Menorah Primary School for Girls

MENORAH PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 18 th - 20 th February 2002

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MENORAH PRIMARY SCHOOL

Short inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

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MENORAH PRIMARY SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. Menorah Primary School - 1

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Woodstock Avenue London Postcode: NW11 9SP

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr P Weinstein

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 15 th September 1997 Menorah Primary School - 2

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Team members

23024 Mrs S Whitehead Registered Inspector 14404 Mr A Rolfe Lay inspector 21988 Mrs G Roberts Team inspector 5565 Mrs B Thakur Team inspector

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Team members

PPI Group Ltd 7 Hill Street Bristol BS1 5RW

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Team members

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be raised with the inspection contractor. Complaints that are not satisfactorily resolved by the contractor should be raised with OFSTED by writing to:

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Team members

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Menorah Primary School - 3

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 4 - 7

Information about the school How good the school is What the school does well What could be improved How the school has improved since its last inspection Standards Pupils’ attitudes and values Teaching and learning Other aspects of the school How well the school is led and managed Parents’ and carers’ views of the school

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Menorah Primary is larger than most schools. There are currently 414 pupils on roll aged three to 11 years and there are 18 more boys than girls. The school was founded in 1944 and serves the orthodox Jewish community in the Golders Green area in the London Borough of Barnet. The school building is currently subject to major building works and refurbishment. Fifteen classes are accommodated within the school building and they contain single sex classes in year groups. The school also accommodates a two class nursery. Most pupils live in the local residential area and many pupils belong to large families. Children’s attainment on entry is above average in literacy and numeracy skills. Very few pupils are entitled to free school meals which is well below the national average. Seventy six pupils are identified by the school as having special educational needs and eight pupils have statements of special

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

educational needs; this is close to the national average. No pupils have English as an additional language. There is great stability within the pupils and the school staff, several of whom have taught at the school for many years.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a good school with many very good features. The excellent leadership of the school shares a commitment to providing a caring and supportive environment for learning, within the community of orthodox Judaism. This has resulted in high standards in English and mathematics although standards in science, information and communication technology (ICT) and physical education (PE) are not high enough for the capabilities of the pupils. The quality of teaching is good overall and this makes a significant contribution to the good progress made by pupils, particularly in the Nursery and Years 5 and 6. The school provides very good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Attainment in English and mathematics, particularly pupils’ speaking and writing skills, is very high. • There is excellent leadership by the relatively new headteacher and the deputy headteacher, supported by governors, staff, parents and the wider community, which creates an ethos that strongly supports learning. • The quality of teaching is good overall and very good in the Nursery and Years 5 and 6. • Pupils have very well developed personal and social skills and extremely high moral values. • Pupils are enthusiastic learners.

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What could be improved

• The balance of subjects within the curriculum, so that more time is allocated to the teaching of science, ICT and PE in order to raise standards in these subjects. • The behaviour of boys in Years 1, 2 and 3. • The achievements of girls, which are not as good as those of boys. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Since the school was last inspected in September 1997, the leadership has responded well to the key issues identified at that time and has made good progress in addressing them. The quality of teaching has improved, particularly in Year 5 and the unsatisfactory teaching seen at the time of the previous inspection has been eradicated. The quality of the school development plan has been improved and the plan includes elements previously missing. Reports to parents now contain all statutory requirements. However, some teachers still do not provide enough opportunities for pupils to have greater independence and responsibility for their own learning during lessons. The leadership and management of the school have improved from very purposeful to excellent and this includes the role of the governors. Together, school leaders have ensured that a good quality of education has continued to be provided for

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Menorah Primary School - 5 pupils during a lengthy period of school building and refurbishment. Other aspects of the school’s work, which were previously identified as good have been maintained at this high level. The Nursery, which is new since the previous inspection, is providing a good start for children’s education. This has been integrated well into the whole school because of the good leadership shown by the Head of Foundation and Infants.

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by pupils at the end of Year 6 based on average point scores in National Curriculum tests.

