Wednesday 23 December 2015

New Signage For The Campus

As promised in my last post the new signs are now in place.  Those who view this blog will now have a sneak preview of some of the new signs.







Sunday 20 December 2015

End of Term - Phew!!

It seems like it has been a very long term, but a highly successful one.

BJPS finished the year with a poetry themed writing week.  With the support of The Link (PTA) we brought in a poet to offer workshops to every class culminating in a final assembly with every class performing either a poem they had learned or a poem they had written.

You will also have now received a copy of the new BJPS Homework Policy.  We are taking a leap of faith moving homework from compulsory to optional.  We are also changing the nature of the homework so that it focuses on core skills and less on research. We know that not all will like this approach as we also know that homework will continue to divide the parents as a whole.

On the  BJPS website you will see a copy of the latest school newsletter.  It would be great if everyone took the chance to read this and share the many things that we can celebrate.

Going into 2016 schools will start to feel the financial pinch. Cash value school funding has been guaranteed but staffing costs continue to rise as pension contributions increase and our support staff are now to be offered the Living Wage as a minimum.  Schools across the country are also being encouraged to consider moving to Academy status as this is soon to be expected to be the norm.

Balanced against this are the ever increasing numbers for both schools.  LJFS now has 53 pupils, double its July 2015 roll.  Admission applications for 2016 suggest that it will have its first full intake in 2016. BJPS now sees cohorts of 40+ becoming the norm and this will have to be reflected further in our structure as we move towards a natural 1.5 form of entry.

 LJFS is consulting on its revised admissions policy for 2017 and will be sharing this in a meeting with the Year 5 parents.  The only significant change is that we will no longer prioritise all the cluster schools. Instead Brodetsky, Alwoodley and Allerton C of E schools will have priority over other schools.  The full draft policy is available on the LJFS website and feedback on it is sought.

Brodetsky also has its admissions policy open for consultation.  This should happen every 7 years as a minimum. There are no significant changes to the policy.

2016 also brings changes to how Year 6 and Year 2 are assessed as they move over to assessment without levels.  This was already in place for all other year groups. We do not yet know what the SATs will be like but will ensure that all our pupils are well prepared for it.

Finally we have, at last, commissioned new signage for the campus that reflects the very complex usage.  These signs should be in place for the start of the next term.  I suspect that the chosen colour will be contentious as it reflects none of the colours used by LJFS, BJPS and The Zone.  This was a deliberate choice so that no-one of the organisations is seen to dominate the identity of the campus.  I will wait for the feedback to see how contentious the colour is.

The most important thing now is for everyone to have a relaxing holiday and then to return in January for another frenetic term of high activity. I look forward to seeing all the pupils and students back in school ready to work hard.

Tuesday 8 December 2015

Channukah at 10 Downing Street

Sometimes the job brings along the unexpected.  In this case it was a small envelope with 10 Downing Street printed on the reverse in simple text.

I was off site when the invitation arrived and was notified by email by the school office.  I assumed that this was a practical joke being played on me (there is a history of this and a number of staff have threatened revenge).

However it soon became clear that the invitation was genuine.



As a result I travelled up to London (one of the strange rules of grammar is that you travel up to a capital city, even if it is south of you - and having stated this I am sure someone may challenge this view) on Monday morning.

I had assumed those invited would enter through a side door but we were all ushered (after extensive security checks) through the famed door and up the staircase lined with the portraits of every prime minister that has served and left office. Gordon Brown currently stands at the top of the staircase.

All those invited then gathered in two rooms, waiting for the candle lighting to start.  This gave a chance for you to mingle which is very difficult when most of the guests were from London and seemed to have come in groups.  There were current servicemen/service women as well as veterans.  Rabbis, councillors and civic leaders in the group (and one headteacher of course).

I did finally meet up with the only other invitee from Leeds, Simon Jackson, who sits on the JLC and the Leeds Rep Council. He has been the sole Leeds representative in recent years. I was also able to meet the son of one of our Governors, who lives in London.  Ivan Green did comment that his son has gained his good looks from his father, I will leave others to judge this statement of fact.

I can heartily recommend London's Kosher Canapés and, despite the fact they come from the other side of the Pennines, The King David Primary School Choir.  I am hopeful that the Brodetsky choir might get an invite in the future.

The Prime Minister was unable to join us as he was in Cumbria following the devastating floods. The Home Secretary, Teresa May stood in for him and, with the Chief Rabbi, led the candle lighting. The Chief Rabbi spoke clearly about the need to appreciate what we have and the country we live in.  He asked us all to give our thoughts to our servicemen/women who are currently in action in the skies over Syria and Iraq.

