Family & Education
Chasidic schools face ban on admitting new pupils
Department for Education ready to act against schools that fail to meet standards
October 7, 2019 12:27
Department for Education ready to act against schools that fail to meet standards
October 7, 2019 12:27Two of the seven independent schools under enforcement action by the Department for Education (DfE) are strictly Orthodox primaries, according to new figures.
Both Talmud Torah Yetev Lev for boys and Beis Ruchel d’Satmar for girls, which are associated with the Satmar Chasidic community in Stamford Hill, will be prohibited from admitting new pupils.
The action against Yetev Lev was decided earlier this year after the school was rated inadequate by Ofsted for several reasons including a narrow curriculum, lack of sufficient oversight of pupils and inappropriate methods of discipline.
Boys reported being slapped or having their cheeks pinched - practices, according to Ofsted, the school's leadership acknowledged as unacceptable.
But the ban on new pupils has not yet been enforced, pending an appeal by the school.
The DfE decided to impose sanctions on Beis Ruchel more than two years ago but held off implementing them to give the school the chance to improve. Now the decision is due to come into effect at the beginning of November.
While the DfE has noted progress the school, the authorities want further development including more evidence that it promotes tolerance of people with different faiths and beliefs.
According to an Ofsted inspection earlier this year, the school was teaching 681 girls, although its registered maximum was 200.
Lord Agnew, the Minister for Independent Schools, said: “Every child is entitled to a high-quality education and this government will not hesitate in taking action where they are denied that by schools that consistently fail to meet the required standards.”
The government would not tolerate a small minority of independent schools “failing children and parents by providing substandard education and, in the most serious cases, putting children at risk”, he said.
The DfE issued eight warning notices to Charedi institutions out of 85 independent schools in all in the first six months of the year, newly published statistics show.
This compares with 12 Charedi schools out of 139 in England in receipt of warning notices last year.
Warning notices contain a standard clause that schools could face restrictions on admitting pupils or closure if they do not put right identified failings.
But Charedi education leaders hope that following extensive discussions with the department, fewer of their schools will face the threat of sanctions in future.
