Jewish Community Secondary School
Barnet, United Kingdom
About Jewish Community Secondary School
There is no school like JCoSS. Our unique atmosphere is felt as soon as you walk through the doors of our magnificent new state of the art building. Our students are passionate, our staff are happy and our parents are proud to be JCoSS parents. Our latest Ofsted report summarised the school perfectly
- Pupils treat others as equals, showing kindness and respect.
- Very little learning time is lost to poor behaviour.
- Pupils enjoy attending this ambitious, supportive and inspiring school.
- Leaders have embedded an ethos that promotes tolerance and inclusion.
- Pupils are encouraged to develop their own identity while learning to understand and celebrate that of others.
Our Vision: JCoSS is an academic, aspirational learning community, known and respected for our pioneering spirit, our humanity and our excellent outcomes.
Our Ethos: If you think you know what working in a Jewish school might be like, be ready to think again. Our outward-looking and pluralist Jewish ethos combines an embrace of open-minded values with a deep love of the varied riches of Jewish tradition. The staff and leadership team includes different faiths and none at all levels, and the school has a culture of purposeful good humour and humanity. We are a school like no other.
Our Results: We have a track record of outstanding results. Students achieve excellent outcomes and make great progress. In 2022 52% of A level grades were at A*or A and 82% of Cambridge Technical grades were Distinction*: overall 61% of the cohort scored at least 3 A grades or equivalent. Half of GCSE grades were grade 7 or higher, with a third of students achieving at least 7 GCSEs at grade 7 or better. Our ALPS grade has been consistently 2 at both A level and GCSE, and our ‘Progress 8’ score is consistently significantly above national average. Supported by a strong programme, students every year gain places at Oxbridge and for Medical and Veterinary Study, as well as for a wide range of specialisms and competitive courses at prestigious institutions.
Staff Benefits: We appoint on potential as well as experience, and we are committed to supporting staff development. Several non-teaching colleagues have trained with us as teachers; our rich CPL programme includes full induction for new teaching staff including ECTs, NPQ programmes, and financial support for MA courses, Action Research projects and many other opportunities. Additional responsibilities are always considered for suitable candidates and we offer ECTs employment for the last few weeks of the summer term. Our admissions policy includes priority places for the children of all staff*. Our website details a huge number and variety of staff wellbeing initiatives.
* (Children, Jewish and non-Jewish, of JCoSS staff who have a permanent contract of employment and have completed two years of service on the last day of the summer term of the academic year prior to application)
Our Location & Community: The school is in beautiful £50m buildings overlooking the Green Belt. It is easily accessible from Northern, Piccadilly and Overground rail links, public buses run past the entrance and a school coach service (available to staff) serves our whole catchment area. We attract students from eloquent and supportive communities across North London and Hertfordshire.
Location
It has been a real privilege to work at JCoSS during its formative years and to be instrumental in the school’s development, watching the school grow from one year group of 150 students to a student body of 1200 with 250 staff.
- Kate Lightman, Assistant headteacher i/c staff training“Since the start of my journey at JCoSS, I have felt incredibly welcomed by the diverse staff members who I can now proudly call my colleagues. Being someone that comes from a non-Jewish background, only having a faint idea about the Jewish ethos before I started, has given me the opportunity to learn and experience so much of the rich culture in my short time here so far”.
- Sita Shah, Head of Art“I have been Office Manager at JCoSS for 3 years and I really enjoy the variety of the role, with no two days ever being the same. We are a very supportive team and the atmosphere both in the office and throughout the school makes working here a rewarding experience. Although the majority of the office staff are not Jewish, the inclusive nature of the school ensures that we feel part of the community spirit”.
- Jane Jones, Office Manager“JCoSS has provided the opportunity for progression both personally and professionally. I started here as an LSA, working in the fantastic Learning Support Department which taught me a great deal about SEN and all that it encompasses.
- Sasha Stock, Jewish Education teacher“I came to JCoSS three years ago as a Learning Support Assistant, I then carried out my teacher training here and I am now proud to have become an English teacher. The staff at JCoSS have been extremely supportive and helpful and I am honoured to train alongside outstanding teachers.”
- Daniella Corman, NQT English Teacher“Working at JCoSS has been a constant source of fulfilment and opportunity. Since first setting-foot into the building as an Ivrit supply teacher in the Autumn of 2011, I have been nurtured and made to feel valued. Six years later, I am fulfilling my dream of teaching A-Level Government and Politics, and also teach Jewish Education and am Year Learning Coordinator currently Head of Year 9 – my third year with this cohort. JCoSS really is a Community school in every sense of the word. My colleagues are like my family and we all work together to secure the best possible futures for our students. In my sixth year, this is still the place for me!”
- Ben De Jong, Head of Year 9, Jewish Education and Government and Politics teacher“I am currently on a maternity cover and I have found JCoSS to be a very welcoming school; the Science department in particular have made me feel like a member of the team from day one. The students are receptive and even say thank you at the end of the lesson – something that I have not experienced in my years of teaching at other schools”.
- Delicia Sequeira, Psychology teacher, maternity cover“Coming from Ireland, my knowledge of anything and everything Jewish was extremely limited before I joined JCoSS. I didn’t know what to expect but soon realised it is very similar to every other workplace I have experienced. The staff and students here come from all paths- from religions, cultures and choice of life. What is similar to my background is the culture. The importance of community, education and the emphasis to give every student the best start in life is what makes this a great place to work”.
- Eanna Kennedy, Head of Year 13 and Maths teacher
