BySimon Rocker, Simon Rocker
A North London Chasidic boys' school under threat of closure has been reprieved by the Department for Education
Talmud Torah Chaim Meirim Wiznitz, which is run by the Vishnitz Chasidim, had been criticised last year, in particular for failing to meet safety and welfare regulations.
But the DfE said this week that the closure order had been lifted after improvements reported by inspectors who made an unannounced visit last month.
Despite the respite, Chaim Meirim - which teaches 260 Yiddish-speaking boys aged from five-to-13 - has still to meet all the standards required of secondary schools.
Although inspectors were told that more time was now spent on secular studies, they found it to be "fragmented and partial".
The school had yet to implement a broad and balanced curriculum and offered too few lessons in geography, history and science.
Whereas years one and two now took some secular subjects, having not done so previously, it was "still the case that no lessons are taught in spoken English".
Chaim Meirim was "now meeting some of the required standards", according to a DfE spokesman. "We will continue to work closely with the school until all standards are met."