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| Defiant head vows to keep unregistered school open | Defiant head vows to keep unregistered school open |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| The head teacher of an unregistered school, prosecuted for operating it illegally, has said it has a "unique" approach and will remain open. | The head teacher of an unregistered school, prosecuted for operating it illegally, has said it has a "unique" approach and will remain open. |
| Nadia Ali, of Ambassadors High, in Streatham - which an inspection found "wilfully neglected" safeguarding - was given community service last month. | Nadia Ali, of Ambassadors High, in Streatham - which an inspection found "wilfully neglected" safeguarding - was given community service last month. |
| She called the pupils "happy learners" and denied it was breaking the law, as it was now open 18 hours a week only. | She called the pupils "happy learners" and denied it was breaking the law, as it was now open 18 hours a week only. |
| Ofsted has urged improved legislation to deal with unregistered schools. | Ofsted has urged improved legislation to deal with unregistered schools. |
| By law, any institution with more than five full-time pupils has to be officially registered and inspected. Government guidance defines full-time education as more than 18 hours a week. | By law, any institution with more than five full-time pupils has to be officially registered and inspected. Government guidance defines full-time education as more than 18 hours a week. |
| The south London school, which describes itself as having an Islamic ethos, says it charges £2,500 a year per pupil and had 45 children on the roll at the time of its last inspection. But it has not yet met standards required to register. | The south London school, which describes itself as having an Islamic ethos, says it charges £2,500 a year per pupil and had 45 children on the roll at the time of its last inspection. But it has not yet met standards required to register. |
| Ms Ali told the BBC's Today and Victoria Derbyshire programmes the school had remained open as its work with the children was "quite unique". | Ms Ali told the BBC's Today and Victoria Derbyshire programmes the school had remained open as its work with the children was "quite unique". |
| "I've been teaching for 15 years and I've seen how children need a different approach and that what we're trying to do at Ambassadors," she said. | "I've been teaching for 15 years and I've seen how children need a different approach and that what we're trying to do at Ambassadors," she said. |
| "This is why I believe in what we're trying to do because we've seen a lot of results within our children. They're happy learners." | "This is why I believe in what we're trying to do because we've seen a lot of results within our children. They're happy learners." |
| Inspection failings | Inspection failings |
| Inspectors twice issued warnings they believed the school was operating illegally, before it first applied to register in 2016. | Inspectors twice issued warnings they believed the school was operating illegally, before it first applied to register in 2016. |
| And it failed its pre-registration inspection, in February 2019, with inspectors judging it would not meet the Independent School Standards. | And it failed its pre-registration inspection, in February 2019, with inspectors judging it would not meet the Independent School Standards. |
| However, the school remained open - leading to Ms Ali's prosecution. | However, the school remained open - leading to Ms Ali's prosecution. |
| The inspection found she had, "wilfully neglected to meet some basic, crucial, safeguarding responsibilities". | The inspection found she had, "wilfully neglected to meet some basic, crucial, safeguarding responsibilities". |
| Inspectors found six out of 11 teachers had not had Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) or criminal-record checks. | Inspectors found six out of 11 teachers had not had Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) or criminal-record checks. |
| But Ms Ali said all staff working at the time of the inspection had been thoroughly checked. | But Ms Ali said all staff working at the time of the inspection had been thoroughly checked. |
| "At that time, we only had four members of staff at that school," she said. | "At that time, we only had four members of staff at that school," she said. |
| "So, the staff who had left were still on the central record... we did try to explain it to the inspector." | "So, the staff who had left were still on the central record... we did try to explain it to the inspector." |
| Inspectors also said ''teachers do not have the skills'' to help pupils progress and concluded there was ''no capacity for improvement'' at the school. | Inspectors also said ''teachers do not have the skills'' to help pupils progress and concluded there was ''no capacity for improvement'' at the school. |
| And they found there was ''no plan in place to actively promote fundamental British values''. | And they found there was ''no plan in place to actively promote fundamental British values''. |
| In 2018, inspectors found texts in the staffroom that: | In 2018, inspectors found texts in the staffroom that: |
| But they found no evidence children had access to these books. | But they found no evidence children had access to these books. |
| Ms Ali said the books had been donated by a mosque and had been kept locked in the office. Accepting they were unsuitable, she denied they contributed to a perception she did not want the school to be part of modern British society. | Ms Ali said the books had been donated by a mosque and had been kept locked in the office. Accepting they were unsuitable, she denied they contributed to a perception she did not want the school to be part of modern British society. |
| She said: "I don't believe that just by finding some books or a paragraph from a book like that makes us go against the fundamental British values... because our children and us, we've grown in British society." | She said: "I don't believe that just by finding some books or a paragraph from a book like that makes us go against the fundamental British values... because our children and us, we've grown in British society." |
| Koran lessons | Koran lessons |
| It is unclear how many hours the school currently operates, although Ms Ali insisted it was not longer than 18 hours. But we saw a timetable for pupils aged 11-14 that added up to 21 hours per week. Ms Ali denied it was accurate. | It is unclear how many hours the school currently operates, although Ms Ali insisted it was not longer than 18 hours. But we saw a timetable for pupils aged 11-14 that added up to 21 hours per week. Ms Ali denied it was accurate. |
| The pupils used to be taught the Koran in school - but this now happens at a nearby mosque. Ms Ali said the Koran lessons were run by parents - but the school website, no longer online, asked parents to pay £80 a month for the lessons. | The pupils used to be taught the Koran in school - but this now happens at a nearby mosque. Ms Ali said the Koran lessons were run by parents - but the school website, no longer online, asked parents to pay £80 a month for the lessons. |
| Parents also say they run a home-tuition club in a separate setting close to the school. | Parents also say they run a home-tuition club in a separate setting close to the school. |
| Ms Ali said she was getting her paperwork in order to apply again to register the school in a few weeks' time. | Ms Ali said she was getting her paperwork in order to apply again to register the school in a few weeks' time. |
| Despite Ofsted inspecting almost 260 suspected unregistered schools since January 2016, and issuing warning notices to 71 settings, this was only the second time a case was brought for prosecution. | Despite Ofsted inspecting almost 260 suspected unregistered schools since January 2016, and issuing warning notices to 71 settings, this was only the second time a case was brought for prosecution. |
| An Ofsted spokeswoman said there needed to be a proper legal definition of "schools" and "full-time", as the current legislation was too vague. | |
| "If it's providing all, or substantially all, of a child's education, then it's a school and it should be registered, so we can make sure children are safe and getting a good education," she said. | |
| "The law didn't expect unregistered schools to exist - it wasn't designed to prevent these places from happening." | "The law didn't expect unregistered schools to exist - it wasn't designed to prevent these places from happening." |
| Education Minister Lord Agnew said unregistered schools were "illegal, unsafe and anyone found to be running one will be prosecuted". | Education Minister Lord Agnew said unregistered schools were "illegal, unsafe and anyone found to be running one will be prosecuted". |
| "Where settings are only operating part-time, there are a range of legal powers in place to make sure children are safe in their care | "Where settings are only operating part-time, there are a range of legal powers in place to make sure children are safe in their care |
| "And in the vast majority of cases those settings are doing an excellent job in enriching young peoples' lives." | "And in the vast majority of cases those settings are doing an excellent job in enriching young peoples' lives." |
| "We have provided funding to a number of councils to boost their capacity to take action on settings causing concern." | "We have provided funding to a number of councils to boost their capacity to take action on settings causing concern." |
| Follow the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme on Facebook and Twitter - and see more of our stories here. | Follow the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme on Facebook and Twitter - and see more of our stories here. |