Read the latest Gesher Gazette below! Please click on the link below to view the video links.
Click on the link below to view the latest Gesher Gazette:
Read the latest Gesher Gazette below! Please click on the link below to view the video links.
Click on the link below to view the latest Gesher Gazette:
Read the latest Gesher Gazette below! Please click on the link below to view the video links.
Click on the link below to view the latest Gesher Gazette:
Gesher School in Pinner is delighted to share it has maintained its Outstanding Ofsted rating after an inspection in late September.
Gesher is an all-through school for young people with mild to moderate learning needs. The school was last inspected in 2018 when it only had 13 pupils aged 4 to 7 based on a smaller site in Kilburn. This inspection was conducted at the school’s new site in Pinner with more than 50 pupils aged 4 to 14.
This is the school’s second Outstanding rating since opening. Ofsted recently changed its inspection framework making it much more challenging for schools to achieve this status.
Based on the latest inspection, Ofsted said:
Pupils receive an exceptional quality of provision. Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum which is taught by the school’s expert staff.
Together, the curriculum and therapies encourage pupils’ independent living skills and emotional well-being very successfully.
Therapists, teachers and teaching assistants work together seamlessly as one team. They truly understand how to meet pupils’ varied special educational needs. While staff are nurturing, they also have high expectations of all pupils. As a result, pupils work hard and learn well.
Ofsted also drew attention to positive comments made by parents through the online survey they were asked to complete: “Parents often commented that their children are thriving at Gesher. They described the school’s work as ‘in a different league’ and ‘life changing’”.
Download: Gesher Ofsted Report 2022
Leadership at Gesher was also described by Ofsted as “exceptionally strong” with “senior leaders are supported and challenged in equal measure by the school’s governing body”.
Gesher’s Co-Heads, Tamaryn Yartu and Nikeisha Webb-Hardy said ‘We are extremely thrilled and proud of the hard work and commitment that our staff has shown resulting in such a phenomenal achievement. Our students have made us very proud, and we are delighted to share in this outstanding achievement with our parents and wider community. We remain resolute in ensuring that we remain a flagship school- leading the path to success for all our students.
“What began as a small project and primary school has grown into a thriving all-through school. Under Tamaryn and Nikeisha’s stewardship the school’s innovative approach to education has taken root with students happy and flourishing. This recognition by Ofsted is important in cementing Gesher as an exceptional school in the community and we are truly thrilled and excited for what the future holds for our students” say Ali Durban and Sarah Sultman, Co-Founders Gesher School.
This half term Zayit and Seorah classes have been focussing on the topic of ʻUnder the Seaʼ and the big question: ʻHow can I create my own story?ʼ
In our launch week we visited an aquarium, read, listened to and talked about a variety of Under the Sea-themed books and explored the ocean through virtual reality. The classes then made their own story by creating characters, writing and recording the narrative using technology and this was then edited for a book launch to the school. During the project the children used Seesaw as a way to give their peers feedback on their stories. In art, we designed and created characters for our stories. In music, we made percussion instruments and recorded the audio to play as background wave music for the entrance to our exhibition. The book launch was very successful and the pupils then shared their story maps and books with other pupils in different classes.
Teacher’s Reflection
“Overall this was a successful project! All pupils were given student voice throughout, from creating their story to their own characters, and coming up with an ending independently. One of the highlights of this project was the children’s use of technology throughout the project. They all seemed to really enjoy it and it allowed children of all abilities to participate. Next time I would ensure clearer audio or that subtitles were added to ensure all children’s parts were able to be heard. I am most proud of how well the children all worked together to create their stories using story cubes, as this was a really collaborative project and the end project shows this.
The best part about the project was seeing the children’s faces when they saw they got to use iPads in the lessons and how much they loved using the Chatterpix app. Another thing that was the best was watching them watch their own videos back and recognising which of their friends were talking. They kept asking to rewatch it over and over again.
I found it challenging to record all the audio in only a week. I felt that if I were to do it again, I would allow longer for the recording of the narrative to allow pupils more time to practice and rehearse their lines.”
