TTD Gur School

School progress monitoring inspection report

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TTD Gur School 17 Margaret Road, Stamford Hill, London N16 6UX

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Main inspection findings

Part 1. Quality of education provided Paragraphs 2(1), 2(1)(a), 2(2), 2(2)(a), 3, 3(a) and 3(c)  At the previous inspection, pupils did not learn a broad, well-sequenced curriculum in line with the requirements of the independent school standards (the standards). The secular curriculum prioritised English and mathematics with little time allocated to other subjects. The school was in the process of improving their curriculum to meet the requirements of the standards. However, the school had not implemented the required changes.  The school has sought the support of external agencies and it has implemented a new curriculum for all pupils in the school. This curriculum now extends beyond English and mathematics. All pupils now learn science, geography and history. The school has also adopted a curriculum for physical education for all year groups. For all these subjects, the school has designed the curriculum so that pupils build on previous knowledge step-

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Main inspection findings

by-step over time. The school has clearly identified the key knowledge and skills that they want pupils to learn in these subjects with clear end points. However, the school does not offer the broad range of subjects as required by the standards. For example, there is not a technology or aesthetic and creative curriculum.  Teachers have access to the new curriculum documentation, including the school’s long- and medium-term planning. Teachers have also received some training in how to deliver the curriculum. This training is ongoing. At times, teaching does not use effective activities in lessons to enable pupils to make progress through the curriculum. In addition, teaching does not routinely identify gaps in pupils’ prior knowledge that may prevent them accessing the lesson content. As a result, pupils struggle to complete the work successfully.  The standards in these paragraphs are not met. Paragraphs 2(1)(b), 2(1)(b)(i), 2(2)(f), 3(e) and 3(f)

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Main inspection findings

 At the previous inspection, schemes of work did not take account of pupils’ ages, aptitudes and needs. Furthermore, teachers lacked good subject knowledge for the subjects they were teaching and there was no curriculum for children below compulsory school age, even though the school is registered to admit children from the age of three.  The school has now designed schemes of work that are carefully sequenced to develop pupils’ knowledge and skills over time. The school has started to implement the new curriculum and has considered pupils’ age, aptitude and any special educational needs and/or disabilities that pupils may have. The delivery of the curriculum is adapted to meet the needs of pupils. For example, most pupils speak two or three languages and some receive additional support to access the curriculum in English.  Teachers now have a good understanding of the subjects that they teach and the school

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Main inspection findings

has invested in classroom resources to support teachers in delivering the curriculum.  The school has now developed programmes of study for the early years foundation stage. This is appropriate for children aged three and four and prepares them for the start of their learning in Year 1.  The standards in these paragraphs are now met. Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Part 6. Provision of information Paragraphs 7 to 7(b) and 32(1)(c)  The school has an up-to-date safeguarding policy that takes account of current government requirements. The school does not have a website, but this policy is available to parents and carers on request. It is also provided to parents when their children join the school.  All staff receive regular safeguarding training. Leaders with designated responsibility for safeguarding are also up to date with the latest guidance. The school works with the local authority and attends its safeguarding training programmes. Staff and pupils know

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Main inspection findings

who to report safeguarding concerns to. All concerns are recorded appropriately in writing and referrals made when necessary.  These standards continue to be met. Part 4. Suitability of staff, supply staff, and proprietors Paragraphs 17 to 18(2)(e), 18(3) to 18(4)(c), 20(6) to 20(6)(c), 21(1) to 21(7)(b)  Leaders understand the importance of the safer recruitment of staff. Leaders make sure that checks for new staff are carried out in accordance with statutory guidance.  The school’s single central record of pre-employment checks accurately records all the required checks on leaders, staff and the proprietor body. The school’s single central record is appropriately maintained and it is audited regularly by the governing body to ensure that all checks are completed.  The standards in this part continue to be met. Part 5. Premises of and accommodation at schools Paragraph 23(1) and 23(1)(c)  At the previous standard inspection, there was no suitable changing accommodation and

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Main inspection findings

showers for pupils aged 11 years or older. The school now uses changing and shower facilities in a building across the road from the school. These facilities are appropriate for their purpose. They are clean and well maintained.  The school has completed a suitable risk assessment to identify and mitigate against potential risks that may arise from the use of these premises. For example, this risk assessment considers how to avoid and respond to potential accidents on the premises as well as how pupils will be safeguarded by the school when using this facility.  The standards in this part are met. Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Paragraph 34 to 34(1)(b)  At the time of the previous inspection, the proprietor, leaders and governors had not ensured that all the standards were met.  Leaders have made some progress in ensuring that some previously unmet standards are now met. For example, there is now an early years foundation stage curriculum in

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Main inspection findings

place, even though there are no children of this age in the school at the moment. Leaders now understand that they need to be ready to deliver this curriculum should the Department for Education (DfE) decide to lift the restriction on admissions in the future.  Leaders have further developed the curriculum for pupils aged five to twelve and trained teachers to deliver this curriculum. However, the curriculum is still too narrow and, as a result, some standards remain unmet.  The standards in this part are not met. Schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010  Leaders have a suitable accessibility policy in place. As such, the school meets the requirements of schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010. Statutory requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage  The previous inspection found that there was no curriculum for the early years. The school did not have a programme of activities which would be appropriate to the needs

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Main inspection findings

of children in relation to personal, social, emotional and physical development. The school also did not have a suitable programme for developing communication and language skills for children below compulsory school age. The lack of a suitable curriculum meant that the learning and development requirements were not met.  The school has now developed a curriculum for the early years foundation stage. This curriculum covers all seven areas of learning and development. The curriculum is progressive and sequential with clear end points linked to the early learning goals. For example, it is clear in the documentation how phonics in the Reception Year builds on pre-phonics teaching in the Nursery Year.  These requirements are now met.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school does not meet the requirements of the schedule to The Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 (‘the independent school standards’) and associated requirements that were checked during this inspection, as set out in the annex of this report. This included the standards and requirements that the school was judged to not comply with at the previous inspection. Not all of the standards and associated requirements were checked during this inspection.

