Hasmonean High School

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Hasmonean High School is a voluntary aided, comprehensive school, for pupils aged 11 to 18 from Orthodox Jewish families, situated in the London Borough of Barnet. The school comprises two sites, one for boys in the area of Hendon and one for girls in the area of Mill Hill. The school has been awarded specialist Business and Enterprise College status.

History

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A young Rabbi Dr. Solomon Schonfeld, founder of the school.

The school was set up by the late Rabbi Dr. Solomon Schonfeld in 1944 as Hasmonean Grammar School. Rabbi Dr. Schonfeld (1912-1984) was a unique personality who 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.

Location

Originally, the school was situated in The Drive in Golders Green 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.

Aims

The school claims to have five primary aims:

[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.

Personalities

The headmaster of the school from its foundation until he retired was Walter W. Stanton. He was succeeded by Rabbi N. Roberg.

The current headmaster of the boys site is Rabbi D Meyers. Elie Yossef is an alumnus of the school.

External links

• Hasmonean High School's New Website