Sinai Jewish Primary School

Inspection of Sinai Jewish Primary School Shakespeare Drive, Kenton, Harrow, Middlesex, HA3 9UD

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Inspection dates: 19 and 20 November 2024

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The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Good 19 and 20 November 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils grow and thrive at this nurturing caring school. They show curiosity in their learning and are keen to know more. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and or/disabilities (SEND), rise to the school’s highest expectations. This includes ‘be the best you can’. Pupils show their love of learning. They flourish and achieve extremely well academically, personally, and socially.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The relationships between staff and pupils are warm and caring. Pupils display their respect through their regular communication with their peers and adults. Pupils speak with pride about their school. They welcome visitors and want to share their exciting school experiences. Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. They have highly positive attitudes towards their learning in the classroom. Pupils’ relationships in their work and play are exceptional.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils value their enrichment experiences. They speak enthusiastically about their memorable moments from their time in school. Pupils display their skills and talents competing in local sports events, performing as a choir, and leading assemblies. The school uses the locality well to enrich pupils’ learning. This includes visits to museums, farms, sporting arenas and the local countryside. Pupils and families come together to celebrate their learning. They consider themselves to be one caring family.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school has successfully developed an ambitious curriculum. Leaders have designed the curriculum in a logical order to support pupils to build on their prior learning. This starts in early years when children learn basic skills with deep understanding. High expectations are set for children to reach certain points with their knowledge and skills. Teachers from the Nursery year onwards are expert in noticing early on if a pupil needs further support.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Teachers deliver the curriculum with great skill and expertise. They have strong subject knowledge and teach pupils subject vocabulary to help pupils to develop deep understanding of topics they learn. For example, in Reception, pupils confidently use mathematical language terms such as ‘taller’, ‘tallest’, and ‘shorter’ to show their understanding of height order. Pupils’ use of specialist language continues through all year groups. Their articulation of concepts such as thinking like a historian and the theory of evolution is exceptional.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Teachers regularly check what pupils know before they start new learning. Any gaps in pupils’ learning are swiftly supported through expert teaching. For example, oral mathematics sessions help pupils to overcome any misunderstandings.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Pupils with SEND have access to the same curriculum with their peers. There is great expertise in the way teachers identify pupils’ individual needs early on. Teachers skilfully adapt activities from early years through to Year 6. Adaptations are tailored to the needs 19 and 20 November 2024

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of each pupil. The school works closely with external expertise to ensure pupils receive appropriate support. Through this provision, pupils with SEND make strong progress.

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Leaders place a strong focus on reading, with the belief that this equips pupils for life. Phonics learning starts in Reception. Staff are well trained and expert in tracking how well pupils are learning. If pupils need to catch up, extra support is quickly put in place. Parents and carers also use the specialist resources sent home to support their children. This results in pupils achieving highly in phonics. Older pupils become fluent readers. Pupils display their love of reading and value the books they read in class and at home. Reading buddies promote reading when they hear younger pupils read.

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Pupils’ attitudes towards their learning activities are exemplary. Pupils play an active role during lessons. This starts in early years where they take a lead in their learning. Pupils readily ask questions and check the meaning of words. Pupils’ attendance to school is high. This is because they want to be in school every day.

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The school provides many opportunities for pupils to develop personally. Through their learning, pupils show great respect for different faiths. Pupils have a full understanding of healthy relationships and lifestyles. They speak about supporting each other’s mental health. Pupils self-refer themselves to therapy and see this as a positive way of handling any worries. They value reading to the school’s two therapy dogs. Pupils feel safe and know how to stay safe on and offline. Pupils democratically vote for their leaders in school. This prepares them well for life in modern Britain.

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Staff speak with pride about their school. They feel supported with their workload and well-being. Staff early in their careers appreciate the great support and training they receive. All staff value the high-quality professional development they receive. Governors understand their responsibilities well. They play an active role. This supports the school’s vision to create a path to academic excellence.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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How can I feed back my views?

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. 19 and 20 November 2024

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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). 19 and 20 November 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 23 January 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school offers full-time nursery provision for 60 children.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.  The school has a religious character. The most recent section 48 inspection took place in 2022. The next inspection should take place by 2027.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision. 19 and 20 November 2024

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 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, other school leaders and members of staff. The lead inspector met with representatives of the governing body, including the chair of governors. They also spoke with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, science, history, and art. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of work.  Inspectors also looked at the curriculum in physical education.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single

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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 culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. They also spoke with some parents before the start of the school day to gather their views. Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s surveys for staff and for pupils.

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Inspection team

Janice Howkins, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Paul Campbell Ofsted Inspector 19 and 20 November 2024

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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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