Beis Chinuch Lebonos Girls School

Inspection of Beis Chinuch Lebonos Girls School Woodberry Down Centre, Woodberry Down, London N4 2SH

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years provision Requires improvement 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 are enthusiastic and keen to learn. They value the friendships they make at school. Pupils contributed their ideas to the recently introduced behaviour strategy, which is working well. Pupils are excited to build up credits and receive rewards at the end of each term, for example for respectful and courteous behaviour. Staff swiftly notice any instances of unsettled behaviour and work sensitively with pupils to resolve any issues. The school provides one-to-one support for pupils whenever needed. The school works closely with outside professional organisations to help promote pupils’ mental health and well-being. Pupils are kept safe in school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Generally, pupils achieve well across a broad range of subjects. Variability between Nursery and Reception classes means that the youngest children do not get off to as strong a start as they could. Pupils develop skills such as leadership and teamwork as they take on various responsibilities. Form captains carry out day-to-day duties in the classroom to help their teacher; older pupils organise exhibitions of pupils’ work. All pupils take part in the school’s annual production and fundraising for charities and the local community. However, leaders do not ensure that pupils are taught all statutory elements of relationships education.

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better?

Since the previous inspection, leaders have developed the school’s curriculum. Effective communication across the different phases of the school has led to a clearly sequenced curriculum that supports pupils’ learning from the early years to the end of the secondary phase. The school has developed a broad curriculum. For example, pupils now study computer science, the range of sciences and a broader music curriculum. Overall, the curriculum is comparable in breadth and ambition to the national curriculum. Pupils achieve at least in line with the national average, and usually above, in national assessments and examinations.

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better?

Staff ensure that the indoor and outdoor environments in the Reception Year provide opportunities for children to learn and develop new knowledge and skills so that they are well prepared for Year 1. Staff use the outdoor area for the Nursery Year effectively, for example, to support children’s physical development. However, the indoor environment in the Nursery Year does not provide a suitably wide range of resources and opportunities for children to develop knowledge and skills across key areas of learning. Staff do not ensure that children engage in productive and purposeful learning activities that develop independence and self-motivation.

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better?

Teachers’ subject knowledge has improved through training and guidance in school and through collaboration with other schools to share strong practice. Staff revisit prior learning so that pupils’ knowledge is secure before moving on to more complex ideas. For example, pupils in Year 11 have a sophisticated understanding of key facts in history, which they draw on effectively to support their views and discussions. On a few occasions, when teachers’ subject knowledge is less strong, 25 to 27 March 2025 they do not spot and resolve pupils’ misunderstandings before moving on to new learning.

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better?

The school has revised the way early reading and phonics are taught since the previous inspection. From the Reception Year onwards, children learn to read using phonics. Staff have received training to ensure all are familiar with the required approaches to enable children to learn and use phonics decoding and blending skills. The school has invested in resources to ensure that reading books are carefully matched to the sounds that children learn. Pupils routinely practise their reading and writing skills. The curriculum has a strong focus on developing pupils’ subject- specific vocabulary and use of grammar, punctuation and spelling. Over time, pupils learn to read with fluency, and they produce high-quality writing. Pupils are encouraged to read regularly at home. The school continues to increase the range of books in the class libraries from which pupils may borrow books.

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better?

The school has strengthened its provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff identify promptly when pupils need additional support. The school works closely with parents and carers and outside specialists to facilitate the right support to meet pupils’ needs. Staff use specific strategies and well-thought-through resources to enable pupils with SEND to access the same curriculum as others and achieve well.

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better?

Pupils are generally attentive in lessons and responsive to their teachers’ high expectations. In the early years, children in the Nursery are less engaged in activities such as story time because staff have not established strong and consistent routines.

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better?

The school’s programme of personal, social and health education includes cross- curricular coverage of key themes such as financial literacy and understanding of different faiths and cultures. Pupils are taught about healthy lifestyles, including healthy eating and hygiene. They are encouraged to be considerate of each other’s emotional well-being, reflecting on their own and others’ feelings. Pupils are taught about how to protect themselves from risks to their safety, including being alert to online risks such as cyber-bullying. However, the proprietor has not ensured that the school covers, in an age-appropriate way, the required content for relationships education as set out in statutory guidance. Aspects of relationships education relating to all the protected characteristics are not delivered. There remain unmet standards in this regard, which inspectors have taken into consideration in making

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better?

the judgements for personal development and leadership and management.

