Ex-Hertsmere JPS head pulls out of Moriah job

FORMER HERTSMERE Jewish Primary head Steven Isaacs has withdrawn from a similar post at Moriah Jewish Day School.

Mr Isaacs, who left HJPS suddenly a year and a half ago, had been due to become head of the Pinner school at the start of the new academic year.

But Kirsten Jowett, chief executive of the United Synagogue’s Jewish Community Academy Trust (Jcat), which runs Moriah, told parents on Wednesday that Mr Isaacs had “decided to withdraw from this appointment for family reasons”.

She said that having “spent a great deal of time planning our staff for next year, we are extremely disappointed with this. I know you will share our frustration regarding this decision.”

In the meantime, to cover next term, the trust has appointed Sarah Simmons, who currently leads the Schools Direct programme for training Jewish teachers and is a former deputy head of a Westminster school.

“We are delighted to have her on board,” Ms Jowett said.

She will be working in partnership with Moriah’s executive head Hayley Gross, who is head of another Jcat school, Sacks Morasha in North Finchley.

Moriah was recently awarded outstanding status for Jewish studies by the Board of Deputies-run inspection service, Pikuach.

‘Parents will share our frustration over this’