A Charedi boys’ primary school in Salford branded as inadequate less than two years ago has now been ranked good by inspectors - the third Charedi independent school to move from a lower grade to good in a month.
The quality of education at Kerem Shloime, which has 180 boys aged from three to 11, had considerably improved since the last inspection, Ofsted said.
While half the pupils spoke English as an additional language, most pupils read “with fluency and comprehension that matched their age and ability”.
They developed strong skills in maths and made good progress across a range of subjects, with the secular and Kodesh (religious) studies curricula complementing each other well.
Pupils had a “secure understanding of other faiths, such as Christianity and Islam,” Ofsted said, and “a well-informed appreciation of equality.
“They readily demonstrate the principle of respect that lies at the heart of the school’s ethos. Pupils recognise that they must treat all people fairly, including those who have protected characteristics.”
Protected characteristics in equality law include people of same-sex orientation and transgender people - though the Ofsted report does not state that these were addressed directly by the school.
Earlier this year, Lord Agnew, the minister responsible for faith schools, offered Kerem Shloime as an example of a Charedi school able to satisfy independent school requirements, contrasting it with his concerns about schools in Stamford Hill. The school had been threatened with deregistration, he said.
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