Setting

CONTENTS

What the school must do in order to comply with the regulations

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CONTENTS

What the school must do to comply with the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 2002

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CONTENTS

Compliance with the regulations for registration

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CONTENTS

1. The quality of education provided by the school

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CONTENTS

The quality of the teaching and assessment

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CONTENTS

Does the school meet the requirements for registration?

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CONTENTS

2. The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils

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CONTENTS

Does the school meet the requirements for registration?

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CONTENTS

3. The welfare, health and safety of the pupils

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CONTENTS

Does the school meet the requirements for registration?

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CONTENTS

What does the school need to do to comply with the regulations?

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CONTENTS

What does the school need to do to comply with the DDA?

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CONTENTS

4. The suitability of the proprietor and staff

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CONTENTS

Does the school meet the requirements for registration?

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CONTENTS

5. The suitability of the premises and accommodation Does the school meet the requirements for registration?

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CONTENTS

What does the school need to do to comply with the regulations?

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CONTENTS

6. The quality of information for parents and other partners

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CONTENTS

Does the school meet the requirements for registration?

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CONTENTS

7. The effectiveness of the school's procedures for handling complaints

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CONTENTS

Does the school meet the requirements for registration?

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Purpose and scope of the inspection

This inspection was carried out by the Office for Standards in Education under Section 163 of the Education Act 2002 in order to advise the Secretary of State for Education and Skills about the school's suitability for continued registration as an independent school.

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Information about the school

Tashbar Manchester is an independent day school for boys aged 3 - 11. It is situated in the Broughton Park area of the City of Salford and was established in temporary premises in 1990 to serve children of the growing, strictly observant, Jewish community of North Manchester. It moved into its present premises in 1996 and extended these to improve its early years provision in 2001. At the time of the inspection, there were 322 pupils on roll, of whom 230 were of compulsory school age, and 33 of whom were part time. None of the pupils had a statement of special educational need, but the school had identified 50 pupils as being in need of additional support. In January 2004 the school's early years provision was inspected, and inspectors took careful note of the content of that report.

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Summary of main findings

Tashbar School was founded in on clearly defined principles of providing boys with a sound Jewish and secular education. It is very successful in meeting these aims and in preparing them for the next stage of their education. Since it was established the school has made very good progress and has developed into a mature and well-organised institution is characterised by a warm family atmosphere in which individual pupils are known, valued, and cared for. Both Jewish and secular strands of the curriculum are highly respected and a strong feature of the school is the way in which links between them are sought and developed. Another strong feature of the school is the dedication and hard work of the teachers, and the support that has been given to individuals to develop their professional skills and awareness. This good practice now needs to be disseminated more widely so that short and long term planning are more clearly in place to support teaching and

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What the school does well

o it is very good at teaching Torah values and developing personal qualities and good behaviour; o it has been very successful in creating the atmosphere of an extended family in which pupils are well known to school staff and feel valued; o the teaching and non-teaching staff in the school provide good role models for pupils and this is exemplified by the mutual respect and collaboration of the Menahel and headteacher; o cross-curricular links are strong and it has developed a very strong inter- relationship between the Kodesh and Chol strands of the curriculum; o it provides a very good quality of teaching and assessment in the Kodesh strand; and o it prepares pupils well for the next stage of their education.

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What the school must do in order to comply with the regulations

o ensure that the admission register and attendance registers are completed in accordance with the regulations; o ensure that the drainage system is adequate for the disposal of waste and surface water; o ensure that there are appropriate facilities for pupils who are ill; o ensure that there is a satisfactory standard of decoration and that this is properly maintained; and, o improve the arrangements for providing outside space for pupils to play safely.

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What the school must do to comply with the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 2002

In order to comply with the requirements of the DDA, the school should:

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What the school must do to comply with the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 2002

o devise a three-year plan to improve the accessibility of the premises.

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The quality of the curriculum

The school has been successful in developing a curriculum which helps to fulfil its aim to `create a good quality of learning'.

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The quality of the curriculum

As in other strictly observant Jewish boys' schools, the curriculum has two distinct but complementary strands, usually referred to as Limmudei Kodesh and Limmudei Chol. The former consists of a range of subjects which are primarily religious, including the teaching of Hebrew, Aramaic and Yiddish, but which also includes many topics which would come under the heading of general knowledge. The latter consists of secular subjects selected from those taught in the National Curriculum (NC). It is a particular strength of Tashbar that the links between the two strands of the curriculum are strong, and their inter-relationship has been clearly analysed.

