Ofsted warns about risks to children being taught in unregistered schools

Victor Shafiee, the inspectorate’s deputy director in charge of unregistered settings, said, “The problem here is first and foremost about safeguarding. Many of these places are unsafe – with poor facilities and hygiene, badly trained or untrained staff, who may not have had any employment checks made on them, and little care for children’s health and wellbeing.”

A spokesman said “a very small number” of Jewish settings had received warning notices. But added that “most of them operate on the cusp of the law, by claiming they only offer a religious education, so, under the current legislation, we aren’t able establish that they are in fact illegal schools”.

The inspectorate has previously called for tougher legislation to close what it regards as loopholes in the law.