Schools could split following single-sex ruling

RELIGIOUS schools which separate boys and girls into different classes may split intwo in order to avoid punishment from Ofsted, it has emerged.

Head teachers have requested clarification from the Government on whether their current practices will fall foul of the regulator after an Islamic school was judged to be breaching equality laws earlier this month.

The Sunday Telegraph has obtained a letter sent by one headmaster to parents at a north London Jewish school, informing them it may be forced to split into single-sex schools amid a crackdown on gender discrimination.

It follows the Court of Appeal judgment last week, which ruled that co-educational schools cannot segregate pupils based on gender.

The ruling means that AlHijrah School, an Islamic centre in Birmingham, must end its policy of “complete segregation”.

The decision was welcomed by Amanda Spielman, Ofsted’s chief inspector, who said that the practice had placed “boys and girls at a disadvantage for life beyond the classroom and the workplace”. However, the judg- ment is thought to have far wider implications for religious schools across the country, with Ofsted confirming there are at least 20 which it believes fall foul of equality laws.

Hasmonean High School, an Orthodox secondary in London, has written to parents. Andrew McClusky, its headmaster, wrote: “The judgment may well mean that we have to go through a

‘The judgment may well mean we have to go through a consultation process’

consultation process with stakeholders to separate into two separate single-sex schools under one multiacademy trust.”

Speaking to The Sunday Telegraph, Judith Nemeth, head of the National Association for Jewish Orthodox Schools, confirmed a “handful” of schools were now in discussion with the Department for Education (DfE).

A DfE spokesman said: “We expect all schools to comply with the law, and it is primarily for individual schools to consider what action they might need to take to comply with the law.”