Independent faith schools three times more likely to receive warning

Independent faith schools were three times more likely to receive a warning notice in 2024 compared to nonreligious schools, new research shows.

National Secular Society analysis found 8% of all independent faith schools received a warning notice in 2024, in comparison to just 2.6% of nonreligious independent schools.

The Department for Education ( DfE ) issues warning notices and enforcement letters to independent schools that fail to meet the independent school standards

Government figures show the fifth of England's 2,443 independent schools with a recorded religious character or ethos to be significantly overrepresented in those receiving warning notices. Of the 90 notices issued in 2024, 39 were for faith institutions, compared to 51 for nonreligious schools.

Separate Ofsted figures for 2024 also show that 29% of independent faith schools did not meet the independent school standards, compared to 16% of other independent schools.

The NSS said the greater prevalence of failure amongst faith schools was driven by institutions not meeting requirements they perceive to conflict with their religious beliefs.

Sex segregation, mould-covered walls, and 'blatant disregard' for failings

Amongst the schools issued warning notices in 2024 was Islamic Tarbiyyah Preparatory School, which Ofsted found to be segregating pupils and staff by sex. Ofsted said the practice prevented the development of a "cohesive, progressive curriculum", which was instead "poorly planned in all subjects".

Inspectors found "stereotypes linked to girls being emotionally weaker than boys" were not challenged, with equality "only taught through the lens of Islamic values". Inspectors were also told by school leaders not to ask pupils questions relating to LGBT issues due to "Islamic faith teaching".

Another Islamic school, Markazul Uloom, received a warning notice in 2024. In 2019, inspectors found the school was unlawfully segregating children by sex.

Inspectors also said pupils were "not safe" due to poor safeguarding practice and "decrepit and potentially hazardous" premises. School leaders had neither the "knowledge or capacity" to enact necessary changes secure pupils' safety, Ofsted found.

Other schools issued warning notices included Jewish faith schools TTR Gur and Mechinoh School.

At Mechinoh School, which has not been judged to be of an acceptable standard since 2010, Ofsted found pupils had few opportunities to read any literature other than Jewish religious texts, and that they did not learn about faiths and cultures other than their own.

Additionally, the school "does not permit" staff to teach all of the content specified in the statutory relationships and sex education guidance, with pupils not taught about "consent, contraception or sexuality and gender".

Ofsted also found areas of the school to be damp, with walls "covered with mould", and "many windows" broken and boarded up. It also said the school's proprietor showed "blatant disregard for resolving the school's failings", and that there is "no capacity to improve the school".

TTD Gur school, which has been rated inadequate since 2015, did not allocate sufficient time to cover secular subjects required by the independent school standards, Ofsted said.

The school also continues to exceed its registered admission number. Ofsted found it ignored a restriction imposed by the Department for Education in 2021 preventing new pupils from being admitted.

NSS: Faith school failure 'part of a pattern'

National Secular Society spokesperson Jack Rivington said: "These serious failures at independent faith schools are not unrelated cases, but part of a clear pattern.

"Schools with a religious ethos are overrepresented among failing independent schools because too many prioritse religion over children's education or wellbeing.

"The independent school standards exist to ensure the rights of pupils are protected - they must be robustly enforced at all schools, no matter what their religious character."