I was asked by one of the PM's press officers why there were only three candles.  I was able to answer clearly but did tell him he had managed to find probably the only gentile guest in the audience to ask.  This did draw a bemused smile.

Finally, as I left the event to get my train back to Leeds, I was able to pause and have my photograph taken in front of that famous door.


Clearly the gentleman taking a selfie had the same idea as me but without someone else to take the photograph.

Let's hope that other representatives  of the Leeds Jewish community are invited next year.

Monday 16 November 2015

The Consequences Of Attacks In Paris

In assembly today both schools stopped for a minutes silence, our second act of remembrance in less than a week.  Our Union Flag is flying at half mast.

These acts show support and solidarity with the French people but do not say what will happen next.

For LJFS there is the consideration of any changes that we need to make to our planned trip to France, including Paris, in the spring.  We know some parents and pupils are concerned about this going ahead in light of what has happened.

For all our pupils and students there is the growing awareness of the difficult times we live in and how close to home the conflict has come.

At 48 years of age I have seen this over the years time and time again.  I grew up under the shadow of Irish Republican terrorism.  Whilst peace now rests in Northern Ireland the threat still splutters on from time to time.

Those children and families living in Syria and Iraq live under daily threat from attack from any quarter as different factions and the western powers try to either take control or restore peace.

For my father's generation it was the blitz. His stories, as a young child, include remembering sitting in a shelter as bombs rained down on his home town of Coventry.

For the Jews of Europe who, leading up to the war were beaten, forced from their homes, businesses stolen and then many finally ending their lives the camps threat; violence and terror was at a level none can imagine.

Recent attacks have been targeted at the Jewish population  but the most recent was targeted at anyone and no-one.

How then, should we respond?  That question is one that can only be answered individually. 

My response is that I cannot plan for the hate filled actions of the unknown and radicalised few.  I can show my defiance in any way I can, as our communities have done over many years. 

Can I be certain that I will avoid risk? 

No! 

I can ensure that precautions are taken, risk considered and  no-one is put in the way of known significant risk.

Most of all I can strive to ensure that my sons, pupils and students all appreciate the safety they enjoy in a democratic country.  They must also appreciate what others do to create that safety and most of all to appreciate that they have the freedom to have their own opinions, to disagree, to debate and to argue without fear of repercussions.

I leave you to your own thoughts and, if your child is old enough, encourage them to share and discuss their own thoughts.

Thursday 12 November 2015

Year 6 In Buckden

If you get a chance try and visit the Year 6 Blog as they spend a wet week at Buckden.

Despite the 'fresh' weather they are having a great time.

https://brodetskyy62015.wordpress.com/author/karengill2013/

Wednesday 11 November 2015

Armistice Day2015 as it was marked on the campus.

Today we were able to fully mark Armistice Day with all the pupils, students, Governors and staff on site (with some parents thrown in for good measure).

The British Legion also supported us this year bringing a self evident additional reality to the event.

The response from all our pupils to Armistice Day was amazing. I was really please see all our pupils wearing their poppies with a real sense of pride and importance.

As I walked through the playground at lunchtime the Brodetsky KS1 pupils were all trying to show me their poppies.  One pupil showed me the poppy his mother had knitted for him.  The time taken to make that poppy was significantly longer than the two minutes we gave today.  This in itself was a true act of remembrance.
In the morning every pupil (both from LJFS and BJPS) took part in an assembly themed around Armistice Day and how it would be marked today.

At 10.50am am all the Brodetsky pupils in Cub, Brownie and Beaver uniforms joined all the LJFS sudents, representatives from the BJPS School Council,  Cllr Dan Cohen, Rabbi Kleiman and Raina and the Zone team as we gathered beneath the Union Flag. 

Mrs Bhogal, dressed in a sari as she marked Diwali, wore a poppy on her shoulder.

I had the privilege of joining representatives of the British Legion as they marched their standards into our memorial area.

At 11am the standards were dipped and everyone on the campus joined together for two minutes of silence and reflection.

Every parent can be proud with how their child conducted themselves, as am I.  When you come to school next I hope you may take the time to pause by our wreaths.

Photographs From Today (Courtesy of John Fisher)









Sunday 8 November 2015

Remember, Remember The Fifth of November
 
 
 
The Finale
 
 
We had a fantastic Firework display again on Thursday 5th.  This was a campus fundraising effort and all the partners played a role in ensuring it was a success.
 

 Simon Barnett coordinated the display itself and again supported the cost of the fireworks.  The display would not be possible without his support.  He was backed up by Bryan Gothelf and Darren Taylor who helped set up the display and light the fireworks.  The setting up takes several hours to complete.  There is an additional donor who has supported some of the costs. I will add their name once I can confirm they are happy with this.
 
