Oholei Yosef Yitzchok Lubavitch Schools Review 2026: a small all-through Jewish girls’ school in Salford

On Bury New Road in Higher Broughton, the school operates from a converted and modernised Victorian building with a newer extension that can be partitioned so early years can run alongside the wider school day. That physical set-up matters: it supports a clear “small school, many ages” model, with little ones learning close to older pupils, but with defined space when they need it.

Oholei Yosef Yitzchok Lubavitch Schools is an independent all-through school for girls aged 2 to 17 in Salford, Greater Manchester, with a published capacity of 90. The most recent Ofsted inspection rated the school Good. Expect a faith-centred day, with Jewish studies taking a prominent place, and secular learning shaped to sit alongside it.

The daily rhythm is structured around a split curriculum: religious studies through the morning, and the core secular curriculum in the afternoon. For families, that is the central organising principle. It creates a day with clear priorities and a consistent tempo, which can be reassuring for children who like routine and for parents who want the school’s Jewish character to be more than a badge.

The school’s scale is part of its identity. A capacity of 90 signals something closer to a tight-knit setting than a conventional large all-through, and that has practical consequences: adults can track pupils closely, communication with home can be frequent, and expectations can be made explicit rather than implied. One distinctive example is the weekly reporting approach described in official paperwork, including regular evaluations for English and mathematics, signed off and shared with parents. Done well, that kind of cadence reduces surprises, because you are hearing about progress in small, manageable increments.

Behaviour and relationships are described in consistently positive terms in the most recent published inspection material: pupils are calm, polite, and enthusiastic in group activities, and they treat one another with respect. For families weighing a small faith school, that matters as much as any headline statistic. A setting can be academically ambitious and still feel steady; equally, it can be warm but lack momentum. Here, the picture is of a school that values calm order, purposeful learning, and a clear moral framework.

Jewish life and belonging

The Jewish character sits at the centre. Pupils spend substantial curriculum time on religious learning, and the school’s ethos is explicitly faith-based. That will suit families who want a school day shaped by Jewish studies and community norms, and who are comfortable with the idea that this is not a “neutral” setting with an optional faith layer. For families who want a girls-only environment with a strongly defined religious culture, that clarity can be a strength rather than a constraint.

This is an all-through school, but published performance data here is most visible at GCSE. Ranked 3745th in England and 7th in Salford for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), the school sits below England average overall, and families should read that as a signal to look beyond reputation and ask detailed questions about learning at Key Stage 4.

The Attainment 8 score is 33.2. On its own, that number does not tell you everything, but it does underline that GCSE outcomes are not the school’s headline calling card in the way they are for some academically selective or exam-heavy settings.

The EBacc profile is also striking. The average EBacc APS score is 2.26, compared with an England average of 4.08. The percentage achieving grades 5 or above across the EBacc is recorded as 0%. That points to a curriculum and entry pattern that is not aligned to the EBacc suite as a dominant measure. For some families, that will be a drawback, particularly if you want a very conventional EBacc-heavy GCSE pathway; for others, it may simply reflect different priorities and subject choices. Either way, it is worth treating as a prompt for a focused conversation about which GCSEs are offered, how subjects are staffed, and how the school prepares students for the next step at 16.

Parents comparing local options can use FindMySchool’s comparison tools to line up these GCSE indicators alongside nearby schools, then use that shortlist to decide which conversations to prioritise.

What this data does, and does not, capture

Small independent schools can have small cohorts at GCSE, and outcomes can swing more from year to year. The most useful approach is to pair the published measures with the school’s own explanation of curriculum intent and Key Stage 4 preparation, including how it supports students who need extra challenge, and those who need a slower, more supported route.

The most telling teaching detail in the published material is the emphasis on planning and checking progress: structured schemes of work, lessons planned for different abilities, and regular evaluation. In a small all-through setting, that kind of system can be the difference between “small and informal” and “small but sharply organised”. When the work is well pitched, pupils experience lessons that move, rather than lessons that circle.

Mathematics emerges as a particular strength in earlier inspection evidence, described as being taught exceptionally well, with high expectations and strong challenge across departments. Reading is also described as systematic, with pupils reading frequently and widely, and speaking and listening positioned as a consistent thread. Those are the building blocks that matter for an all-through school: if pupils learn to read well early, and if numeracy is secure, the secondary years become less about remediation and more about depth.

Language and cultural learning also show a distinctive shape. Modern Hebrew is referenced as an area where pupils made strong progress at Key Stage 4 in earlier published inspection reporting, and Hebrew learning begins early in the school journey. In practical terms, that signals a curriculum that gives language learning serious space, rather than treating it as a token weekly slot.

Early years through primary: foundations first

With education starting at age two, early years is not a bolt-on. The published description of the early years area points to direct access to outdoor play and resources designed to support learning through activity, with staff trained to meet early years requirements. For families, the key question is how the school balances two aims: a nurturing start for very young children, and a clear pathway into more formal learning as pupils move towards Year 1. A setting that begins with confident routines and well-chosen language, counting, and listening activities often makes that transition smoother, because children already know how to “do school” before the work becomes more abstract.

The most reliable destination story here is structural rather than statistical: the school runs through to age 17 and includes sixth form education, so there is potential for continuity through the teenage years without the disruption of a forced move at 11 or 16. For some families, that continuity is the main reason to choose an all-through model, particularly if a child thrives when relationships are stable and expectations are familiar.

Careers guidance is described as being taken seriously, including bringing in speakers from different professions and giving pupils age-appropriate advice. In a small setting, the value of that approach is less about glossy programmes and more about access. Pupils who might be quiet in a larger cohort can still find a route into aspiration when adults notice them early and keep nudging them forward.

