Faith school prevents pupils from sitting exams to avoid “offence”

Posted: Thu, 26th Jan 2023

Faith school prevents pupils from sitting exams to avoid “offence”

A faith school is not allowing its pupils to sit any public exams in case the content is 'offensive' to religion.

A recent Ofsted report for Bnois Jerusalem Girls School, an independent Orthodox Jewish school in Hackney, describes how students are not permitted to "take examinations to achieve any nationally recognised qualifications at the end of key stage 4".

The school forbids this due to "the risk of content in the examination papers causing offence".

In 2018, Ofsted reported similar practices by the school, with textbooks and other classroom resources censored for material "deemed not to be in line with the traditions and religious teaching of the Jewish faith".

The most recent report said that, as a result of these limitations, pupils continued to "lack readiness for life in modern British society", with school leaders "significantly restrict[ing] pupils' personal development".

Ofsted noted that pupils' options for studies after the age of 16 are limited to institutions that would admit them without the qualifications they were forbidden from obtaining. It also described how pupils do not receive "impartial advice and guidance about the wide ranging options available to pupils beyond progression to a seminary".

The report further described how, in science, "any references to sexual reproduction or scientific theories behind the origins of life" are forbidden. The report said that creationism is taught "as part of a belief system" in the school.

Relationships and sex education is similarly limited, with key concepts such as the importance of "being safe" and "sexual consent, harassment or abuse" omitted entirely.

Although all parents and carers had exercised their right of withdrawal from sex education in the secondary years, no "suitable arrangements to provide sex education" had been provided in the case that any parents, or pupils of the relevant age, chose not to withdraw.

Despite being criticised for doing so in previous reports, Ofsted noted that the school's proprietors continued "to forbid any coverage of different religions, faiths and beliefs" with pupils not learning about "any religions other than their own".

Respect for others, including those with protected characteristics in the Equality Act 2010, is not encouraged.

Since September 2021, the school has been subject to a restriction order from the Department for Education. Schools are not permitted to admit any new pupils when subject to such orders.

Despite this, Ofsted found evidence the school's proprietors were not complying with the restriction order. Information about the restriction order was also not included in the school's admissions policy or prospectus as required.

Ofsted further criticised the school's proprietors for continuing to "inappropriately" use the school admission register as a waiting list.

Although finding safeguarding measures to be effective, Ofsted said "the recruitment process lacks rigour and does not reflect statutory safeguarding guidance".

Bnois Jerusalem has fallen below the required standards since 2014, with the latest report highlighting this repeated failing.

NSS: 'Schools should not enforce religious censorship'

NSS campaigns officer Jack Rivington said: "Schools should be places of discovery, learning, and exploration, not religious indoctrination and censorship.

"A 'school' which forbids its students from sitting any public examinations, thereby severely restricting their future prospects beyond further religious institutions, violates these fundamental values of education.

"It is shameful that children can be deprived of an education in this way in UK society."

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Tags: Faith schools