JFS appoints acting joint heads as search for full-time hire stepped up

Chair of governors writes to parents announcing the move and that Ofsted will be revisiting Europe's largest Jewish secondary school soon

JFS has appointed acting joint headteachers as it steps up the search for a permanent hire.

Paul Ramsey and Anna Joseph will succeed Martin Tissot, who took up the position temporarily at the start of the school year.

Ramsey joined JFS in September from St Albans’ Verulam School, where he spent 21 years, including 11 as headteacher. Joseph joined JFS 2017, became assistant head in 2018, and was recognised for ‘promoting excellence in literacy in a secondary school’, at the Jewish News Jewish Schools Awards in 2019.

They will continue to be supported by Dame Joan McVittie and former Ofsted chief inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw.

In a letter to parents, Andrew Moss, JFS’s chair of governors, also confirmed Ofsted would “conduct a monitoring visit to the school in the short term”.

JFS was placed in special measures earlier in 2021 and judged ‘inadequate’ by Ofsted with concerns raised over safeguarding and bullying.

The letter said JFS is in the final stages of appointment a new permanent headteacher, which is of “paramount importance”.

It has “received a great deal of interest in the position” and will conducting interviews this month.

Moss added: “A tremendous amount of hard work has been undertaken by all staff” after the Ofsted report, and “considerable progress has been made on the ground and in particular (but not only) safeguarding has received a great deal of attention and focus.”

He also updated parents about the proposal for JFS to join the Jewish Community Academy Trust (JCAT). He said the school’s board met trustees of the Trust and representatives of the United Synagogue, under whose auspices it is run.