Jews' Free School
Encyclopedia
JFS is a Jewish
secondary school
in Kenton
, north London. It presently accepts both male and female students. At one time it had more than 4,000 students attending making this school the largest Jewish school in Europe. The school has been awarded specialist Humanities College
status. After a recent Ofsted
inspection, JFS was rated Outstanding in all categories.
http://www.jfs.brent.sch.uk/
and has four houses. It has been a tradition for some years that students wear the specific tie for their house (e.g. the tie for students in Angel has red stripes, etc.)
Both Brodetsky and Zangwill were former students, Angel was the first headmaster and Weizmann was the first president of the state of Israel, who has several links to the school.
Students are split into their respective houses for most classes in Years 7, 8 and 9 as well as inter-house competitions, such as football and basketball.
to Kenton
in 2002 to represent the demand of the Jewish population of London
moving further out towards the suburbs of the city. The school has exclusive bus routes to and from several highly Jewish populated areas, such as Edgware
, Mill Hill
, Southgate
, Barnet
, Hendon
, Muswell Hill
, Radlett
, Borehamwood
, Elstree
and others.
Lavi
in Israel
in Year 9, a trip to Poland
in Year 12, a Maths trip to Disneyland Paris and a French trip to Strasbourg
in Year 10. Also in Year 9 students can go on a two week 'Taste of Israel' trip to Israel. There is also a History trip to Belgium in year 9.. The Year 13 students have a chance to go to Odessa, Ukraine to learn about the underprivileged people living there. In addition Year 12 Physics Students have the chance to visit CERN in Switzerland.
JFS has been named as the top mixed comprehensive school in the official DFES league tables.
In an independent analysis of the 2007 A Level results of almost 1000 secondary schools in England and Wales, JFS was placed in the top 1% of schools for value-added achievement.The analysis was undertaken by ALPS (A Level Performance System) an organisation funded by the Learning and Skills Council - the government agency which funds all post 16 and adult education in the country.
as to whether his son, born to a mother who had been converted to Judaism under the auspices of the Masorti
movement, could convert under Orthodox
auspices for entry to JFS in September 2007. He was advised the process could take several years and that such applications to JFS are very rarely successful given that the school is highly oversubscribed. He applied for his son but did not declare to the school's admissions board the mother's conversion history.
By April 2007, he had not supplied JFS with the requested information, whereupon the school advised him that, being oversubscribed that year, it was unlikely his son could be offered a place. He thereupon unsuccessfully appealed for reconsideration of his application.
In July 2008, the father sought to prosecute JFS on the grounds of alleged racial discrimination, but High Court
judge, Mr Justice Munby, ruled contrariwise, holding JFS' selection criteria were not intrinsically different from Christian
or Islam
ic faith schools and their being declared illegal could adversely affect "the admission arrangements in a very large number of faith schools of many different faiths and denominations".
The Court of Appeal
, however, in June 2009 declared that JFS, under the Race Relations Act 1976
, had illegally discriminated against the child on grounds of ethnicity. They ruled that the mother's religious status, and thus her child's religious status, had been determined using a racial criterion rather than a religious criterion. The school subsequently issued revised admissions criteria based on religious practice including synagogue attendance, formal Jewish education and volunteering. JFS and the United Synagogue appealled to the Supreme Court
, with the support of chief rabbi Jonathan Sacks
. On 16 December 2009, the UK Supreme Court upheld the Court of Appeal's ruling.
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
in Kenton
Kenton
-Notable people:* Actress Michele Austin, best known as PC Yvonne Hemmingway in ITV's The Bill, attended Claremont High School in Kenton* Cricketer Denis Compton lived in Kenton* TV exercise instructor Mr Motivator lived in Kenton...
, north London. It presently accepts both male and female students. At one time it had more than 4,000 students attending making this school the largest Jewish school in Europe. The school has been awarded specialist Humanities College
Humanities College
Humanities Colleges were introduced in 2004 as part of the Specialist Schools Programme in the United Kingdom. The system enables secondary schools to specialise in certain fields, in this case, humanities. Schools that successfully apply to the Specialist Schools Trust and become Humanities...
status. After a recent Ofsted
Ofsted
The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills is the non-ministerial government department of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools In England ....
inspection, JFS was rated Outstanding in all categories.
