Talmud Torah Chinuch Norim School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 19 November 2024

Pupils, including children in the early years, enjoy coming to school. They appreciate the care and support that they receive from staff. This helps pupils to feel safe. Staff know and respond to pupils' needs well. This makes it easier for pupils to settle into school. Pupils live up to the high standards that the school sets of their conduct. Children in the early years follow the classroom routines well and respect their teachers. Older pupils are courteous and caring for their peers. The school expects pupils to achieve well. Nonetheless, weaknesses in the design and delivery of the curriculum mean that some pupils do not develop their knowledge as securely as they should. This hampers how well pupils achieve across subjects. Pupils benefit from a wide range of trips and workshops that help them to develop a wider understanding of the world. For instance, pupils enjoyed visiting a waterpark to practice their swimming skills. Children in the early years learn about the importance of respecting differences between pupils. Even so, the school does not ensure that older pupils learn about the full set of protected characteristics. There are insufficient opportunities for them to celebrate diversity and differences between people. As such, older pupils are not prepared as well as they could be for life in modern Britain.

What the school should improve

• In some subjects, the school has not identified the essential knowledge that it wants pupils to learn. At times, this means that teachers do not ensure that pupils progress through the curriculum as well as they should. The school should clarify what pupils should learn and in what order so that pupils learn all that they need to succeed in their next stage of education.
• Some teachers do not design learning activities well enough to help pupils remember the subject content securely. This hinders how well pupils build on their prior knowledge over time. The school should ensure that teachers are well- equipped to deliver the curriculum as it is intended so that pupils achieve well.
• The strategies used to check and address gaps in pupils' knowledge are underdeveloped. At times, teachers do not check and remedy pupils' misconceptions quickly and effectively. This hinders how well pupils learn. The school should ensure that teachers have the knowledge and skills that they need to check that pupils are learning all that they should.
• The school does not identify gaps in specific aspects of pupils' reading knowledge, such as comprehension and vocabulary development. This means that some pupils are not supported as well as they could be to improve their reading knowledge. The school should ensure that it diagnoses the deficits in pupils' reading knowledge with precision. This is so that it can ensure that pupils read competently.
• The school does not teach older pupils about the full range of protected characteristics. This means that pupils develop a limited understanding of the diverse world in which they live. The school should ensure that the programme to promote pupils' personal development covers all of the protected characteristics so that pupils are prepared well for life in modern Britain.
• The school does not ensure that older pupils gain an age-appropriate understanding of RSE. This means that some pupils are not informed fully of the risks of harm that are linked to consent and sexual harassment. The school should ensure that pupils are well-equipped to identify risks in relationships so that they are prepared for life beyond school.

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