About Etz Chaim

Etz Chaim Jewish Primary School is a one form entry primary school with classes from Reception to Year 6. We are a school under the auspices of the Office of The Chief Rabbi. We are committed to the practice of Modern Orthodox Judaism.  The school opened in September 2011 and was one of the first new Free Schools that year.  For our first two years we were located in temporary accommodation and moved to our permanent site in September 2013.  

The school currently has pupils from age four to eleven and has 177 pupils on roll (94 girls and 84 boys). The proportion of children eligible for Free School Meals is below average (4%), as is the proportion of children from ethnic minority groups (15.3%). English as an additional language is above average (23%). The proportion of pupils with SEN is below average (5.6%).

The school upholds an ethos of high expectations for all which provides children with challenging opportunities where they acquire skills, knowledge and confidence that can be applied to all future learning experiences.  These opportunities encourage respect, self-belief, excellence and enjoyment and prepare our pupils for the next stage of their education.  To achieve this we strive to provide a school environment that will be secure, stimulating, supportive and memorable, whereby each child feels valued as part of our community and encouraged to achieve their full potential.

We believe that the curriculum should be child-centred, and provide opportunities for practical, hands-on and concrete experiences, so that each child can build their knowledge, skills, concepts and attitudes through understanding. We offer excellent standards of care, guidance and support and a high-quality learning environment to support all learners equally.  

We aim to develop within the pupils a positive commitment and passion for Judaism and British Values. Our Jewish ethos and values permeate all aspects of school life and learning within it. Every child, whether or not they are of the Jewish faith, will, we believe, benefit by learning the ethics and moralities associated with Judaism. We want our pupils to leave our school understanding how they can make a positive contribution to their community and to the wider world.