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The quality of the curriculum

In both strands there are schemes of work to support teachers in the planning of their work. Those for Limmudei Kodesh reflect that this is a part of the curriculum that is well known in strictly observant circles, and is dependent on a high level of knowledge among the Rabbonim (rabbis) who teach the subject. In the Limmudei Chol strand the schemes of work are more detailed for literacy, numeracy, science and geography. They are less detailed but adequate for other subjects. The school follows the main principles of the NC for these four subjects, and is developing its provision for history, physical education, and art and design on the same principles. Information communication technology (ICT) is not taught in the school, but no objection is raised if, on occasion, pupils use computers at home in order to present work. Inspectors saw some very good examples of history projects being undertaken in both strands of the curriculum. However, the

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The quality of the curriculum

planning of such work across the two strands of the curriculum is not fully developed.

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The quality of the curriculum

Although most of the pupils come from homes where English is spoken, there are a few pupils who are equally fluent in Yiddish. Pupils would not normally have access to radio or television, or to English-language secular newspapers. However, within the subjects of the curriculum the school keeps them informed about relevant events in the wider world, such as the American presidential election, which took place at the time of the inspection.

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The quality of the curriculum

Although, when compared to the NC, the curriculum at Tashbar is rather narrow in terms of the discrete subjects that are taught, teachers in the school do a very good job of using the time available to give pupils a broad and balanced education. All the main areas required by the regulations are covered. Within the limits imposed by the ethos of the school and the preferences of the parents, the pupils receive a broad and comprehensive education which successfully unites the sacred and the secular.

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The quality of the teaching and assessment

The overall quality of the teaching observed during the inspection was never less than satisfactory, and in many of the lessons seen it was good, or very good. Teachers have very good relationships with their pupils. They know them well and have an intuitive understanding of the needs of individuals. In particular, there is good early identification of special needs and there is additional support where required for the less able pupils. Pupils show respect towards their teachers in both strands of the curriculum. Together these factors contribute towards creating a very good atmosphere in which successful teaching and learning take place.

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The quality of the teaching and assessment

Within the Kodesh lessons, teachers demonstrate expertise and an impressive subject knowledge reflecting their many years of Talmudic study. They have high expectations and constantly challenge pupils in positive ways. For example, in two Year 5 classes observed, boys demonstrated their skills in answering questions based on a complicated Talmudic passage. In a Year 3 class, the focus was on in-depth understanding of each verse from the Book of Joshua in the original Hebrew. Consequently, standards are high and pupils make impressive progress in both learning and understanding. Because the content and practice of the Kodesh curriculum are part of a hallowed historical tradition, the subject matter and styles of teaching are well understood, and there is very good continuity across the school. Teachers constantly revisit and reinforce topics that pupils have previously learned and build on this knowledge. A good example of this is the way the Parshah

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The quality of the teaching and assessment

(weekly Torah portion) is taught on a daily basis in Nursery and Reception, building up the pupils' knowledge and understanding. By the time they reach the end of Year 6, they are more than adequately prepared to continue their studies at secondary school.

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The quality of the teaching and assessment

Within the subjects of the Chol curriculum, lessons are planned in an appropriate way. They are usually well-paced, and good attention is paid to the use of time. Resources are adequate and teachers make positive use of them to support their teaching, for example, the use of number lines, dice and counters in mathematics lessons. However, resources available could be used in a more imaginative way, particularly in the younger classes. There is an over-emphasis on the use of work sheets and in many cases pupils are set the same work regardless of ability. A weakness of some of the Chol lessons is that the teaching is insufficiently varied and pupils' individual needs are not always met. An example of good practice was observed in a Year 6 lesson where pupils had listened to the music of Prokofiev's `Peter and the Wolf'. They were then asked to write a summary of the story, which they did with the aid of worksheets which were matched to varying abilities.

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The quality of the teaching and assessment

In a geography lesson, pupils were set a challenge to find the best way to cross the English Channel, and this provided them with good opportunities to develop independent learning and research skills. More such opportunities should be provided. Teachers need to consider the most suitable ways of meeting all levels of need, particularly the more able pupils, and also of developing a wider range of teaching styles.

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The quality of the teaching and assessment

The school has a very good record of in-service training and encouraging professional development. Several teachers in Key Stage 2 have gained qualified teacher status. This professional development needs to be encouraged among the younger and less experienced staff in Key Stage 1, who have no formally recognised teaching qualifications in secular subjects and lack detailed knowledge of the subjects they are teaching.