Head teachers
| 2008–Present | Jonathan Miller |
| 1993–2007 | Ruth Robins, DBE Ruth Robins Dame Ruth Laura Robins, DBE, is a British educator and academic.Robins served as Headteacher of the Jews' Free School for 14 years, ending on 31 December 2007... |
| 1985–1993 | Josephine Wagerman |
| 1973–1984 | Leslie Gatoff |
| 1958–1973 | Dr Edward Conway |
http://www.jfs.brent.sch.uk/
Other staff
- Poet Daljit NagraDaljit NagraDaljit Nagra is a British poet whose debut collection, Look We Have Coming to Dover! — a title alluding to W. H. Auden's Look, Stranger!, D. H. Lawrence's Look! We have come through! and by epigraph also to Matthew Arnold's 'Dover Beach' — was published by Faber in February 2007...
currently teaches English at the school, as well as other support staff roles including Learning Resource Centre Staff Member - Actor Nicholas FrankauNicholas FrankauNicholas Frankau is an English actor best known for playing the role of Flt. Lt. Carstairs in the British sitcom Allo 'Allo! whose recurring theme involves failure to get back to England....
better known for his role as Flt. Lt. Carstairs ('Allo 'Allo!'Allo 'Allo!'Allo 'Allo! is a British sitcom broadcast on BBC One from 1982 to 1992 comprising eighty-five episodes. It is a parody of another BBC programme, the wartime drama Secret Army, and was created by David Croft, who also wrote the theme music, and Jeremy Lloyd. Lloyd and Croft wrote the first 6...
) worked at the school as a supply teacher in the 1980s - Moses AngelMoses AngelMoses Angel was headmaster at the Jews' Free School in Bell Lane, Spitalfields from 1842 onwards...
was headmaster from 1842 to 1897
Houses
JFS implements the house systemHouse system
The house system is a traditional feature of British schools, and schools in the Commonwealth. Historically, it was associated with established public schools, where a 'house' refers to a boarding house or dormitory of a boarding school...
and has four houses. It has been a tradition for some years that students wear the specific tie for their house (e.g. the tie for students in Angel has red stripes, etc.)
| Name of House | Named after | Colour |
|---|---|---|
| Angel | Moses Angel Moses Angel Moses Angel was headmaster at the Jews' Free School in Bell Lane, Spitalfields from 1842 onwards... |
Red |
| Brodetsky | Selig Brodetsky Selig Brodetsky Selig Brodetsky was a British Professor of Mathematics, a member of the World Zionist Executive, the president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews and the second president of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.-Background:Brodetsky was born in Olviopol , Ukraine, the second of 13 children... |
Blue |
| Weizmann | Chaim Weizmann Chaim Weizmann Chaim Azriel Weizmann, , was a Zionist leader, President of the Zionist Organization, and the first President of the State of Israel. He was elected on 1 February 1949, and served until his death in 1952.... |
Green |
| Zangwill | Israel Zangwill Israel Zangwill Israel Zangwill was a British humorist and writer.-Biography:Zangwill was born in London on January 21, 1864 in a family of Jewish immigrants from Czarist Russia, to Moses Zangwill from what is now Latvia and Ellen Hannah Marks Zangwill from what is now Poland. He dedicated his life to championing... |
Yellow |
Both Brodetsky and Zangwill were former students, Angel was the first headmaster and Weizmann was the first president of the state of Israel, who has several links to the school.
Students are split into their respective houses for most classes in Years 7, 8 and 9 as well as inter-house competitions, such as football and basketball.
Demographics
The school moved from Camden TownCamden Town
-Economy:In recent years, entertainment-related businesses and a Holiday Inn have moved into the area. A number of retail and food chain outlets have replaced independent shops driven out by high rents and redevelopment. Restaurants have thrived, with the variety of culinary traditions found in...
to Kenton
Kenton
-Notable people:* Actress Michele Austin, best known as PC Yvonne Hemmingway in ITV's The Bill, attended Claremont High School in Kenton* Cricketer Denis Compton lived in Kenton* TV exercise instructor Mr Motivator lived in Kenton...
in 2002 to represent the demand of the Jewish population of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
moving further out towards the suburbs of the city. The school has exclusive bus routes to and from several highly Jewish populated areas, such as Edgware
Edgware
Edgware is an area in London, situated north-northwest of Charing Cross. It forms part of both the London Borough of Barnet and the London Borough of Harrow. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London....
, Mill Hill
Mill Hill
Mill Hill is a place in the London Borough of Barnet. It is a suburb situated 9 miles north west of Charing Cross. Mill Hill was in the historic county of Middlesex until it was absorbed by London...
, Southgate
Southgate, London
Southgate is an area of north London, England, primarily within the London Borough of Enfield, although parts of its western fringes lie within the London Borough of Barnet. It is located around north of Charing Cross. The name is derived from being the south gate to Enfield Chase...
, Barnet
Barnet
High Barnet or Chipping Barnet is a place in the London Borough of Barnet, North London, England. It is a suburban development built around a twelfth-century settlement and is located north north-west of Charing Cross. Its name is often abbreviated to Barnet, which is also the name of the London...
, Hendon
Hendon
Hendon is a London suburb situated northwest of Charing Cross.-History:Hendon was historically a civil parish in the county of Middlesex. The manor is described in Domesday , but the name, 'Hendun' meaning 'at the highest hill', is earlier...
