OYY Lubavitch Boys School Review 2026, Small all age boys school with a faith led curriculum in Salford

A small roll can change the whole feel of a school, and that is one of the defining characteristics here. With capacity for 80 pupils and just over 50 on roll in recent official reporting, classes are kept small and relationships are close, which helps pupils feel known and supported.

The school sits within the Jewish Chassidic Lubavitch tradition and teaches a dual curriculum, with Kodesh (faith) studies alongside Chol (secular) subjects. That balance shapes both the timetable and the wider culture, and it also explains some of the school’s strategic challenges, particularly the work involved in designing and sequencing the secular curriculum to the same standard across all subjects.

Academic performance, as reflected in the FindMySchool GCSE ranking, sits below England average. Behaviour and personal development are a relative strength in external evaluations, and safeguarding is judged effective.

Daily life is shaped by a clear faith ethos and an orderly rhythm. The school’s small size supports a calm tone and steady routines, and pupils report that they know each other well and feel cared for by staff. That kind of intimacy can suit families who want a contained setting, consistent expectations, and close adult oversight across the age range.

There is also a practical implication for parents to weigh. A small school can be nimble and personal, but it can also mean fewer setted groups, fewer parallel classes, and less timetable flexibility than larger secondaries. For some pupils, especially those who benefit from a larger peer group or a wider choice of classmates year to year, the scale can feel limiting. The best way to judge fit is to ask directly about class structures by age and how the school manages mixed attainment when cohorts are small.

Pastoral language in external reporting points to kindness, positive relationships, and pupils feeling safe, with rare bullying incidents addressed effectively. That is consistent with a culture where staff can intervene early because they know pupils well, and where behaviour expectations are explicit and reinforced across lessons and social times.

Leadership is described as committed to ethos and improvement, including premises and safety work, but governance record keeping is flagged as an area that needs strengthening. For parents, that translates into a simple question to ask during admissions: how are priorities agreed, monitored, and evaluated, and how does the proprietor body hold leaders to account against those priorities.

This is an all age school up to age 16, with no sixth form. The most relevant attainment measures here are therefore GCSE outcomes and how well pupils are prepared for post 16 routes elsewhere.

For GCSE outcomes, the FindMySchool ranking places the school 3,951st in England and 78th in the Manchester local area for GCSE performance (FindMySchool ranking based on official data). This positions results below England average, within the bottom 40% of ranked schools in England.

In the available dataset, the average Attainment 8 score is 12.9, the average EBacc APS is 1.13, and the percentage achieving grade 5 or above in the EBacc is 0%. These figures should be read alongside the school’s scale, as small cohorts can make year to year outcomes volatile.

A practical implication for families is that the quality of subject design and delivery matters at least as much as headline metrics in a small school. Where curriculum sequencing is strong, pupils build knowledge logically and confidence follows. Where sequencing is unclear or delivery does not follow the intended order, gaps can appear and widen over time. External evaluation highlights that some secular subjects are well designed while others are still being developed, which helps explain why outcomes can be uneven across subjects.

Parents comparing schools locally should use the FindMySchool Local Hub and Comparison Tool to place these GCSE indicators side by side with other nearby options, then overlay that comparison with the child specific question of learning style and support needs.

The curriculum’s defining feature is its dual structure, combining faith studies with secular education. External evaluation describes leaders as successful in combining the Kodesh curriculum with the Chol curriculum, and it notes that the secular curriculum covers a suitable range of subjects overall. The development focus is not breadth, but precision, in some secular subjects, clarity about what pupils should learn and in what order, plus consistency in how staff deliver that intended sequence.

Where subject design is clear, teaching can build cumulatively, and assessment can identify misconceptions early. This matters more in small cohorts because there are fewer parallel classes to balance staffing strengths. Where teachers are still developing subject knowledge, the curriculum may not be delivered as well as it could be, and pupils may not secure the depth of understanding they need, especially for GCSE readiness.

Early reading and literacy have been an identified improvement theme. The profile of reading has been raised, pupils have more opportunities to read for pleasure, and additional support is provided for those who find reading difficult. The phonics programme has been improved, but consistent delivery and staff training remain important so that younger pupils can build securely on prior phonic knowledge.

For families, the most useful questions in this area are practical and specific: how is curriculum sequencing mapped in each secular subject, how is lesson order quality assured, what training supports non specialist staff, and how is reading catch up organised for older pupils who arrive with gaps. The answers will tell you how coherent the learning experience is from age 5 through GCSE.

Because the school finishes at age 16, progression routes focus on post 16 provision elsewhere. External evaluation describes impartial careers guidance for older pupils, including employer visits and workplace visits for key stage 4, designed to help pupils understand their next steps in education, employment, or training.