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The quality of the teaching and assessment

Very good assessment practice was observed in Kodesh subjects, including formal and informal testing, the results of which are regularly recorded and used to inform forward planning. The school has been developing policy and practice for assessment in Chol subjects, mainly in literacy and numeracy, but teachers' comments are mainly descriptive rather than evaluative. It needs to be made clearer to pupils what they need to do to improve. A marking policy and further training for teachers in this area would ensure greater consistency across the school.

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2. The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils

The school's provision for the pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is excellent and is a strength of the school. From an early age, great emphasis is placed on the teaching of Jewish values and how they are applied to everyday life. Pupils are imbued with a love of and respect for the Torah and its teachings. Opportunities are given to reinforce Torah values not only in the formal Jewish Studies curriculum, but during prayers, grace before and after meals and through the religious ethos that permeates the school.

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2. The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils

Through extensive discussion of Jewish law and ethics, pupils develop a strong sense of right and wrong. Throughout the school, both teaching and non-teaching staff act as excellent role models. Many opportunities are created during lessons to promote Torah values.

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2. The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils

Pupils' behaviour is very good during lessons, at break and at mealtimes. As a result of a project to emphasis the importance of good conduct, local trades people have made positive comments to the school. Year 5 pupils have been involved in a project to do with transport, in which they displayed great initiative using research skills, presentation and collaboration. They are given opportunities to show responsibility by being appointed as Gabo'im (monitors). These pupils have various duties including tidying their classroom and organising the distribution of bentchers (cards which give the grace used after meals). They contribute to community life by regular visits to the local Jewish home for the elderly and an annual visit to the Rav (the senior rabbinic leader of the city). In addition, they participated in a special event to mark the inauguration of a new Torah scroll.

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2. The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils

A variety of events are organised in order to familiarise boys with public institutions. For example, Year 6 boys look forward to the annual visit to `Crucial Crew', a project which develops pupil's awareness of personal and environmental safety issues. This experience is reinforced by the development of drama on the subject of road safety and visits from local emergency services. Pupils learn about their own and other cultures including the British royal family and some aspects of world politics. In the early years department, there is a range of multi-cultural resources. Pupils visit the local science museum and the coal mining museum. Whilst pupils have the opportunity to see people from a variety of cultures and backgrounds on a random basis during the course of everyday school life, such contact needs to be made more consistent in order to provide a breadth and balance of experience.

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3. The welfare, health and safety of the pupils

The school takes its responsibility for the health and safety of the pupils seriously and has a range of policies which clearly set out the principles and procedures to safeguard the health and safety of pupils.

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3. The welfare, health and safety of the pupils

The anti-bullying policy makes plain the school's expectations of pupils' behaviour and how staff should deal with any issues of bullying. Real-life situations are discussed in lessons, while pupils' behaviour is clearly related to Torah values. Pupils are encouraged to put into practice the principles they are taught during lessons (Halochoh lema'aseh). The behaviour policy sets out clear guidelines on how behaviour is managed throughout the school. Boys are well-behaved and courteous. They stand up and politely greet visitors to the classroom. They work diligently and listen attentively to teachers in all lessons. Pupils are encouraged and motivated to learn through the use of a reward system. The school keeps a written record of sanctions applied. Child protection procedures are in place, with two named protection officers. All teachers have received appropriate training. The First Aid policy is clearly in practice. All staff have received training in First Aid. Accident books are

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3. The welfare, health and safety of the pupils

maintained in each building. The health and safety policy covers adequately all aspects of fire safety. Pupils' safety on school outings is given due consideration and there is a clear policy to guide staff when planning visits.

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3. The welfare, health and safety of the pupils

The school maintains an admission register and an attendance register for each class. However, the admission register is not complete with all the necessary information. The school's admission and special needs policies give due regard to the needs of pupils with disabilities. The school has not yet written an accessibility plan in relation to the DDA.

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Does the school meet the requirements for registration?

The school meets all but one of the requirements.

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What does the school need to do to comply with the regulations?

In order to comply fully with the Independent Schools Standards Regulations 2003 the school should:

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What does the school need to do to comply with the regulations?

o ensure that the admission register is completed in accordance with the Education (Pupil Registration) Regulations 1995; (paragraph3(9)).

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What does the school need to do to comply with the DDA?

In order to comply with the requirements of the DDA the school should:

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What does the school need to do to comply with the DDA?

o devise a three-year plan to improve the accessibility of the premises.

