Hasmonean High School for Boys

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Campus building on Holders Hill Road, Hendon, from the Hasmonean Multi-Academy Trust website.[1]

Hasmonean High School for Boys (URN:137539), based in Barnet is a mainstream Jewish school for Boys 11-18

It is run by Hasmonean High School Charitable Trust (Charity number: 1068303)/ Hasmonean Multi-Academy Trust (Company number 07706488) / The Jewish Secondary Schools Movement (Charity Number - 313109) / The Trustees of the J.S.S.M. (Company number 02899353)

People

Trustees

Jonathan Miller (01 May 2022) | Ari Joseph Bloom (10 November 2016) | Jonathan Feinmesser Foundation Ari Bloom (10 November 2016) | Jonathan Feinmesser (20 April 2015) (both charities are subsidiaries of the parent group the JSSM).

The trustees of the school must be appointed by the rabbis of certain synagogues, namely, the Adath Yisroel, the Golders Green Beth Hamedrash Congregation and the Hendon Adath Yisroel. All are members of The Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations

Relation to Zionism

  • 'We nurture a lifelong commitment to Orthodox Judaism and its tenets, a love of Israel, and a respect for those with different beliefs, identities and values.'[2]
  • 'Students are also given opportunities to take leadership positions by applying to be Head Boy/Girl and to lead societies, including the Israel Society '[3]
  • 'In addition there are ... trips to Poland, Europe and Israel.'[4]
  • An editorial on the trust's website dated 9 May 2019 said that the week "started with real concern about the safety of the residents of Israel, spanned the very moving Yom Hazikaron ceremony at the two schools presented by Rabbi Shaw and Rabbi Kenigsburg and ended with the excitement of celebrating Yom Haatzmaut".[5]
  • A Yom Hazikaron report on the trust's website says that, "as part of Mizrachi's week of Inspiration, Rabbi Andrew Shaw and Rabbi Kenigsberg addressed Years 9 to 12 at both schools, reminding them that, as rockets rain down on Southern Israel", the soldiers and civilians killed must still be remembered.[6]
  • In 2019 Rami Sherman, described as "one of the officers who masterminded the miraculous raid on Entebbe in Uganda in 1976", spoke to "the Year 10 girls and the Year 7 and 10 boys".[7]
  • On 9 May 2019 @HasmoneanSchool posted that the school “celebrated Yom HaAtzmaut in classic blue and white style with song, dance and appreciation for lone soldiers.”[8]
Hasmonean High School on X, 5 May 2022, on Yom Ha'Atzmaut at the girls' school.[9]
  • On 5 May 2022 the same account reported that Hasmonean Girls “returned to Yom Ha’Atzmaut celebrations in style with a strong blue and white theme,” with Hallel and a carnival after a talk by Rabbi N Schiff.[9]

IDF speakers and alumni

On 13 June 2019 the Multi-Academy Trust reported that Year 9 boys "were treated to an incredible presentation by IDF Major Shlomi Biche, accompanied by Ms S Durkin of Beit Halochem ... who deal with 51,000 wounded Israel soldiers and wounded victims of terror", and that "The boys were captivated by Major Biche's personal story."[10]

On 24 September 2019 the Trust reported that Year 9 boys "were treated to a presentation from" an alumnus serving as a sergeant in the Israel Defense Forces, who "shared footage of one of his military operations in Lebanon". The Trust wrote that "The boys were glued to every word he said and asked pertinent questions about the laws of conflict" and that it looked "forward to welcoming" him back.[11]

In September 2017 Jewish News reported that three former Hasmonean Boys pupils, then aged 19, were serving in IDF combat units (Caracal Battalion on the Egypt border, Armoured Corps on the Gaza border, and the Nahal Brigade via an 18-month Machal programme on the Golan Heights); one was quoted as saying "I learned [Hebrew] in Hasmonean". The article did not name them in a form reproduced here.[12] In January 2018 British-born IDF veteran Emanuel Miller of the Israeli NGO My Truth addressed boys in Years 8 to 10 at Hasmonean (and also spoke at JFS); Jewish News reported that "Numerous pupils approached me to say that they hope to serve one day themselves."[13]