Raina and her Zone team opened their doors and provided amazing hospitality for the hundreds of people who attended. This takes days of preparation and hours of non-stop service and cleaning at the end.  The hotdogs, baked potatoes, soup and cakes were amazing and well appreciated and is a key part of ensuring the event is a success.
 
The Schools Campus Administrative Team, led by Denise Robinson, with Nigel Barton (Site Manager) ensured that tickets and parking where organised and that logistical support, where needed, was given to all involved.  They were also supported by Maccabi who provided stewards to help manage access to the site and parking.  Bryan Gothelf played a second role coordinating the Maccabi volunteer gathering.
 
The Brodetsky Link volunteers staffed the ticket sales on the gates, ran a raffle, sold glow sticks and painted faces.  They also designed the tickets and the fliers. As always their quiet work behind the scenes gives the special child focus to every event.
 
The Scouts Guides, Brownies, Cubs and Beavers organised the bonfire and the 'Make a Guy Stall'.  All the 'guys' were added to the fire. We of course meant no offence to Roman Catholic guests. Guy Fawkes ended up on the fire because of an act of treason and not directly because of his faith.
 
And finally the LJFS Students and Staff (Including those from the Rodillian Academy) held a non-uniform day.  They all paid to come to school dressed as 'Guys' and fireworks.
 
The Campus Administrative Team will collate the income and we will announce the final total as soon as it is known.
 
I would like to thank everyone who helped organise this event and those who supported it.  It continues to be an amazing reflection of our community and the campus as one of its core hubs.
 
 
 
 

Sunday 1 November 2015

Remembrance

We are moving into two weeks of remembrance. One is a time for fun and festivities and the other a time for thought and reflection. 

On Thursday we will celebrate Guy Fawkes night.  This will be a little harder this year with the fields dug up and very muddy.  However we are still going ahead and we hope you will join us again. 

As we all enjoy the fireworks and fun it is worth spending some time considering the history behind the event.  It harks back to a time of religious intolerance, persecution and the resulting threat to our democracy.  The threat grew from the persecution, an injustice, but became a threat that undermined the very nature of this country.  The Mother of Parliaments, no matter what its flaws are, is looked at around the world as a model to be emulated.

If we look at events in the Middle East with Israel still standing alone as the only true democracy in its area, ISL enforcing religious intolerance and military threat, instability in Syria, Iraq and Egypt it is clear that there is still a lot to be learned from our own history.  It is clear the need for the freedom and democracy is still a distant dream for some people.

This Sunday is Remembrance Sunday.  We will mark Remembrance day on the 11th at school.  This history is closer than Guy Fawkes night and therefore more poignant. One hundred years ago this country and all of Europe was being ripped asunder by war.  The scars this war left paved the way for the atrocities of the second world war.

As we stop and reflect, whilst remembering our own troops past and present, please also give some thought to those  now caught in amongst the fighting in their home countries, looking to strong democracies like ours to give them some hope. 

Finally, to show the modern face of the Poppy Appeal, I was able to see part of the launch of this year's appeal inside Kings Cross station. Surrounded by groups of uniformed servicemen and service women collecting for the appeal was this band from the Army Air Service. Reminiscent of the first appeal for servicemen (survivors from the Crimean War) at the start of the 20th century, through a dinner.


                                            GIVE GENEROUSLY

Thursday 17 September 2015

What's In a Brain

As a school we have just started the Growth Mindset journey. To help start things with a bang Year 3 have been learning about brains first hand.

They have, with gloved hands, looked at,  and explored,  pigs brains.

Question 1.  How much does a pig's brain weigh?  They had expected them to be heavy but after careful investigation a pigs brain weighed about 120 grams. We did not know if it was an adult brain.



Question 2.  What does the inside of the brain look like?  One pupil, Marc, very quickly answered that brains have neurons in them.  He was invited up to have a look for himself.  Sadly he could not see the individual neurons but he could see the different areas.


Question 3. What could you do if you were feeling ill looking at the brains?  Mrs Taylor worked with the few pupils who need to escape. They were making an image of the brain using cord which will be decorated to illustrate what the different parts of the brain do.

Wednesday 2 September 2015

The summer and beyond

July already seems a long way away as both schools opened their doors for a new school year.  Much has changed over the holiday as the campus continues to grow.

BJPS is bulging at the seams and LJFS has now grown to 48 students (having started with 8 students in 2013)..

Deborah Taylor Nursery has now been incorporated into BJPS and for the first time all our BJPS staff are employed by the school.

My biggest treat today was to try the first dish on our revised menu.  Today the pupils were offered either chicken curry or vegetable curry.  It was well spiced but not too hot and I can safely say the food was delicious.  Of course, for some, it was too spicy and they will have to spend some time developing a palette for the flavours on offer.  As a parent I have had the same battles at home.  However a significant number went for seconds, which is always a good sign.

