Pupils and staff at JCoSS, the UK’s first cross-communal Jewish secondary school, yesterday celebrated its official opening at a ceremony attended by over 300 people. Guests included Tim Loughton, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children and Families, Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls, Gerald Ronson, The Mayor of Barnet and Norwood President Richard Desmond.
The school, in East Barnet, north London, opened on 6 September 2010 after ten years of planning. The Government supported the initiative by providing £36 million and Barnet Council provided the land upon which the school. Meanwhile, many other individuals and organisations donated the additional £12 million to make the JCoSS dream, a reality.
In addition, JCoSS partnered with Norwood to create the Pears Special Resource Provision which, by providing the very best specialist facilities for students with autistic spectrum conditions, has made JCoSS fully inclusive. The PSRP is unique within a faith school and currently offers seven students the opportunity to learn within a mainstream environment. Fifty of the school’s eventual full roll of 1,310 students will benefit from its state of the art facilities.
Norma Brier, Chief Executive of Norwood, said: “Thanks to its unique ethos, JCoSS is providing a truly inclusive Jewish education. However, inclusion means not only welcoming children from across the range of Jewish observances. It also means embracing children who require specialist educational support to meet their needs.
“Inspired and developed by Norwood and made possible by the generosity of its donors, the PSRP is an integral part of JCoSS. In addition, through the provision of specialist facilities and teaching and by the inclusion of its pupils in the life of the school community, it is helping them to overcome their difficulties and reach their full potential.
“We have much to look forward to as they, and those who join in the coming years, develop into fully-rounded young adults ready to lead active and independent lives in our community.”
Gerald Ronson, President of JCoSS, added: “Our vision is to teach our students to learn and engage with the whole world around them - not to be insular and promote segregation but to be tolerant, positive and informed individuals. JCoSS is a place where all are equal and can learn in inspiring settings with the very best facilities, united in one building, with one purpose.”
