Orthodox school ordered to close next month after Ofsted warnings

An Orthodox Jewish school in Stamford Hill has been ordered to close next month by the Department for Education after Ofsted inspectors issued multiple warning that it was breeding “insularity”, with pupils not even taught English. 

The pending closure of 221-student Charedi Talmud Torah Tashbar, which has operated illegally as an unregistered school for four decades, was celebrated by Humanist groups, after the national inspectorate’s reports were released.

In two pre-registration reports, Ofsted said the school, which teaches boys aged 3-13, failed to meet “minimum standards,” encouraging “cultural and ethnic insularity because it is so narrow and almost exclusively rooted in the study of the Torah”. 

British Humanist Association spokesman Jay Harman said: “We’re glad the DfE has now moved to shut this school down, which after all this time is an incredibly welcome move. However, there are clearly many more out there just like it.”

He added: “Every year, every month, every week that these places are allowed to stay open, a huge number of children remain isolated, indoctrinated, and very likely abused.”