Leaders of a proposed school to serve the new Charedi community in Southend and Westcliff have complained to Ofsted after inspectors said it would be unlikely to meet many of the independent school standards. 

Beis Chinuch Girls School had applied to the Department for Education to open a primary school in a two-storey building this month.  

But the inspectors’ report leaves them having to reapply for approval and facing a delay of months. 

In a pre-registration inspection in August, Ofsted found “significant weaknesses, especially linked to the curriculum”  that needed to be addressed before the school was ready. 

Joel Klein, co-chairman of Beis Chinuch, said a complaint had been made to Ofsted because they felt inspectors had been unfair. 

The critical report had been unexpected because the school had taken the precaution of undergoing a number of trial inspections from a former Ofsted inspector in order to prepare, he said. Risk assessments had been done by a private company. 

“We have been trying to register for the school for a long time and worked hard to get everything done,” he said. “We want to open as soon as we get permission.” 

Ofsted said it stood by its report, adding : “We do not discuss individual complaints, but we do take them seriously and deal with them in line with our published procedures.”