SCHOOLS IN ENGLAND could face prosecution if they are found operating outside the law by a taskforce of inspectors, Ofsted have announced.
The government is said to be taking long-lasting steps against schools which are unregistered. If anywhere offers over 20 hours of teaching in a week, then it is required by law to be registered as a school.
A total of three schools which were inspected in Birmingham by officers, were found to be unregistered. Some could possibly even have children registered as home-educated, but instead attend the centre which is not registered by law.
Chief Inspector of Schools Sir Michael Wilshaw says there is a serious and growing threat to the safety of children.
“Unhygienic”
Ofsted says it found a narrow Islam-focused curriculum in all the schools it visited.
One of the school’s conditions were described as ‘unhygienic and filthy’, with staff who had not been screened for their suitability to work with children.
Inspectors also discovered books described as inappropriate, with texts including “misogynistic, homophobic and anti-Semitic material”.
The three places visited by Ofsted at the end of November, brings the total amount of unregistered education centres inspected in recent months to 18.
Bordesley Independent School, in Birmingham, which is the only schools to be named saw inspectors find dirty mattresses and a lack of running water.
In the three Birmingham centres that were visited 94 children were being educated.
Writing formally to the education secretary, Sir Michael says he believes the number of children in unregistered schools could be far higher.
He warned that Ofsted’s work to promote British values is being undermined by the growth of these unregistered schools.
‘Confusing advice’
The chief inspector says he is also concerned that some of these education centres have received what could be “confusing and unhelpful” advice from Department for Education officials that they can continue to operate while applying to register.
Most of the place visited by Ofsted have been in Muslim communities, although inspectors may also turn their attention to similar unregistered tuition centres operated by other groups.
With reference to the BBC, Sir Michael said: “It will apply across the board, to any religious group whether Muslim group, Jewish group, or Christian group who wants to operate this sort of provision in unsafe accommodation, in unhygienic and filthy accommodation. “It will apply to all religious groups, I want to make that absolutely clear,”
A Department for Education spokesman said the government had been taking robust steps to tackle unregistered schools and improve safeguarding since 2010.
They continued by saying: “This includes being completely clear it is a criminal offence to operate an unregistered independent school. We agree with Ofsted that more needs to be done and will be strengthening our communications to potential providers.”
The spokesman added: “We are also introducing further powers to regulate settings which teach children intensively and to intervene and impose sanctions where there are safety or welfare concerns. We are pleased Ofsted has agreed to take forward these prosecutions and we look forward to immediate progress.”