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better?

Since the previous inspection, leaders have developed the careers education programme. Pupils in the secondary phase receive one-to-one guidance from an impartial and suitably qualified advisor to help them make informed decisions about their future education and careers.

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better?

Leaders, including the proprietor, have had a clear focus on making improvements to the school to address unmet independent school standards (the standards) following the previous inspection and demonstrate capacity to secure improvements. The 25 to 27 March 2025 school has engaged productively with external support and local networks to develop key aspects of the school’s work, including a comprehensive programme of staff training. Staff are appreciative of the support they receive from leaders, including with managing their workload and any challenges to their well-being. However, not met standards remain.

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better?

Leaders establish and sustain strong relationships with parents from the early years onwards. The school provides regular communication with parents on all aspects of their child’s experience of school, including how to support learning at home. Typically, parents commented positively about the work of the school.

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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)

 In a few instances, staff subject knowledge is not secure. Pupils’ misconceptions are not rectified before moving on to new learning. The school should continue the programme of staff training to further develop staff expertise across all subjects.  In the early years, the indoor environment in the Nursery Year does not provide children with an appropriate range of purposeful learning opportunities. Limited resources and a lack of strong and consistent routines restrict children’s achievement. The school should improve the Nursery provision, ensuring all staff enable children to learn well across the early years curriculum.  The school is not meeting its statutory obligations with regard to relationships and sex education (RSE) and health education. The school does not pay due regard to the full range of protected characteristics. The school should ensure that the school’s RSE programme covers all aspects of statutory guidance.

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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. 25 to 27 March 2025

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School details

Unique reference number 102171 DfE registration number 204/6399

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School details

Inspection number 10322569 Type of school Other Independent School

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School details

Date of previous inspection 29 November to 1 December 2022 25 to 27 March 2025

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Information about this school

 Beis Chinuch Lebanos Girls School is an independent day school based at one site in Stamford Hill: Woodberry Down Centre, Woodberry Down, London N4 2SH. The school has an Orthodox Jewish ethos. Most pupils speak Yiddish as their first language.  The school’s previous inspection was a standard inspection in November and December 2022, when the school’s overall effectiveness was judged to require improvement.  The school is registered to provide education for girls between the ages of two and 16 years. There is currently no provision at the school for two-year-olds, and no two-year-old children are on roll at the school.  Beis Chinuch Lebonos Nursery, which has a separate registration, shares the same site as the school and is the subject of a separate inspection.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.

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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

 Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with school leaders, including the proprietor, the headteachers of the secondary, primary and early years departments, the compliance manager and a representative of the governing body.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, English, history and mathematics. 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 also looked at curriculum plans and spoke to leaders about some other subjects.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and

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Information about this inspection

25 to 27 March 2025 considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  An inspector completed a tour of the school premises accompanied by the site manager to consider the school’s compliance with the independent school standards.  Inspectors considered the views of parents in responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View. An inspector held conversations with several parents. There were no responses to the pupil survey and the staff survey. Inspectors took account of pupils’ views in meetings with pupils.  Inspectors held discussions with pupils whose parents had agreed to their child meeting with inspectors. In meetings with pupils, inspectors did not discuss any matter relating to RSE, as agreed with school leaders. This limited the evidence that could be gathered relevant to standards in Parts 1 and 2, which were not

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Information about this inspection

met at the time of the previous inspection in June 2023. This restriction on discussion relating to RSE had an impact on the judgements for personal development, leadership and management and overall effectiveness.

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Inspection team

Amanda Fraser, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Karen Jaeggi Ofsted Inspector 25 to 27 March 2025

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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)(a) ensures that every registered pupil who is provided with primary education at the school is provided with relationships education, – 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

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

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), 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)(a) demonstrate good skills and knowledge appropriate to their role so that the independent school standards are met consistently; – 34(1)(b) fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards are met consistently; and – 34(1)(c) actively promote the well-being of pupils. 25 to 27 March 2025 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

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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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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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