By Anonymous
The Independent Jewish Day School in Hendon has been granted academy status - the first Barnet primary to achieve this and, says the school, the first Jewish primary nationally.
IJDS decided to proceed after consultation involving governors, staff, parents and the wider community. It will become responsible for its own management rather than being under local authority control. Although the school can still buy services from Barnet, it can go elsewhere if it feels it can get better quality or value.
The move also gives IJDS greater freedom in its delivery of the National Curriculum and more flexibility on length of terms and the school day.
Governors' chair Anushka Levey said becoming an academy would not bring dramatic changes. "It just gives us more freedom from Barnet if we want it."
For example, it had eased a change in the timetable to exclude lunches on Fridays when the 220-pupil school closes early because of Shabbat. "It means that in the limited time we have, we can focus on the curriculum rather than the children having a meal before going home at one."
‘It gives us more freedom from Barnet if we want it’