— Leigh Kennedy
Student Reflection
“I thought the project was fun. The highlight was using the iPads and I learnt all about sea animals!”
– Zephania
“This project taught me about teamwork and how to create a story.”
– Eli
“The highlight was the aquarium trip and the fish shop as it taught me all about sea animals, fish, octopus and whales!”
– Dylan
Gefen was very excited to do our project on Animals in the Wild. We answered the big question of ʻWhat do we know about wild animals in our community?ʼ
To do this we looked at what makes an animal a wild animal! We also found out many facts about wild animals that live around us. Gefen used their literacy skills to write non-fiction texts about their animals and then put this information into a short animated video. We were able to take a trip to the zoo to look at wild animals and have animals come to our school! At the end of the project, we held a Go Wild Party which the parents and other classmates we invited. During the party the children played the wild animal games they created as well as showcased their animations, pictures and models they made.
Teacher’s Reflection
“I think the project went well as it was a topic the children were interested in. It was good for them to find out facts about animals that they could see in their area. They were engaged in the trips we went on, particularly the zoo trip and they enjoyed looking at the different animals. The visit from Wild Fangs was also a great experience as the children were able to hold and touch the animals and find out different information about them. Many of the children were initially reluctant to hold the animals but their confidence increased after they spent time with the animals. They enjoyed presenting their findings in a different way, such as through animated videos and by creating their own games which they presented during the Wild Party to their parents and other children.
I would like to continue to use more ICT in future projects. It would have been nice to have seen some wild animals in our area but unfortunately, on our walk, we did not see any!”
— Stephanie Sungtong
Student Reflection
“My favourite part was the trip to London Zoo. I learnt about what animals eat and where they live.”
– Leon
“I liked the project because we got to use Chatterkids (animation app).”
– Ari
“I liked the project as I liked learning about the animals and I liked the ants at London Zoo.”
– Yoni
This term we explored electricity and why electricity is important to everyday life. We looked at the science behind electricity and learned how to make our own circuits, how to be safe using electricity and how to encourage others to do the same.
We wrote ʻA Day in the Lifeʼ explaining all of the technology we used and why it makes our lives easier. We had photographer, Jeremy Coleman, host an Expressive Arts workshop on how to take photos with different light sources. We also built our very own electronic toys and created Dragonʼs Den pitches to try and sell our toys to the Senior Leadership Team. Their Speech and Language sessions focussed around developing their presentation skills, whilst OT helped develop strength in their hands, to be able to use crocodile clips to make circuits!
Teacher’s Reflection
“The pupils were really engaged doing a science-based project as it was different from previous ones. They were able to do fun experiments and learn about a variety of different scientific theories. It was a great one to link in with literacy and OT skills, especially when making the toys.
Another highlight was the way we created companies and the pupils worked really well as a team most of the time. They took the roles seriously and were all invested in creating quality work. Originally, we wanted the pupils to make their own toys, but in hindsight, this worked a lot better. We created posters and manuals to go along with the toys, but next time I would get them to do that independently to allow a variety of different ways of working.
I really enjoyed their pitches for their Dragonʼs Den episodes. All pupils got a role to play and worked together as a ‘company’ using simple business skills. It was great to see how much they enjoyed it.”
— Leah Coombes
Student Reflection
“I thought it was fun — although I wished to have learned more about how to set up appliances.”
– Francesca
“I learnt how lightning is made and that was fun! The highlight of the project was the exhibition.”
– Daisy
“The highlight of the project was the Dragonʼs Den pitch which taught me how to present.”
– Ben
During this half of the term, Tamar class have been answering the big question ʻwhat would it be like to live in the rainforest?ʼ
For this, they researched the life of tribes that live in the rainforest and used this information to create their own ʻstop-motionʼ films, which were set in the rainforest. This involved them creating a storyboard and mini-set, as well as filming and editing their films using an app called StickBot.
