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Derby's Al-Madinah Muslim free school reopens | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A Muslim free school in Derby has reopened almost a week after it was closed during an Ofsted inspection. | A Muslim free school in Derby has reopened almost a week after it was closed during an Ofsted inspection. |
The Al-Madinah School shut last Tuesday, citing "health and safety concerns", after one day of inspections. | |
Sources said the school had been rated inadequate in all areas by Ofsted, but a final report has not yet been filed. | |
The school has insisted it was closed on undisclosed health and safety grounds and not due to the inspection. | The school has insisted it was closed on undisclosed health and safety grounds and not due to the inspection. |
Sources said Ofsted found incomplete records of child protection checks being done for all staff. | |
'Girls at back' | |
There have been reports that female teachers at the school were forced to wear hijabs even if they were not Muslim. | |
It was also claimed girls were made to sit at the back of the classroom and boys at the front. | |
Free schools - which can be opened by anyone - are state funded but not overseen by the local authority. | |
National Union of Teachers (NUT) spokesman Nick Raine said: "It is a publicly-funded school - if there are health and safety concerns that were serious enough to close the school then what were they and have they been an issue for some time? " | |
Over the weekend Labour politicians asked Education Secretary Michael Gove to clarify matters urgently "to reassure the public". | |
The Department for Education said it was already investigating allegations against the school. | |
'Rumours circulating' | |
Several parents with children at the school told BBC News that they were happy with the school. | |
"I would rather it close and they sort it out and now she can back to school and the health and safety is going to be fine," one mother said. | |
The Al-Madinah school, which opened in September 2012, claimed to be the first free school in England with a Muslim ethos, catering for all reception, primary and secondary pupils. | |
But concerns over the application of strict Islamic practices led to a scheduled full inspection being brought forward. | |
A statement on the school website said: "Unsurprisingly, there has been a number of rumours circulating. | A statement on the school website said: "Unsurprisingly, there has been a number of rumours circulating. |
"While unfortunate, my decision to close the school related to a short-term health and safety issue that has now been completely resolved and will not reoccur." | "While unfortunate, my decision to close the school related to a short-term health and safety issue that has now been completely resolved and will not reoccur." |
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