Manchester Mesivta School
Orthodox Jewish state secondary school for boys in Prestwich, Bury
| Manchester Mesivta School
| |
|---|---|
| Type | Voluntary aided Orthodox Jewish secondary school for boys, with sixth form |
| Founded | Voluntary aided from 1 November 2004; earlier independent school |
| Registration ID | URN 134195 (Department for Education); charities 1158815 and 526607 (Charity Commission); company 09110551 (Companies House) |
| Headquarters | Beechwood, Charlton Avenue, Prestwich, Greater Manchester, M25 0PH |
| Location | Metropolitan Borough of Bury |
| Registration | England and Wales |
| Key people | Rabbi Zevi Katz (headteacher from January 2024); Avrom Topperman (chair of governors, 2024) |
| Website | mesivta.org.uk |
Manchester Mesivta School is a state-funded, voluntary aided Orthodox Jewish secondary school for boys in Prestwich, in the Metropolitan Borough of Bury.[1] It became voluntary aided in November 2004, having previously been independent.[2][1] Ofsted's 2026 report card records that it is "registered as having an Orthodox Jewish religious character".[3] In 2016 the school's website described "its unconditional adherence to the Shulchan Aruch (code of Jewish law)" as "a foundation principle".[4]
The school's own history traces it to an attempt to set up a Jewish high school in Manchester after the day schools of the 1940s, and to a new board of governors formed in 1959.[5] Ofsted has rated it Requires Improvement at each graded inspection since 2022.[6][7]
History
In 2018 the school's website gave this account of its origins: "Following the successful launch of day schools in the Manchester Jewish community of the forties, an initiative was taken to establish a high school." It named those involved as Dayan Weiss, Dayan Golditch, Rav Rappaport, Rabbi Segal ("the late Manchester Rosh Yeshiva") and Dr. Menachem Rottenberg, with Rebbe Balkind and Rev. Leslie Olsberg among the teachers. It said that "real success eluded the school", because "most of the community still preferred to send their boys to the direct grant schools".[5]
According to the same account, "in 1959 a new Board of Governors, mainly composed of parents of prospective pupils, was formed to take over the running of the school". The chairman was Anshel Pfeffer, and the board included Leo Grosskopf, Abe Smith, Tony Myers, Jacob Sanger, Shmuel Rechnitzer and Shlomo Reich. The board appointed as principal Rabbi Lippa Rabinowitz, who had been "Rosh Yeshiva in Tangier and in the Montefiore Yeshiva in Ramsgate". E.S. Wilson was headmaster of the secular programme from 1962 until 1976, when "he left to head the King David School". In 1973 a new building was "commissioned and constructed through the generosity of Mr Sidney Beenstock". Mr Pink became headmaster in 1976 and "successfully led the school for 35 years". He set up a teachers' training programme in 1978.[5]
Manchester Jewish Grammar School (charity number 526607) has a constitution adopted on 3 September 1951 and was entered on the register of charities on 17 July 1967. Its objects are "to establish, support and maintain Jewish schools for the education of Jewish boys from the age of 10 to 18 years".[8][9]
In 2006 Ofsted described "a small voluntary aided school for boys based in Bury … an orthodox Jewish school which provides a dual curriculum of Jewish studies and secular education for boys aged 11-16", with 165 pupils. It said: "The school gained voluntary aided status in November 2004 and moved into brand new buildings in December 2005." The site also hosted "an independent sixth form which is franchised with a local further education college". The headteacher was Mr P Pink and the chair of governors was Mr I Shapiro.[2] Pink was still headteacher in March 2011.[10]
By October 2013 the headteacher was Rabbi Binyomin Sulzbacher, with 112 pupils.[11] In 2015 he was principal, the chair was Avrom Topperman, and there were 134 pupils.[12] In 2022 Sulzbacher was still headteacher, the chair was Noah Fletcher, and the roll had risen to 204.[6] In 2024 the headteacher was Zevi Katz, who "took up his post in January 2024". Topperman was again chair, and there were 247 pupils, 30 of them in a sixth form.[7] The Department for Education register recorded 233 pupils in October 2026.[1]
Religious character
Ofsted has described the school as "an orthodox Jewish school" (2006, 2013, 2015 and 2022) and as "an Orthodox Jewish school" (2024). It reported in 2013 that "Jewish studies are taught in the mornings and secular subjects in the afternoon, meaning that students are in school for at least nine hours" a day.[2][11][12][6][7]
The school's 2016 ethos statement said: "A foundation principle of the establishment and continued operation of Manchester Mesivta School is its unconditional adherence to the Shulchan Aruch (code of Jewish law). This is also demanded by the parent body of the school, to the extent that should the school in any way deviate from this, the parents would withdraw their children from the school."[4]
