Five Jewish schools in top 20 of best comprehensives in Britain

Five Jewish schools have made it into the top 20 best comprehensive schools in Britain in the annual Parent Power league tables — and a jubilant Dr David Moody, head teacher of JFS, which has topped the league, has praised Jewish mothers for their input.

The league tables, published in The Times, showcase the achievements of schools all over the country based on GCSE and A level results. JFS — which was 45th in the table of best comprehensives last year — has shot up the rankings to become the top school in the country.

Also in the top 20 are Menorah High School in seventh place, Yavneh College at number nine, with Hasmonean Girls in 13th position and JCoSS at number 14. All the Jewish schools have improved their rankings by leaps and bounds — last year, for example, Yavneh was down at 106, while in 2023 Hasmonean and JCoss languished at 121 and 125 places respectively, with Menorah at 91st place.

A statement from Yavneh said its new position in the league tables was “a fantastic achievement of which we should all be incredibly proud”. The statement praised JFS and added that “the huge success of schools in our community is a source of real pride.”

JFS head Dr Moody told Jewish News: “JFS is incredibly proud of all the hard work that our students and teachers have put in to make these results possible. They are on the back of many hours of unseen toil and my thanks go to everyone involved”.

He noted : “Near to the top of any league table, there are always so many nuances that influence final positions, but that the stars have aligned for JFS this year is lovely. With five Jewish schools in the top 20, it is great that there are so many other schools also worthy of congratulations. I could not be more pleased for the community, nor indeed more thankful to the legions of Jewish mothers — who, I think, may well be the foundation of all our combined successes!”