Moriah Jewish Day School in Pinner has been judged outstanding in all areas for Jewish studies by the Board of Deputies-run inspection service, Pikuach.

Almost all pupils were making “rapid and sustained progress”, including those with special educational needs.

New joint headteachers Kirsten Jowett and Hayley Gross (who are also heads respectively of Wolfson Hillel and Sacks Morasha) had established a “dynamic and creative vision” for Jewish education at the school, which is part of the United Synagogue’s Jewish Community Academy Trust.

One parent commented, “Our family has always done Friday night, but now we know how to pray.”

Investment in the Aleph Champ programme had led to rapid progress in Hebrew reading after an audit last year had identified weaknesses.

Key stage two pupils could read unprepared texts from the Siddur and Chumash, Pikuach said.

As an example of smooth integration between Jewish studies and the secular curriculum, children linked the Haggadah they had made for Pesach with studies about spring and the life cycle of a frog.

Jewish history had enhanced the curriculum with year-six pupils learning about the settlement of Jews in England.

Non-Jewish pupils were helped by teaching assistants to access the religious curriculum.

Pikuach accesses schools on the basis of their published objectives for Jewish education, rather than according to a central yardstick.

 Rimon Primary in Golders Green is “well on the way” to its aim of educating children to the highest standards of Jewish studies, Pikuach said.

The free school, which is also part of the Jewish Community Academy Trust, was rated good overall and outstanding in two areas — leadership and the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

Pupils were challenged to think for themselves and did well because they had “the confidence to have a go without worrying about making a mistake”.

But some parts of the curriculum were still being trialled and it fell short of outstanding because a small number of pupils found it difficult to access some areas.

Pikuach was particularly impressed with the daily collection of tzedakah in the playground. One pupil said, “The best part… is seeing the smiles on people’s faces when they give.”