27 April 2016

Independent Muslim school in Luton blasted by Ofsted chief for segregating male and female staff

A Luton school has retained its 'inadequate' rating after segregating male and female staff – with the chief inspector of Ofsted directly criticising leaders of the school for 'undermining' British values of equality.

In a stinging letter to education secretary Nick Morgan, Ofsted's chief inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw expresses concerns about gender segregation in three independent faith schools in the town.

But he singled out Rabia Girls' and Boys' School, on Dunstable Road in Bury Park, after inspectors were 'so concerned about the behaviours modelled by the leaders of this school'.

The school was inspected between April 12 and April 21 and inspectors found men and women were being segregated through the use of a dividing screen across the middle of the room, despite the meeting not being of a religious nature.

The inspector also saw staff segregated during training sessions, with males sitting in one room while the training session was simultaneously broadcast to female staff in another part of the school. [Luton On Sunday] Read more