An independent faith school prevented Ofsted asking pupils questions about “sexual harassment and sexual violence” during an inspection, a new report has revealed.
Ateres High School for Girls requested inspectors not ask pupils “directly” about sexual abuse, or the personal characteristics of sexual orientation and gender reassignment, which are protected under equality law. Teaching about these topics is a required part of Relationships and Sex Education (RSE).
When discussing these aspects of personal development, inspectors instead used language that was suggested by the school such as ‘lifestyle choices’, ‘different tendencies’ and ‘unacceptable touch’.
In its report, Ofsted said this “limited the nature of the evidence inspectors could gather” from pupils with regard to what they were taught, knew and understood about these aspects of personal development.
Ofsted found pupils “do not learn in enough depth about important issues, such as sexual harassment, sexual violence and coercive and controlling behaviour”.
Despite this, Ofsted found the arrangements for safeguarding at the school to be “effective”.
Ofsted also said the school does not teach pupils about the protected characteristics of sexual orientation and gender reassignment, as required by law. The school’s relationships education programme does not providing pupils with “sufficient knowledge” about lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender relationships.
Despite these protected characteristics forming part of compulsory relationships education, the school instead includes them in its sex education curriculum. All parents have exercised their statutory right to withdraw their children from sex education lessons.
Ofsted noted the requirements relating to the protected characteristics were also unmet at the previous standard inspection in July 2022. In the same report, Ofsted said a lack of discussion relating to sexual harassment and violence limited the ability of students to “understand what these mean and why these actions are always unacceptable”.
The school has not been found to be of an acceptable standard since 2013. Ofsted described the school’s proprietor as “not ensuring” the school meets the independent school standards “over time”.
Jewish counter-extremist organisation Nahamu have highlighted how a lack of sex education contributes to forced marriage in strictly-Orthodox Jewish communities.
It said the lack of RSE in Charedi schools means engaged couples may not be prepared for sexual relations, may not understand consent, and may not recognise abusive behaviours.
It also said the exclusion of any reference to LGBT people in Orthodox Jewish schools means LGBT people in Charedi communities face “very serious issues of consent” when presented with a universal expectation of early heterosexual marriage.
The school was previously issued with a warning notice after failing an inspection due to its refusal to allow pupils to be taught about LGBT people.
The school has also reportedly complained to Ofsted over a perceived disproportionate emphasis on its policy not to teach about the protected characteristics. It lodged a similar complaint following the publication of its previous inspection in 2023.
NSS: ‘Religious objections to RSE putting students at risk’
National Secular Society spokesperson Jack Rivington said: “Faith schools which refuse to teach adequate relationships and sex education due to their religious beliefs are putting their students at risk.
“That a school is then permitted to dictate the terms on which inspections are carried out, particularly in areas vital to the wellbeing and safety of pupils, is alarming.
“The Government must address the failings of a system in which schools which consistently and repeatedly disregard legal requirements face little to no consequences.”