Our Jewish schools are anything but calm - and we love them for it - The Jewish Chronicle

Seven years ago I turned up at JFS, clad in the compulsory oversized blazer and unsure of what I had signed up for. Having gone to a small Church of England state primary, I was used to singing hymns in an understated environment. JFS was to prove to be the storm after the calm.

It is an overwhelming experience when you start. Three hundred pupils per year and so many classrooms that even new teachers are given maps. People may be put off sending their children to Jewish schools because of fears of indoctrination, lack of secular teaching and narrowness of experience.

In truth, compulsory Judaism lessons and involvement of groups like Aish in informal Jewish education can seem out of place in a state school. There is no opting out of these activities that only reflect the Orthodox viewpoint, which many in the school do not subscribe to.

But it is not as coercive or monolithic as it sounds. There is scope for debate in Jewish Studies lessons and the teachers are willing to hear views that may contradict their own. Many students jump at the chance to challenge their teachers.

For many, having the festival days off is invaluable. Many young Jews at non-faith schools are faced with the dilemma over whether they should miss school to go to shul. Randomly timed holidays offer fantastic opportunities for off-season travel but they do delay progress in the early months of each academic year.

At JFS, there is always a buzz around the festivals. Purim is hilarious, with teachers and students dressing in some of the oddest outfits imaginable. The costumes have included a periodic table, Jewish Studies teachers dressed as nuns, many blue Smurfs and countless fairies and controversial orange jumpsuits.

The PE department, which is usually a nightmare zone of enforced exercise and a hiding place for lower school students, is transformed into a (booze-free) bacchanalian frenzy. Tables decked out with pastries, candy floss, popcorn and other sweet treats cover the length of the rooms. There are even inflatables and slides to tempt those self-important older students to rediscover their inner child.

Yom Ha'atzmaut brings similar festivities, with dancing in the amphitheatre and a man with an impressive beard on the microphone. Such a wholesome celebration can make even the most cynical teenager smile.

Lunchtimes can feel manic and the school day can be a social whirl of mingling with extended family and friends.

Faith schools may have their drawbacks but JFS offers an amazing sense of community. The festivals are celebrated in style and although it may not be necessary to have religious experiences at school, it makes for some odd and lovely memories of our school days.

It is no wonder that a lot of JFS students end up at a few universities; once you're part of the pack, few want to leave.