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Another strictly Orthodox primary school marked down for not teaching respect for LGBT people

Toras Emes in Salford has 'unmet standards are specifically those about encouraging respect for other people', says Ofsted

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Another Strictly Orthodox primary school has been marked down by Ofsted for not teaching respect for LGBT people.

Toras Emes, an independent boys’ school in Salford, was rated good in all the inspection areas except for leadership and management.

This was, Ofsted said: “Because there are unmet independent school standards. The unmet standards are specifically those about encouraging respect for other people....

“Although pupils develop respect for anyone, no matter who they are, they do not develop a secure understanding of all people whose characteristics are protected under The Equality Act 2010.”

The Equality Act includes sexual orientation and gender reassignment.

As a result, Toras Emes was graded overall as a school which “requires improvement”, as it was in its previous inspection two years ago.

Partnerships for Jewish Schools, the Jewish Leadership Council’s schools network, has already expressed concern about Ofsted policy after two Charedi primary schools in Gateshead found themselves in a similar boat to Toras Emes.

Ofsted said the Salford school had improved its secular curriculum since the last inspection, increased the focus on reading and teachers’ knowledge, on the whole, was good.

The school was “at the heart of its community”, with strong relationships between school and home. But pupils left with “little understanding about differences in society,” Ofsted said.

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