Complaint over Westcliff inspection

LEADERS OF a proposed school to cater for the new strictly Orthodox community in Southend and Westcliff have complained to Ofsted after inspectors said it would be unlikely to meet many of the independent school standards.

BeisChinuchGirlsSchoolhadapplied totheDepartmentforEducationtoopen a primary school in a two-storey building this month.

Buttheinspectors’reportleavesthem having to reapply for approval and facing a delay of months.

In a pre-registration inspection in

August, Ofsted said there were “significantweaknesses,especiallylinkedtothe curriculum, that need to be addressed before the school will be ready to open”.

There was “not enough space” on the premises for a proposed maximum of 200 pupils, inspectors concluded, instead suggesting a suitable limit would be 105.

While most of the school was “in a reasonable state of repair” and ready for pupils to use, Ofsted said, some rooms had not been furnished with tables and chairs. Leaders explained delivery of furniture had been delayed because of the pandemic.

Joel Klein, co-chairman of Beis Chinuch, said a complaint had been made to Ofsted because they felt inspectors had been unfair.

The school had had a number of trial inspectionsfromaformerOfstedinspector in order to prepare for the visit, he said. “We have been trying to register fortheschoolforalongtimeandworked hard to get everything done. We want to open as soon as we get permission”.

Ofsted said it stood by its report, adding : “We do not discuss individual complaints, but we do take them seriously anddealwiththeminlinewithourpublished procedures.”