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Key

science A B B D very high well above average above average average below average well below average A* A B C D E

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Key

Children make good progress during their time in the Nursery and, at the end of the Foundation Stage, the attainment of most children is above that expected for their age. Pupils make good progress in reading and writing during Years 1 and 2 and the results of the national tests are well above the national average. Satisfactory progress is made in mathematics and standards are above average in this subject. However, pupils’ standards of attainment are not high enough for the capabilities of the pupils in science. The results of the teacher assessments are below the national average and well below the results of similar schools. Pupils make very good progress in English during Years 3 - 6 but particularly in Years 5 and 6. The results of the national tests are very high, in the top five per cent nationally and pupils’ speaking, drama and writing skills are very well developed, particularly the boys whose achievements

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Key

are exceptional. Pupils achieve well in mathematics and standards are well above the national average. National test results in science are above the national average but below the results of similar schools. Overall, standards in English over the last five years have improved, throughout the school, faster than national improvements but improvements in mathematics have fallen below the national rate. Standards in science have declined. However, all nine Year 6 pupils, assessed within the higher stages of special educational needs, attained the expected level (level 4) in science in 2001. This was because of the very good support that they received. The school is on track to reach its targets in English and mathematics in 2002. Although the results of girls in the national tests have been above the national average over the last three years, they fall below the results attained by boys consistently. The current building

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Key

programme is hindering pupils’ development of PE and ICT skills and these are not good enough. At present, there are not enough computers to enable pupils to practise their skills sufficiently. There are plans to improve the ratio of computers to pupils as soon as the building works have been completed. Teachers are improving their own expertise through training and are making suitable use of the available equipment. Not enough time is allocated to these subjects and there is a lack of staff expertise in PE. However, swimming is well catered for. Menorah Primary School - 6

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good; pupils are keen to learn, attentive and work hard to complete tasks.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour is good overall both in lessons and around the school; it is very good and sometimes excellent in Years 5 and 6.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Good between pupils and often very good between pupils and adults.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Very good; the rate of attendance is well above the national average.

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Aspect Comment

Children in the Nursery settle quickly into school routines and they behave well. In Years 1, 2 and 3 girls usually behave well. However, the standard of behaviour by boys in these year groups sometimes deteriorates to unsatisfactory and teachers do not always have successful strategies for managing this behaviour. The standard of behaviour improves through Years 4 – 6 and it is sometimes excellent in Year 6. Boys and girls do not interact easily with each other.

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Teaching of pupils: aged up to 5 years aged 5-7 years aged 7-11 years

Lessons seen overall Very good Good Good Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that the teaching is adequate and strengths outweigh weaknesses.

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Teaching of pupils: aged up to 5 years aged 5-7 years aged 7-11 years

The quality of teaching and learning was at least satisfactory in all of the lessons seen and it was good overall. The teaching of English and mathematics, including literacy and numeracy skills, is good throughout the school overall and particularly strong in Years 5 and 6. The teaching of drama and debate for Year 6 boys is excellent. The teaching of science is satisfactory overall although very good science teaching was seen in Years 2 and 5. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is good. Most pupils are enthusiastic learners and are deeply influenced by the commitment of teachers to help them learn. They recognise that teachers work hard on their behalf. Boys particularly are very competitive, aspiring to achieve well in all aspects of learning. The quality of teaching and learning is consistently very good in the Nursery.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Good in the Foundation Stage and satisfactory for Years 1 - 6. There is good coverage of English and mathematics leading to high standards.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good; these pupils are well integrated within classes and make similar progress to their peers.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good overall; very strong spiritual and moral aspects promoted through RE provision. There are not enough opportunities offered for pupils to learn about cultures other than their own. Menorah Primary School - 7 How well the school cares for its pupils Good overall; a caring school with good procedures to ensure pupils’ welfare.

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Aspect Comment

The curriculum places a suitable emphasis on literacy and numeracy skills. However, the subjects within the curriculum are not sufficiently well balanced. The time allocated to the teaching of science, ICT and PE is less than that allocated by most schools and consequently pupils do not attain high enough standards in these subjects. The curriculum for the Foundation Stage is well planned. The school has very effective links with parents who support their children’s learning well.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff Excellent; the relatively new headteacher and the very experienced deputy headteacher have formed a very effective team, well supported by the senior management team.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Excellent; governors have a very clear vision for the school and ensure that the school is valued and supported by the community.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Good; the school has analysed test results but has not used this information fully to secure further improvements.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Good; effective use is made of specific grants and resources are being used as well as possible during the building programme.

