely enjoy coming to school. They are enthusiastic about their lessons and the supportive environment that the school provides. Pupils are happy, secure and eager to contribute. Pupils trust staff to help them should they have any concerns. There is a strong sense of safety and belonging.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are keen to do well. They demonstrate high levels of respect towards staff, visitors and each other. Pupils conduct themselves well in lessons and during social times. This contributes to a supportive, welcoming and calm atmosphere. Parents and carers appreciate the care shown to their children and the positive relationships that underpin the school’s ethos.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff and governors share high ambitions for what pupils can achieve. However, some areas of the curriculum are not fully developed. Some subjects are not as well considered or resourced as others. This limits what pupils achieve. While pupils have opportunities for personal development, the school does not ensure that all the required content to fulfil the independent school standards (the standards) is covered.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Children in the early years quickly settle into new routines. Kind staff look after these youngest members of the school. Older pupils celebrate the success of younger peers as they master their phonics. The school choir sings about a range of important themes, such as world peace.

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better?

In some subjects, the school has clearly identified the important knowledge that pupils need to acquire. Where teachers have strong subject knowledge in these areas, pupils develop a deep understanding. They can make sense of new concepts and apply their learning to unfamiliar contexts.

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better?

However, in other subjects, the essential knowledge is not clearly defined. Some subject curriculums are in their early stages. This is particularly evident in the secondary phase, where pupils lack consistent opportunities to build on what they have learned in the primary phase. This leads to gaps in their knowledge. The school does not have sufficiently wide expertise in some curriculum areas. As a result, it has taken longer than leaders had intended to develop some aspects of the curriculum.

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better?

Subject knowledge is lacking in some areas of the curriculum. Where this is the case, explanations in class lack clarity and do not routinely support pupils’ understanding. What some pupils experience is not sufficiently ambitious. This limits what some pupils can achieve.

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better?

There is now a strong and consistent approach to helping pupils learn to read. Children in the early years benefit from the phonics programme. Well-trained staff 5 to 7 November 2024 help them to learn their letters and the sounds these letters make. Teachers make learning fun, filling the classroom with songs and rhymes. Children develop an understanding of numbers through a variety of different approaches. There is a sense of joy as children discover and explore new ideas. Pupils grow in confidence and proficiency due to the help that they get.

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better?

Staff know pupils and their families well. Parents and carers appreciate the clear communication and support the school offers. The school recognises that some pupils have additional needs and require extra help to succeed alongside their peers. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive the necessary support. Staff have the information they need to assist these pupils. The school works closely with external agencies to meet pupils’ individual needs. Pupils with SEND attend school well and achieve alongside their peers.

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better?

The school checks carefully what pupils have been taught. Teachers know the importance of ensuring that pupils have understood new concepts before introducing new material. Where teachers identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge, they take the appropriate steps to address them. However, at times, teaching does not identify that pupils lack a deep understanding of the subject. This is often due to gaps in staff subject knowledge.

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better?

Pupils value the education they receive at this friendly school. They are kind and respectful to everyone around them. There is a clear sense of order, with boundaries that foster respect and yet are delivered with kindness. As a result, the great majority of pupils behave well. Pupils particularly enjoy their Jewish studies. They speak with confidence and eloquence about how the knowledge they acquire from these studies enriches their lives. Pupils receive information about a range of future study, career and apprenticeship options for when they leave this school. Older pupils are excited for their next steps.

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better?

Pupils are taught to respect people who are different from themselves, including through the personal, social, health and economic curriculum. Pupils develop a strong sense of morality. They learn about what it means to have a healthy lifestyle, including the risks of alcohol, smoking and drugs. However, pupils do not gain specific knowledge about the range of cultures and religions in modern Britain. Pupils are not actively encouraged to learn about and respect people with some of the characteristics that are protected by law.

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better?

