Family & Education
Outstanding in all areas: the Ofsted verdict on Sinai
Orthodox primary has developed a winning formula
January 7, 2025 15:52
Orthodox primary has developed a winning formula
January 7, 2025 15:52Europe’s largest Jewish primary school, Sinai in Kenton, has been rated outstanding in all areas in a glowing report from Ofsted.
The inspectorate no longer awards overall headline grades to state schools but Sinai — which was previously rated good — would have been ranked outstanding after its latest inspection.
Pupils “grow and thrive at this nurturing caring school”, “show curiosity… and are keen to know more” and demonstrate a love of learning, Ofsted said.
“Pupils, including those with special educational needs and or/disabilities (SEND), rise to the school’s highest expectations,” inspectors said. “They flourish and achieve extremely well academically, personally, and socially.”
They praised exemplary behaviour, exceptional relationships among pupils and the “great skill and expertise of teachers”.
Pupils’ “articulation of concepts such as thinking like a historian and the theory of evolution is exceptional,” Ofsted said.
They also “display their skills and talents competing in local sports events, performing as a choir, and leading assemblies.”
Their love of reading was also noted and if extra support was needed to help them catch up, it was quickly put in place.
Children had “a full understanding of healthy relationships and lifestyles”, Ofsted said, and “self-refer themselves to therapy and see this as a positive way of handling any worries”.
Juliette Lipshaw, headteacher of the school which has 641 pupils, said: “An outstanding school does not happen overnight. It is years of hard work, commitment, energy, drive, ambition and passion that come together in a relentless pursuit to be the biggest and best Jewish primary school in Europe.”
A former Sinai pupil herself, she said: “We are a big school, with a big heart,’ she continued. “We look after the whole child and know our children individually.”