If your focus is university pathways, subject availability, or post-16 breadth, the practical question is the shape of the sixth form: which courses run reliably, how many students are in each year, and how the school supports different routes at 16. Those details, more than generic destination claims, are what determine whether an all-through school’s sixth form is a strong fit.

Capacity sets the tone. With a published capacity of 90, there is limited headroom, and year groups are likely to feel small. For families, that means admissions is less about “finding the right set” and more about whether a place is available in the year you need, and whether the school’s expectations align with your family’s commitment to its ethos.

The admissions policy is described as selective. In a faith-centred independent school, “selective” can mean several things in practice, from prioritising fit with the school’s religious character, to assessing readiness for the curriculum, to managing space in small year groups. The simplest advice is to start early, ask what selection means at each entry point, and be clear about timing: nursery entry has different questions from Year 7, and sixth form entry is different again.

Routes and criteria

As an all-through, the school effectively has multiple doors: early years, primary, secondary, and post-16. Families should ask directly about the expected pathway from nursery into Reception, and from primary into the secondary years, including how the school handles any points where demand exceeds places. If you are weighing this against other schools across Salford and Greater Manchester, using FindMySchool’s map tools to sense-check the daily journey can be a quick way to test whether the logistics are sustainable for clubs, late finishes, and winter evenings.

Timeline and practicalities

Because this is not a large, LA-coordinated intake with published distance cut-offs, the practicalities come down to communication and timing: how soon the school can confirm places, whether there is a waiting list for particular years, and what documentation is needed. A small school can be refreshingly straightforward if you engage early, but it can also have less flexibility if a year group is already full.

A calm school day is often built on small, repeated actions rather than grand statements, and the published inspection evidence points to exactly that: pupils who feel safe and cared for, adults who listen, and behaviour that is consistently orderly. Bullying is addressed through explicit teaching about what it looks like and why it matters, and pupils are described as willing to report concerns. For parents, that is the clearest pastoral signal: children know the rules, and they trust the adults to act.

Safeguarding practice is described as diligent, supported by clear systems and a culture of attentiveness. In a small setting, the advantage is speed. When adults know families well, changes in behaviour can be noticed early, and support can be put in place without a child having to fight for attention.

For girls moving into the secondary years, pastoral fit often comes down to confidence and voice. The picture painted in official reporting is of pupils who are comfortable speaking, listening, and participating, with respectful relationships and clear expectations. That will suit students who like a school day with defined boundaries and consistent routines.

The building is part of the school’s “beyond lessons” story. Published inspection material describes adaptable spaces for science and art, a library, and a large extension that functions as a hall and dining space, with the ability to separate early years provision from the rest of the school. That kind of flexibility matters in a small all-through, because it allows enrichment to happen without the school needing dozens of specialist rooms. A hall that can be reconfigured becomes a practical engine room for assemblies, performances, talks, and whole-school moments.

Enrichment is also described through the lens of exposure. Older pupils are supported by careers input from visitors representing different professions. That is not a badge-collecting exercise; it is a way of widening horizons in a community setting where pupils may benefit from seeing a broader menu of possible futures, and from understanding the routes that lead to them.

Physical education is referenced through provision for indoor and outdoor activity, and the site’s arrangements include changing and showering facilities. For families, the question is not only “what sports are on offer”, but how regularly pupils get to move, and how the school balances a demanding day with healthy physical breaks.

Bury New Road is a main route through this part of Salford, which makes bus travel a realistic option for many families, and keeps the drive relatively direct from surrounding neighbourhoods. For rail, families often look to Manchester Victoria or Salford Crescent depending on where they are coming from, then connect by bus or car for the last stretch. Parking around a busy main road can be tight at drop-off and pick-up, so it is worth asking the school what patterns work best for staggered starts, siblings, and after-school commitments.

Wraparound care and the precise school-day timings are not published in the available official material. Families should ask the school directly about current start and finish times, and any breakfast or after-school arrangements, particularly if you are coordinating nursery-age children with older siblings. For nursery-age children, government-funded early education hours are available for eligible two-, three- and four-year-olds, and the school can clarify how that applies alongside its own sessions and charges.

A strongly faith-centred day: Jewish studies are central to the timetable, with religious learning occupying substantial time. That clarity will feel like a benefit for families who want a firm religious framework, and like a constraint for families looking for a more secular school day.

Small-school scale: A published capacity of 90 is a defining feature. It can bring closeness, continuity and clear communication, but it also means fewer peers per year group and less flexibility if a year is full or a subject option does not run.

GCSE profile: The published GCSE indicators place the school below England average overall, and the EBacc profile is particularly low. Families prioritising a conventional EBacc-heavy GCSE pathway should ask detailed questions about Key Stage 4 options and preparation.

Inspection recency: The most recent published inspection evidence is several years old. It still offers useful insight into routines, curriculum structure and culture, but families should put weight on current leadership communication and today’s classroom priorities when making a decision.

Oholei Yosef Yitzchok Lubavitch Schools is a small, faith-centred girls’ setting with education from age two through to 17, built around a clear dual-curriculum day. Its strengths are the clarity of ethos, the tight scale, and a school culture described as calm, orderly and caring.

Best suited to families in Salford and Greater Manchester who want a girls-only Jewish all-through, value strong routine, and prefer a smaller setting where communication is frequent and expectations are explicit. The main trade-off is academic profile at GCSE, which makes it worth probing subject choices, staffing, and how the school supports different routes at 16.