The LJFS OfSTED inspection finally took place last summer and the report is now to be published. It will be available on the LJFS website soon and I will post it here tomorrow. You will, when you read it, see how far we have come in such a short time and with a model that is still unique in the country.

Time to get back to my work but I will be busy adding to the blog over the next few weeks.

If you wish to raise a question with me you can add it is a comment to the blog and I will endeavour  to answer the query.  The answer may be useful to others.

Monday 6 July 2015

Sports Day, Cycle Training and LJFS Promotional Video

Over the last few weeks the LJFS students have been involved in deciding the names for their new houses.

The features of the school they felt they should represent were:

1.  Jewish Ethos
2. Diversity
3. Strong Values

After a series of discussions and proposals we finally settled on four houses, four colours and four role models (with matching personal characteristics).

Can you rearrange  them into the correct order before I tell you at the end of the week.

House Names            House Colours          House Role Models       Role Model Attribute

Earth                           Purple                         Queen Esther                   Innovator

Fire                             Black                           King Solomon                Brave

Water                          White                           Queen Salome                Warrior

Air                              Gold                            King David                     Wise

They used these today for the first time during the inaugural LJFS.  These photographs show the students in action.





We also had Brodetsky pupils busy undertaking cycle training at the same time.  The oldest pupils on the campus were all outside at the same time.

Finally the new LJFS promotional video is hot off the press and  should be on the website tomorrow.. We hope you like it.



Monday 29 June 2015

The schools on campus are very busy places and demand a lot of our collective time.  A key part of school life is Tzdoka.  Our pupils donate regularly to causes such as JNF and the Leeds Jewish Welfare Board.  We also support charities beyond the Jewish community.

In the next few weeks a group of staff are going to attempt the 3 Peaks Challenge, raising money for`St Gemma's Hospice.

If you would like to support them please visit their page below. It is a great cause that has supported families at the worst of times, irrespective of faith, gender or ethnicity.



https://www.justgiving.com/TeamBrodetsky/?targetdevice=desktop

Monday 22 June 2015

Sad News and Celebration

Last week we had the first LJFS Ofsted Inspection.  This was a very strange experience and we cannot share the outcome until the report has been published., although we can say we are very pleased that the report will reflect all that has been achieved over the last four years.

What it highlighted, and can be shared, that you, is that  sometimes you have to work hard explaining things that appear obvious to yourself.  When this is applied to a unique educational model this proved even more difficult, but clearly not impossible.

During the course of the inspection something happened that reminded us that there are also many things far more important than inspections, league tables and all the other external measures of a school.

One of ours students lost her father during the first day of the inspection. It was also the day before her birthday and three days before her Bat Mitzvah (LJFS's first).  For any person this is a tragic experience, but to not have her father alongside her at this important point in her life could have been unbearable.

Amazingly this student found the strength and resilience to read at the kiddish after the service, and did so with confidence and clarity that belied the tragedy she had experienced.  The amazing support of her mother ensured she could do this with such confidence.

The LJFS family is now able to offer their support.  Her friends have been able to take it in turns to sit Shiva with her at her home during the day, and some have also joined her in the evening.

It is at times like these that any community, but especially a faith community, can come together to provide the support that an individual or family needs.  This should be valued and nurtured.

Many in Brodetsky have been oblivious to these events in LJFS with  life carrying on as normal unless directly connected to this family.

Today we learned that our Year 6 students have won the national  Kosher Rap competition.  This competition was designed to promote innovative ways to promote Jewish learning.  Mrs Gill (Year 6 Teacher), Mr Yechezkel and Simon (The Zone) worked superbly to put together a video that showcased the rap, written and performed by the students.

If you have not seen it yet please follow this link and let me know what you think.

http://kosherrap.us10.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=12fd6595d67dceeb4d57b6220&id=f9e49265a9&e=fa83b65192

Tuesday 16 June 2015

Brodetsky Rap

This is a very quick post.

This link will take you to the Jewish Schools rap competition entries.

Please have a good look, decide quickly that the Brodetsky enrtry is the best and vote for us.

We would love you to share this link with as many people as possible (as long as they are going to vote for Brodetsky).

http://kosherrap.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=12fd6595d67dceeb4d57b6220&id=0d7bc99df0&e=fa83b65192

Thursday 11 June 2015

Whole School Photograph and Chalk School ork

Who would have thought finding time to write a Blog could be so difficult.

However today was a special day.  We recently found, and framed, a whole school Brodetsky photograph from 2005.

We decided to take a new photograph 10 years on.  Today was the day for that photograph to be taken.  The photographers were amazing and easily organised all the children, including DTN Nursery, on a stage that they had assembled on the field.