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 109(1) and (2) of the Education and Skills Act 2008, the purpose of which 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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School details

Proprietor TALMUD TORAH D’CHASIDEI GUR LIMITED

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School details

Date of previous standard inspection 14 to 16 May 2024

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Information about this school

 Talmud Torah D’chasidei Gur School (TTD Gur School) is an independent orthodox Jewish school for boys. The school is located at 17 Margaret Road, Stamford Hill, London N16 6UX. The school uses changing accommodation and showers at the Stamford Hill & District Ladies Mikvah also located at Margaret Road, Stamford Hill, London N16 6UX. This is located opposite the main school site.  The school is registered for up to 140 boys aged between three and seven years. At the last standard inspection, the school was operating beyond its registration as there were 185 boys on roll from age six years to age twelve years. The school is currently subject to enforcement action. A restriction on admissions was imposed by the DfE so that no new pupils were to be admitted to the school after September 2021. The school has not admitted any new pupils since February 2022. Despite the reduction in number of pupils on roll, the school continues to operate beyond its registration as pupils are aged between

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Information about this school

seven and twelve.  The school’s most recent standard inspection was from 14 to 16 May 2024.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 This inspection was carried out at the request of the registration authority for independent schools. The purpose of the inspection was to monitor the progress the school has made in meeting the independent school standards and other requirements that it was judged to not comply with at its previous inspection.  The school was judged not to comply with the independent school standards in May 2024 during a standard inspection.  This was the school’s first progress monitoring inspection since its last standard inspection in May 2024. The inspection was conducted without notice.  Since the school’s standard inspection in May 2024, leaders were asked to submit an action plan. This plan was evaluated by Ofsted in October 2024. It was subsequently rejected by the DfE.  The inspectors met with the headteacher, the compliance officer and the school administrator. They also met with the chair of the proprietary body. Inspectors met with

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Information about this inspection

pupils and teachers to discuss the curriculum and safeguarding in the school. Inspectors visited lessons across all year groups. Inspectors reviewed a range of documents, including policies and curriculum plans.

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Inspection team

Mark Smith, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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The school does not meet the following independent school standards

Standards that were not met at the previous inspection and remain un-met at this inspection

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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)(a) full-time supervised education for pupils of compulsory school age (construed in accordance with section 8 of the Education Act 1996), which gives pupils experience in linguistic, mathematical, scientific, technological, human and social, physical and aesthetic and creative education;  3 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that the teaching at the school- – 3(a) enables pupils to acquire new knowledge and make good progress according to their ability so that they increase their understanding and develop their skills in the subjects

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

taught; – 3(c) involves well planned lessons and effective teaching methods, activities and management of class time;

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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

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standards

– 2(1)(b) the written policy, plans and schemes of work- – 2(1)(b)(i) take into account the ages, aptitudes and needs of all pupils, including those pupils with an EHC plan; and – 2(2)(f) where the school has pupils below compulsory school age, a programme of activities which is appropriate to their educational needs in relation to personal, social, emotional and physical development and communication and language skills. – 3(e) demonstrates good knowledge and understanding of the subject matter being taught; – 3(f) utilises effectively classroom resources of a good quality, quantity and range.

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standards

Part 5. Premises of and accommodation at schools

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standards

– 23(1) Subject to sub-paragraph (2), the standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that – – 23(1)(c) suitable changing accommodation and showers are provided for pupils aged 11 years or over at the start of the school year who receive physical education.

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standards

Section 1 –The learning and development requirements

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standards

 1.1 This section sets out what providers must do, working in partnership with parents and/or carers, to promote the learning and development of all children in their care, and to ensure their entire early years’ experience contributes positively to their brain development and readiness for Key Stage 1. The learning and development requirements are informed by the best available evi- dence on how children learn. They also reflect the broad range of skills, knowledge and attitudes children need as foundations for life now and in the future. Early years providers must guide the development of children’s capabilities to help ensure that children in their care will fully benefit from future opportunities.

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standards

 1.2 The EYFS learning and development requirements for group and school-based providers are made up of the seven areas of learning and development, as set out in the educational pro- grammes described below.

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standards

 1.3 In reception year, teachers and practitioners will also utilise the early learning goals which summarise the knowledge, skills and understanding that all young children should have gained by the end of the EYFS. The areas of learning and development.

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standards

 1.4 There are seven areas of learning and development that set out what providers must teach the children in their settings. All areas of learning and development are important and in- ter-connected.

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standards

 1.5 Three prime areas are particularly important for learning and forming relationships. They build a foundation for children to thrive and provide the basis for learning in all areas. These are the prime areas: Communication and language Physical development Personal, social and emotional development.

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standards

 1.6 Providers must also support children in four specific areas, which help strengthen and de- velop the three prime areas, and ignite children’s curiosity and enthusiasm. The specific areas are: Literacy Mathematics Understanding the world Expressive arts and design. guidance ‘Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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standards

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standards

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standards

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standards

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standards

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standards

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