After seven inspections in three years, a Chasidic boys’ school in Hackney is still failing to meet the required standards for independent schools.

Beis Aharon remains barred from accepting new pupils until the education authorities are satisfied with its level of teaching.

But Ofsted has reported that the school — which teaches 323 boys from three to 13 — is at least heading in the right direction.

Governors and leaders of the school were, Ofsted acknowledged, “starting to address some of the remaining requirements.  However, the pace of improvement has been slow.”

The change in thinking and approach suggested Beis Aharon was working towards “possibly meeting all the independent schools’ standards in the future”.

Increased time for English and maths lessons was having a positive impact on the progress of children, although skills in English were “a significant barrier to learning”.

Science was now taught to all year groups.

But understanding of different faiths remained limited and the school’s leadership accepted that “stereotypical views” of followers of other faiths ought to be challenged.

The anti-bullying policy had been rewritten and included a reference to homophobic bullying, inspectors noted.