A Chasidic girls’ school in Stamford Hill that was downgraded to inadequate after being accused by Ofsted of censoring English and history textbooks has returned to favour with inspectors.
The state-aided Yesodey Hatorah Senior Girls’ School has been rated good overall and outstanding for educational quality and pupil attitudes after inspectors’ latest visit.
In class, girls are “industrious, focused and hardworking, demonstrating exemplary attitudes towards their learning”, Ofsted reported.
They “consistently rise to meet the high expectations that are set for them, and they set for themselves”.
The “exceptionally ambitious” curriculum has been broadened and is delivered by teachers with “precision”.
Learning in an atmosphere of “harmony and peace”, girls “produce work of exceptional quality and achieve highly, including in national examinations and qualifications”.
Inspectors noted how girls were well prepared to handle complex poems in English.
Observing the school’s approach to special education needs, inspectors said staff “are adept at ensuring everyone is fully included and can access the same ambitious curriculum”.
The personal, social and health education programme curriculum has been “recently updated to ensure pupils learn about different family structures and lifestyles,” Ofsted said.
Rabbi Binyomin Dunner, the school’s chair of governors, said: "This inspection marked a significant change from the past. Inspectors were deeply respectful and sensitive to the school's culture. They recognised the broad curriculum on offer and the quality of the teaching and care.
The report is a testament to the exceptional commitment and hard work of our staff and school leaders. It underscores our long-standing legacy of delivering excellent education in line with the values of the community, and we are proud to have achieved this result without compromising on these."
Yesodey Hatorah was ranked seventh in the government’s academic progress tables for England last year.
It has experienced seesawing fortunes with the inspectorate, having been ranked outstanding in 2006, good in 2014, but plummeting to inadequate in 2018 before clawing itself back to “requires improvement” three years ago.