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Aspect Comment

The leaders of the school, governors, staff and parents work effectively together, ensuring that a supportive learning environment is maintained. The school applies the principles of best value efficiently.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• The school is well led and managed. • Their children enjoy school and are making good progress. • The quality of teaching is good. • Children are encouraged to behave well and develop their personal qualities. • The range of activities provided after school. • The amount of information they receive about their children’s progress. • The amount of homework set by the school.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Inspectors endorse parents’ positive views. They agree that there are very limited opportunities for extra- curricular activities because of the extended school day, which allows a significant proportion of curriculum time to be spent on the teaching of religious education. Therefore, it is difficult to organise other activities. PE activities particularly are very under-represented. The school sets homework according to the policy but parents do not always receive regular reminders of what to expect. Parents receive regular information about their children’s progress but the first consultation meeting would be more useful earlier in the school year. Menorah Primary School - 8

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Attainment in English and mathematics, particularly pupils’ speaking and writing skills,

is very high because of the high expectations which teachers have of pupils.

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Attainment in English and mathematics, particularly pupils’ speaking and writing skills,

1. Pupils attain very high results in the national tests in English and well above average results in mathematics by the time that they leave the school.

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Attainment in English and mathematics, particularly pupils’ speaking and writing skills,

2. In the Nursery, children are encouraged to communicate clearly and confidently and their speaking skills are above average. The very good encouragement and praise that they receive from staff results in them volunteering their opinions on topics such as the weather stating ‘I think it might rain but I can see some blue sky’. They count to ten and above showing obvious enjoyment in their learning. Children in the Reception classes show good knowledge of the properties of two- dimensional shapes and name some three-dimensional shapes. By the end of the Foundation Stage, children attain standards which are above those expected for their age.

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Attainment in English and mathematics, particularly pupils’ speaking and writing skills,

3. Pupils love stories and soon learn to read, benefiting from good support by parents. By Year 2, they know how to tackle unfamiliar words and enjoy reading a good range of fiction and non-fiction books. The national test results for Year 2 pupils are well above the national average. Pupils continue to improve their reading skills in Years 3 - 6 and the oldest pupils display very advanced skills and standards are well above average. They read a wide variety of materials ranging from Shakespeare to factual accounts and reading is used effectively to support learning across the curriculum.

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Attainment in English and mathematics, particularly pupils’ speaking and writing skills,

4. Writing skills are taught very effectively across the school and teachers expect pupils to do their best. Good use is made of poetry to motivate and interest pupils. In Year 2, they found rhyming words, showing enthusiasm for the task of writing their own poems in the style of Christina Rossetti. They know how to re-draft their work and make class books to share with others. By Year 6, pupils have learnt how to write a balanced report on a controversial issue such as animal rights, arguing their points convincingly and using a wide range of vocabulary. Standards here are above average overall and sometimes exceptional.

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Attainment in English and mathematics, particularly pupils’ speaking and writing skills,

5. The standard of drama and debate is excellent in Year 6 boys. Their rehearsals for Macbeth showed exceptional acting abilities. Pupils spoke with very clear diction and wonderful expression. Their interpretation of the three witches was inspirational. Pupils were extremely keen to take part in the play, were very attentive to their cues and showed interest in the performances of others. Boys and girls express opinions well during debates but boys use their excellent general knowledge to good effect when offering ideas and suggestions.

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Attainment in English and mathematics, particularly pupils’ speaking and writing skills,

6. In mathematics, nearly all pupils attain the expected standards for their age in Year 2 and overall standards are above average. They are very good at explaining the strategies that they have used in calculations but there is less evidence of higher level tasks in their recorded work and more able pupils are not always sufficiently challenged. However, by Year 5, many pupils are already attaining the standards expected at the end of Year 6. They estimate, measure and calculate perimeters accurately. In Year 6, pupils’ mental calculations are fast and accurate; they apply their knowledge of the four rules very well. They show a good understanding of fractions, decimals and percentages. Standards are well above average.

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Attainment in English and mathematics, particularly pupils’ speaking and writing skills,

7. The high expectations of teachers and the well-structured lessons have a significant impact on the high standards attained by pupils in English and mathematics, particularly in Years 5 and 6. These high standards contribute significantly to pupils’ learning across the curriculum. Menorah Primary School - 9

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headteacher, supported by governors, staff, parents and the wider community, which

creates an ethos that strongly supports learning.