Teacher’s Reflection
“I enjoyed this project as it allowed the students to learn a new skill and demonstrate their creativity through a different creative media. The students loved making and editing their films and it was wonderful to see how proud they were of their work when their families came to the exhibition. This was the first project where parents came to see the exhibition and the students loved this. If I did the project again I would ensure that more time was spent at the start of the project exploring how life is different in the rainforest.
What was the best thing about the project?
— Students having ownership over how they produced their work (e.g., poster, presentations, videos).
— Students having the opportunity to learn the skill of filmmaking.
— Hosting the awards ceremony as the exhibition of the project.
What did I find challenging?
— Supporting students in making their own films without taking the ownership and agency away from them.
— Films were not focused enough on the big question.
— Found it challenging to refer to the big question throughout lessons and for students to understand how life would be different. This was most likely due to the fact that we were unable to do the trip due to the lack of time.”
— Sam Dexter
Student Reflection
“I think it went great. It was hard to come up with the idea but even harder to create! I learned that people cut down rainforests to get wood to build houses, tables, paper, chairs, but it endangers animals.”
– Noah
“Best project ever because we made our own films and got to show them off to parents at the Gradu-Oscars.”
– Yitzi
This term, Keren embarked on a reflective journey about their time in year 7.
This allowed them to explore their favourite memories, trips and lessons, as well as any tips and advice they have learnt. They created an ebook that includes these highlights and interviewed key staff members about working in secondary. This allowed them to focus on their interview skills as well as their ICT skills.
Teacher’s Reflection
“I really enjoyed watching the students think honestly about the advice that they would pass on as it showed what they have learned this year. It was also lovely to hear their personal highlights and know that the trips and projects were fun and exciting.
The most challenging thing was constructing the e-book into a format that looks professional. We wanted the information to be organised into sections as opposed to just being on the page. Trying to teach the students to place pictures in an orderly manner was a challenge.
Next time, I would perhaps prepare an e-book format prior and have the students place the information in. This is so that it achieves the intended look. The launch was a fun success as the students had a survival challenge where they had to survive on a desert island.”
— Bethany Rentall
Student Reflection
“I enjoyed thinking about my year. I liked creating my e-book and doing my vlog. I learnt how to do more things on the computer like how to create a movie!”
– Liam
“I enjoyed finding images to add to my survival guide. I learnt how to plan a day of lessons and interview people professionally.”
– Rafael
“The project taught me that confidence is vital!”
– Shamai
“I learnt how to give good advice.”
– Reuben
Gesher School is delighted to announce the introduction of a Co-Headship model as it continues its expansion from a primary school for young people with mild to moderate learning differences, to an all-through school. The Co-Headship will be a partnership between Gesher’s current Headteacher, Tamaryn Yartu, and Nikeisha Webb-Hardy. Tamaryn has been the Headteacher at Gesher since 2020, and will oversee the primary phase of the school, while Nikeisha, who has already spent a year at Gesher as a Deputy Head, will be responsible for the secondary phase of the school. The partnership will also ensure that Gesher continues to efficiently progress through its next phases of development.
In September 2021, Gesher School expanded into an all-through school, catering for students from Reception to Year 11. Currently, the school has 51 students, and over the next five years will grow to over 100. A key milestone for the development of Gesher over the coming years will be the expansion of the secondary phases of the school, while also retaining the high standards set within the primary phase. Having a Co-Headship model will facilitate expertise within each phase and ensure that there is continuity and an effective transition for students as they progress throughout their time at Gesher.
The Co-Headship has also been designed to support Gesher’s ambition of developing into a ‘Centre of Excellence’, within the education system. Specifically, the model of Co-Headship will allow for the capacity of both heads to engage in their outreach work. In turn, it is hoped this will create many more opportunities for collaboration and development than could be achieved under a single headteacher.
Speaking about their new joint roles, Tamaryn and Nikeisha said:
“We are deeply committed to supporting the holistic development of all students at Gesher, and will put the needs and well being of students at the heart of all decisions made. We are very excited about co-leading Gesher through the next phase of its development”.