Closing card of the Hasmonean Multi-Academy Trust video "HIPE Boys - Mi Shebeirach", 2 November 2023.[14]

On 2 November 2023 the Hasmonean Multi-Academy Trust uploaded to its Vimeo account a video titled "HIPE Boys - Mi Shebeirach".[14] HIPE is the trust's "Hasmonean Informal Programmes & Education".[15] The video opens with a spoken introduction: "Now, more than ever before, is time to embody the Hasmonean spirit of courage, unity, and strength. Fighting darkness to transform it into light. This is a HIPE initiative, brought to you by the students of Hasmonean, in honour of the entire Klal Yisrael." Uniformed pupils then sing the Hebrew prayer for the soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces ("Hu y'vareich et chayalei Tzva Haganah l'Yisrael"), intercut with footage of Israeli soldiers, military vehicles and flags. The closing card reads "Please daven for our brothers and sisters who are protecting Am Yisroel" and carries the Hasmonean and HIPE Team logos above three columns of prayer names.[14] The Israeli advocacy site United with Israel reported it as "a heartfelt music video titled "Mi Sheberach" ... a prayer for the well-being and safety of IDF soldiers".[16]

Funding

Gerald and Gail Ronson Family Foundation | Wolfson Family Charitable Trust | Loftus Charitable Trust | Maurice Wohl Charitable Foundation

Register data

The Department for Education records Hasmonean High School for Boys as an academy converter for boys aged 11 to 18 with a Jewish religious character. It opened on 1 October 2011 and has a capacity of 747 and 788 pupils on roll; its headteacher is listed as James Fisher.[17] Its predecessor was Hasmonean High School (URN 101366), a mixed voluntary aided school which closed on 30 September 2011 on conversion to an academy.[18][19]

Governance

The Hasmonean Multi-Academy Trust (company number 07706488) runs both Hasmonean secondary schools. Companies House lists four directors: Andrew McClusky (from 29 June 2015), Gary Ian Swabel (30 April 2019), Shanni Solomon (14 January 2020) and Eytan Maurice Weisz (1 September 2025).[20] Its persons with significant control, all from 1 May 2019 with the right to appoint and remove directors as a trust, are Daniel Phillip Lyons, Martin Anthony Richman and the JSSM.[21] In 2023 Ofsted named Andrew McClusky as the trust's chief executive and Gary Swabel as chair of its board.[22]

The Hasmonean High School Charitable Trust (charity number 1068303) had income of £6,690,987 and spending of £6,762,187 in the year to 31 August 2025. Its trustees are Ari Joseph Bloom (from 10 November 2016) and Jonathan Mark Miller (from 1 May 2022).[23][24] The Jewish Secondary Schools Movement (charity number 313109), whose trustee is the company The Trustees of the J.S.S.M., exists "to advance Orthodox Jewish education in accordance with the doctrine and principles of the Orthodox Jewish faith as laid down in the Shulchan Aruch". It had income of £173,000 and spending of £353,671 in the year to 31 August 2025.[25]

Beit Halochem UK

Beit Halochem UK, a British charity that raises money for the Beit Halochem rehabilitation centres for disabled Israeli soldiers and victims of attacks in Israel,[26] lists both Hasmonean High School for Boys and Hasmonean High School for Girls among the schools that took part in a non-uniform day in its aid. The charity's "For Schools" page, as archived in February 2025, thanked the schools listed "for showing solidarity with our soldiers".[27] The page also invites schools to host a veteran who will speak to pupils about "courage and resilience" and "the sacrifices made by our soldiers". By November 2026 the wording had become "our veterans", and the page said such visits had been "particularly meaningful" around Yom Ha'atzmaut and Yom Hazikaron.[28] In November 2026 a single "Hasmonean" logo was among those displayed on the charity's schools page.[28]

