Mathilda Marks-Kennedy Jewish Primary School

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Mathilda Marks-Kennedy Jewish Primary School (URN:101376) is a Barnet based Jewish mainstream Mixed primary school for ages 3-11.

It is run by the The Mathilda Marks-Kennedy Jewish Primary School Trust (Company number 04021015) under the auspices of the United Synagogue/Scopus Jewish Educational Trust

Relation to Zionism

  • 'We see Zionism and a love of the State of Israel as important factors in our lives. We also promote and embrace a multicultural, tolerant and respectful Britain.'[1]
  • 'The importance of Israel as a land of our heritage and belief in Zionism is key to our school ethos. Each day we pray for the safety of the land and all its inhabitants. We mark the special days of Yom HaZikaron and Yom Ha’Atzmaut with ceremonies and lessons to explain their significance. On Yom HaZikaron, we hold a solemn and sensitive assembly, led by Year 6, to remember the fallen soldiers. This is typically attended by parents, governors, the Mayor of Barnet, our Patron of the school Lord Levy and his wife Lady Levy, as well as a representative from the Israeli Embassy. As expected, in complete contrast to this, Yom Ha’Atzmaut is celebrated in true MMK style, beginning with families, dressed in the blue and white colours of the Israeli flag, dancing in the playground. The music, dancing, singing and exciting educational activities, together with a delicious Israeli lunch, create a very special day at MMK.' [2]
  • '98% of parents feel that their child has developed a love for Judaism and Zionism throughout the school (Updated February 2019)'[2]
  • 'Our Jewish identity and love of Israel are reflected in the ethos and values of our School.'[3]
  • The school's vision and ethos statement, which contains the sentence on Zionism quoted above, is marked "Ratified May 2024".[4]
  • The Jewish Studies page says "we were recently awarded a grant from the JNF that enables us to provide Israeli informal education to our pupils", and that its pupils have sung "at the Israeli Embassy".[2] The JNF is the Jewish National Fund.
  • The same page says the school's Yom HaZikaron ceremony "is typically attended by parents, governors, the Mayor of Barnet, our Patron of the school Lord Levy and his wife Lady Levy, as well as a representative from the Israeli Embassy".[2] Lord Levy is the school's patron.

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,[5] lists Mathilda Marks-Kennedy Jewish Primary School 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".[6] 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.[7] In November 2026 the school's logo was among those displayed on the charity's schools page.[7]

The charity's "For Schools" page named Mathilda Marks-Kennedy among the schools it had "worked with" in the past, in a passage inviting schools to run fundraising events or to choose Beit Halochem as their "charity partner". The list appears in archived copies from January 2022[8] and February 2025,[6] but the passage was removed when the charity redesigned its website.[7]

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.[9]

Governance

The Department for Education records the school as a voluntary aided primary school with a Jewish religious character for pupils aged 3 to 11. It has a capacity of 230 and 219 pupils on roll, and its headteacher is Miriam Kaye.[10]

The Mathilda Marks-Kennedy Jewish Primary School Trust (company number 04021015) was incorporated on 8 June 2000. Companies House lists four directors.[11]

Name Appointed
Hayley Lisa Gershon 18 July 2021
Kim Olga Katz 1 March 2020
Aaron Jerome Livingston (also company secretary from 9 June 2020) 1 July 2014
Richard Mark Sultman 21 April 2021

The Mathilda Marks-Kennedy School Parent/Teacher Association (charity number 293320) had income of £39,773 and spending of £41,718 in the year to 31 August 2025. Its trustees are Abi Freedman (chair), Benjamin Andrew Paisner and Leonie Garfield.[12][13]

Inspections

Date of inspection Type Outcome
20 January 2026 Report card inspection Achievement, attendance and behaviour, personal development and wellbeing, and inclusion: strong standard. Curriculum and teaching, early years, and leadership and governance: expected standard. Safeguarding standards met[14]
24–25 November 2021 Full inspection Good (previous grade Outstanding)[15]

The 2026 report names Zoe Sinclair as chair of governors. It says the school's Jewish education was inspected under section 48 of the Education Act in June 2024.[14] The full inspection history is published by Ofsted.[16]

Funding

The Locker Foundation

Contact

https://www.mathildamarks.com

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ https://www.mathildamarks.com/Ethos/
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 https://www.mathildamarks.com/Curriculum/Jewish-Studies/
  3. ↑ Welcome to MMK, mathildamarks.com, accessed 1 November 2026.
  4. ↑ Vision and Ethos, mathildamarks.com, accessed 1 November 2026.
  5. ↑ Charity Commission, BEIT HALOCHEM UK - 1146950, Register of Charities, register data extract of 13 October 2026, accessed 1 November 2026.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Beit Halochem UK, For Schools, bhuk.org, archived by the Wayback Machine on 12 February 2025, accessed 1 November 2026.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Beit Halochem UK, For schools, bhuk.org (page text and school logos), accessed 1 November 2026.
  8. ↑ Beit Halochem UK, For Schools, bhuk.org, archived by the Wayback Machine on 24 January 2022, accessed 1 November 2026.
  9. ↑ Beit Halochem UK, Trustees, bhuk.org, accessed 1 November 2026.
  10. ↑ Department for Education, Mathilda Marks-Kennedy Jewish Primary School (URN 101376), Get Information about Schools, accessed 1 November 2026.
  11. ↑ Companies House, THE MATHILDA MARKS-KENNEDY JEWISH PRIMARY SCHOOL TRUST (04021015): People, accessed 1 November 2026.
  12. ↑ Charity Commission, MATHILDA MARKS-KENNEDY SCHOOL PARENT/TEACHER ASSOCIATION - 293320, Register of Charities, register data extract of 13 October 2026, accessed 1 November 2026.
  13. ↑ Charity Commission, MATHILDA MARKS-KENNEDY SCHOOL PARENT/TEACHER ASSOCIATION - 293320: Trustees, Register of Charities, register data extract of 13 October 2026, accessed 1 November 2026.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Ofsted, Mathilda Marks-Kennedy Jewish Primary School: inspection report, inspection of 20 January 2026, accessed 1 November 2026.
  15. ↑ Ofsted, Mathilda Marks-Kennedy Jewish Primary School: inspection report, inspection of 24–25 November 2021, accessed 1 November 2026.
  16. ↑ Ofsted, Mathilda Marks-Kennedy Jewish Primary School (URN 101376), Ofsted reports, accessed 1 November 2026.
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