Thousands of Charedi Jews in Stamford Hill responded to a call from their rabbis to take part in a Day of Prayer in order to protect their schools from threats of closure.

Boys from local strictly Orthodox schools joined adults in a mass gathering outside a Hackney synagogue on Tuesday morning.

Over the past three years independent Charedi schools have come under increasing pressure from Ofsted inspectors.

But rabbis fear proposals from the Department for Education to tighten legislation on regulating independent schools will make it impossible for many Charedi schools to continue.

One of the main areas of conflict is the requirement by some inspectors that schools should acknowledge existence of same-sex relationships in society as part of teaching “British values” of tolerance and respect for others.

A number of rabbis have previously questioned whether the strictly Orthodox community has a future in the UK if education policy is not changed.

While speakers at today's event voiced concerns about Ofsted, they also expressed hope for dialogue with the government.

Rabbi Dovid Frand, president of the Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations, said, “The exemplary behaviour of these thousands of children throughout this event is tribute to the excellent education and high moral standards that our system delivers.”

He said the community thanked God “we are privileged to live in a tolerant country with a government that has repeated pledged to safeguard religion and religious practice.

“However, there are influential secular forces seeking to impinge on our rights and we have all gathered together in prayer in the fervent hope that we can continue to practice and teach our Torah-true values for generations to come."