A school run by one of the main Chasidic sects in London which was previously threatened with closure has still not been given the all-clear by inspectors.
Talmud Torah Chaim Meirim Wiznitz in Hackney, which has 260 boys from five to 13, needs to make further improvements in anti-bullying policy and providing parents with records of academic achievement, according to an Ofsted report published today.
A year ago the Department for Education lifted the threat of closure against the school, which was founded by the Vishnitz Chasidim.
A number of independent Chasidic schools in the borough have been criticised by the authorities for the narrowness of their education in a series of recent reports.
But the latest unannounced Ofsted visit, which took place at the end of the year, did not look at the educational content at Chaim Meirim.
According to Ofsted, the school’s leaders said they were “not willing to teach pupils about some types of bullying because they consider this contrary to their religious beliefs. Pupils spoken to have a very limited understanding of what bullying means and of the forms it may take.”
Pupils did receive some guidance on e-safety but this was still too limited, inspectors said.