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headteacher, supported by governors, staff, parents and the wider community, which

8. The aims of the school are reflected in its daily work and they contribute to the caring ethos of the school with its shared commitment to high standards, which are attained within the religious beliefs of orthodox Judaism. The headteacher has only been in post for one and a half terms. However, her excellent interpersonal skills have already secured the support of staff, governors and parents. The ‘open door’ policy makes her easily approachable and this is a key feature of her leadership style. This is also appreciated by the pupils who state that they can talk to the headteacher whenever they wish and feel comfortable doing this. The deputy headteacher is very experienced, an excellent practitioner and provides an exemplary role model for teachers to aspire to. Together, the headteacher and deputy headteacher have a clear educational direction for the school and have worked in close co-operation to maintain the good standard of education, which is

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headteacher, supported by governors, staff, parents and the wider community, which

being provided for pupils during the lengthy building programme with all its associated inconveniences. The senior management team is properly involved in management consultation and decisions and provides very good support.

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headteacher, supported by governors, staff, parents and the wider community, which

9. Governors are very actively involved in shaping the strategic direction of the school and their role in this is excellent. There is always a full complement of governors and people within the community feel honoured to be asked to serve on the governing body. Governors have played a major role in securing the building improvements currently taking place at the school. They have been successful in raising substantial funds to build the Nursery and also a proportion of the funds to finance the other building improvements. They provide a strong link with the orthodox Jewish community and ensure that the school maintains its high profile within this community. Governors are fully involved in school improvement planning and have established effective systems for discharging their responsibilities. They have devised a four-year plan for future developments. The school development plan has been improved since the previous inspection; governors and staff are

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headteacher, supported by governors, staff, parents and the wider community, which

fully involved in its creation. Governors shoulder the responsibility for ensuring that religious education is funded and that pupils have plentiful opportunities to learn about their religion, culture and traditions. This part of the curriculum plays a significant contribution to the high standards attained in English and pupils’ general knowledge and debating skills, especially the boys.

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headteacher, supported by governors, staff, parents and the wider community, which

10. The school’s partnership with parents is very effective. Parents are very interested in their children’s education and support learning well at home. Many parents also help within the school. Curriculum evenings are well attended and parents support educational visits with enthusiasm. They are appreciative of the hard work of the teachers in maintaining the standard of education for their children during the building programme. They believe that the school supports their children well in their learning and provides a very good level of care for pupils.

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The quality of teaching is good overall and very good in the Nursery and Years 5 and

6; this leads to pupils making good progress with their learning.

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The quality of teaching is good overall and very good in the Nursery and Years 5 and

11. The proportion of good teaching has improved since the previous inspection. In over 70 per cent of lessons teaching was good or better and in over 40 per cent of lessons teaching was very good or better. Throughout the school, teachers plan lessons carefully and identify the learning objectives, sharing these with pupils. In English and mathematics lessons particularly, pupils are thoughtfully grouped, interesting activities are provided and the best teaching methods are chosen. Opportunities for assessment are included within plans. Teachers use classroom assistants well, guiding them with the support of individual or groups of pupils. Lessons proceed at a good pace and are well structured to ensure that pupils’ interest is sustained. Most teachers manage pupils effectively and ensure that their enthusiasm for subjects is transmitted to pupils so that there is joy in learning.

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The quality of teaching is good overall and very good in the Nursery and Years 5 and

12. One teacher’s very good subject knowledge and her enthusiastic teaching of science in Year 5, created great interest when girls made parachutes of different sizes and devised a fair test to find out which one reached the ground first. The excellent drama skills of a teacher in Year 6 motivated Menorah Primary School - 10 boys to put aside any inhibitions and throw themselves into character roles, competing with each other to provide the best performance. 13. Very good curriculum links were evident in a Year 4 literacy lesson. The teacher used a historical text and pictures to interest the pupils and extend their knowledge of Tutankhamun and the discovery of his tomb. She kept to the objectives of the lesson and ensured that pupils with special educational needs were well supported with their learning and able to achieve the learning objectives along with their peers.

