Delamere Seed Funds Innovative New Tests To Help Identify Orthodox Pupils With Barriers To Learning
Regular objective individual pupil assessment is recognised as an essential feature of effective professional education in secular subjects. Rabbi Benarroch, the Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator at Mesivta School, spotted the need for a cleverly designed low cost system for testing pupil’s proficiency in Kodesh Studies, particularly in independent orthodox schools unfamiliar with secular educational practices.
He spent years developing and refining his own Kodesh Ability Tests using his specialist expertise. The tests quantify how every pupil is progressing, and identify those who are falling behind. Pupils with learning disabilities can be identified at an early stage so that their schools recognise the need to put in place action plans for specific underperforming children.
To encourage Jewish schools in Manchester to trial this highly innovative testing system, Delamere agreed to fund their first year of testing with a Janette Cattan Memorial award. After that, it is believed they will not only recognise the system’s value and pay for its future use, but also take professional advice on the specialist teaching resources and skills they need to help underperforming pupils overcome the barriers to their learning in future.
For full details of the tests and their success, see here.