An independent Jewish school has been warned by Ofsted that it is unlikely to meet required school standards because it does not give pupils an understanding of different sexual orientations.

Gateshead Jewish Primary School, in Tyne and Wear, which has 250 pupils aged 5 to 11, previously separated girls and boys over two sites.

It decided to separate into boys’ and girls’ schools when told that this segregation was no longer lawful. Some teaching staff have moved to the girls’ school site.

The Department for Education commissioned the latest Ofsted inspection to establish whether the site designated to be wholly a boys’ school was ready to make the required changes for this switch.

Ofsted inspectors said in their report that the school was “unlikely to meet the relevant independent school standards if the material changes relating to the school provision are implemented”.

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They said school leaders “have a clear understanding of the requirements of the standard which asks that schools do not discriminate against pupils contrary to the Equalities Act 2010”.

‘Against the Jewish faith’

But they found that: “Leaders do not feel that they are able to identify to their pupils groups of people who are gender-reassigned or have sexual orientation other than heterosexuality, as this contravenes some aspects of the community’s Jewish faith. As a result, this standard cannot be met.”

This meant that leaders felt unable to recognise all groups protected by the Equalities Act 2010 and discuss them with pupils, and “as a result, pupils are unaware that families may be made up of a range of different adults, including same-sex parents”.

Inspectors did, however, praise other aspects of the school, including the fact that pupils understand what constitutes British values. They also recognised the caring culture at the school.