Hasmonean High School
Encyclopedia
HasmoHigh School is a voluntary aided, comprehensive school, for pupils aged 11 to 18 from Orthodox Jewish families, situated in the London Borough of Barnet
.
and one for girls in Mill Hill
. The school has been awarded specialist Business and Enterprise College
status. It is situated on the B551 (towards Mill Hill), north of the A1 in Holders Hill.
The school was set up by the late Rabbi Dr. Solomon Schonfeld
in 1944 as Hasmonean Grammar School. Rabbi Dr. Schonfeld (1912-1984) rescued thousands of Jews from the Holocaust and pioneered Jewish day school education in England.
Dr. Schonfeld saw the 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, the need subsequently arose for a school where the children could be educated in an Orthodox Jewish environment. Haredim discourage mingling of the sexes, especially when they are unmarried, so two separate schools needed to be set up, one for boys and one for girls.
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 has established a Beis Hamedrash programme for Fifth- and Sixth Form boys (Years 11-13) and a Midrasha programme for sixth form girls.
The headmaster of the school from its foundation until he retired was Walter W. Stanton. He was succeeded by Rabbi M. Roberg.
The succeeding head teacher was Dr. Dena Coleman who is now head of Yavneh College
. The current executive head is Rabbi D Meyer. The current head of boys school is Mr A. McClusky & the head of girls school is Mrs R. Fink.
until 1947. In that year, the boys' school moved to Holders Hill Road, where it has remained until the present day. Until 1975, the girls' school was accommodated in a two large houses in Parson Street, Hendon
, when it was relocated to Page Street.
serves the boys site of the school, with access to Golders Green, Edgware and Mill Hill Broadway Stations for all students. At Mill Hill Broadway there is access to the 221 Bus, 113 Bus
, 251 Bus
. The closest underground station is Mill Hill East
.
[1] To provide a sound all-round education, so that pupils will be inspired to raise their level of Jewish knowledge and commitment as well as achieving the qualifications necessary for the career of their choice.
[2] To promote the practical application of Jewish values and traditions.
[3] To care for all pupils and to encourage them to realize their potential and to achieve success.
[4] To encourage and support the personality, development and moral values of the pupils, so that they may develop a positive self-image and the ability to cope with change within themselves and within society.
[5] To promote, including by means of extracurricular activities, the character training necessary to enable the pupils to become committed and caring members of the School community and of the wider community.
London Borough of Barnet
The London Borough of Barnet is a London borough in North London and forms part of Outer London. It has a population of 331,500 and covers . It borders Hertfordshire to the north and five other London boroughs: Harrow and Brent to the west, Camden and Haringey to the south-east and Enfield to the...
.
Admissions
The school comprises two sites, one for boys in the area of HendonHendon
Hendon is a London suburb situated northwest of Charing Cross.-History:Hendon was historically a civil parish in the county of Middlesex. The manor is described in Domesday , but the name, 'Hendun' meaning 'at the highest hill', is earlier...
and one for girls in Mill Hill
Mill Hill
Mill Hill is a place in the London Borough of Barnet. It is a suburb situated 9 miles north west of Charing Cross. Mill Hill was in the historic county of Middlesex until it was absorbed by London...
. The school has been awarded specialist Business and Enterprise College
Business and Enterprise College
Business and Enterprise Colleges were introduced in 2002 as part of the Specialist Schools Programme in the United Kingdom. The system enables secondary schools to specialise in certain fields...
status. It is situated on the B551 (towards Mill Hill), north of the A1 in Holders Hill.
History
Solomon Schonfeld
Rabbi Dr Solomon Schonfeld was a British rabbi who is heralded as one of the most remarkable, yet least known of the Holocaust heroes.Schonfeld studied at the yeshiva in Nitra, Slovakia...
in 1944 as Hasmonean Grammar School. Rabbi Dr. Schonfeld (1912-1984) rescued thousands of Jews from the Holocaust and pioneered Jewish day school education in England.
