Family & Education
‘Amazing’ Charedi school in Manchester ranked outstanding by Ofsted
Pupils at the Yesoiday Hatorah Girls’ Academy bound in to school every morning with ‘sheer joy’
April 18, 2024 10:47
Pupils at the Yesoiday Hatorah Girls’ Academy bound in to school every morning with ‘sheer joy’
April 18, 2024 10:47A Charedi girls’ primary school in Manchester whose pupils “bound into the building each and every day filled with sheer joy” has been ranked outstanding by Ofsted.
The state-aided Yesoiday Hatorah Girls’ Academy emerged with the top grade in its first inspection since becoming a separate girls’ school five years ago.
It was previously part of a co-educational school which was forced to split into two owing to an equality ruling that there could not be segregation of girls and boys.
Yesoidah Hatorah Girls’ achievement is all the more notable since under the new inspection framework introduced post-Covid it has become more difficult for schools to attain outstanding status.
A number of previously outstanding Jewish schools have lost the ranking — and only two so far have retained it.
Pupils, parents and staff felt incredibly privileged to be “part of this amazing school,” Ofsted said.
“High-quality” displays across the school proudly exhibited the learning of pupils who had “a thirst for knowledge” and “more than meet the high expectations” of staff.
The exemplary pupils “immerse themselves in their learning” and develop into “exceptionally well-rounded youngsters,” Ofsted said.
“They are enthusiastic and need no encouragement to try their very best. Their mature attitudes contribute considerably to their academic success.”
Girls were “highly respectful of each other and of the staff. Any negative behaviour is
managed with careful nurture, warmth and love. Pupils learn about democracy, the
rule of law and debate global issues.”
They “achieved exceptionally well across a wide range of subjects” and when data showed that year-6 attainment was less strong than usual last year, the school took positive action, Ofsted reported.
Meanwhile, the Yesodey Hatorah nursery in Stamford Hill has been rated good by Ofsted. “Leaders successfully combine teaching related to their faith and culture with the requirements of the early years foundation stage curriculum,” inspectors said. “For example, when learning about blessings for different foods, children also learn how vegetables grow, how bread is made and the origins of other produce.”