, Muswell Hill
Muswell Hill
Muswell Hill is a suburb of north London, mostly in the London Borough of Haringey. It is situated about north of Charing Cross and around from the City of London. Muswell Hill is in the N10 postal district and mostly in the Hornsey and Wood Green parliamentary constituency.- History :The...
, Radlett
Radlett
Radlett is a small town in the county of Hertfordshire between St Albans and Borehamwood on Watling Street with a population of approximately 8,000. It is located in the council district of Hertsmere and is covered by two wards, Aldenham East and Aldenham West...
, Borehamwood
Borehamwood
-Film industry:Since the 1920s, the town has been home to several film studios and many shots of its streets are included in final cuts of 20th century British films. This earned it the nickname of the "British Hollywood"...
, Elstree
Elstree
Elstree is a village in the Hertsmere borough of Hertfordshire on the A5 road, about 10 miles north of London. In 2001, its population was 4,765, and forms part of the civil parish of Elstree and Borehamwood, originally known simply as Elstree....
and others.
School trips
The school offers numerous school trips for students, including a 3-month trip to KibbutzKibbutz
A kibbutz is a collective community in Israel that was traditionally based on agriculture. Today, farming has been partly supplanted by other economic branches, including industrial plants and high-tech enterprises. Kibbutzim began as utopian communities, a combination of socialism and Zionism...
Lavi
Lavi
Lavi is a kibbutz in the Lower Galilee area of Israel. It is a member of the Religious Kibbutz Movement.Located 310 meters above sea level and 10 minutes from Tiberias, it falls under the jurisdiction of Lower Galilee Regional Council.-History:...
in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
in Year 9, a trip to Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
in Year 12, a Maths trip to Disneyland Paris and a French trip to Strasbourg
Strasbourg
Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
in Year 10. Also in Year 9 students can go on a two week 'Taste of Israel' trip to Israel. There is also a History trip to Belgium in year 9.. The Year 13 students have a chance to go to Odessa, Ukraine to learn about the underprivileged people living there. In addition Year 12 Physics Students have the chance to visit CERN in Switzerland.
Academic results
JFS has an excellent academic record. 2007 saw record-breaking achievement, with 53% of the school's attempted GCSE exams receiving grades of A* or A. (Source: )JFS has been named as the top mixed comprehensive school in the official DFES league tables.
In an independent analysis of the 2007 A Level results of almost 1000 secondary schools in England and Wales, JFS was placed in the top 1% of schools for value-added achievement.The analysis was undertaken by ALPS (A Level Performance System) an organisation funded by the Learning and Skills Council - the government agency which funds all post 16 and adult education in the country.
Controversy over admissions criteria
In October 2006, a Jewish father made enquiries with the United SynagogueUnited Synagogue
United Synagogue is an organisation of London Jews that was founded with the sanction of an Act of Parliament, in 1870. , it remains the largest religious grouping within the British Jewish community and indeed in Europe, covering 62 Orthodox Jewish communities...
as to whether his son, born to a mother who had been converted to Judaism under the auspices of the Masorti
Masorti
The Masorti Movement is the name given to Conservative Judaism in Israel and other countries outside Canada and U.S. Masorti means "traditional" in Hebrew...
movement, could convert under Orthodox
Orthodox Judaism
Orthodox Judaism , is the approach to Judaism which adheres to the traditional interpretation and application of the laws and ethics of the Torah as legislated in the Talmudic texts by the Sanhedrin and subsequently developed and applied by the later authorities known as the Gaonim, Rishonim, and...
auspices for entry to JFS in September 2007. He was advised the process could take several years and that such applications to JFS are very rarely successful given that the school is highly oversubscribed. He applied for his son but did not declare to the school's admissions board the mother's conversion history.
By April 2007, he had not supplied JFS with the requested information, whereupon the school advised him that, being oversubscribed that year, it was unlikely his son could be offered a place. He thereupon unsuccessfully appealed for reconsideration of his application.
In July 2008, the father sought to prosecute JFS on the grounds of alleged racial discrimination, but High Court
High Court
The term High Court usually refers to the superior court of a country or state. In some countries, it is the highest court . In others, it is positioned lower in the hierarchy of courts The term High Court usually refers to the superior court (or supreme court) of a country or state. In some...
judge, Mr Justice Munby, ruled contrariwise, holding JFS' selection criteria were not intrinsically different from Christian
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
or Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
ic faith schools and their being declared illegal could adversely affect "the admission arrangements in a very large number of faith schools of many different faiths and denominations".
The Court of Appeal
Court of Appeal of England and Wales
The Court of Appeal of England and Wales is the second most senior court in the English legal system, with only the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom above it...
