Talmud Torah Yetev Lev

Talmud Torah Yetev-Lev Independent school progress report

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DCSF registration number 204/6233 Unique Reference Number (URN) 100289 Inspection number 354274 Inspection dates 4 May 2010 Reporting inspector Jonathan Yodaiken

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This inspection visit to the school was carried out under section 162A of the Education Act 2002 at the request of the registering authority for independent schools.

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Published: achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 08456 404040, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way.

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T: 08456 404040 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk No. 090137 Inspection report template – progress monitoring

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Purpose and scope of the visit

This inspection visit was carried out by Ofsted under Section 162A of the Education Act 2002 1 , as amended by schedule 8 of the Education Act 2005 2 .

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Purpose and scope of the visit

The visit was conducted at the request of the Registration Authority for independent schools in order to monitor the progress the school has made in implementing its action plan following the previous inspection.

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Information about the school

Talmud Torah Yetev-Lev is an independent, strictly orthodox, Jewish day school for boys aged three to 12 years of age. There are 635 pupils on roll. It is located near Stamford Hill in the centre of North London’s orthodox Jewish community. The school is owned and maintained by the Satmar Chassidic community. Virtually all boys speak Yiddish as their first language. Kodesh (Jewish studies) are taught in Yiddish. Chol (secular subjects) are taught in English. There is a headteacher for the Jewish studies and one for the secular studies. The majority of time is spent on the kodesh studies. The school is open six days a week from Sunday to Friday. The school exists to meet the need ‘for learning, socialisation, care and support for Yiddish speaking children and parents in the locality’.

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Context of the visit

The school’s last full inspection was in March 2008, when a large number of the regulations were not met. A progress monitoring visit took place in November 2008 when three of the regulations were still not met and after which an action plan was formulated. In November 2009 the school’s action plan was deemed to be broadly satisfactory but in need of timescales for implementation of the various strategies to meet the unmet regulations. This is the second monitoring visit to the school to check on the progress the school has made in implementing its action plan.

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action plan

At the last inspection, the quality of education was judged to be unsatisfactory. Three regulations were not met. The chol curriculum was inadequate with no schemes of work in place. The curriculum was not broad enough, with little attention given to scientific, aesthetic and creative, technological and physical areas of

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action plan

1 www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2002/ukpga_20020032_en_14#pt10-ch1-pb4-l1g162 2 www.opsi.gov.uk/ACTS/acts2005/ukpga_20050018_en_15#sch8 Inspection report template – progress monitoring learning. There were few subject policies and little systematic planning to help pupils make progress. There was no clear framework for assessment in chol subjects to guide teachers.

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action plan

In order to improve, the school has drawn upon the expertise of a curriculum coordinator recruited specifically to help devise and implement the action plan. He, together with the recently appointed headteacher of secular studies, has produced curriculum documents, policies and schemes of work to support the chol curriculum. English, mathematics, science, geography and physical education (PE) are taught discreetly, while all other subjects and areas of learning are taught within the kodesh curriculum in a cross-curricular fashion. This cross-curricular provision has become a priority within the school and the school has produced a document which shows the planning of this integrative approach. Physical education is now taught weekly in every class. The headteacher provides support and advice for the chol staff.

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action plan

The school has improved resources and equipment to support pupils’ learning, for example, by providing text books in English, mathematics and science.

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action plan

There is now a rigorous assessment framework in place to assess pupils’ levels of attainment in mathematics and in the cross-curricular work taught within the kodesh curriculum. However, there is no whole-school framework for assessment in English which would inform teachers’ planning to meet the learning needs of pupils. The headteacher and curriculum coordinator are beginning work on this.

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action plan

The curriculum now provides experience in all the required areas of learning. It is set out in writing and is supported by schemes of work and appropriate plans. The chol curriculum is well matched to the ages, aptitudes and interests of the pupils and contributes well towards pupils’ learning and progress. The kodesh curriculum provides pupils with experience in history, geography, art, mathematics and science, and in the social, aesthetic and creative areas of learning. Satisfactory progress has been made in providing an assessment framework.

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action plan

The school has made satisfactory progress towards implementing its action plan.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school has made satisfactory progress and now meets all regulatory requirements except one.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

As a result of this inspection visit, the school must take action to meet the Education (Independent School Standards) (England) Regulations 2003 3 as amended (‘the Regulations’), as follows:

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

3 www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2003/20031910.htm Inspection report template – progress monitoring  Provide a framework to regularly and thoroughly assess pupils’ work in English and use the information from such assessment to plan teaching so that pupils can make progress (paragraph 1(3)(g)).

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School details

Name of school Talmud Torah Yetev-Lev DCSF number 355/6035 Unique reference number (URN) 100289 Type of school Faith: Jewish primary Status Independent Inspection report template – progress monitoring Date school opened 1965 Age range of pupils 3–12 Gender of pupils Male Number on roll (full-time pupils) Boys: 635 Number of pupils with a statement of special educational need Boys: 7

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School details

Number of children receiving funded Nursery education Boys: 160

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School details

Annual fees (day pupils) No fees charged Address of school 111–115 Cazenove Road London N16 6AX Telephone number 0208 806 3834 Fax number 0208 806 8414 Email address accounts@satmar.co.uk Headteacher kodesh Headteacher chol Rabbi E Padwa Mr I Krauss Proprietor Talmud Torah Education Limited Reporting inspector Dr Jonathan Yodaiken Dates of inspection 4 May 2010

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