Chasidic school under threat over failing to teach secular subjects

THE FATE of one of the largest Chasidic schools in the country hangs in the balance after it failed an Ofsted inspection test.

Talmud Torah Yetev Lev, an independent school for 794 boys aged from three to 12, run by the Satmar sect, had already been warned by the Department for Education to improve its premises and provision for the welfare and safety of children after an emergency inspection in summer.

Now the school, in north London, has been criticised for its lack of secular education after inspectors returned at the end of last year.

A DfE spokesman said that inspectors had found further breaches of independent school standards, “which is why we are considering what regulatory action is appropriate”.

Secular subjects are taught for an hour and a half at the Yiddish-speaking school but are not introduced until year two. “Many of the required areas of learning are covered but the school does not make sure that pupils gain technological skills or develop their creativity,” Ofsted reported.

“Although almost all pupils speak Yiddish as their main language, English is not taught to pupils in year one or to the children in early years.” While some pupils made the expected progress in maths, only a few did so in English.

Lessons did not actively promote “fundamental British values” or give pupils enough opportunity to “develop respect and tolerance for those of different faiths and beliefs”. There were no regular classes to make sure pupils learned about English institutions.

Inspectors said that pupils were not made aware of the dangers of cyberbullying (although children do not use the internet in such circles).

A l t h o u g h p u p i l s we r e taught about respect for difference such as to the elderly or disabled, Ofsted said, “they are not made aware of other ways in which people may be different, for example because of their sexuality or gender identity”.

The comments reflect the new drive launched by the government last year to instil “British values” in schools to combat Islamist radicalism — although some Orthodox Jewish educators have questioned whether inspectors are taking the equality agenda too far.

No one from Yetev Lev was available to comment.

Inspectors said lessons did not actively promote ‘British values’