When Nicky Morgan came to Yavneh College
“FAITH SCHOOLS are outstanding, provided that they teach their pupils fundamental British values,” according to Nicky Morgan.
The Education Secretary praised Jewish schools in general, and Yavneh College in particular, on a visit to the Borehamwood school last week.
Her trip followed the government’s recent approval of Yavneh’s plan to build a primary section on the same site.
She was accompanied by Hertsmere MP Oliver Dowden, Yavneh headteacher Spencer Lewis and Yavneh pre sident Benjamin Perl on a tour of the site, sat in on English, chemistry, history and Hebrew lessons, and took part in a Q and A session with sixth-formers.
Ms Morgan said she was “delighted” that Yavneh would be expanding. “My aim is to have every school in the UK offer as excellent an education as you have here,” she said.
In his address, Mr Lewis thanked Ms Morgan for backing the plan for a Yavneh primary. He said: “For us as Jews, the first thing we ask for in prayer from God is knowledge, deeper understanding. Education is a priority for us, which is something I know we share with the Secretary of State.”
Ms Morgan, who is also Minister for Women and Equalities, fielded questions from students. When asked about the state of education in the UK, she responded: “There are parts of our world where girls are prevented from getting an education. Given the UK’s global position, we still have a way to go in i m p r o v i n g our English, maths and sciences. My hope is that o u r r e c e n t c h a n g e s t o A-Level courses will allow the development of Nicky Morgan and Spencer Lewis deeper knowledge and understanding.”
She offered her advice to budding politicians in the audience. “Be interested in the world around you, in your values, start slowly, get involved in local campaigns. And consider doing something other than politics to begin with; my legal career put me in great stead for this job,” she said The Education Secretary said she celebrated the increased popularity of faith schools in the UK, and said this was the primary reason the government had a p p r o v e d t h e c r e a - t i o n o f Yavneh Primary.
“W e absolutely understand why faith schools are so popular,” she said. “They do an outstanding job — both educationally, and across the broader curriculum.
“Free schools are our response to cross-communal and parental demand. That is, essentially, what the education system must respond to.”
But, she added, teaching British values is fundamental to each faith school’s success.