Avigdor Hirsch Torah Temimah Primary School

Avigdor Hirsch Torah Temimah Primary School Inspection report

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131916 Unique Reference Number Brent Local Authority 293885 Inspection number 4 °5 July 2007 Inspection dates John Earish Reporting inspector

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Primary Type of school Voluntary aided School category 3 °11 Age range of pupils Boys Gender of pupils Number on roll 185 School

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The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Allan Becker Chair Mr Anthony Wolfson Headteacher 24 February 2003 Date of previous school inspection Parkside School address Dollis Hill London NW2 6RJ

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020 8450 4377 Telephone number 020 8830 6202 Fax number

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3 °11 Age group 4 °5 July 2007 Inspection dates 293885 Inspection number .

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This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report 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.

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This small primary school is for Orthodox Jewish boys living in North West London. It was founded in 1991 when a group of parents decided that local Jewish schools were becoming overcrowded. The school became state aided in April 2000. Attainment when children start school, whether in Nursery or Reception, is above the expectations for the age group. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities is below that found nationally. There are two pupils receiving free school meals.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 11 Inspection Report: Avigdor Hirsch Torah Temimah Primary School, 4 °5 July 2007

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Grade: 2

This is a good school which provides a good quality of education for its boys. Their personal development and wellbeing are outstanding. Parents agree and are overwhelmingly positive in their views of the school. One parent said, 'Since my son joined the school he has blossomed..... The staff went out of their way both during and after school to ensure that he was happy'. In consequence, pupils feel safe and thrive in this caring and supportive environment. Achievement is good because teaching and learning are good. Good provision in the Foundation Stage helps the youngest boys make good progress. They settle quickly and effortlessly into routines. By the time they enter Year 1 the majority have exceeded the expectation for their age. This good progress continues as they move through the school. By the time they leave at age 11 years, boys reach standards that are well above average overall. Some good examples

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Grade: 2

of marking were evident that gave pupils a clear idea of what they needed to do in order to improve. However, this is not consistent in all classes. The quality of the presentation of boys' work was also of variable quality. Leadership and management are good. Very good leadership by the headteacher builds well on the enthusiasm and commitment of pupils and staff. He has successfully addressed the recent dip in standards at Year 2 and has set out a clear strategic overview through the school development plan. The impact of leadership and management on boys' achievement is good. The school is well managed and runs smoothly. Personal development is outstanding. Boys are very proud of the contribution they make to the school community through the school council. They behave very well and eagerly take on duties and community responsibilities to ensure that the school runs smoothly. This ensures that all pupils feel valued and part of a very caring community. Pupils' enjoyment is fostered

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Grade: 2

through the good curriculum which provides a good range of enrichment activities. The school is good at making links between subjects such as information and communication technology (ICT), science, history, music and mathematics. A good start has been made at increasing the opportunities for pupils to design and carry out their own experiments in science but is not yet sufficiently developed for the oldest pupils. The school acknowledges that there should be more opportunities for pupils to write creatively in Key Stage 1. The care, guidance and support of pupils are good and the pastoral aspects are outstanding. Pupils are well cared for and feel secure and happy. There are good partnerships with the Orthodox Jewish community and other agencies to promote learners' well-being. The systems for keeping track of pupils' progress are being used well to identify any underachievement and to put in place programmes of work and interventions to address this. Pupils are set targets to

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Grade: 2

achieve, and older pupils find them helpful and easy to understand. A good start has been made at introducing opportunities for pupils to assess for themselves how well they are learning and what they must do to improve their work. The school's good track record in evaluating its performance and the leadership's clear view of what needs to be done next mean that it has good capacity for further improvement.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Increase the level of challenge for the oldest pupils by providing more opportunities for them to design and carry out their own experiments in science. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Avigdor Hirsch Torah Temimah Primary School, 4 °5 July 2007 • Increase the opportunities for the pupils in Year 1 and 2 to write creatively across the curriculum. • Improve the consistency in marking and presentation of pupils' work.

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Grade: 2

Boys of all abilities achieve well during their time at school. Boys typically start school with skills and abilities that are above those normally expected of three year olds. They make good progress in the Foundation Stage and the majority exceed the levels for their age by the time they move into Year 1. Inspection evidence confirms that boys in Year 6 have made good progress overall since their starting points in Year 2. However, the numbers achieving the higher Level 5 in science should be higher. In addition, boys in the current Year 2 are reaching well above average standards. The school has successfully addressed the dip in standards at Year 2 last year. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities receive well focused support and also make good progress.

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Grade: 1

Personal development, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding. Pupils really enjoy learning and behave very well. From an early age children learn to cooperate with each other and are confident, enquiring learners. Attendance and punctuality are excellent with few absences. Pupils particularly enjoy participating in the school council which plays an active part in making decisions and suggesting improvements. They consult widely and share with the rest of the school a very well developed sense of their responsibilities as good citizens. Pupils act as buddies, prefects, peer mediators and official helpers and greatly value having extra responsibility and they enjoy helping others. Additionally, the system of middos tokens promotes exceptionally well pupils' spiritual and moral development. Pupils are very aware of the needs of others beyond their own school and make regular weekly

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Grade: 1

contributions to local and national charities. They have a very good understanding of healthy lifestyle and safe living and speak enthusiastically about eating healthily and taking regular exercise. Pupils quickly acquire literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology (ICT) skills that will equip them well for later life and learning.