The chair of Beit Halochem UK is Andrew Wolfson, who according to the charity has been a trustee since April 2016 and chairman since May 2018. The same page says he is also a trustee of The Charles Wolfson Charitable Trust.[29]

Inspections

Date of inspection Type Outcome
7–8 November 2023 Full inspection Good in all areas, including sixth-form provision[22]
21 November 2012 Full inspection Outstanding[30]
9 January 2008 Full inspection (predecessor school, URN 101366) Good[31]

The 2023 report named Miriam Langdon as headteacher.[22] The full inspection history is published by Ofsted.[32]

Contact

Facebook posts on Israel, Yom Hazikaron and Yom Ha'atzmaut (2023)

Photographs and post screenshots from the school's Facebook page (HHSreal), supplied by David Miller on 4 November 2026. Pupils' faces have been blurred by Powerbase; flags and banners are kept sharp. Serving soldiers' names on the October 2023 prayer list are shown (David Miller, 4 November 2026).

  • Facebook post, 9 October 2023: "AM YISRAEL CHAI... Hasmonean stands with the people of Israel"

  • Israel flag outside 10 Downing Street, from the 9 October 2023 post

  • Second posting of the 9 October 2023 flag image

  • Facebook post, 25 April 2023: H.I.P.E. Yom Hazikaron programme (pupils' faces blurred)

  • Hall with Israeli flag bunting during Yom Hazikaron, 25 April 2023 (pupils' faces blurred)

  • Rabbi Goodman, "a former IDF solder and current Rav of @bneiakivauk", speaking at Yom Hazikaron, 25 April 2023

  • Facebook post, 28 April 2023: "Yom Ha'atzmaut 2023" (pupils' faces blurred)

  • Pupils holding an Israeli flag at Yom Ha'atzmaut 2023 (faces blurred)

  • HIPE banner with Israeli flag, Yom Ha'atzmaut 2023 (faces blurred)

  • Facebook post text, 19 October 2023: Tehillim for those "currently serving in the IDF"

  • Updated IDF prayer list from the 19 October 2023 post (serving soldiers' names shown)

  • Facebook post of 19 October 2023 with the attached prayer list

On 25 April 2023 the school posted about its H.I.P.E. programme "to commemorate Israel's fallen soldiers and victims of terror"; Years 9 and 12 learned Pirkei Avot in memory of Lucy, Maia and Rina Dee, and were addressed by Rabbi Goodman, "a former IDF solder and current Rav of @bneiakivauk".[33] On 19 October 2023 it posted: "Just one Tehillim can go a long way. Join us in our challenge to Daven for our brothers and sisters currently serving in the IDF", with an updated list of serving soldiers dated 18/10/23.[34]

Sixth form and Hesder yeshivas

The school's sixth-form page states that the Beis Rebbeim "have strong links with the Hesder Yeshivas" and that "Representatives of each yeshiva visit Hasmonean in February to tell boys about their yeshiva and conduct interviews", with "almost all" students attending yeshiva after leaving school.[35]

