Simon Marks Jewish Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy at Simon Marks. They appreciate and contribute to the respectful environment that leaders have created. Behaviour in lessons and around the school is excellent.

Pupils feel safe and are kept safe at school. They know that there are teachers they can turn to for help if needed.

Leaders are ambitious for pupils, including those pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

The curriculum is ambitious. Pupils try hard and produce work of good quality in different subjects. They are typically well prepared for the next stage of their education.

Pupils have opportunities to play an active part in school life. For examp...le, peer mediators help resolve any problems that may arise at playtime and pupils have raised money for new playground equipment. The curriculum helps pupils to understand concepts such as democracy.

They apply this when voting for school parliament, including hosting an election day.

Pupils enjoy making a positive contribution to their community. For example, they are looking forward to the baking competition where they will be making Hamantaschen biscuits to celebrate Purim and to raise money for charity.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The curriculum is ambitious. It meets the requirements of what is expected nationally as well as providing a programme of Jewish studies and Hebrew lessons. In most subjects, leaders have thought carefully about what pupils are going to learn.

They have organised the curriculum so that all pupils, including those with SEND, practise and embed their learning over time. For example, in mathematics, children in early years develop an understanding of numbers up to 10. Older pupils build on this learning when starting to multiply and divide numbers.

This knowledge helps pupils to calculate larger numbers in different ways, such as being able to identify the missing angles in different shapes.

In some subjects, assessment is used well to identify and address pupils' misconceptions. However, in other areas of the curriculum this is less consistent.

This is because, in these areas, the most important knowledge that pupils need to learn over time has not been as clearly defined. This means teachers do not routinely focus on developing and checking the most important concepts. Consequently, pupils do not secure as deep a knowledge in these areas of the curriculum.

Pupils with SEND are swiftly and accurately identified. Important information is shared with teachers so that they ensure pupils' additional needs are well supported. Pupils in the specialist provision have an adapted curriculum to meet their specific needs.

For example, the sounds needed for early reading are introduced as part of the important focus on language and communication for these pupils. As a result, pupils with SEND achieve well from their different starting points.

Reading is given high priority.

Pupils enjoy visiting the library, to read and be read to. Children start to learn phonics in the Reception Year. Pupils practise reading books that are matched to the sounds that they know.

This helps them to develop their accuracy and fluency. Pupils' reading is checked carefully. Teachers identify any pupils who may be falling behind and provide support, including specific interventions, to help pupils catch up with their peers.

Pupils' broader personal development is well considered. For example, mental health is supported through activities such as laughter therapy. All pupils take part in assemblies and prayer morning when the community joins together.

Inclusion of others is promoted. Pupils learn the weekly Makaton sign, which is modelled by the school's speech and language therapist.

Behaviour in classrooms and around the school is exceptional.

This is because expectations are high, and routines are well established and consistently applied. There is a prominent focus on attendance. Effective systems are in place to ensure pupils come to school each day and are on time.

Leaders, including those responsible for governance, understand and fulfil their statutory requirements. However, oversight of aspects of the school's work lack precision. As a result, actions to address and follow up issues, including with external agencies, are not always timely or robust.

Staff are very positive about their experiences working in the school and appreciate the consideration given to their workload and well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, the most important knowledge that pupils need to learn has not been as clearly identified.

This means that teachers do not consistently focus on developing or checking pupils have understood these aspects of the curriculum. As a result, some pupils' understanding in these areas is less secure. The school should ensure that the most important knowledge is clearly identified, and that pupils' understanding is checked consistently over time so that any misconceptions can be addressed swiftly.

• Oversight of some aspects of the school's work is less precise. As a result, actions to address and follow up issues, including with external agencies, are not always timely or robust. The school should ensure that systems are in place to help leaders and those responsible for governance have the information they need to support and challenge the work of the school and its external partners.