It was an especially happy start to the new academic year for Sacks Morasha after it received the highest accolade for Jewish studies.
The North Finchley primary was rated outstanding in all categories for Jewish studies by Pikuach, the Board of Deputies-run inspection service.
Children made excellent progress in Chumash lessons, an “exciting and innovative Mishnah curriculum” was being developed and 21st century technology made Jewish learning “exciting and engaging”.
Pupils had “positive attitudes towards Jewish learning because the curriculum enables them to actively engage in Jewish texts and to experience and participate in Jewish practice,” Pikuach found.
One parent told inspectors, “The school teaches the children the tools to ‘decode’ the Hebrew to translate themselves, rather than chanting endless pasukim [verses] in Hebrew with the translation.”
Another commented, “Morasha reflects a modern Orthodox Jewish ethos and a positive Judaism. It also treats boys and girls equally and teaches respect for those who are different, including those of different sexual orientations, whilst being firmly based in our Orthodox Morasha [heritage].”
Parents said that sometimes children’s questions on a Friday night were too deep for them to answer.
Highlights for Pikuach included the number of children signing up for the Megillah Club — “where they learn to read from the scroll with the correct notes” .
They were impresssed with the depth of understanding shown by a year 3 Chumash class and the “gusto and respect” with which Birkat Hamazon (“Grace after Meals”) was said by year 1.
Hebrew reading was back to pre-Covid levels with 74 per cent of year 6 working at the expected levels or at greater depth by the end of last term.
Hebrew, the report noted, “now incorporates reading for meaning, which is delivered in small ability groups by the Ivrit teacher, thereby enabling a more focused individual approach and yielding excellent results.”
One pupil commented that Sacks Morasha “made me believe in Hashem, believe in myself, believe in my friends, believe in the world”.
Reacting to the inspection report, Justin Kett, who is head of Jewish studies and deputy head and has been at the school for 10 years, said, “We are so fortunate to have enjoyed the benefits of a passionate core of teachers and families committed to being Jewish, not just learning about it alone.
“As well as the digital innovations in Jewish education, primarily through the work of Ji [Jewish Interactive], we have been most delighted with the changes we’ve made to our teaching of Mishnah. We have moved from an emphasis on the conventional approach, used by most, of learning and translating mishnayot by heart, to now ensuring our pupils see the Oral Torah as Living Mishnah.”