Relation to Israel
Ofsted reported in 2013 that "all students progress to Talmudical College either in the United Kingdom or Israel for two or three years". In 2015 it said that the school "enters most pupils for GCSEs in Year 10, so that they can begin their A levels in Year 11. This is so that they can progress to Talmudical College either in Israel or the United Kingdom."[11][12]
Ofsted inspections
| Inspection date | Type | Outcome | Published |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 September 2026 | Report card inspection | Expected standard: inclusion; personal development and wellbeing; leadership and governance. Needs attention: achievement; attendance and behaviour; curriculum and teaching; post-16 provision. Safeguarding standards met | 19 October 2026 |
| Letter of 17 June 2025 | Monitoring visit | "Leaders have made progress to improve the school, but some aspects of the school need further improvement" | 24 June 2025 |
| 30 and 31 January 2024 | School inspection | Requires improvement | 8 March 2024 |
| 4 and 5 May 2022 | School inspection | Requires improvement | 27 June 2022 |
| 14–15 October 2015 | Full inspection | Good | 17 November 2015 |
| 12 December 2013 | Monitoring visit | – | 10 January 2014 |
| 23–24 October 2013 | Full inspection | Requires improvement | 14 November 2013 |
| Letter of 15 March 2012 | Interim assessment | Good (interim assessment) | 20 March 2012 |
| 7–8 March 2011 | Subject survey (science) | – | 17 March 2011 |
| 27–28 January 2009 | Full inspection | Good | 17 February 2009 |
| 7 February 2008 | Subject survey (mathematics) | – | 13 February 2008 |
| 23–24 March 2006 | Full inspection | Satisfactory | 12 April 2006 |
Source: Ofsted.[13]
Manchester Mesivta Jewish Grammar School (charity)
Manchester Mesivta Jewish Grammar School was incorporated on 1 July 2014 (company number 09110551) and registered as a charity on 8 October 2014 (charity number 1158815). The Charity Commission address is Manchester Mesivta School, Beechwood, Charlton Avenue, Prestwich, Manchester, M25 0PH. The registered office is 2nd Floor - Parkgates, Bury New Road, Prestwich, Manchester, England, M25 0TL.[14][15] Its objects include promoting the education "of people under the age of 25 years in the north of England", and its register entry states that "besides providing educational support to the local school, the charity also organised after school clubs throughout the week".[16][14]
Trustees
| Name | Role | Date of appointment |
|---|---|---|
| Simon James Fogal | Trustee | 22 March 2016 |
| Barry Nathan Feldman | Trustee | 1 December 2024 |
Source: Charity Commission.[17]
Company officers
| Name | Role | Appointed | Resigned |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hayim Ehrentreu | Secretary | 20 July 2014 | – |
| Simon James Fogal | Director | 20 July 2014 | – |
| Michael Haffner | Director | 22 March 2016 | – |
| Hayim Ehrentreu | Director | 22 July 2014 | 1 April 2026 |
| Osker Heiman | Director | 1 July 2014 | 1 July 2014 |
| Avrom Samuel Topperman | Director | 17 July 2014 | 1 September 2015 |
Source: Companies House.[18]
Finances
| Financial year end | Income | Expenditure |
|---|---|---|
| 31 July 2021 | £952,959 | £943,189 |
| 31 July 2022 | £985,610 | £1,053,501 |
| 31 July 2023 | £1,170,906 | £1,220,703 |
| 31 July 2024 | £791,619 | £840,236 |
| 31 July 2025 | £962,377 | £990,472 |
Source: Charity Commission.[19] The charity reported 21 employees in 2021 and 51 in 2025.[19]
Manchester Jewish Grammar School (charity)
Manchester Jewish Grammar School (charity number 526607) is registered at Beechwood, Charlton Avenue, Prestwich, Manchester, M25 0PH. It states that its objects are achieved "through the provision of a Jewish boy's school in Manchester".[8]
| Name | Role | Date of appointment |
|---|---|---|
| Irving Shapiro | Chair | 27 June 2013 |
| Jonathan Joseph Mocton | Trustee | 27 June 2013 |
Source: Charity Commission.[20]
| Financial year end | Income | Expenditure |
|---|---|---|
| 31 August 2021 | £14,291 | £7,620 |
| 31 August 2022 | £9,751 | £17,577 |
| 31 August 2023 | £4,800 | £1,494 |
| 31 August 2024 | £34 | £2,325 |
| 31 August 2025 | £4,257 | £412 |
Source: Charity Commission.[21]
Donors
| Donor | Year | Amount | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hathaway Trust | Year to 31 July 2015 | £5,050 | [22] |
| Hathaway Trust | Year to 31 July 2018 | £7,500 | [23] |
| Hathaway Trust | Year to 31 July 2019 | £20,000 | [24] |
Contact
- Address: Beechwood, Charlton Avenue, Prestwich, Greater Manchester, M25 0PH[1]
- Telephone: 0161 773 1789[12]
- Email: mesivta@bury.gov.uk (2015)[12]
See also
External links
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Department for Education, Manchester Mesivta School (URN 134195) Get Information about Schools, accessed 29 October 2026.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Ofsted, Manchester Mesivta School: section 5 inspection report Ofsted, inspection 23–24 March 2006, published 12 April 2006, accessed 29 October 2026.