In practice, families should clarify the typical local pathways: which sixth forms and colleges pupils commonly move to, how GCSE option choices are aligned to those destinations, and what support is provided for applications, interviews, and transition. Given the school’s size, a well structured transition process can be a major advantage, particularly for pupils who benefit from guided choices and steady preparation for a larger post 16 environment.

The available dataset does not provide destination percentages or Oxbridge information for this school, which is expected given the age range. The most meaningful destination evidence will therefore be the school’s own destination tracking and any published leavers information, if available on request.

Admissions for independent schools can vary, and the school has limited public facing online information, so families should request the current admissions arrangements directly from the school. A key practical step is to confirm entry points and whether places are offered only at standard transition ages or also through in year admissions when spaces arise.

For local context, Salford’s application timeline for September 2026 entry opens on 1 September 2025. The published closing date for Reception applications is 15 January 2026, and for secondary applications it is 31 October 2025. Offer dates published by the local authority are 16 April for nursery and Reception and early March for secondary, with the council site indicating 3 March for secondary offers.

Where this matters for parents is planning. Even if the school asks for additional steps, families generally benefit from working back from local authority deadlines, assembling supporting information early, and confirming whether any supplementary forms are required. If you are relying on proximity for other schools as a fallback, use the FindMySchool Map Search to sense check realistic options, then keep a shortlist in Saved Schools so deadlines do not get missed.

Pastoral care is a clear strength in the available external evidence. Pupils report feeling safe, staff are described as caring, and behaviour expectations are high with pupils generally meeting them. Bullying is described as rare, and when it occurs it is addressed effectively, with pupils confident that they can speak to adults if worried.

The school’s scale supports close oversight, which can be especially valuable for pupils who need predictable routines and quick adult intervention. It can also help pupils develop confidence through responsibility, for example through roles such as school councillors that are referenced in external reporting.

Safeguarding arrangements are described as effective, with staff training, detailed record keeping, and engagement with external agencies where needed. Pupils are taught about online safety and risk awareness as part of keeping safe in and beyond school.

Extracurricular life is a useful indicator of breadth, especially in a small school. External reporting references a range of activities including chess, cricket, football, and outdoor learning, alongside charity fundraising that pupils speak about with enthusiasm.

The most important implication is not simply variety, but access. In a small setting, activities can become genuinely inclusive because fewer pupils compete for limited places, and staff can encourage participation across the cohort. If your child is hesitant about joining clubs in a large secondary, this can be a material advantage.

Parents should still ask a straightforward operational question: which activities run weekly this term, who leads them, and how participation changes by age. That will give a clearer picture than a generic clubs list.

Public information on school hours and wraparound care is limited. Because the school includes primary age pupils, parents should ask specifically about start and finish times, breakfast provision, and after school supervision, plus whether wraparound runs daily or only on certain days.

Transport planning will be local and family specific. The school is in Higher Broughton, Salford, so families typically consider walking routes, local bus connections, and drive time at drop off. When comparing alternatives, factor in the reality that journey time can affect punctuality, after school participation, and family routines.

Fees & Financial Aid

This is an independent school, but a current 2025 to 2026 fee schedule is not clearly published online in the school’s publicly available materials. The most reliable approach is to request the current fees and what they include, then ask separately about any means tested assistance or scholarship style awards, and whether support is available at specific year groups or only in limited circumstances.

Because fee policies and what is included can vary widely, families should clarify practical details that affect total cost, for example lunches, educational visits, and any additional charges for materials or specialist provision.

• Inspection judgement and improvement work. The latest Ofsted standard inspection in June 2023 judged the school Requires improvement overall, with curriculum design and delivery in some secular subjects identified as an area to strengthen. Families should ask what has changed since then, how curriculum sequencing is now quality assured, and how staff training is targeted.

• Small school dynamics. Small cohorts can mean close relationships and calm routines, but they can also limit subject grouping flexibility. If your child benefits from a larger peer group or a wider choice of friendship circles, it is worth probing how year groups are organised and how the school supports social development across ages.

• Post 16 transition. With no sixth form, the transition at 16 is a significant step. Ask which destinations are most common, how applications are supported, and how the school prepares pupils for a larger college or sixth form environment.

• Fees transparency. Fee information for 2025 to 2026 is not readily available online, so budgeting requires a direct request for the fee schedule and what is included, plus clarity on any financial support.

This is a small, faith led school where relationships and routines are central, and where behaviour, personal development, and pupils’ sense of safety are described positively in the most recent external evaluation. The main developmental challenge is ensuring that every secular subject is designed and delivered with consistent clarity and sequencing across the age range.

It suits families who want a contained setting with a strong Jewish ethos, close adult oversight, and a structured school day, and who are prepared to engage actively with the school on curriculum development and post 16 planning. Admission is less about choosing a brand and more about confirming fit, practicalities, and the trajectory of improvement.