Beit Shvidler Primary School Review 2026: High-attaining Orthodox Jewish Primary in Edgware (Barnet)

A one-form entry Orthodox Jewish primary with Nursery, Beit Shvidler Primary School sits in a part of Barnet where demand for faith places is consistently strong. The latest published outcomes underline why. In 2024, 92.67% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, well above the England average of 62%, and nearly half (48.67%) achieved the higher standard compared with 8% across England.

This is also a school where personal responsibility is structured and visible. Pupils take on elected roles, and older pupils support younger ones, including in the early years. The culture described in formal reports is purposeful, calm and caring, with leaders holding high expectations for academic achievement and conduct alongside clear attention to pupils’ personal development.

For a school with a strong religious character, the day-to-day feel matters as much as the policy documents. Beit Shvidler describes itself as an Orthodox Jewish primary in Edgware, welcoming families who share commitments around Shabbos, Kashrus, community involvement and ongoing learning.

The culture of pupil responsibility appears to be actively built rather than left to chance. Pupils hold elected positions and meet with leaders to propose practical improvements, including ideas linked to environmental goals. There is also a clear peer-support layer, with Year 6 prefects helping other pupils make friends at playtimes and supporting younger pupils’ learning.

Reading is used as a social and cultural anchor, not only an attainment target. A named reading space, the Magical Reading Garden, is run day-to-day with pupil leadership through a team of library monitors who keep it organised and welcoming. That kind of structured ownership tends to correlate with calm behaviour because pupils feel responsible for the tone of shared spaces, and it also helps quieter pupils find a purposeful role that is not centred on sport or performance.

Leadership is a key part of the school’s current identity. Mrs Leah Glick is the headteacher, and she was appointed in September 2023.

Beit Shvidler’s headline outcomes place it well above typical performance for primary schools in England. In 2024, 92.67% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined. The England average is 62%. At the higher standard, 48.67% achieved the higher standard in reading, writing and mathematics, compared with an England average of 8%.

Scaled scores also read strongly. Reading averaged 111; mathematics averaged 110; grammar, punctuation and spelling averaged 109. High scores are common, including 75% achieving a high score in reading, and 57% achieving a high score in both mathematics and grammar, punctuation and spelling.

The school’s position within Barnet is also clear. Ranked 442nd in England and 8th in Barnet for primary outcomes (a proprietary FindMySchool ranking based on official data), results sit well above the England average, placing the school in the top 10% of primary schools in England by this measure.

Parents comparing several local primaries can use the FindMySchool Barnet local hub and comparison tools to view these metrics side-by-side, which helps separate genuinely high attainment from schools that look similar on inspection headlines alone.

A school with very high attainment needs to show more than good test preparation. The underlying picture here is curriculum sequencing and consistent teaching routines, starting early. The curriculum is described as broad and well organised, with important knowledge and skills sequenced logically from the early years onwards. In practical terms, early number work in Nursery and Reception builds towards increasingly structured counting and place-value work as pupils move through Key Stage 1.

Reading is a second organising principle. Storytelling and listening routines begin in Nursery, phonics begins in Reception, and older pupils who need it continue to receive phonics teaching rather than being left behind once they reach Key Stage 2. There is also additional phonics support for pupils who struggle with reading, reinforcing the sense that the school expects nearly all pupils to become confident readers, not only the strongest.

One constructive area for families to explore is how precisely the school identifies individual gaps when pupils fall behind. The most recent published inspection material suggests that, at times, specific gaps are not pinpointed sharply enough, which can reduce the precision of catch-up support. Parents of pupils who need targeted intervention should ask how reading and wider curriculum gaps are diagnosed, and what the review cycle looks like once support is in place.

Faith education is a central strand rather than an add-on, with time in the week explicitly devoted to Kodesh learning, and Ivrit taught as a modern foreign language. The published faith inspection material indicates that roughly 40% of the day is devoted to Kodesh lessons, which is a significant design choice and will suit families who want a strongly integrated Orthodox framework.

As a primary with Nursery, the main transition point is Year 6 to Year 7. The school sits within Barnet, where secondary options include a mix of comprehensive and selective pathways, alongside faith secondaries across North London. What matters most for families is whether the school’s ethos and learning habits translate into confident transitions, and whether pupils are equipped for the academic and cultural expectations of their next setting.

The published material points to a personal development programme that begins early, covering healthy relationships, personal boundaries, and online safety. This tends to support smoother transition because pupils move on with a clear vocabulary for self-management and help-seeking.

For families considering the likely secondary pipeline, the best source of current pattern is direct discussion with the school, as published destination lists are not always kept up to date for primaries. Ask how the school supports families choosing between selective, comprehensive and faith pathways, and whether transition support includes liaison with receiving schools for pupils who need it.

Admissions are competitive. In the most recent admissions data provided, the school was oversubscribed, with 58 applications for 29 offers, indicating about two applications for every place. First preference demand is also strong, with 1.38 first preferences per first-preference offer.