- ↑ Ofsted, Manchester Mesivta School: inspection report card report Ofsted, inspection 15 September 2026, published 19 October 2026, accessed 29 October 2026.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Manchester Mesivta School, School ethos Manchester Mesivta School website, archived by the Wayback Machine on 21 October 2016, accessed 29 October 2026.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Manchester Mesivta School, Mesivta – the early years Manchester Mesivta School website, archived by the Wayback Machine on 17 January 2018, accessed 29 October 2026.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Ofsted, Manchester Mesivta School: section 5 inspection report Ofsted, inspection 4–5 May 2022, published 27 June 2022, accessed 29 October 2026.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Ofsted, Manchester Mesivta School: section 5 inspection report Ofsted, inspection 30–31 January 2024, published 8 March 2024, accessed 29 October 2026.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Charity Commission, Manchester Jewish Grammar School – charity overview Register of Charities, charity number 526607; register data extracts of 13 and 16 October 2026, accessed 29 October 2026.
- ↑ Charity Commission, Manchester Jewish Grammar School – governing document Register of Charities, charity number 526607; register data extracts of 13 and 16 October 2026, accessed 29 October 2026.
- ↑ Ofsted, Manchester Mesivta School: science subject survey letter report Ofsted, inspection 7–8 March 2011, published letter of 17 March 2011, accessed 29 October 2026.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Ofsted, Manchester Mesivta School: section 5 inspection report Ofsted, inspection 23–24 October 2013, published 14 November 2013, accessed 29 October 2026.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 Ofsted, Manchester Mesivta School: section 5 inspection report Ofsted, inspection 14–15 October 2015, published 17 November 2015, accessed 29 October 2026.
- ↑ Ofsted, Manchester Mesivta School – inspection reports Ofsted reports, accessed 29 October 2026.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Charity Commission, Manchester Mesivta Jewish Grammar School – charity overview Register of Charities, charity number 1158815; register data extracts of 13 and 16 October 2026, accessed 29 October 2026.
- ↑ Companies House, Manchester Mesivta Jewish Grammar School – company overview (company number 09110551) Find and update company information, accessed 29 October 2026.
- ↑ Charity Commission, Manchester Mesivta Jewish Grammar School – governing document Register of Charities, charity number 1158815; register data extracts of 13 and 16 October 2026, accessed 29 October 2026.
- ↑ Charity Commission, Manchester Mesivta Jewish Grammar School – trustees Register of Charities, charity number 1158815; register data extracts of 13 and 16 October 2026, accessed 29 October 2026.
- ↑ Companies House, Manchester Mesivta Jewish Grammar School – officers (company number 09110551) Find and update company information, accessed 29 October 2026.
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 Charity Commission, Manchester Mesivta Jewish Grammar School – financial history Register of Charities, charity number 1158815; register data extracts of 13 and 16 October 2026, accessed 29 October 2026.
- ↑ Charity Commission, Manchester Jewish Grammar School – trustees Register of Charities, charity number 526607; register data extracts of 13 and 16 October 2026, accessed 29 October 2026.
- ↑ Charity Commission, Manchester Jewish Grammar School – financial history Register of Charities, charity number 526607; register data extracts of 13 and 16 October 2026, accessed 29 October 2026.
- ↑ Hathaway Trust, Financial statements for the year ended 31 July 2015 Charity Commission accounts, archived by the UK Government Web Archive, charity number 1064086, accessed 29 October 2026.
- ↑ Hathaway Trust, Financial statements for the year ended 31 July 2018 Charity Commission accounts, archived by the UK Government Web Archive, charity number 1064086, accessed 29 October 2026.
- ↑ Hathaway Trust, Financial statements for the year ended 31 July 2019 Charity Commission accounts, archived by the UK Government Web Archive, charity number 1064086, accessed 29 October 2026.