It was hot and sunny but the children were great and  a successful photo shoot took place.  The photograph below gives a snap shot of the photo being taken.


Parents and staff will be able to buy a copy before the end of term.  The finished product will be a lot more polished than this taken using a school 'gadget'.

On a different note we recently added some screening panels to one playground fence. Although this area is used mainly by LJFS students it is also used for KS1 afternoon play times  and Brodetsky lessons.

We chose to paint the playground side of the panels with blackboard paint and the rest, as they say, is history.  Below you can see some of the maths that has appeared on the panels and the playground as a result.  There is also the evidence of a science lesson held outside by one of the teachers.








Monday 1 June 2015

A snake, a spider, a chongololo and an axoloti.

Year 4 were treated to some unusual visitors today. A large corn snake was the most straight forward of the guests to greet the pupils. I personally, have no problems with snakes and would have enjoyed holding the snake. The tarantula was one I would not have been willing to get so close to, and didn't. I beat a hasty retreat before the spider came out.

I was very excited to see a chongololo (Giant African Millipede). There were very common in Malawi where I once worked, and Zambia where I was born. The little bit of Africa in me jumped excitedly when I saw this visitor.

The most unusual was the axoloti, white with orange gills, this aquatic salamander was both beautiful and transfixing.

The Year 4 pupils thoroughly enjoyed the hands on experience and I am sure the work that will result will be excellent.

In LJFS the students started in their new year groups. We now have Year 8 and Year 9 pupils, waiting for the new Year 7 students to start in September. The new teachers, starting tomorrow joined us for part of the day as part of their induction.

It is an exciting time at the school as we move towards are first 'Options' process, our third intake and  recruiting our fourth cohort.

Busy times as always.

Monday 25 May 2015

That Sunday Feeling!

One of the best things about school holidays is the change to the Sunday feeling. This is not unique to teaching but more pronounced due the regularity of the working week.

Sunday evening, without work the next day, feels very different to the regular Sunday evening. It is more relaxed and can finish later as a slow start is possible the next day.

Leading up to this break was a particularly busy week in both schools.

LJFS held its second Parent's Evening of the year. Our organisation was perfected further and it went very well.  Parents were able to meet Susy Jagger, new Deputy Head for the school, as well as meet all the teachers and see for themselves the outstanding progress the students are making.  The feedback from those who attended was excellent.

Anne-Marie Holdsworth has provided the deputy support for LJFS for the last year and has been invaluable in supporting us take the school forward. She achieved this with limited time, and many other responsibilities within the Rodillian run schools. Susy Jagger will be on site full time including teaching maths and girls PE.

When we return the Brodesky Year 5 students will be offered their taster visits as they start to consider school options before the next admission round starts.

For Brodetsky, the sharing of new class lists was the big news of the week.  We do this early to avoid the normal rumour mill gathering too much of a head of steam. Despite the continuing increase in pupil numbers we have been able to maintain our existing structure with the addition of a second Year 3 class in September.  We are now looking to build additional classroom spaces this year, and the year after, to accommodate our rising role.

We will also integrate Deborah Taylor Nursery into Brodetsky from September.  This is a significant step that will aid us in making best use of our resources.  Deborah Taylor will continue to be remembered as we name the Early Years building after her.

We continue to seek new and innovative ways of organising education on site. This is done for the benefit of all the pupils.

I hope that this on going effort is appreciated by all.

Sunday 17 May 2015

After yet another Sunday sat over a keyboard it is not hard to understand why it is getting harder to find professionals who want to work in schools.

Education is one of the most rewarding jobs there is.  Giving a child, or young person, the skills they will need for a long adult life is an amazing valuable thing to do.

For those of us who have been at the 'chalk face' for a long time the workload has always been there and has steadily increased year on year.  We have grown to know this and see it is as normal.  For those newer to the profession this is increasingly seen as unacceptable to the extent that up to 50% of teachers leave the profession after a year.

As with the aging national population, we also have an aging teaching population (up to the mid 50's).  The future is going to be challenging and with few easy answers.

The one thing that we can all do is ensure that every teacher feels valued and respected.  A 'Thank You' goes a long way and is amazingly rare.

I know that one of the Brodetsky staff has been nominated for the BBC Leeds Teacher Awards.  This came about as a result of a nomination from a pupil, supported by a parent.  This staff member may not win (although he/she deserves it) but the nomination itself holds great value and I am sure is truly appreciated.

Do you know a teacher who deserves and would appreciate a 'Thank You'?  If so, maybe take the time to say it next week.

As for my staff, they are facing a 'Photocopy Free' week.  This does not mean the copies are free but that they must not use any photocopies this week.  I am sure I will not get many thanks for this but I am looking forward to the work that is produced.