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Grade: 2

The quality of the teaching and learning are good and ensure good progress. Teachers relate well to their pupils, give clear explanations and instructions, and organise their classes well. There is a good climate for learning in all classes. This stems from pupils' keenness to learn and to do their very best. However, whilst most activities provide good challenge, there are sometimes missed opportunities for older pupils to work independently, particularly in planning and carrying out science investigations. The adults who assist teachers provide good support for those pupils who need extra help. However, there are inconsistencies in the presentation 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Avigdor Hirsch Torah Temimah Primary School, 4 °5 July 2007 of pupils' work and the quality of teachers' marking across the school. This means that some pupils do not receive enough feedback about what they need to do to improve their work.

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Grade: 2

The school successfully balances the requirements of the National Curriculum and the school's own Jewish Studies Curriculum. Outside learning for children in the Foundation Stage has been improved since the last inspection and is now of good quality. Throughout the school, provision for the development of basic skills is good and ensures that pupils make good progress. A good range of visits and visitors enriches the curriculum and extra curricular clubs such as chess, choir and sports are well-attended. Links are made between subjects to make learning more interesting and purposeful by drawing on pupils' different skills. However, the opportunities for pupils in Key Stage 1 to write creatively across the curriculum are not as well developed as in other part of the school. Significant improvements have been made to the provision for music since the last inspection with regular specialist tuition for all year groups contributing to pupils'

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Grade: 2

good standards. The school has increased the opportunities for pupils to carry out and design their own science experiments in Key Stage 2. This is developing well in Years 3 and 4 but boys have fewer opportunities in Years 5 and 6.

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Grade: 2

The care, guidance and support of pupils are good and the pastoral aspects are outstanding, reflecting the strong Orthodox Jewish ethos of the school. Members of staff have very good relationships with pupils and know them very well showing great concern for their welfare. This ensures pupils feel safe, secure and able to receive help for concerns or worries. A strong partnership with parents and Jewish and secular agencies ensures pupils' protection and wellbeing. Throughout the school pupils feel they belong to a supportive community. Pupils' progress and standards are regularly monitored and assessed particularly in English, mathematics and science and targets for improvement are set each half term. These are well understood by the older pupils who feel a considerable sense of achievement when they are achieved. The school is actively promoting and training pupils to evaluate for themselves how

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Grade: 2

well they are learning and this is already having a positive impact on their academic achievement.

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Grade: 2

The headteacher provides very good leadership and provides a very clear sense of direction to all that the school does. His partnership with the Principal, staff and governors is strong and effective. Clear systems for appraising the school's work have correctly identified key priorities for development and provide a useful framework for action. These are manageable and well directed to where they are needed most. For example, the school ensures a successful balance between the requirements of the National Curriculum and the school's own Jewish Studies Curriculum. Their accurate analysis of the school's strengths and weaknesses is used to write a school development plan that sets out the correct priorities for improvement and provides a useful framework for action and review. The role of subject leader is being developed so that managers at all levels can measure how effective teaching and learning are at raising standards.

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Grade: 2

6 of 11 Inspection Report: Avigdor Hirsch Torah Temimah Primary School, 4 °5 July 2007 Governance is good. Governors are keen for the school to do well and hold the school to account for its work. The school has continued to improve since the last inspection and the drive and enthusiasm of school leaders ensure that it has good capacity for further improvement. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Avigdor Hirsch Torah Temimah Primary School, 4 °5 July 2007 .

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Grade: 2

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: Avigdor Hirsch Torah Temimah Primary School, 4 °5 July 2007

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Inspection judgements

School Overall Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

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Overall effectiveness

How effective, efficient and inclusive is the provision of education, integrated care and any extended services in meeting the needs of learners? How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? 2 The quality and standards in the Foundation Stage 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 2 The capacity to make any necessary improvements Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

2 How well do learners achieve? 2 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 2 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

1 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2 The behaviour of learners 1 The attendance of learners 1 How well learners enjoy their education 1 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 1 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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and interests of learners?

2 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average to below average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low. 9 of 11 Inspection Report: Avigdor Hirsch Torah Temimah Primary School, 4 °5 July 2007

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and supporting all learners?

How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can How effectively and efficiently resources, including staff, are deployed to achieve value for money The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities Yes Do procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements? No Does this school require special measures? No Does this school require a notice to improve? 10 of 11 Inspection Report: Avigdor Hirsch Torah Temimah Primary School, 4 °5 July 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

13 July 2007 Dear Pupils Inspection of Avigdor Hirsch Torah Temimah Primary School,London,NW2 6RJ Thank you very much for making us welcome when we visited your school recently. We were impressed with your friendliness, good behaviour and your very sensible and helpful attitudes towards each other. We think that you are given a good education which prepares you well for the next stage of your learning. We were particularly impressed with the way that all of the adults care for you and are always there whenever you need help or advice. Throughout the school, you learn successfully and there is no evidence of any of you missing out. You have so many extra things to learn in Jewish studies that your productivity and pace of working in secular lessons is impressive. There are some things we think will make your school even better. We have asked your teachers to think about ways of giving the oldest pupils more opportunities to design and carry out their

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

own experiments in science. I know you will enjoy this. We also want the pupils in Year 1 and 2 to have more opportunities to write creatively. We have asked the teachers to always make comments to help you improve when marking your work. In return, you should present your work carefully and neatly. Sometimes it can be untidy. The school is very well led by your headteacher and he gets lots of help from the staff and the principal. Together they are working hard to make things even better for you. You can all help by continuing to work hard and to meet the targets set for you. I'm sure that you are ready for this challenge! I know that you will continue to work hard and I am sure that you will help your teachers to make your school even better. I hope that you have great success in the future. Best wishes, John Earish,Lead Inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Avigdor Hirsch Torah Temimah Primary School, 4 °5 July 2007

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