Chasidic schools rapped over state of premises

CONDITIONS AT two independent Chasidic schools in Stamford Hill have been criticised by inspectors.

The building at the Yesodey Hatorah School — which teaches boys from 5 to 15 and has a separate girls’ primary section — was in “poor repair”, Ofsted said, with peeling paint, hazardous flooring in some rooms and unsanitary toilets for secondary boys.

The sharing of toilet and washing facilities for boys and male staff “potentially placed pupils at risk,” Ofsted reported.

While teaching was rated good, the school was declared “inadequate” overall — the lowest inspection grade.

School leaders failed to communicate regularly with each other and pupils did not demonstrate a wide understanding of other faiths.

A spokesman for Yesodey Hatorah said, while it was disappointed by the report, “the wellbeing of our children was never in question” and many of the points raised by Ofsted had been rectified.

At Bnos Zion, a primary girls’ school run by the Bobov sect, inspectors found “potential hazards” such as a hole in the floor of one room and cracked glass in a door panel.

They also commented on a lack of fire extinguishers and signage for escape routes.

On the plus side, the school had developed a computer room and taken steps to offer qualifications for girls, who were particularly strong in maths.

But while pupils could explain the meaning of democracy and knew about the Koran, the school fell down on equality issues by avoiding mention of same-sex relationships or transgender status.

In contrast, Torah Vodass, a Charedi boys primary school in Barnet, which Ofsted said required improvement last year, has met independent school standards in a follow-up visit.

Workshops by poets and writers from different backgrounds had helped pupils appreciate other cultures and prepare them “suitably” for life in modern Britain.

There was also positive news for another strictly Orthodox boys school, Beis Hatalmud in Salford. Two years after inspectors said it required improvement, it has now been ranked as a good school. Pupils learned about different lifestyles, cultures and faiths in Britain.

Although pupils left after year 10, many took GCSE exams a year early — two years earlier than most nationally.