I will let you know the outcome at the end of the week.

Tuesday 12 May 2015

A busy week with a lot of great things going on.

Every time I write a post I seem to have achieved it grabbing a window in an increasingly frenetic pace of life.

Over the last two weeks I have shown around numerous families looking for school places for September and we now certainly look be expecting our first ever full intake into Reception.

However, as this goes on, normal life needs to continue in school.

Earlier this week a Year 3 pupil, Jacob, brought in his completed reading challenge.  This was set over a year ago with no time limit included. To achieve the challenge you must have read 26 books, with the first letter of a name or a word in the title matching each letter of the alphabet (not the Aleph - Bet ).

We will celebrate this properly in assembly next week but I would like to share something Jacob said to me.  He confided that he had not always enjoyed reading but the challenge had got him into reading and he really enjoyed it now.  One could almost say "Job Done!!", but of course we will continue with new challenges for Jacob.

Our Reception pupils have enjoyed the fruits of Mrs Senior's 'Forest Schools' training this week.  They have been outside building shelters, lighting a fire and also toasted marshmallows.  Squeezed in amongst these activities was some maths in one of our shelters.

Mrs Shaw` has also completed this training and we are looking forward to rolling this out across the schools.

These photographs show you the children in action in our own environmental area.











Year 6 are sitting their SATs this week and are, so far, bearing up well under the strain.  They were still able to share their work linked to the Arts Award.  This is a national scheme designed to develop skills and leadership in all the arts.  Mrs Taylor coordinates this at the first stages (Discover and Explore).

Mrs Biggs has trained to assess the next levels to Silver.  This will allow us to role it out into key Stage 3.

The families loved seeing what the pupils had done and this also allowed the students to demonstrate their ability to share and explain their work to others.

These photographs show some of the pupils sharing their work and their portfolios.  All were very impressed.





























Finally, for the first time, our Year 8 boys, were able to lead a Minyan formed at school for morning prayers.  Most are Bar Mitzvah, with one now studying in preparation for his Bar Mitzvah.  A key aim when planning our provision was how we could keep our boys and girls engaged beyond Bar Mitzvah/Bat Mitzvah/Bat Chayill.  We expect next, to give some of the Year 7 girls an equivalent opportunity as they move into Year 8.

We want all our students to grow into leaders in our community and any part of the wider Leeds community in which they live .  This is one of the first steps.



Friday 8 May 2015

A busy week ending in an election.

It has been a very busy week and this has been my first chance to put finger to keyboard.

Despite the frenetic pace of life there have still been some magic moments to share.

The reception pupils held their fashion show today, to great acclaim from all who attended.  I have not yet received any photographs of the event but I will post these next week.

All pupils on site had the chance to enjoy a picnic lunch on Thursday for Lag B'Omer.  The school kitchen laid on a great spread that was enjoyed by all.

As you will be aware, over the last few weeks LJFS students have undertaken a lot of work linked to the general election.

IThis week I asked the students to predict the outcome, with a prize for anyone who guessed it correctly.  The suggestions included both forms of minority government as well as coalitions of all hues.  Two students did correctly predicted a Conservative majority. Dorneka and Lisa will each be awarded a £5 Amazon voucher.

One of our students, as a direct result of the work we have done, has also managed to persuade a parent to vote for the first time.  They discussed policies together, watched the news, and then went to the polling station on Thursday.  They did disagree about who the vote should be for but the parent stuck to their guns.

Most of the students in Brodetsky and LJFS now have a strong understanding of our election process and our democracy.  The knowledge and understanding they have gained through this are an essential building block for a successful adult life.

Thursday 30 April 2015

I have spent today with most of the Brodetsky teaching staff, taking part in training linked to our new Data Tracker package.

This year has seen the introduction of a new National Curriculum and the move away from the levels against which pupils have been assessed in the past.

Our new package will allow us to track pupil attainment and progress in line with the new national standards.  We will share details of the new system of recording progress with the end of year reports.

I am pleased to say the staff response was very positive (as you can see from these focussed faces) and they could all see the many benefits of the new package.





Mid-way through the day I received a message from one of our parents who had raised a real and serious concern about our pupils and their understanding of cyber safety.

Despite all the work we have done in school it became clear that a number of older primary pupils had been talking via Instagram and Facebook (despite not being 13 years old) with people who they did not know.  Whilst this has not happened at school it is important that we follow this up with and revisit the key issues linked to cyber safety.

I have included a link to an excellent video (via You Tube) that should be seen by both parents and your children, if they are old enough.

When used in LJFS it resulted in significant changes in student on-line behaviour.  However, following today, I intend to revisit the issues with the students again to freshen their memory.




