JFS (school) facts for kids

JFS is a large Jewish school for both boys and girls in Kenton, North London. It was founded way back in 1732 and was first known as the Jews' Free School.

The school is a comprehensive school, which means it welcomes students of all abilities. At one point, it was the biggest Jewish school in the world, with over 4,000 students. Today, it has about 2,000 students from ages 11 to 18.

School Location

JFS was originally located in Camden Town. In 2002, it moved to a new, modern campus in Kenton. This move happened because many Jewish families in London were moving from the city center to the suburbs. The school is officially in the London Borough of Brent.

School Life and Traditions

Life at JFS is full of learning and fun traditions. Students are part of a house system, which helps create a friendly, competitive spirit.

The House System

When students join JFS, they are placed into one of four houses. Each house has its own color, and students wear a tie with stripes of their house color. The houses compete against each other in events like sports.

The four houses are:

For many classes in Years 7, 8, and 9, students are grouped with others from their house. This helps them make friends and feel part of a team.

End of Year Celebrations

A long-standing tradition at JFS is for Year 11 students to celebrate their last day of regular classes before their big GCSE exams. This is sometimes called a "muck-up day."

In the past, some of these celebrations got out of hand with pranks like throwing flour and eggs. In May 2015, a celebration became disruptive, and the school had to take action to ensure everyone's safety. Since then, the school has put rules in place for these end-of-year events.

Academic Success

JFS is known for its strong academic results. Students at the school work hard and achieve great things.

In 2007, more than half of all GCSE grades were either A* or A. In 2012, JFS had the best GCSE results in the whole borough of Brent. Its results for older students (A-Levels) were also the best among mainstream Jewish schools.

More recently, in 2024, 95% of students passed both English and Maths at GCSE level. Nearly half of all grades were a Grade 7 or higher, which is excellent.

Awards and Recognition

In 2021, JFS received the Wellbeing at School Award. This award shows that the school cares deeply about the happiness and mental health of its students and staff.

Famous Former Students

Many students from JFS have gone on to do amazing things. Here are a few notable people who once walked the halls of the school:

• Barney Barnato — A famous businessman in the diamond mining industry in South Africa.
• Gina Bellman — An actress known for her roles in TV shows.
• Selig Brodetsky — A brilliant mathematician who later became the president of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
• Benjamin Cohen — A well-known journalist and presenter for Channel 4 News.
• Dean Furman — A professional football player.
• Maurice Glasman — A professor and social thinker who is a member of the House of Lords.
• Jonathan Glazer — An award-winning director of films and music videos.
• Samuel Gompers — The first president of the American Federation of Labor, a major group of trade unions in the USA.
• Ray Kelvin — The founder of the popular clothing brand Ted Baker.
• Bernard Lewis — The founder of the fashion store River Island.
• Joe Loss — A famous musician and bandleader.
• Ian Stone — A popular stand-up comedian.