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The quality of teaching is good overall and very good in the Nursery and Years 5 and

14. In the very good lessons in the Nursery a calm purposeful atmosphere was created with well- planned activities to capture children’s interest. Staff encouraged children to order from the shop, build a tall tower together and sing along to a familiar taped song. Activities were planned according to the recommended curriculum for young children and a good variety of these were included in plans. The organisation of the classes and management of children were excellent. There was very good teamwork between the teacher and other Nursery staff. The teaching promoted children’s independence and all staff displayed clever questioning skills to promote learning. The outdoor area was used well to enhance children’s learning.

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Pupils have very well developed personal and social skills and extremely high moral

15. The ethos of the school with its strong emphasis on the love and understanding of Jewish life, instils very high moral values in the pupils. Teachers set very high standards for moral principles in lessons and the large proportion of time, over 40 per cent, devoted to religious education provides pupils with a firm foundation for their moral development. Pupils are taught to debate issues relating to the moral code, especially boys, and to look at rules. They learn about citizenship and this enhances their moral development. Pupils have a good understanding of right and wrong. This is apparent from their early days in the Nursery and was shown to be very well developed in Year 6 where pupils debated both sides of the argument for using animals for experimentation. They argued that it was totally unacceptable to kill animals for sport but acceptable to use them for experimentation if this saved human life.

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Pupils have very well developed personal and social skills and extremely high moral

16. Pupils are warm, friendly, helpful and courteous. There is always a happy greeting of ‘Good afternoon’ followed by the person’s name for every adult. Pupils are very interested to know what another person is doing or to share the main events of their day. They enjoy the art of conversation and value short exchanges with adults and other pupils. Pupils are always willing to open doors, help with carrying equipment or point a visitor in the right direction.

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Pupils have very well developed personal and social skills and extremely high moral

17. Pupils work well together during lessons, particularly the girls, and share resources willingly. This was evident in the Nursery where pupils of both sexes played in the shop together and built tall towers, commenting on each other’s achievements. They poured milk for each other, happy to be doing something helpful. Girls and boys do not mix easily in the playground but are at ease with their own gender in the single sex classes. Pupils worked well together in pairs in a Year 4 literacy lesson. They looked at a picture and, through sensible discussion, decided on the best adjectives to describe objects within the picture. In a Year 3 girls’ literacy lesson, pupils discussed the topic for the letter they would write and came to a decision through the consensus of opinion.

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Pupils have very well developed personal and social skills and extremely high moral

18. Staff enjoy teaching and plan experiences which make learning challenging and exciting. Pupils respond with enthusiasm and often show their determination to work hard. Parents contribute well to their children’s learning, hearing them read and helping them with their spellings and this reinforces the importance of learning. Pupils love school and their teachers. They are deeply influenced by the commitment of teachers to help them learn and recognise that teachers work hard on their behalf. Pupils’ attitudes to learning, based on a mature understanding of the importance of school, are significant factors in the school’s success.

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Pupils have very well developed personal and social skills and extremely high moral

19. There was real joy in learning evident in the Nursery. Children in Reception were well motivated, Menorah Primary School - 11 focused on their work and sustained their concentration when writing independently, reading books in the book corner, drawing and cutting. In Year 1, the girls joined in enthusiastically with the familiar parts of the story of ‘The Very Big Turnip’. In one of the two boys’ classes, they listened well and focused on the teacher who was explaining how to use full stops correctly. Year 2 pupils enjoyed finding rhyming words such as blue and through. The enthusiasm for learning shone through in a Year 3 literacy lesson. The boys in one group were initially distracted by the antics of others but when they realised that boys in another group had written very good letters, their competitive spirit took over and they worked at a very fast rate and wrote interesting letters themselves. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 show very good and sometimes excellent attitudes to

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Pupils have very well developed personal and social skills and extremely high moral

learning. In a Year 5 mathematics lesson, pupils spoke clearly about the rules they had learnt and how they had applied them to their calculations. Year 6 boys responded to the teacher’s expectations of them as adult actors when she called them ‘gentlemen’. They raised themselves to a very mature level, concentrated, participated with enthusiasm and showed excellent behaviour.

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Pupils have very well developed personal and social skills and extremely high moral

20. When asked, pupils in Years 2 and 5 said that they all enjoy school very much. They are very enthusiastic about their teachers and think they are wonderful. They think that they get a lot of homework but realise the importance of this and state that ‘Miss makes all learning fun’. They list prayer, mathematics, history and science as their favourite subjects. They have a good understanding of their own strengths and weaknesses and value discussions with teachers about their work.