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4. The suitability of the proprietor and staff

The school is a limited company whose principal office is at the school. There is a board of governors which has varied in number but which does not exceed eight members. A rabbi who is head of a local yeshivah, acts as the spiritual adviser and rabbinic authority. The school is well staffed for both Limmudei Kodesh and Limmudei Chol. There are 53 staff, of whom 13 are full-time, and 16 are rabbis. The rabbis all have appropriate qualifications and are graduates of yeshivos. The school has encouraged its teachers to study for professional qualifications. Five of them are graduates and nine have child-care qualifications. In addition there is a graduate employed for 21 hours a week as a key worker for pupils with special educational needs. The principal, who acts as menahel (teacher in charge of Limmudei Kodesh) and the headteacher in charge of Limmudei Chol, work well together and there is excellent co-operation among all members of staff. All teachers are

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4. The suitability of the proprietor and staff

checked as required with the Criminal Records Bureau.

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5. The suitability of the premises and accommodation

The school meets most of the requirements for registration relating to premises and accommodation. Classrooms are large enough for the numbers of pupils and in the nursery and reception classes, they are spacious. Some classrooms are in a poor decorative state and at the time of the inspection, some areas were undergoing minor decorations. It is to the credit of the teachers that every effort is made to enhance the appearance of the classrooms by covering the walls with suitable pictures and posters. In some areas, these are placed over windows and these block out the daylight. Whilst there are sufficient washrooms for staff and pupils, there is a strong odour of urine in and near some toilets. Rain water collects on the flat roof of one of the buildings and some of the gutters are obstructed by foliage. There is no designated room specifically for pupils who are sick. The female staff room is used for this purpose, but the room has no washbasin.

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5. The suitability of the premises and accommodation

The playground area is in a poor state of repair. It is uneven and contains a number of potential hazards. Some are due to tree roots breaking through the asphalt. The school is aware of the need to level and resurface the area. Planning permission has been given to do this, and the school is now in the process of obtaining the funding to carry out this work. It is anticipated that this will take place in May 2005. In the longer term, it is recognised that more radical resurfacing is essential and this is in the development plan to take effect within the next three to five years.

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Does the school meet the requirements for registration?

The school does not fully meet the regulations.

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What does the school need to do to comply with the regulations?

In order to comply with the Independent Schools Standards Regulations 2003 the school should:

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What does the school need to do to comply with the regulations?

o ensure that the drainage system is adequate for the disposal of waste and surface water (paragraph 5(b)); o ensure that there are appropriate facilities for pupils who are ill in accordance with the Education (School Premises) Regulations 1999 (paragraph 5(l)); o ensure that there is a satisfactory standard of decoration and that this is adequately maintained (paragraph 5(q)); and o improve the arrangements for providing outside space for pupils to play safely (paragraph 5(t)).

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6. The quality of information for parents and other partners

The school provides an appropriate range of information to parents and other partners. The prospectus includes a clear statement of the school's ethos and admission policy. In addition to the information contained in the prospectus, clear details are given of further documents available on request from the school office.

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6. The quality of information for parents and other partners

Written reports are sent to parents at the end of the academic year and parents' evenings are organised twice a year. Newsletters are sent including weekly Kodesh newsletters that parents are required to sign and return. Most parents who responded to the questionnaire considered that they were well informed about their children's progress.

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7. The effectiveness of the school's procedures for handling complaints

The school has recently produced a policy document which fulfils the requirements of the regulations. The school needs to ensure that parents and prospective parents are fully aware of this new document and the new procedures.

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School details

Name of school: Tashbar School DfES ref number: 355/6024 Type of school: Jewish boys' nursery and primary Status: Independent Age range of pupils: 3-11 Gender of pupils: Male Number on roll (full-time pupils): Boys 289, Girls 0, Total 289 Number on roll (part-time pupils): Boys 33, Girls 0, Total 33 Annual fees (day pupils): Relies on voluntary contributions from parents and supporters 20 Upper Park Road Salford Manchester Address of school:

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School details

M7 4HL E-mail address: tashbarmanchester@supaworld.com Telephone number: 0161 720 8254 or 0161 795 9598 Fax number: 0161 720 8146 Menahel: Rabbi Ch Roberts Headteacher: Mr A Pinczewski Proprietor: Tashbar Ltd Lead Inspector: Dr Roy Long D ates of inspection: 1 - 4 November 2004

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School details

commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated. Inspection reports are available on the Ofsted web site (www.ofsted.gov.uk).

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