More than sats-isfactory for schools

THE VAST majority of state-aided Jewish primary schools in England have ensured their children reach the expected standards in English and maths before they leave school this year, according to the Department for Education.

As many as 28 of the 32 Jewish schools were above the national average of 64 per cent of children achieving the standards for their age in maths, reading and writing in this year’s Sats.

And 19 Jewish schools had more than the 10 per cent national average of children achieving the higher-level standards — with seven recording double or more than the higher-level average.

Collectively, 77 per cent of children in Jewish schools reached the expected Sats standards — that is, 13 per cent above the national average.

It was a particularly gratifying year for Simon Marks Primary in Hackney, which was the only Jewish school officially to be rated “well above average” for progress made in all three areas of reading, writing and maths.

Progress scores measure academically how far children have come since year two.

Simon Marks headteacher Gulcan Metin Asdoyuran said the results were “fantastic. I’m really proud of all our children. Learning is fun at Simon Marks and the future is bright.”

Menorah Primary in Golders Green, Beit Shvidler in Edgware and the Independent Jewish Day School in Hendon (IJDS) all achieved “well above average” progress ratings in two areas.

Judith Caplan, headteacher of North-West London Jewish Day School in Willesden, where a quarter of children achieved the higher-level standards, said the results were “even more impressive” given the large number of its pupils with English as a second language.

For a second year running, IJDS topped the Jewish table, with the highest percentage of pupils achieving the expected standard for Sats.

North Cheshire in south Manchester had the biggest proportion of pupils at the higher level; its progress rating was “above average” in all three areas.

The table below shows the percentage reaching the expected and higherlevel standards in reading, writing and maths; and the average pupil test scores for reading and maths. Includes material not in the Etgar Handbook

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