Independent Jewish Day School

The school is performing strongly. Inspectors found a warm, inclusive community where pupils feel safe and valued, behaviour is exemplary and pupils have exceptionally positive attitudes to learning. Pupils achieve well, including above national averages in national tests, and benefit from a broad, ambitious curriculum that has been significantly reviewed and improved. Reading is a priority from early years, and pupils who fall behind are supported to catch up quickly. Personal development is a standout feature, with extensive opportunities for leadership, community action, charity work and understanding diversity. Safeguarding is effective. Leadership and management are good, staff feel well supported, and governance fulfils statutory duties. The school accurately identifies and supports pupils with SEND, and attendance systems are robust. The previous inspection judged the school as requiring improvement; this inspection shows substantial improvement, although no overall effectiveness grade is awarded under current arrangements. The school converted to academy status in 2012, has a Jewish religious character, and has had a new headteacher since September 2023. Two areas need further work. Expectations for writing are not consistently high across some subjects, so the quality of pupils’ written work sometimes falls short. In early years, some activities do not consistently deepen children’s curiosity and engagement, which can limit concentration and listening. Leaders should address these points to secure consistently high standards across the curriculum.

Strengths

• Warm, welcoming community with strong relationships and mutual respect
• High expectations for attainment and behaviour
• Exemplary pupil behaviour and extremely positive attitudes to learning
• Pupils achieve above the national average in national tests
• Broad, ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum from early years onwards
• Strong reading and phonics provision with effective catch-up support
• Accurate identification of SEND and well-considered curriculum adaptations
• Outstanding personal development with extensive wider opportunities
• Pupils develop exceptional character through leadership and community work
• Effective safeguarding arrangements
• Staff receive effective support and workload is considered
• Governance fulfils statutory duties and parents highly value the school

Areas for Improvement

• Expectations for writing are not consistently high in some subjects, leading to variation in written work quality
• Some early years activities do not consistently deepen children’s curiosity and engagement, limiting concentration

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Independent Jewish Day School attended 95.7% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 7.5% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 1.4% of pupils at Independent Jewish Day School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Independent Jewish Day School had 14.0 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 16.8% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 14.5% of pupils at Independent Jewish Day School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 0.9% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 Independent Jewish Day School received £9,995 and spent £9,950 for each of its 222 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £34,000 (£153 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Barnet · Barnet local authority: places and applications

What is Independent Jewish Day School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Independent Jewish Day School is Good, from an inspection in October 2025.

When was Independent Jewish Day School last inspected by Ofsted?

Independent Jewish Day School was last inspected in October 2025.

How many pupils does Independent Jewish Day School have?

Independent Jewish Day School has 214 pupils on roll.

What age range does Independent Jewish Day School cover?

Independent Jewish Day School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Independent Jewish Day School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 83% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Independent Jewish Day School?

Independent Jewish Day School is at 46 Green Lane, Hendon, London, NW4 2AH.