A second Chasidic school involved in last year’s controversy over women driving has received a critical report from inspectors.
Ofsted said that boys at Talmud Torah Machzikei Hadass in Hackney, north-east London, run by the Belz Chasidim, do not know enough about other faiths, while the school’s commitment to the Shulchan Aruch (Code of Jewish Law) leads it to disregard provisions relating to same-sex orientation in the Equality Act.
The Belz girls school, Beis Malka, in Hackney, was also criticised by inspectors last year.
Both schools received emergency inspections last summer ordered by the Department for Education after Belz leaders proposed barring pupils of mothers who drove cars on the grounds that this contravened traditions of modesty.
The proposal was shelved after intervention of the Equality and Human Rights Commission.
Both schools had been previously ranked as good by Ofsted.
While Machzikei Hadass boys showed respect to others in their community, inspectors said, “they do not gain a deep enough understanding about different faiths or beliefs. Year 5 and Year 6 pupils know about Jewish faith celebrations, but they could not identify similar events for other religions.”
The school’s leaders were aware that its “unconditional adherence” to the Shulchan Aruch “disregards the protected characteristic of sexual orientation within the 2010 Equality Act”.
Machzikei Hadass “recognises fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and advocates respect and tolerance of those with different faiths,” inspectors reported. “Torah ideals are applied to the Jewish faith and to the law of the country. However, in practice, pupils are taught very little about other faiths and beliefs.”
Its policy to prevent radicalisation was “undeveloped”, they said.
While teaching schemes for early years considered the needs of children “satisfactorily”, they lacked depth in other stages. Leaders said that English tuition for boys after Key stage three (13 to 14 year olds) was “provided at home”.
Careers guidance focused on pursuing study at religious institutions and none was made for boys who wished to go on to other occupations, Ofsted reported.
Although the inspection was carried out in July, it was published only yesterday after enquiries by the JC.
It is further evidence of a tougher inspection policy towards independent religious schools. Ofsted’s interpretation of the government’s British values agenda to suggest that schools should be teaching something about same-sex relationships is also posing problems for strictly Orthodox institutions.
A spokesman for the school said: "We were not disappointed with the report and are working on an action plan to address the few areas of concern."
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