Side By Side School

Inspection of Side By Side School Avigdor Mews, Lordship Road, London N16 0QJ

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Outstanding Sixth-form provision Outstanding Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Does the school meet the independent school standards?

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils receive first-class education and care at this exceptional school. They are delighted to see the welcoming faces of staff who greet them at the door each morning. Pupils enjoy the school garden as they can grow vegetables and flowers there. They appreciate their friendships with other pupils. If pupils have any worries, they know they can speak to their teacher or one of the school’s therapy team.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high expectations of pupils’ achievement and behaviour. They work with pupils to develop their independence. This means that pupils are well-prepared for adulthood. Staff manage pupils’ behaviour calmly. They use strategies that help pupils to regulate their behaviour. Pupils learn the importance of personal space and being kind to one another.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers are effusive in their praise of the school’s work. They particularly appreciate the way the curriculum is expertly matched to each child’s needs. Staff develop warm and caring professional relationships with pupils and their families. They are deeply committed to each pupil’s growth and well-being. The school keeps parents well informed of their children’s progress through ‘touch base’ meetings during the year.

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better?

The school has designed an ambitious and broad curriculum. It prepares pupils exceptionally well for their future lives.

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better?

Staff do not place limits on pupils’ achievement. They understand that progress looks different for everyone. Staff are adept at checking how well pupils are developing. They observe closely and check pupils’ progress in all areas of the curriculum. Staff gather helpful evidence of pupils’ engagement with learning. They use this information to design suitable learning activities skilfully.

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better?

The school has supported many staff to become experts in their field. This helps to ensure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) flourish. Staff also draw on the support of other professionals to ensure that pupils’ experience is of the best quality. Together they make sure that interventions such as speech and language, physiotherapy and occupational therapy are timely and effective.

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better?

Communication and reading are an essential part of the school’s excellent work. On entry to the early years, children learn to recognise letters. They become increasingly familiar with stories and rhymes. Well-trained staff deliver the school’s phonics programme when pupils are ready. They check pupils’ recall of sounds before progressing to books. The books pupils read are matched well to their knowledge. Pupils sound out letters and blend them together to read individual words, then sentences. Where phonics is not appropriate, pupils learn to read words 1 to 3 July 2025 which are relevant to their lives. These include address details and the names of family members.

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better?

Staff break learning down into the smallest steps from the early years. This gives pupils a sense of achievement as they progress through the curriculum. Pupils develop a stage-appropriate understanding of mathematical concepts. For example, they explore finding shapes through sensory activities. Pupils go on to build with blocks, identify patterns and explore numbers. They are curious about learning and achieve increasingly well as they mature. Older pupils access qualifications that are carefully tailored to their areas of interest.

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better?

The school’s work to provide suitable employability skills is exemplary. All older pupils complete a variety of work experience placements. These take place every week, both in school and in the local area. They are crucial in helping pupils to prepare for adulthood.

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better?

There is a wealth of provision for pupils’ wider development. Pupils in the upper school visit a local care home. They make tea and interact with the residents. Pupils visit shops and parks in the local area. In the early years, pupils learn the importance of oral hygiene. Older pupils have their own kitchen. They practise skills such as making hot chocolate. Staff ensure that these opportunities develop pupils’ confidence, social skills and independence.

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better?

Pupils benefit from a well-planned personal, social and health education curriculum. They learn how to stay safe, for example when crossing the road. Pupils develop an understanding of how to navigate different emotions. The school’s promotion of fundamental British values is impressive. Pupils celebrate events such as the King’s coronation. They learn about religious festivals celebrated by other faiths. Pupils go on outings to places of interest in central London. Through these experiences and in school, pupils encounter people from all walks of life.

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better?

Pupils enjoy coming to school. They have impressive attitudes to learning. From the early years, pupils learn routines and how to concentrate deeply. Lessons are calm and purposeful because of the trusting relationships between staff and pupils. Pupils’ love of learning is indicated by their frequent attendance. Some pupils have periods of absence due to medical needs. The school takes great care to support these pupils and their families during such times. When ready to return to school, pupils receive excellent help to catch up with any missed learning.

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better?

Staff at all levels are deeply committed to the school. The school’s focus on well- being extends to staff. Staff appreciate this and the consideration given to their workload. They enjoy a high-quality induction and training programme. Governors are effective in their support and challenge of the school. They work diligently to ensure that the quality of education is exceptional. They apply the same level of rigour to the school’s safeguarding arrangements. The proprietor body ensures that the school meets the statutory requirements of the early years foundation stage and the independent school standards consistently. This includes compliance with 1 to 3 July 2025 schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010. This sits at the heart of the school’s inclusive ethos.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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. 1 to 3 July 2025

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School details

Type of school Other independent special school

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School details

Gender of pupils in the sixth form Mixed

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form

Annual fees (day pupils) £28,016 to £59,127

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form

Date of previous inspection 12 to 14 July 2022 1 to 3 July 2025

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Information about this school

 Side by Side School is an independent special day school serving the Jewish community in Stamford Hill, North London.  The school was previously inspected in July 2022.  Since the last inspection, the school has moved to new premises at Avigdor Mews, Lordship Road, London, N16 0QJ.  The school caters for pupils with a range of different needs, from profound and multiple to moderate learning difficulties. Many pupils also have additional complex medical needs.  Almost all pupils have an education, health and care plan and can stay on roll to the age of 20.  The school has provision for two-year-olds. These children are taught in classes with Nursery-age children and attend full time.  The early years provision includes a small number of children who do not have SEND needs. These children learn alongside children with SEND.  The school does not currently use alternative 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

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

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Information about this inspection

The school meets the independent school standards. These are the requirements set out in 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 carried out deep dives in early reading (communication and literacy), mathematics and personal, social and health education. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons and spoke to teachers. They also looked at evidence of pupils’ work. Inspectors also considered the curriculum in other subjects as part of this inspection.  Inspectors met with governors, including the chair of the governing body who is also part of the proprietor body. They met with the headteacher and other senior staff. They had formal meetings with groups of staff. Inspectors were able to 1 to 3 July 2025 speak to two groups of pupils with support from staff. They had a telephone conversation with a local authority representative who places pupils at the school.

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Information about this inspection

 To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspection team 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 culture of safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  To check compliance with the independent school standards, inspectors carried out a range of activities, including meetings with leaders, a site walk to check the premises, a check of the content on the school’s website and scrutinised the school’s records and documentation.  Inspectors considered the response to Ofsted’s surveys for parents and carers and staff. They also had telephone conversations with some parents.

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Inspection team

Lisa Strong, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Jonathan Newby Ofsted Inspector 1 to 3 July 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 for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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