This second video is for older students and aims to ensure all students understand the implications of sharing personal information.




Monday 27 April 2015

Tremors and Trembles in Year 6

I spent part of today supervising a small group of Year 6 pupils as they undertook a practice SAT.

In my own experience as a pupil I had to sit the 11+ (and failed it).  This had a much more significant impact on my educational offer than the current SATs.  I had to start at a secondary modern school, with my parents moving house to get me into the better choice.  After two years they managed to then have me transferred to a comprehensive school that allowed me to try for O' Levels.

Based on the 11+ outcome this should have been a chance I was denied.

The Year 6 SATs should not/ do not play such a role in the educational life of our pupils. They are a measure of the progress they have made to date, and against which future progress is measured.

The pupils do aspire to as high a level as is possible but this must be seen in relation to both their starting point and any challenges they may have faced.

If a child is dyslexic an exam paper is immediately a barrier to them showing their real potential.  They will have had to learn strategies to help them attempt the tests, as well staff ensuring the materials are prepared and accessible.

A more able child in English will need to be challenged to show their true potential and working to this must include them facing things that are difficult and challenging.

In all cases Resilience is needed.

In Brodetsky we are starting to engage in a Local Authority project called 'Growth Mindset' which will develop the resilience of all the pupils.  In LJFS this is followed by Resilience lessons in Year 7 that aim  to produce confident and independent learners.

How should we value such skills and strengths and how important are they for the future of each pupils?

Think of our Year 6 pupils as they draw`another line in the sand, and their teachers/headteachers whose reputation rest on where that line is drawn.  Remember that this is just another starting point for a personal race for each child to achieve all they can, not a finish tape.

Catering Update

We have started the process of recruiting a senior catering manager.  This is a new post that will replace the original catering manager position.

Some may ask what the change is between the roles and the answer is an easy one.  As we develop our in-house catering we need to establish a school kitchen that is managing and developing itself.  This manager will oversee all procurement, kitchen development, menu development and adherence to Kashrut requirements.

We`also want to explore how our kitchen can develop as a revenue generator so that we do not rely entirely on school meal income to cover our costs and replace equipment.

Once this appointment has been made the existing consultation feedback will be used by the catering manager to build on the improvements already made, All our students will be able to see changes as they happen.  This feedback will be shared with everyone later this week.

It is important to note that we have made significant improvements in our service without a major increase in meal cost so far.

This has included provision for the Universal Free School Meal for all pupils in Reception and Key Stage 1. The national target was for an 85% uptake for these meals.  We currently stand at a 95% uptake which I think is a real measure of the changes we have made.

On a personal note I do dream of the day that we can have a real Shawarma  cooker in the kitchen, however I must be realistic and say that this personal dream is a little way off at the moment.

Sunday 26 April 2015

Another weekend, another network loss.

If anyone sees this tonight, the school has again loss access to the internet and therefore lost access to our emails and ParentMail. We will try and get it working again tomorrow morning.
Even though the Brodetsky staff do have much to do already, some of them are now planning to complete the 3 Peaks walk, to raise money for St Gemma's Hospice.

Mrs Gill, Mr Gordon and Mrs Bhogal have taken part in the first training walk today. Others will be joining the training on later dates as well as the actual fundraising walk itself.

I will keep you posted as further details are made public. For now you can enjoy this photograph and hope that they get similar weather each time they walk.

Friday 24 April 2015

The rise in pupil numbers is becoming very clear as I have shown around a significant number of families, still looking for school places for Reception in September.  It is clear that, for the first time, we might be over subscribed and may have a waiting list in September.

For some this might cause anxiety, wondering if the Jewish ethos with will be affected or that classes will get bigger.

I come from the much more positive perspective that Brodetsky is now known by the whole Leeds community and is seen as a good choice of school, irrespective of faith.

Every family shown around understands the Jewish ethos and know, if they are coming to the school, that they are buying into/supporting this ethos.

In a purely mercenary sense, more children also means more money.  I do not doubt that any family would support us in seeking any good source of additional funds.

We should all be proud that our school is seen in such a positive light by so many.

LJFS is also following a similar route.  Twelve months ago we had 8 pupils, this has now risen to twenty six and we expect to be close to fifty by the end of the autumn term. 

Within the context of our community, and the historic issues over local educational choice, this must be something that we are all able to be proud of.

If you then add in The Zone, another stunning success, planned field developments in partnership with Leeds Maccabi and the imminent introduction of the Scouts and Guides (brownies, cubs etc) to the campus we can having nothing but immense pride in what we have achieved.

All this is reliant on us maintaining the highest quality of education possible.  I am hoping that staff will start providing me their own examples to share on my blog. 