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The balance of subjects within the curriculum so that more time is allocated to the

teaching of science, ICT and PE in order to raise standards in these subjects.

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The balance of subjects within the curriculum so that more time is allocated to the

21. The school has a much longer day than that found in most primary schools because of the emphasis on religious education within the curriculum. The time allowed overall for National Curriculum subjects is above the minimum nationally recommended time. However, the time allocated to some subjects is insufficient and the curriculum is not well-balanced. The time allocated to science is substantially less than the national average time for this subject and this has a significant effect on the standards attained by pupils. ICT and PE do not receive sufficient time compared to national average times.

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The balance of subjects within the curriculum so that more time is allocated to the

22. The results of national teacher assessments in science for pupils in Year 2 in 2001, were below the national average and well below the results of similar schools. The results of the national tests for pupils in Year 6 in the same year were above the national average but below the results of similar schools. These results were much lower than the results attained by pupils in English and mathematics in both year groups and not high enough for the capabilities of the pupils. The lower results are caused by not as many pupils attaining the higher level than that expected for the ages of the pupils (level 3 and level 5). Scrutiny of pupils’ work showed that much of the work set was at a similar level and did not challenge the more able pupils. Also, there was insufficient emphasis on the investigative aspect of science. Some teachers do not have good enough subject knowledge to teach this aspect of science well although the science co-ordinator teaches investigative work very

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The balance of subjects within the curriculum so that more time is allocated to the

well. The school is aware of the lower standards in science and plans to remedy this. Extra support was provided for pupils with special educational needs in Year 6 last year and all of these pupils attained the expected level 4 in the national tests.

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The balance of subjects within the curriculum so that more time is allocated to the

23. Standards in ICT are broadly in line with national expectations for pupils throughout the school and these are not high enough for the capabilities of the pupils. Many pupils have access to computers at home and have improved their skills through this facility. The school has a poor ratio of computers to pupils and therefore, pupils do not have enough opportunities to practice their skills. There are plans to improve the ICT facilities in the current building programme but there has been disruption to pupils’ learning during the building works. Teachers have improved their subject knowledge through training and more training is planned for the future. ICT is being used to support work in other subjects; for example in geography and drafting work in English; however, because Menorah Primary School - 12 most classes only have the use of one computer, pupils have large gaps between experiences. Standards have improved since the previous inspection when they were judged as unsatisfactory

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The balance of subjects within the curriculum so that more time is allocated to the

24. Very little PE was seen during the inspection. This subject has been extremely disadvantaged during the building programme. The school hall has not always been available for activities and the playground is not always safe for PE because of building materials. Some pupils have had very few PE lessons recently. There is no strong leadership for the subject because of a lack of expertise among current staff. Although some teachers plan PE activities when they can, this is inconsistent and some pupils and parents state that little has taken place. The school has its own swimming pool and has a teacher for swimming. This aspect of PE is well catered for and pupils do well with swimming.

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The balance of subjects within the curriculum so that more time is allocated to the

The behaviour of boys in Years 1, 2 and 3.

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The balance of subjects within the curriculum so that more time is allocated to the

25. Boys in Years 1, 2 and 3 are confident, lively individuals and show many positive attitudes to school. However, they are often very noisy workers and, when not effectively checked, their behaviour deteriorates to an unsatisfactory standard.

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The balance of subjects within the curriculum so that more time is allocated to the

26. In one of the Year 1 classes, boys repeatedly called out during a literacy lesson. They were very fidgety and talked when the teacher was talking. They did not respond quickly to the teacher’s instructions. In a geography lesson, boys were extremely noisy during group activities. They wandered from their tables, distracting others and shouted above the general noise to make themselves heard. In Year 2, unsatisfactory behaviour was instigated by pupils with behavioural problems, but many other boys joined in and the literacy lesson was frequently disrupted. There were too many interruptions by silly behaviour and some pupils mad inappropriate sounds when the overhead projector was switched off. Year 3 boys were also very noisy during group work. They did not settle to their work but distracted others in their group with silly remarks. However, they did eventually complete the task set.

