Kantor King Solomon school’s future ‘under review’

North-east London’s only Jewish secondary school, Kantor King Solomon, has announced “a wide-ranging review” to discuss its future and Jewish education in the area – once the most densely populated Jewish community in Europe.

But in a strongly-worded statement to Jewish News, the co-chairs of the school governors, Dr Richard Burack and Mrs Stephani Sollosi, said that “in response to last week’s speculation we can certainly confirm that we have no plans to move the school”.

The co-chairs of the school, known as KKS, say they feel “a sharp sense of responsibility, not only for the school as it currently exists, but for the future of secondary educational provision for the Jewish community across north-east London”.

The governors say they are “keeping all options open” and want to maintain “the very highest standards of Jewish education”. They made clear to Jewish News that “we will only be able to have substantive discussions about the future of our successful school when we have completed a thorough review process”.

The review, which is to be undertaken in association with PaJeS, the Partnership for Jewish Schools which is a division of the Jewish Leadership Council. More than 34,000 Jewish children have been educated in 117 Jewish schools in Britain in the last 20 years, and regular reviews are held to monitor the growth of population and the needs of parents and children.

Recent questions about the future of KKS had suggested that the governors were considering moving the school, whose Jewish intake has dropped by a third, to a different location in north London.

But a source close to the governors told Jewish News this week that “a move is not the primary objective of the review. The review is designed to look at provisions for the students, and their needs will be at the forefront of this inquiry”.

David Collins, director of Young People and Young Families for the United Synagogue, said: “As the foundation body, the US is working closely with the school and we fully support the wide-ranging review. It will be invaluable in planning a bright future for the school and all of its stakeholders. Any speculation about a plan to relocate KKS is unfounded. This is just one of numerous options that may need to be considered.”

OPINION -Wes Streeting: Losing our successful Jewish school would be a travesty