For many children, the countdown has begun to the end of term and the start of the school holidays. But for a number of children their remaining days at primary school remains clouded with anxiety as they still do not have a place at Jewish secondary school to look forward to in autumn.
There have certainly been occasions in the past when vacancies have become available at the last minute and it may be that relief will come soon to those who are waiting. But it is especially hard if your child is the only one in their Jewish primary school class who does not know if they will be able to go with their friends to a Jewish secondary school.
Generally, it had been thought there would be enough room in state-aided Jewish secondary schools in the capital to cope with the demand. But two factors have almost certainly increased the pressure on places this year. Firstly, some parents fear the rise in antisemitism and hostility to Israel since the October 7 Hamas attack has made non-Jewish secondary schools a less palatable environment for their children.
Secondly, the Labour government’s VAT levy on fees and removal of business rates relief for independent schools has made private education less affordable.
Understandably, parents of children at Jewish primary schools who are currently educationally homeless are aggrieved. One parent told the JC that she felt “abandoned”. Jewish secondary schools should surely be considering a change in their admission rules to give priority to children who have attended a Jewish primary school. But that will not help next year if the trend continues since the rules could only be amended for entry in September 2027.
Yavneh and JFS are both opening bulge classes this September, and Hasmonean High School for boys is again taking well above its official maximum. But schools cannot simply expand their intake year in, year out unless they have the room - and money - to build more classrooms.
If Hasmonean finally gets planning permission for its long-awaited redevelopment, it should be able to increase its intake from 774 to 945 boys. But that might not provide a solution because it is possible that as Hasmonean grows, so will the number of pupils coming from the growing Charedi sector who seek a broader secular education. There is no boys’ equivalent to the state-aided Menorah High School for Girls.
When a significant shortage of secondary places in the capital arose 10 years ago, it led to a swell in applications to the fee-paying Immanuel College. But the mounting costs of private education have helped to precipitate a fall in numbers there, and even though the college has announced additional bursaries to accommodate children who would otherwise be left without a Jewish school place, it still might be beyond the financial reach of many families.
The shortfall a decade ago also prompted initiatives to open a new state-aided Jewish secondary school, most probably in the Hertfordshire area, where the Jewish population has significantly grown over the last 20 years. The very possibility of further competition seemed to encourage existing Jewish secondary schools to offer bulge classes.
Demographic projections suggest that the demand would not be big enough to justify another Jewish school in North-West London, alongside Yavneh, JCoSS, Hasmonean and JFS - unless it were a Charedi-leaning school that could attract clientele away from the strictly Orthodox independent sector. Could Immanuel become a grammar? Even if it wanted to, it might not have the space to make that physically viable.
Another alternative would be to increase the bursary pool at Immanuel to ensure a Jewish secondary school place for all Jewish children in London who want one. It would probably be cheaper than opening another Jewish school.
Simon Rocker is the JC’s education editor
