Ofsted applaud Kisharon Langdon College leadership team efforts in latest inspection
Welcome signs of recovery for SEND specialist provider after difficult 2024 report and closure of Manchester sites
Kisharon Langdon College in Edgware, north London has been commended by school inspectors Ofsted for strong leadership, high-quality education and a culture where its 30 students feel “safe, supported and valued” in its latest review (March 2026).
The report for the school for young Jewish people with special educational needs noted “significant” improvements since the previous 2024 inspection, when Ofsted found it ‘inadequate’ with major safeguarding failures and poor curriculum planning.
The failures led to the decision to close the charity’s two Salford, Manchester campuses in December of that year. By contrast, the charity’s other school, Kisharon Noé School, was rated “good” by Ofsted in 2023.
This year, inspectors have recognised a strong and embedded culture of safeguarding, with staff and leaders creating an open environment where safety is “everyone’s responsibility”. Students reported that they feel safe, enjoy their learning and are confident that concerns will be listened to and acted upon swiftly.
The report highlights “reasonable progress” made by leaders to make
sure learners study a challenging and personalised curriculum but found that art, drama and Jewish studies “are not integrated well enough into the overall curriculum that each learner follows” and leaders “do not have sufficient oversight of the quality of teaching of these subjects.”
However, Ofsted notes clear improvements driven by senior leadership and trustees, including the introduction of a newly sequenced curriculum designed to support independence and adulthood, where learners can “gain new knowledge,
skills and behaviours”, improving their money skills such as budgeting and
estimating for weekly shopping. They also “learn to plan travel routes by public transport, have a knowledge of healthy and unhealthy ingredients and become more assertive.”
Students were observed making strong progress towards independence, communication and employability, supported by caring and skilled staff who are committed to the highest standards of education. Inspectors noted the positive, calm learning environment, high attendance, purposeful behaviour and meaningful opportunities for students to contribute to college life and the wider community.
The inspection also recognised the significant role of governance, highlighting how a strengthened board of trustees has worked closely with senior leaders to bring about rapid and sustainable improvement across safeguarding, health and safety and curriculum quality.
Dr Emily Haddock, director of education and impact at Kisharon Langdon, said: “Leaders have worked tirelessly to raise standards, strengthen safeguarding and ensure that wellbeing sits at the heart of everything we do. Our students deserve the very best, and parents rightly expect a provision that is safe, ambitious and nurturing. I am incredibly proud of the improvements made, particularly in safeguarding and curriculum design, which are already making a tangible difference to students’ confidence and independence.”
Chief executive Richard Franklin added: “This is a testament to the exceptional commitment of the staff team at Kisharon Langdon College and our trustees, who have worked with focus and determination to drive improvement. The strength of safeguarding and the clarity of leadership shown in this inspection reinforce our unwavering commitment to student wellbeing, ambition and inclusion.”
Kisharon Langdon College says it welcomes the inspection’s clear next steps and “remains committed to continuous improvement, including further strengthening inclusion strategies and expanding work experience opportunities” with developments building on “the strong foundations already in place, ensuring that students continue to thrive, feel safe and leave college prepared for adulthood.”
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