, however, in June 2009 declared that JFS, under the Race Relations Act 1976
Race Relations Act 1976
The Race Relations Act 1976 was established by the Parliament of the United Kingdom to prevent discrimination on the grounds of race.Items that are covered include discrimination on the grounds of race, colour, nationality, ethnic and national origin in the fields of employment, the provision of...
, had illegally discriminated against the child on grounds of ethnicity. They ruled that the mother's religious status, and thus her child's religious status, had been determined using a racial criterion rather than a religious criterion. The school subsequently issued revised admissions criteria based on religious practice including synagogue attendance, formal Jewish education and volunteering. JFS and the United Synagogue appealled to the Supreme Court
Supreme Court of the United Kingdom
The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom is the supreme court in all matters under English law, Northern Ireland law and Scottish civil law. It is the court of last resort and highest appellate court in the United Kingdom; however the High Court of Justiciary remains the supreme court for criminal...
, with the support of chief rabbi Jonathan Sacks
Jonathan Sacks
Jonathan Henry Sacks, Baron Sacks, Kt is the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth. His Hebrew name is Yaakov Zvi...
. On 16 December 2009, the UK Supreme Court upheld the Court of Appeal's ruling.
Notable alumni
- Barney BarnatoBarney BarnatoBarney Barnato , born Barnet Isaacs, was a British Randlord, one of the entrepreneurs who gained control of diamond mining, and later gold mining, in South Africa from the 1870s.-Background:...
, RandlordRandlordRandlord is a term used to denote the entrepreneurs who controlled the diamond and gold mining industries in South Africa in its pioneer phase from the 1870s up to World War I.... - Israel ZangwillIsrael ZangwillIsrael Zangwill was a British humorist and writer.-Biography:Zangwill was born in London on January 21, 1864 in a family of Jewish immigrants from Czarist Russia, to Moses Zangwill from what is now Latvia and Ellen Hannah Marks Zangwill from what is now Poland. He dedicated his life to championing...
, writer - Barbara RocheBarbara RocheBarbara Maureen Roche is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Hornsey and Wood Green from 1992 until 2005, when she lost the seat, despite having previously enjoyed a majority of over 10,500.During her time in Government, she held several ministerial offices;...
, Labour politician - Gina BellmanGina BellmanGina Bellman is a New Zealand-born British actress currently starring in the series Leverage as Sophie Devereaux for which she was nominated for a Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress in Television.-Personal life:...
, actress - Benjamin Cohen, journalist and Channel 4 NewsChannel 4 NewsChannel 4 News is the news division of British television broadcaster Channel 4. It is produced by ITN, and has been in operation since the broadcaster's launch in 1982.-Channel 4 News:...
presenter - Samuel GompersSamuel GompersSamuel Gompers was an English-born American cigar maker who became a labor union leader and a key figure in American labor history. Gompers founded the American Federation of Labor , and served as that organization's president from 1886 to 1894 and from 1895 until his death in 1924...
, first President of the American Federation of Labor - Joe LossJoe LossJoshua Alexander "Joe" Loss LVO OBE was a British musician and founder of the Joe Loss Orchestra.-Life:Loss was born in Spitalfields, London, the youngest of four children. His parents, Israel and Ada Loss, were Russian Jews and first cousins. His father was a cabinet-maker who had an office...
, English musician - Jez SanJez SanJeremy 'Jez' San OBE is an English game programmer and entrepreneur who founded Argonaut Software as a teenager in the 1980s. He is also a writer and helped design the Super FX chip for the Super NES.-Biography:...
, Game Designer, Argonaut GamesArgonaut GamesArgonaut Games plc was a British video game developer. Founded as Argonaut Software by teenager Jez San in 1982 the company name is a play on his name and the movie title Jason and the Argonauts. It had its head offices in Edgware, London.... - Morris CohenMorris Cohen (adventurer)Morris Abraham "Two-Gun" Cohen was a British mercenary of Jewish origin who became aide-de-camp to the Chinese leader Sun Yat-sen and a major-general in the Chinese army.-Early years:...
, adventurer - Dean FurmanDean FurmanDean Furman is a South African footballer who plays for English League One club Oldham Athletic, after signing from Rangers...
, Footballer - Ian StoneIan StoneIan Stone is a British stand-up comedian, mainly famous for appearing as a guest on shows such as the comedy panel show Mock the Week. Stone is also a regular guest on BBC Radio 5's Fighting Talk.-Career:...
, Comedian - Jay Kay, lead singer of JamiroquaiJamiroquaiJamiroquai is a British jazz funk and acid jazz band formed in 1992. Jamiroquai were initially the most prominent component in the early-1990s London-based acid jazz movement, alongside groups such as Incognito, the James Taylor Quartet, and the Brand New Heavies. Other Acid Jazz artists such as...
- Maurice Glasman, English academic, social thinker and Labour life peer in the House of Lords