The school has consulted with parents of secondary-age pupils about the school’s relationships and sex education policy. All parents have chosen to withdraw their children from sex education in the secondary phase. In this phase, relationships education does not cover topics such as intimate relationships, consent or aspects of diverse families related to some of the protected characteristics. The school has not ensured that the curriculum complies with the Department for Education’s (DfE) statutory guidance on relationships education. Although leaders are knowledgeable about the standards, they have not taken steps to ensure that the standards related to the protected characteristics are met. 5 to 7 November 2024 Many staff have worked at the school for several years. They know that school leaders and the proprietor body consider carefully staff workload and well-being. Since the last inspection, the school has made a number of improvements. This

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better?

includes better teaching of early reading, a broader curriculum offer and a more effective system to assess what pupils know and remember. A planned programme of improvements to the building infrastructure and decor ensures that the independent school standards related to the premises continue to be met. However, there continue to be shortcomings in aspects of the quality of education provided to pupils.

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better?

The school complies with schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 The school has not ensured that all teachers have sufficient knowledge of the subjects they teach. This leads to inconsistencies in how well some subjects are taught. Some pupils do not develop a strong and secure understanding of key concepts. This affects how well they build up their knowledge over time. The school should ensure that teachers receive the support they need in order to teach the curriculum well.  In the secondary phase, as at the time of the last inspection, subjects do not consistently build on the knowledge pupils have gained in earlier years. This sometimes leads to gaps in pupils’ knowledge. The school should ensure that the curriculum better enables pupils to build knowledge coherently from the primary to the secondary phases.  While the headteacher provides strong leadership in curriculum development, the lack of additional expertise to support this work limits the school’s ability to

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

deliver a consistently high-quality education for all pupils across all phases. The proprietor body should take further action to expand the leadership capacity in curriculum development and implementation, ensuring the necessary improvements are made.  The school does not ensure compliance with the standards related to the protected characteristics. Pupils are not given opportunities to develop a full understanding of diversity, inclusion and the rights of others. The school should ensure that it complies with statutory guidance on relationships guidance and that knowledge of and the encouragement of respect for the full range of protected characteristics are taught. 5 to 7 November 2024

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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. 5 to 7 November 2024

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School details

Unique reference number 136000 DfE registration number 390/6008

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School details

Inspection number 10321498 Type of school Other Independent School

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 6 to 8 July 2022 5 to 7 November 2024

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Information about this school

 The school is an Orthodox Jewish school with a Jewish ethos. It provides education for up to 475 boys between the ages of three and 16 years.  Pupils study Jewish studies each morning, followed by other subjects in the afternoon.  The school has 25 children in the early years who attend on a part-time basis.  The school makes use of one registered 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 about approved technical educational qualifications and apprenticeships.

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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 has failed to meet the independent school standards. These are the requirements of the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, geography and PSHE. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors considered the wider curriculum and visited lessons in some other subjects. An inspector listened to some pupils read.  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 positive

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Information about this inspection

culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Checks were carried out on the school’s premises to ensure compliance with Part 5 of the standards.  Inspectors scrutinised a wide range of documentation, including policies and records relating to behaviour and attendance. Inspectors spoke to leaders, staff and pupils about these aspects.  Inspectors met with pupils both formally and informally. Inspectors were requested not to ask certain questions related to the protected characteristics. 5 to 7 November 2024 This limitation restricted the scope of evidence inspectors could gather about how the school promotes respect and understanding of all groups as required by the Equality Act 2010.  The views of staff were considered through discussions with staff and from the responses to Ofsted’s staff questionnaire.  Inspectors considered the views of parents through the response to the Ofsted

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The school’s proposed change to the maximum number of pupils

The school has applied to the DfE to make a ‘material change’ to its registration. At the DfE’s request, we checked whether the school is likely to meet the relevant independent school standards if the DfE decides to approve the change. This part of the inspection was carried out under section 162(4) of the Education Act 2002.  The outcome of this part of the inspection is: the school is likely to meet some of the relevant independent school standards, but not all, if the material change relating to the school is implemented.

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Inspection team

Eleanor Belfield, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Christine Durand Ofsted Inspector 5 to 7 November 2024

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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; and  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[9];  2A(1) The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor- – 2A(1)(b) ensures that every registered pupil who is provided with secondary education at the school is provided with relationships and sex education, except in so far as the pupil is excused as mentioned in sub-paragraph (2), – 2A(1)(d) in making arrangements for the purposes of paragraphs (a), (b) or (c),

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

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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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(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; and

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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)(b) fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards are met consistently. 5 to 7 November 2024 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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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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