Beis Ruchel Girls School, Manchester

What it's like to be a pupil at Beis Ruchel Girls School

Pupils are not equipped to understand the diversity of the wider community in which they live. They are not taught the breadth of knowledge that they need to be prepared for life in modern Britain. These shortcomings were evident at the previous inspection. Consequently, the proprietor has not ensured that all of the independent schools standards are met. Despite this, parents and carers view the school as a cornerstone of their local community. They welcome the fact that the proprietor strictly adheres to the core principles of the Hassidic Orthodox Jewish faith. In the early years, children's learning gets off to a slow start. Children, all of whom speak English as an additional language, are not equipped with the English language skills and knowledge that they need to communicate effectively by the end of the Reception Year. The curriculum in Year 1 does not have high enough expectations to help children to make up for the missed education in the early years. Pupils' achievement starts to improve across key stage 2 due to the fact that they follow a more structured and age-appropriate curriculum. As a result, some pupils are prepared for the next stage of their education. However, other pupils continue to have gaps in their knowledge by the time they leave the school. The school identifies pupils who may have special educational needs and/or disabilities accurately. Staff work purposefully to reduce pupils' barriers to learning. All pupils feel included and have a strong sense of belonging to the school. Pupils have positive relationships with one another and with staff. They feel safe in school because of the nurture that they receive. They approach their learning with enjoyment and excitement and gain confidence through wider opportunities such as singing, acting or reciting poetry. They debate different topics and develop a strong moral sense of right and wrong. Their positive attitudes towards school result in their above-average attendance rates. Pupils behave well. They are taught about the harmful effects of bullying. Leaders and staff pick up on small aspects of misbehaviour when they occur.

What Ofsted says the school should do next

• The proprietor should immediately take steps to ensure that the teaching of English language and communication skills, including phonics, is significantly improved in the early years so that children are prepared well for Year 1.
• The proprietor should take swift action to ensure that the statutory early years foundation stage learning requirements are met.
• The proprietor should ensure that the school's provision for pupils' personal development meets the Department for Education's statutory relationships and sex education and health education guidance.
• The proprietor should ensure that the unmet independent school standards are addressed effectively so that they are consistently met.
• The proprietor should ensure that the early work to address common errors in some pupils' writing continues, so that gaps in knowledge are reduced and pupils are better prepared for their next stage of education.

The school creates a caring, respectful environment where pupils have excellent relationships with staff and each other, resulting in calm behaviour and enthusiasm for learning. Leaders work closely with parents and identify pupils who need extra support, providing effective small-group and individual help. The school's Orthodox Jewish values are deeply valued by the community it serves.

Safeguarding standards are met with an open, positive culture where all legal requirements are fulfilled and pupils feel safe.

Drama and artistic activities, world weeks exploring different countries, trips, visiting speakers

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