For September 2026 Nursery entry, the school sets out that applications are made using the Nursery application form and a supplementary information form, and that the closing date has already passed for that cohort, with later applications treated as late.

For September 2026 Reception entry, the application route is administered by the London Borough of Barnet. Families are directed to complete the school’s supplementary information form alongside Barnet’s coordinated application. The published closing date for Reception applications is 15 January 2026.

For in-year places (Years 1 to 6), the school indicates that applications are administered by Barnet using the in-year route, again alongside the school’s supplementary information form.

Because this is a faith school with a defined religious character, families should read the admissions criteria carefully before applying. The school explicitly advises applicants to review the admissions criteria and supplementary information form in good time.

Where distance is not the published determinant, clarity around oversubscription criteria becomes the deciding factor. Families can use FindMySchool tools to shortlist realistic options and reduce wasted preferences, but the priority step here is reading the criteria and ensuring supporting evidence aligns with the school’s published requirements.

Pastoral care shows up in the small daily decisions: how pupils treat each other, how behaviour is managed, and whether staff know pupils well enough to intervene early. The published inspection material describes a school where pupils look after each other, behaviour is responsible and respectful, and low-level disruption is rare because pupils remain focused in lessons.

Personal development is described as comprehensive and planned, including teaching about cultures and traditions beyond pupils’ own, equality and respect, healthy relationships, and online safety, starting from the early years. The implication for families is that the school aims to build a shared moral vocabulary early, which is particularly important in a community setting where expectations about conduct and responsibility are explicit.

Support for pupils with additional needs is also indicated as an area of active attention. The published inspection material describes early identification of special educational needs and disabilities and the use of external expertise, including therapists, to support pupils and teaching. Families with children who need targeted support should explore what this looks like in practice, including how frequently external specialists are involved, and how class staff are trained to carry strategies into everyday teaching.

Clubs and enrichment matter in primary because they shape confidence and social breadth, especially for pupils who are not naturally drawn to competitive sport. Beit Shvidler publishes a structured club programme spanning morning, lunchtime and after-school provision across Reception to Year 6, with clear age ranges.

The list is also specific rather than generic, which suggests consistency in delivery. Examples include MOUVE Hip-Hop (Reception to Year 3), MOUVE gymnastics (Reception to Year 4), Express Yourself drama (Reception to Year 2, and Year 3 to Year 6), and Premier Chess Coaching (Year 2 to Year 6). Practical life skills appear as well through Cooking Club options for both younger and older pupils, and a Glee Club option running through Reception to Year 4.

Chess is a useful example of how a club can become more than a weekly activity. A published club document indicates that the chess club is run by a UK Chess Master, and includes structured lessons, tournament games, and termly competitions with trophies and badges. For pupils who thrive on step-by-step mastery, that kind of structure can become a confidence engine that also supports wider learning habits, including concentration and resilience.

Sport is clearly present, with multi-sports, netball, and football clubs named, and the school also indicates that swimming is covered in lower Key Stage 2, delivered through lessons at Copthall Leisure Centre.

This is a state school with no tuition fees. Families should still plan for typical costs such as uniform, trips, and paid enrichment clubs delivered by external providers, plus any wraparound childcare beyond what is included. Nursery fees are not listed here; families should use the school’s official information for early years pricing.

Published hours are clear. School begins at 8.30am for all children. Finish times differ by age: Nursery to Year 2 finish at 3.35pm, and Year 3 to Year 6 finish at 3.45pm. Total weekly hours are listed as 35 hours for Nursery to Year 2, and 36 hours 15 minutes for Year 3 to Year 6.

A before-school childcare provision is referenced in published inspection material. Details of any after-school wraparound childcare beyond clubs are not clearly published in the sources reviewed, so families should ask the school directly about availability, booking and cut-off times.

For transport, Edgware Underground station (Northern line) is the closest major Tube hub for many families in the area, and local bus services run through Edgware and surrounding roads.

• Competitive entry: Demand exceeds supply in the available data, with around two applications per place and a strong first-preference ratio. Families should approach applications with a clear Plan A and Plan B.

• Faith commitment: The Orthodox Jewish character is not peripheral. Families who are not aligned with the school’s expectations around Jewish life and community practice should read the admissions criteria closely before applying.

• Support precision for catch-up: Published inspection material indicates that, at times, gaps in reading knowledge are not pinpointed precisely enough, which can affect the speed of catch-up. Parents of pupils who need intervention should ask about assessment and review routines.

• Wraparound clarity: Start and finish times are published, and clubs are clearly listed, but after-school childcare arrangements beyond clubs are not set out clearly in the reviewed sources. If wraparound is essential for work patterns, check the current offer early.

Beit Shvidler Primary School combines very high primary outcomes with a structured ethos built around responsibility, reading culture and an integrated Orthodox Jewish framework. For families aligned with its religious character, it offers a clear, ambitious education with strong routines, a well-developed club programme, and published evidence of calm behaviour and safe culture. Best suited to families seeking a state-funded Orthodox Jewish primary in Barnet with consistently high attainment and an organised approach to pupil leadership. The limiting factor is admission rather than what follows.