Hasmonean Multi-Academy Trust

Hasmonean Multi-Academy Trust is a charitable company limited by guarantee and registered in England and Wales.(Company Number: 07706488) The Trust comprises Hasmonean High School for Boys and Hasmonean High School for Girls, serving the Orthodox Jewish Community of North-West London.

Hasmonean Multi-Academy Trust is a member of the Jewish Secondary Schools Movement.

History

The school was founded by the late Rabbi Dr. Solomon Schonfeld in 1944 as Hasmonean Grammar School. Schonfeld (1912–1984) rescued thousands of Jews from the Holocaust and pioneered Jewish day school education in England.

Schonfeld considered there to be a need for an Orthodox Jewish school in North West London, which, despite having high numbers of Orthodox Jews, did not have a religious school to cater for them. Many Jews had reached Great Britain from different parts of Nazi-occupied Europe, most of them settling in London. Since Orthodox Judaism places great emphasis on the upbringing of children, he saw a need for a school where the children could be educated in an Orthodox Jewish environment.

The boys’ school became a voluntary aided Local Authority School in 1957. In September 1975, the girls moved to the present purpose-built Page Street site in Mill Hill. In 1984, voluntary aided status was extended to the girls' school, and the two sections joined as one to become a five-form-entry school. In April 1994, the school became grant maintained, but returned to Voluntary Aided Status in September 1999, following the abolition of grant-maintained schools. In March 2008 Hasmonean was singled out as one of the faith schools in the news for its procedure of demanding contributions from parents as a condition of entry. The school converted to academy status in October 2011.

Donations

• Loftus Charitable Trust | Gerald and Gail Ronson Family Foundation | Wolfson Family Charitable Trust

Connection to Israel and Zionism

Among the signs of 'success' at the schools were said to be:

Our students have achieved academic success whilst being heavily involved in both the school and the wider community. Not only is one of the candidates Deputy Head Girl, she also ran the Israel Society, attended UJIA Israel advocacy courses, and is a Madricha in Bnei Akiva...

Hasmonean students contribute across the community. Four joined KEF on its recent respite trip, many more volunteer for Shabbat Walk and a selected group of Sixth Formers are part of the Mizrachi Yehudi programme, which sends students into primary schools to inspire the next generation in their love of Jewish Studies. Four students are also JNF ambassadors.

This success is all the more remarkable when seen against the backdrop of an intensive Jewish Studies programme which takes up a considerable percentage of the school day. This has resulted in admissions to some of the top Sems and Yeshivot in Israel, such as Michlala, MMY, HaRova and Midreshet Tehilla; while the boys are accepted to Toras Moshe, Reb Tzvi’s, Beis Yisroel, Hakotel and Keren B’Yavneh.

And:

Hasmonean Boys’ School had the pleasure of welcoming back many of their alumni to give small shiurim to the current Sixth Form. As part of the Beis Programme, 20 alumni who are currently studying in yeshivas in Israel prepared shiurim on the topic of Pesach. The Beis Hamedrash was crowded as the current Sixth Form boys were split among the various alumni to listen attentively to what they had to say. The content was superb, and the current boys really enjoyed seeing the progress of the alumni and what they had achieved. It was an empowering day for all and a real privilege to see a motivated responsible group of alumni who still feel connected to Hasmonean Beis and appreciative of all it has done for them.

Governing body

Soon after its opening, the school became part of the Jewish Secondary Schools Movement (JSSM). Under the terms of the JSSM scheme, 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. The trustees in turn appoint the Foundation Governors, who together with the Headteacher, two LEA appointed Governors, three parent-elected Governors, two teacher-elected Governors and the Staff Governor form the Governing Body. The chairmen of governors in 2016 were Gary Swabel (MAT), Yossi Halberstadt (Boys) and Steven Blumgart (Girls).

People

Headteachers

• Walter Stanton M.A.(Oxon.) (1944–1980) founding head
• Rabbi Meir Roberg (1980–1993)
• Dr Dena Coleman (1993–1998)
• Rabbi David Radomsky (2000–2006)
• Martin Clark (2006–2007)
• David Fuller (2007–2009)
• Rabbi D. Meyer (2009–2015)
• Deborah Lebrett (2015–2023)
• Miriam Langdon (2023–Present)

Staff

• Phyllis Dimson

Former pupils

• David Mencer attended Hasmonean High School in London.
• Jonathan Kestenbaum

Resources

• https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/zionist-federation-appoints-new-executive-director/

See also

• 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)
• Hasmonean High School Building Trust Foundation (1007227)
• Beit Shvidler Primary School Charitable Trust (Charity number 1118619)
• Helena's Nursery
• Happy Tots R Us Ltd
• Hasmonean Pre-Nursery (Closed)
• Hasmonean Primary School

Contacts

Registered office: Holders Hill Road Hendon London NW4 1NA