External links

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Hasmonean Multi-Academy Trust, homepage, hasmoneanmat.org.uk, image https://hasmoneanmat.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/bs1.jpg, accessed 6 November 2026.
  2. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20241106204610/https://hasmoneanboys.org.uk/our-ethos/
  3. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20241106204932/https://hasmoneanboys.org.uk/sixth-form/
  4. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20241106205240/https://hasmoneanboys.org.uk/hasmonean/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/sixthbrochureBoys.pdf
  5. ↑ Editorial 09/05/19, hasmoneanmat.org.uk, accessed 1 November 2026.
  6. ↑ Yom Hazikaron, hasmoneanmat.org.uk, accessed 1 November 2026.
  7. ↑ Rami Sherman, hasmoneanmat.org.uk, accessed 1 November 2026.
  8. ↑ Hasmonean High School (@HasmoneanSchool), post, 9 May 2019, accessed 6 November 2026.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Hasmonean High School (@HasmoneanSchool), post, 5 May 2022, accessed 6 November 2026.
  10. ↑ Hasmonean Multi-Academy Trust, Major Shlomi Biche Beit Halochem, hasmoneanmat.org.uk, 13 June 2019, accessed 2 November 2026 (page text retrieved via the site's WordPress API; the public page later returned HTTP 500).
  11. ↑ Hasmonean Multi-Academy Trust, Sergeant [name withheld] Paul Young and Jackie Herman, hasmoneanmat.org.uk, 24 September 2019, accessed 2 November 2026 (alumnus name withheld; URL slug on the Trust site contains the name).
  12. ↑ Jenni Frazer, The soldiers from over here, serving over there, Jewish News, 14 September 2017, accessed 2 November 2026.
  13. ↑ British-born IDF soldier speaks to 300 London students about his experience, Jewish News, 2 February 2018, accessed 2 November 2026.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 Hasmonean MAT, HIPE Boys - Mi Shebeirach, Vimeo, 2 November 2023, accessed 7 November 2026.
  15. ↑ Hasmonean Multi-Academy Trust, HIPE Unite, hasmoneanmat.org.uk, accessed 7 November 2026.
  16. ↑ WATCH: A Powerful Prayer for the Brave Defenders of Israel, United with Israel, 5 November 2023, accessed 2 November 2026.
  17. ↑ Department for Education, Hasmonean High School for Boys (URN 137539), Get Information about Schools, accessed 1 November 2026.
  18. ↑ Department for Education, Hasmonean High School (URN 101366), Get Information about Schools, accessed 1 November 2026.
  19. ↑ Ofsted, Hasmonean High School: academy conversion letter, inspection of 14 February 2012, accessed 1 November 2026.
  20. ↑ Companies House, HASMONEAN MULTI-ACADEMY TRUST (07706488): People, accessed 1 November 2026.
  21. ↑ Companies House, HASMONEAN MULTI-ACADEMY TRUST (07706488): Persons with significant control, accessed 1 November 2026.
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 Ofsted, Hasmonean High School for Boys: inspection report, inspection of 7–8 November 2023, accessed 1 November 2026.
  23. ↑ Charity Commission, HASMONEAN HIGH SCHOOL CHARITABLE TRUST - 1068303, Register of Charities, register data extract of 13 October 2026, accessed 1 November 2026.
  24. ↑ Charity Commission, HASMONEAN HIGH SCHOOL CHARITABLE TRUST - 1068303: Trustees, Register of Charities, register data extract of 13 October 2026, accessed 1 November 2026.
  25. ↑ Charity Commission, JEWISH SECONDARY SCHOOLS MOVEMENT - 313109, Register of Charities, register data extract of 13 October 2026, accessed 1 November 2026.
  26. ↑ Charity Commission, BEIT HALOCHEM UK - 1146950, Register of Charities, register data extract of 13 October 2026, accessed 1 November 2026.
  27. ↑ Beit Halochem UK, For Schools, bhuk.org, archived by the Wayback Machine on 12 February 2025, accessed 1 November 2026.
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 Beit Halochem UK, For schools, bhuk.org (page text and school logos), accessed 1 November 2026.
  29. ↑ Beit Halochem UK, Trustees, bhuk.org, accessed 1 November 2026.
  30. ↑ Ofsted, Hasmonean High School: inspection report, inspection of 21 November 2012, accessed 1 November 2026.
  31. ↑ Ofsted, Hasmonean High School: inspection report, inspection of 9 January 2008, accessed 1 November 2026.
  32. ↑ Ofsted, Hasmonean High School for Boys (URN 137539), Ofsted reports, accessed 1 November 2026.
  33. ↑ Hasmonean High School Facebook post, 25 April 2023, accessed via material supplied by David Miller, 4 November 2026.
  34. ↑ Hasmonean High School Facebook photo, 19 October 2023, accessed via material supplied by David Miller, 4 November 2026.
  35. ↑ Sixth Form, hasmoneanboys.org.uk, accessed 5 November 2026.
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