Islamic School Guilty of Discrimination
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An Islamic faith school in Birmingham, that segregated boys and girls is unlawful sex discrimination, a court has decided. The case was brought to the Court of Appeal as Ofsted challenged a High Court ruling, that had originally cleared the Al-Hijrah school of discrimination.
Ofsted argued that separating the sexes in school left girls ‘unprepared for life in modern Britain’. Appeal judges ruled it was discrimination on the grounds of the Equality Act. However, it did not accept it has disadvantaged the girls more than the boys.
From reception to year four, the boys and girls would have lessons and the like together, but in year five, they would be separated for lessons, breaks, school trips and clubs. In 2016, Ofsted ruled the school was inadequate and was put into special measures, saying the policy of segregating because of sex, was discrimination under the 2010 Equality Act.
Amanda Spielman, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Schools, said:
‘The school is teaching boys and girls entirely separately, making them walk down separate corridors, and keeping them apart at all times.
This is discrimination and is wrong. It places these boys and girls at a disadvantage for life beyond the classroom and the workplace, and fails to prepare them for life in modern Britain.’