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The balance of subjects within the curriculum so that more time is allocated to the

27. Teachers’ strategies for managing boys’ behaviour were not always effective. ‘Sh’ was used excessively and had no effect. Teachers were often not firm enough with the boys and allowed the noise level to become too loud. They continued to talk above the general noise level and did not insist on complete silence before speaking. When boys with behavioural difficulties displayed a variety of unacceptable behaviours, the teacher correctly stopped the class and tried to establish order. However, she continued with the same strategy, which the boys did not respond to, and did not have sufficient alternatives to deal with the situation.

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The balance of subjects within the curriculum so that more time is allocated to the

The achievements of girls, which are not as good as those of boys.

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The balance of subjects within the curriculum so that more time is allocated to the

28. The results of the national tests, over the last three years, show that boys outperformed girls in reading, writing and mathematics in Year 2. Year 6 boys outperformed girls in English, mathematics and science during the same period. The difference in the performance of boys and girls is significant; for example Year 6 girls’ results in the English national tests were above those attained by girls nationally but the results of boys were outstanding compared with boys nationally. These results go against the national trend which shows that girls consistently outperform boys.

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The balance of subjects within the curriculum so that more time is allocated to the

29. In classes, there is often a marked difference between the attitudes and standards attained by boys and girls. This is particularly so in the current Year 6 pupils. During observations of a similar English lesson, taught to the girls’ class and the boys’ class, the standards attained by boys were excellent but the standards of the girls were above average. Girls needed encouragement from their teacher to offer their ideas during debate and lacked the confidence to speak out loudly and with conviction initially. However, the boys were very keen to explain their points of view, argued their case very well and spoke with good volume, confidence and conviction. Boys also showed that they had far superior general knowledge to girls; for example many boys knew what the abbreviation EEC stood for but none of the girls knew this. Menorah Primary School - 13 30. There is little difference in the performance of girls and boys in the results of initial assessments at

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The balance of subjects within the curriculum so that more time is allocated to the

the age of five; in fact girls outperform boys in some assessments. Pupils are taught together in the Nursery and their achievements are similar. However, the difference in performance is more marked as pupils move through the school, although there are slight variations in different year groups. Boys receive more opportunities than girls to debate and consider current issues during their religious education lessons. Some boys take full advantage of this facility, occasionally staying at school until 5.30pm and returning for lessons on Sundays. Menorah Primary School - 14

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

31. In the context of the school’s many very good features, the following points for improvement should have priority in the action plan:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) review the balance of time allocated to subjects within the curriculum so that sufficient time is allocated to science, ICT and PE and pupils’ standards of attainment are raised;

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) improve the standard of boys’ behaviour in Years 1, 2 and 3 by ensuring that teachers have sufficient effective strategies for managing this;

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(3) ensure that the achievements of girls match those of boys.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(paragraphs 28 – 30) Menorah Primary School - 15

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 17

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching. Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents more than three percentage points.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 56 358

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 3

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 1 7

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 69

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 3

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 6

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Attendance

% % Menorah Primary School - 16 School data 4.7 School data 0.1

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.6 National comparative data 0.5

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Menorah Primary School - 17

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2001 28 22 50

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 27 27 28 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 21 22 22

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 96 (96) 98 (98) 100 (96) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (83) 86 (84) 91 (90)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 26 27 21 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 21 22 22

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 94 (96) 98 (92) 86 (96) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (84) 89 (88) 89 (88)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2001 25 25 50

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 25 22 25 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 25 22 25

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 100 (92) 88 (89) 100 (92) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 71 (72) 87 (85)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 18 20 23 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 24 22 24

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 84 (87) 84 (81) 94 (83) at NC level 4 or above National 72 (70) 74 (72) 82 (79)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Menorah Primary School - 18

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 0 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0 This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. This table gives the number of exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6 Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 17.4 Financial year 2001

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 22

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 847,140

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 16 Expenditure per pupil 2,118

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 359 Balance brought forward from previous year 40,374

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year -2,138

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 56

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 4

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 104

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per FTE adult 14 FTE means full-time equivalent.

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 1

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 2 Menorah Primary School - 19 Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0 FTE means full-time equivalent.

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Percentage of responses in each category

Strongly agree Tend to agree Tend to disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 71 26 0 3 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 58 35 0 2 6

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 52 32 12 3 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 38 35 26 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 61 29 6 0 5

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 70 23 5 0 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 45 36 9 0 8

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 76 21 0 0 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 67 26 5 0 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 27 20 23 11 17

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