Dr. Schonfeld saw the 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
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
-occupied Europe, most of them settling in London. Since Orthodox Judaism places great emphasis on the upbringing of children, the need subsequently arose for a school where the children could be educated in an Orthodox Jewish environment. Haredim discourage mingling of the sexes, especially when they are unmarried, so two separate schools needed to be set up, one for boys and one for girls.
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
Mill Hill
Mill Hill is a place in the London Borough of Barnet. It is a suburb situated 9 miles north west of Charing Cross. Mill Hill was in the historic county of Middlesex until it was absorbed by London...
. 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
Grant-maintained school
Grant-maintained schools were state schools in England and Wales between 1988 and 1998 that had opted out of local government control, being funded directly by a grant from central government...
, 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 has established a Beis Hamedrash programme for Fifth- and Sixth Form boys (Years 11-13) and a Midrasha programme for sixth form girls.
Senior staff
The headmaster of the school from its foundation until he retired was Walter W. Stanton. He was succeeded by Rabbi M. Roberg.
The succeeding head teacher was Dr. Dena Coleman who is now head of Yavneh College
Yavneh College, Borehamwood
Yavneh College is a Jewish Voluntary Aided Comprehensive School in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire.The school opened in 2006 on the site of the former Hillside School with Dr...
. The current executive head is Rabbi D Meyer. The current head of boys school is Mr A. McClusky & the head of girls school is Mrs R. Fink.
Executive Headteachers
- Mr. Martin Clark 2005-2007 (currently senior director at GEMS Educational Ventures, DubaiDubaiDubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
since 2007) - Mr. David Fuller 2007-2009 (Marked Fuller's 94th term in school educating, he resumed to be Director of Schools until 2010)
- Rabbi David Meyer 2009-present
Location
Originally, the school was situated in The Drive in Golders GreenGolders Green
Golders Green is an area in the London Borough of Barnet in London, England. Although having some earlier history, it is essentially a 19th century suburban development situated about 5.3 miles north west of Charing Cross and centred on the crossroads of Golders Green Road and Finchley Road.In the...
until 1947. In that year, the boys' school moved to Holders Hill Road, where it has remained until the present day. Until 1975, the girls' school was accommodated in a two large houses in Parson Street, Hendon
Hendon
Hendon is a London suburb situated northwest of Charing Cross.-History:Hendon was historically a civil parish in the county of Middlesex. The manor is described in Domesday , but the name, 'Hendun' meaning 'at the highest hill', is earlier...
, when it was relocated to Page Street.
Transport
As of September 2011, the bus route 240London Buses route 240
London Buses route 240 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. This service is currently contracted to Metroline.-History:...
serves the boys site of the school, with access to Golders Green, Edgware and Mill Hill Broadway Stations for all students. At Mill Hill Broadway there is access to the 221 Bus, 113 Bus
London Buses route 113
London Buses route 113 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. This service is currently contracted to Metroline.-History:...
, 251 Bus
London Buses route 251
London Buses route 251 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to London Sovereign.-History:...
. The closest underground station is Mill Hill East
Mill Hill East tube station
Mill Hill East tube station is a London Underground station in Mill Hill in North London.The station is on the High Barnet branch of the Northern Line, and is the terminus, and only station, of a branch from Finchley Central station...
.
Objectives
The school has five primary objectives:[1] To provide a sound all-round education, so that pupils will be inspired to raise their level of Jewish knowledge and commitment as well as achieving the qualifications necessary for the career of their choice.
[2] To promote the practical application of Jewish values and traditions.
[3] To care for all pupils and to encourage them to realize their potential and to achieve success.
[4] To encourage and support the personality, development and moral values of the pupils, so that they may develop a positive self-image and the ability to cope with change within themselves and within society.
[5] To promote, including by means of extracurricular activities, the character training necessary to enable the pupils to become committed and caring members of the School community and of the wider community.
Governing Body
Soon after its opening, the school became part of the blossoming 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.Academic results
It gets very good GCSE results, similar to a grammar school. At A-level, it is reasonably good, in the top three of non-grammar schools in Barnet LEA. It has received better A-levels in the past, sometimes (1995) being the best comprehensive in England.Hasmonean Grammar School
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