Mrs Saxby, one of our Reception teachers has sent me some photographs showing some of the pupils sharing costumes/clothes that the pupils have made.

I hope you like these outfits and appreciate the amazing educational offer we give to pupils of all ages. The staff are committed, hardworking and resilient and I am proud of both them and the pupils they teach.

Thursday 23 April 2015

Yom H'Atz Maut

We all had a great day today.  The Nursery kicked of events with dancing in their outdoor area.  I am still waiting for some photographs of this but I will add them once they have been forwarded to me.

The main school, from Reception to Year 6, gathered on the playground to show their Israeli dancing moves.  They were joined by many parents and grandparents which was fantastic.

Mrs Engle led events, perched above the crowd, microphone in hand and moves to match the music.

Below are some photographs and videos of the event.

1. Cllr Dan Cohen has a break from the campaign trail.



2. Take your partner by his hand.



 3. Dr Rushforth and the children show us their moves.




4. I'm a teapot...

Later in the day the LJFS students had their Yom H'Atz Maut BBQ.




Monday 20 April 2015

A quieter day today.

This morning I popped into Year 6 and found them solving challenges in maths.  The pupils were collaborating, challenging each other and fully engaged.  They may have SATs on the horizon but they are still getting a full education.

I managed to join some of the Reception pupils as they waited for their lunch.  You can have an amazing conversation in such situations.  I heard about uncles coming to visit, which games had been played today and even who had fallen out with who.  I did not hear anything about their 'lessons'.

Our dining hall can be a noisy place but when you look to see the cause, it is children engaged in conversation in an honest and confident way.  When anyone comments on the noise I ask them what the noise would be like if 100 adults were sat down together eating?  If the staffroom is anything to go by....noisy.

At lunchtime I had quite a long conversation with some of the staff on the subject of "Why vote?" and I was then asked the question "Which of the British political parties was most sympathetic to Israel?" Whilst it was not appropriate to give the full detail of the conversation, we did get into many of the thorny issues linked to this whilst not giving a definitive opinion for that member of staff.  There are some discussions you cannot complete over chicken and spaghetti.

This afternoon Mrs Bhogal shared with me some of the progress of Year 2 pupils who missed the threshold in the Phonics Screening test last year. These pupils have been working very hard all year and have made brilliant progress.  However the real measure of their progress is in the full range of skills and knowledge they have acquired this year. A single test can not judge this, and we know the pupils are much more than the sum of their collective scores.

The day ended with Year 7 Form period. As with Reception pupils, conversation can go in unusual directions. We had a detailed discussion of the health and social issues linked to smoking. We also discussed the challenges for those who are trying to give up, and the support they need.  I am please to say that it was clear that all the Year 7 students saw smoking as something they would avoid in their adult life.

One of the greatest joys for me in my current position is that I can have a conversation with Reception and Year 7 pupils in the same day, every day. Today was one of those days.  I did also manage to:

                                       a) Discuss catering and recruitment
                                       b) Look at Brodetsky budget planning.
                                       c) Update`elements of the LJFS planner and website
                                       d) Review our plans for Early Years Provision



The Election Result

This post is a little late.  The wonders of modern technology proved their fragility over the weekend and as a result no staff have had access to emails or the network. My bright idea of emailing myself the details on Friday, for use on Sunday, proved to be a poor decision.

However, we do have a result from the election and these will be announced at the end of this post.

The election process ran very well and the Brodetsky pupils and LJFS students really enjoyed taking part.

Before anyone could vote our election officials had to check that the individual had registered. Not everyone had.


Our election officials were very diligent in their checks.


Once the individual's registration had been confirmed they could then make their mark...

and place their vote in the secure polling box.


Please note the unique 'seal' across the join of polling box, a little piece of Abigail's humour.

I have now made you wait long enough for the result.

A total of 141 votes were cast and the following percentage votes for each party were awarded:


The Fairness Party:            24%
The Phoenix Party:            17%
The Hope Party:                14%
The Environmental Party:  17%
The Future Party:              21%
The Insurgent Party:           7%

As with the national picture there was not an outright majority for any party but The Fairness Party did win the highest percentage and their candidate, Connor ,was elected as the LJFS MP.

The students did ask if their could also model the possible national outcome and negotiate a coalition to form a majority government.

As a consequence a coalition was formed, if a somewhat unlikely one.  the coalition was made up of The Fairness Party, The Phoenix Party and The Future Party with 62% of the vote. We are going to discuss whether this coalition would have been likely to success, knowing the respective parties behind the names we gave them.

Initially all but one party had to draw their policies from a named national party and the students had to represent the party they given, irrespective of their own views and beliefs.  The final party was independent and was able to draw`policies from any of the parties.  Do you think you can work out which parties were which?