Ofsted says private school should not be allowed to grow

A PRIVATE school that is refusing to teach children about LGBT issues should not be allowed to expand, Ofsted has said.

Talmud Torah London, a primary school in north London that serves the ultra-orthodox Jewish community, told inspectors that it has “no intention” of teaching pupils about lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender people.

The school educates children aged five-11 and wants to expand to teach children aged 11-13. However, Ofsted inspectors sent by the Department for Education to assess its suitability for expansion found its proposed personal, social, health and economy lessons (PSHE) and relationships and sex education (RSE) lessons for secondary aged pupils fell short of required standard.

The proposed PSHE lessons paid due regard “to most of the different protected characteristics people have, as identified in the Equality Act 2010”, they said. However, because “the school has no intention of referencing those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender”, they recommended the DFE reject its application.