Ofsted inspects JFS again, report expected by end of the year

Ofsted will publish its latest report on JFS by the end of the year following an inspection last week.

Europe’s largest Jewish secondary will be judged by the education inspectorate on its progress, after it was placed in special measures and downgraded to inadequate earlier in the year.

It comes after concerns were raised over safeguarding and bullying at the Kenton school, which led to the departure of former headteacher Rachel Fink.

Schools placed in special measures are regularly monitored by Ofsted to measure improvement. The school confirmed to Jewish News it is expecting the results in the next 30 days.

Fink was succeeded by temporary headteachers including Sir Michael Wilshaw, the former chief inspector for Ofsted,  then Martin Tissot, and incumbent co-heads Paul Ramsey and Anna Joseph, as it looks to fill the role permanently.

The school, which has more than 2,000 students, wrote to parents last month saying it was of “paramount importance” to find a full-time headteacher,  announcing it had been using a headhunter and advertising, with numerous interviews lined up.

Since the previous inspection, JFS also told parents it had put forward a proposal to join  the Jewish Community Academy Trust (JCAT).

The school’s chair of governors told parents last month: “Despite the challenges that currently face us, the quality of education at JFS is still highly regarded and its rich and long history make us a school we are certain talented and dynamic headteachers will want to lead.”