Faith school not teaching any secular subjects, Ofsted finds

An independent faith school is teaching "no secular subjects" from Year 8 upwards, a new Ofsted report has revealed.

Talmud Torah Machzikei Hadass School, a Jewish school for boys in Hackney, was judged to be inadequate during its latest inspection, with Ofsted describing the curriculum as "narrow".

In the primary phase of the school, the only secular subjects are English, mathematics and science. Other secular subjects such as physical education and history are not taught.

Once pupils reached the secondary phase of the school, this curriculum is "narrowed further" according to Ofsted. Pupils only study a "Hebrew curriculum, with no secular subjects taught at all".

Ofsted said these "weaknesses" in the curriculum meant students are unable to develop their knowledge and skills.

Despite being informed of these weaknesses in previous inspections, the actions of leaders to secure necessary improvements were described by Ofsted as "not being taken quickly enough".

The report also criticised the school's leadership for giving "too little attention to putting in place a suitably broad and ambitious secular curriculum" and for failing to ensure pupils have the knowledge needed for "their future lives in modern Britain".

Ofsted also found that the school's programme for relationships and sex education (RSE) does not have regard for the Department for Education's statutory guidance on RSE, with school leaders failing to ensure the curriculum covers "all aspects of relationships education".

Pupils are not taught required content on "different types of respectful relationships" or the protected characteristics as specified in the Equality Act 2010. The curriculum does not encourage respect for these characteristics or explain how they are protected by law from discrimination.

Ofsted inspectors were prevented by the school's leadership from asking pupils about "specific aspects" of the PSHE and RSE curriculums, including content which is set out in statutory guidance.

The report also highlighted that failings identified during this inspection, particularly in relation to the quality of education, had been "repeatedly identified during previous inspections of the school".

Previous inspections have also judged the school to be inadequate, with none finding it of an acceptable standard since 2014.

A restriction imposed by the Secretary of State for Education preventing the school's proprietor from admitting any new pupils from 17 February 2022 onwards remains in place.

The school attracted controversy in 2015 after rabbis involved in its management said that women driving went against "the traditional rules of modesty" for their sect, and that children would be prevented from attending schools if they were driven there by their mothers.

NSS: 'Lack of any secular subjects appalling and harmful'

Jack Rivington, campaigns officer at the National Secular Society, said: "An institution which fails to teach any secular subjects is undeserving of being regarded as a school – its purpose is indoctrination, not education.

"By continuing to disregard the findings of Ofsted, and doing next to nothing to rectify its repeated failings, the school shows contempt both for inspectors and the independent school standards.

"Education should be about creating opportunities and possibilities for students – the restrictive curriculums of faith schools such as this one run totally contrary to those purposes, and are harmful to children."

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