Etz Chaim Jewish Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 20 February 2024

Pupils enjoy coming to this nurturing school. They are happy and know that staff work hard to keep them safe. Staff take the time to get to know pupils as individuals and encourage them to express their opinions. They learn to respect differences. Many parents and carers commented on the warm, nurturing and supportive atmosphere. The school has high ambitions for pupils' achievement. The curriculum has gone through a period of change, and all pupils study the full range of national curriculum subjects. Pupils here are confident and articulate. Leaders have worked to improve behaviour. Many pupils behave well in lessons and play together happily at breaktimes. Older pupils readily take on additional responsibilities. These include roles as library monitors, sports leaders, digital leaders, ambassadors and being part of the Tzedakah Tzevet charity group. These roles allow pupils to contribute to the wider life of the school. Pupils are confident to suggest ways to make the school even better and to raise funds for the local community and beyond. Pupils enjoy residential visits and activities, and events linked to the school's Jewish character.

What the school should improve

• Occasionally, teaching does not check carefully that pupils have understood what they are learning before moving on to new content. This means that pupils continue to have misconceptions in their knowledge and understanding. The school needs to ensure that staff routinely check pupils' understanding and adapt their teaching so that any gaps in learning are identified and corrected, and pupils develop secure knowledge over time.
• Tasks and activities are not consistently adapted to meet the needs of pupils with SEND and for pupils who find learning more challenging. As a result, some pupils struggle to start their learning promptly or to complete the tasks they are set. The school should ensure that the curriculum is adapted appropriately so that pupils are consistently supported to achieve well.
• The school's revised behaviour system is not fully embedded. There are some inconsistent expectations, meaning that some pupils do not listen to instructions or settle to tasks as quickly as they should. The school should ensure that routines are embedded so that expectations are consistently high across the school.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)