JFS goes from ‘special measures’ to top 10 school in two years
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JFS goes from ‘special measures’ to top 10 school in two years

Europe's largest Jewish secondary school places sixth in annual Times newspaper list, named alongside Hasmonean High and Yavneh College.

JFS School in Kenton, Harrow
JFS School in Kenton, Harrow

JFS capped a remarkable academic transformation by being named among the country’s top 10 comprehensive schools – two years after being put into special measures by Ofsted.

The Times newspaper ranks Europe’s largest Jewish secondary school sixth in its annual list of comprehensives, with 87.8% of students achieving A level grades between A* and B.

The turnaround comes less than two years after a damning Ofsted report outlining “deep-rooted and widespread failings in the school’s safeguarding culture” under previous headteacher Rachel Fink.

Former Ofsted Chief Inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw took over at JFS temporarily following the report that placed it in ‘special measures’.

Headteacher Dr David Moodytold Jewish News: ““I could not be more proud of JFS and everything it has achieved in such a short period of time. The rapid improvements are a reflection of all the hard work that our students, staff and parents have put in and are a testament to how much everyone in our community values a high-quality education.

“As someone who is relatively new to the school, I am blown aware by the desire of our children to do well and their determination to succeed. It is a privilege to stand beside them and to see the better futures that they are shaping for themselves.”

The Times rankings place Hasmonean Girls High School in Mill Hill in seventh place and by Yavneh College in Borehamwood at eight.

Yavneh executive headteacher Spencer Lewis said: “Thanks and appreciation must go to the outstanding staff at Yavneh College whose professional, kind, dedicated approach allows our pupils to flourish year in and year out.”

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