JCoSS Supporters Update - May

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JCoSS to offer smaller class sizes for first students

JCoSS’s governors have announced a package of measures to meet the governors’ declared target of becoming one of the top 10% of schools nationally.

The JCoSS package includes a commitment for the first year of intake to smaller average class sizes, especially for pastoral and form groups, to help students to settle into the new environment.

JCoSS has also announced a recruitment policy based around appointing experienced Heads of Departments first. They will ensure that the school’s first 180 eleven and twelve year old students are taught and supported by the most senior and experienced teachers.

The school is also exploring ways to use its access to state-of-the-art ICT systems to enable parents to be more involved in supporting their children’s studies, for example, by allowing parents to log on and see curriculum plans, obtain school reports and liaise with staff.

Announcing the package of measures, Headteacher, Jeremy Stowe-Lindner, said: “We are extremely proud of our inclusive ethos which we are confident will create a relaxed, family atmosphere, within an ethical and aspirational learning environment.

“We recognise, however, that first and foremost, we will be judged on our ability to deliver educational excellence and outstanding results. That is why we have put in place this package of measures, including – for our first students – these smaller class sizes, which are more typically the preserve of private schools,” he concluded.

Calling all parents at Jewish Primary schools: Would you host a private meeting for JCoSS?

As most readers will already be aware, JCoSS is organising a series of Q and A sessions over the summer, in particular for parents with children currently in Year 5, to help them as they begin to consider options for secondary transfer. These have included a number of public and private meetings at a wide variety of synagogues, schools and Jewish organisations.

However, a number of Jewish Primary schools have not felt able to include JCoSS in their secondary transfer meetings. For this reason, we are asking parents at Jewish Primary schools where JCoSS has not been included, whether they would like to host private meetings in their homes for Year 5 parents, to enable parents to make direct comparisons with presentations from other Jewish secondary schools.

A number of such meetings have already been organised, but if you would like to organise one yourself or learn about meetings in your area which you could attend, please email info@jcoss.org today.

Latest information about travel and car sharing

The Governors are encouraging parents to plan on using public transport to get their children to JCoSS, although, over time, private coaches will be provided from those areas from which most students come (likely to include Finchley and Redbridge amongst others).

Details of public transport routes to JCoSS can be found on the JCoSS website, www.jcoss.org. These include overground to New Barnet, tube to Cockfosters and High Barnet and direct bus routes from, amongst elsewhere, Borehamwood, Edgware, Elstree, Enfield, Finchley, Hendon, Southgate and St Albans.

The Governors understand, however, that public transport will not serve all our parents and a number have contacted us about car sharing. For this reason, we have just started a discussion board topic on car sharing on our facebook website.

· To join the discussion on car sharing click here http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=32354334452&ref=mf and post a message.

· If you are not a member of facebook and do not want to join, email info@jcoss.org and we can post a message for you.

Dates for JCoSS meetings

JCoSS will be hosting two Open Days for parents with Headteacher, Jeremy Stowe-Lindner, in the autumn:

· Sunday 13th September, 2pm and repeated at 4pm

· Thursday 1st October, 6.30pm

JCoSS continues to hold both public and private meetings for potential parents to learn more about the school and to provide them with an opportunity to ask questions. The next meetings are:

Thursday 21st May, Evening:
Garden Suburb Primary School (Parents only; contact school for details)

Tuesday 3rd June, Evening:
Clore Shalom (Parents only; contact school for details)

Tuesday 9th June, Evening:
Priviate meeting for parents of children attending Jewish Primary schools in the Mill Hill/Edgware/Kenton/Stanmore area. (Contact info@jcoss.org for further information)

Wednesday 17th June, Evening:
Simon Marks Primary School (Parents only; contact school for details)

Thursday 18th June, 8pm:
St Alban’s Masorti Synagogue, AL1 4PH (Members only)

Tuesday 23rd June, Evening:
Clore Tikva Primary School, Fulwell Avenue, Barkingside, Essex, IG6 2JN
(Open meeting: please email admin.cloretikva@redbridge.gov.uk to attend)

Wednesday 24th June, Evening:
Akiva Primary School (Parents only; contact school for details)

Sunday 28th June, 10.15am:
Edgware and District Reform Synagogue, Stonegrove, Edgware, HA8 8AB (Open meeting)

Sign up a friend

JCoSS is encouraging all its supporters to sign up a friend to the JCoSS supporters list.

If you have a friend whom you think will be interested in JCoSS, please send us their email address at info@jcoss.org. We will then send them a single personalised email inviting them to register their interest at the site. If they do not reply or say they wish to be removed from the list we promise not to bother them again.

Or if you prefer please forward this update to them and invite them to subscribe in person by visiting

www.jcoss.org