Avigdor Hirsch Torah Temimah Primary School

Torah Temimah is a single form entry, orthodox Jewish maintained Voluntary Aided boys’ primary school located in Dollis Hill, in the London Borough of Brent. We serve the Jewish communities of north west London and beyond.

Torah Temimah is an orthodox Jewish boys’ school. Torah Temimah Primary School exists to provide boys from the Orthodox Anglo-Jewish Community with a high quality Orthodox Jewish Education coupled with National Curriculum studies imbued with Torah values, enabling all boys to take their place in and contribute to society.

Our aim is to provide quality experiences in all aspects of school life, enabling children to develop into fulfilled young people with a deep understanding and love of and commitment to orthodox Jewish faith, learning and practice, who are able to make a positive contribution to society. A warm, welcoming and respectful Jewish environment will enable our children to develop strong Jewish values and a love of Torah and Jewish life within the modern world.

TTPS is a Chareidi (strictly Orthodox Jewish) school with an ethos that stresses the primacy of Torah, life-long learning and steadfast religious observance, while engaging positively with the modern world. This ethos pervades all aspects of our work and curriculum. It is upheld and clearly communicated daily by the staff through promoting Torah values. The school respects all authentically orthodox Jewish traditions. We teach children to respect and value people of all races, faiths and cultural traditions as children of God, and to develop into tolerant, active, contributing citizens of the broader community and nation. The school prides itself on the exceptional work ethic and high achievements of its pupils, and their “outstanding” (Ofsted 2011) moral, spiritual and social development and standards of conduct.

We are aligned with the Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations of the UK. We derive our ethos and values from the timeless values and teachings of the Torah, as transmitted through orthodox Jewish tradition.

The Nursery and Reception classes follow the statutory Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum. This is delivered through the framework of the rhythm of the Jewish year: weekly sedra, festivals, and key aspects of Jewish life. Through this framework, the children play, learn and develop in all aspects of the Early Years curriculum, making good use of our well-equipped outdoor open and covered play areas and garden.

We have a disabled-accessible ground floor toilet for visitors. Our building is a Grade 2 listed building and we are limited in our ability to make adaptations. Access to the first and second floors, which includes classrooms, the hall, offices and meeting rooms, is via staircases only. We have limited meeting rooms (the largest is on the second floor) but we are usually able to make a small room available for visitors’ use, sufficient for 2-3 people. This may be in an outdoor wooden cabin (complete with power and heating) or portacabin, and access to these rooms may mean negotiating a lip at the door or may be via one or two steps.

In Key Stage 1 we teach Phonics using the Letters and Sounds scheme. This ensures a systematic, progressive approach to the teaching of Phonics throughout KS1 and – for those children who require it – into KS2.

Central to this overall aim are the following specific aims.

• To instil in the boys a love of Torah and mitzvos (religious observance)
• To help boys develop middos tovos (exemplary moral attitudes and standards of personal conduct towards others) and an appreciation that these are fundamental and applicable to all aspects of personal, professional and communal life.
• To ensure that pupils reach the highest possible standards in all aspects of their Kodesh (Jewish) and Chol (secular) studies.
• Through encouraging positive attitudes and exemplary behaviour in pupils, to help them to develop high self-esteem and confidence.
• To help boys become independent and responsible members of the school and wider community.
• To help boys understand and respect the rights of others and their own responsibilities towards others.
• To develop links with the wider community of which the school is part.

Our most recent (2017) Key Stage 2 results, as published in the School Performance Tables by the Secretary of State for Education on the Department for Education. Our 2017 Early Years Foundation Stage Profile assessments showed that 85% of children – all boys – achieved the target “Good Level of Development” at the end of Reception year.