Family & Education
Stamford Hill girls show ‘impressive’ knowledge of democracy
Ofsted finds significant improvements in previously inadequate Charedi school
July 3, 2024 09:46
Ofsted finds significant improvements in previously inadequate Charedi school
July 3, 2024 09:46An independent Chasidic girls’ school in Stamford Hill that was rated inadequate in its past three inspections has been upgraded with Ofsted recognising “significant” improvements and commending pupil’s “exemplary” behaviour.
Although Bnois Jerusalem, which teaches 674 girls from two to 16, was judged to be a school that “requires improvement” overall, inspectors ranked pupils’ attitudes as outstanding and its educational quality good.
The school has been under Department for Education restrictions for nearly three years that have prohibited it from accepting new pupils.
Ofsted found pupils “polite, extremely respectful and welcoming”, who “do not disrupt learning for others” and treat staff and their peers with “the utmost respect”.
Inspector noted an “ambitious curriculum for all pupils”, while teachers enabled children to deepen their knowledge effectively.
Pupils make “massive progress in reading” and “read with enthusiasm and confidence”, Ofsted found.
Their knowledge of how democracy works in Britain was “impressive”.
Despite having no internet access in school, “older pupils learn about how to keep safe online”, Ofsted said.
While respectful relationships and different cultures were included in children’s study, they were “not, however, introduced at appropriate ages to some concepts of being safe, including sexual consent, harassment or abuse”.
They were also not taught about all the relevant “protected characteristics” at a timely point as part of relationships education, Ofsted said. (Secondary schools are required to introduce children to issues of equality for LGBT people).
Although generally complimentary about the school’s education, Ofsted said there were limited resources for children to use and early years teaching did not ensure that pupils deepened knowledge and skills.