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The Crown Prosecution Service has successfully brought its first prosecution against an unregistered independent school in England and Wales.
The CPS, which is responsible for criminal prosecutions in England and Wales, said the school’s head teacher Beatrix Bernhardt, 38; and director, Nacerdine Talbi, 47, were convicted of running the Al-Istiqamah Learning Centre in Southall, west London, following a three-day trial at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, which concluded on Wednesday, October 24.
Even though Al-Istiqamah Learning Centre in London was not registered as a school with the Department of Education, it used to give lessons to some 60 children five days a week.
The court heard how Ofsted inspectors visited the unregistered Islamic learning centre,which is based inside a three-storey office block along Uxbridge Road, on two separate occasions on 12 October and 14 November in 2017.
Photographs of lesson plans and homework diaries taken by Ofsted inspectors showed that the centre was being run as a school.
In the course of the investigation, it emerged that the centre taught children that Noah was a prophet of Allah, who built an ark and saved only Muslims and animals.
“The fees being charged were £230 per month for primary school age pupils and £250 for secondary school age and envisaged a 10-month academic year.
“I find that Fridays were a special religious day but according to the many examples of the timetable there were Arabic lessons taking place,” Chief Magistrate Emma Arbuthnot said.
Speaking after the judgement, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills, Amanda Spielman, said that such schools “deny children a proper education and leave them at risk of harm and, in some instances, radicalization.”
“We hope that the judgement sends out a message to all those running such schools that they will face justice.
“We will continue to investigate and expose illegal, unregistered schools and where we find them, play our part in making sure they are closed or become properly registered. Further action is needed now to protect the children who attend these settings,” Spielman added.
This marks the first time that people have been prosecuted for running an educational institution without registration in England and Wales.
“The center claimed it simply provided tuition to home-schooled children but using witness statements and photographic evidence collected by Ofsted inspectors, the CPS was able to prove this was not the case. It is a criminal offense to run an unregistered school and we will take steps to prosecute those responsible where there is the evidence to do so,” said Lynette Woodrow, a spokeswoman for the Crown Prosecution Service.
Between January 1, 2016 and July 31, 2018, the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills (Ofsted) identified 420 suspected illegal schools, UK government official data reveals. As a result of the probe, 55 establishments have already been closed, while others are still under active investigation.
It is contrary to the Education and Skills Act 2008 to run a full-time educational establishment that has not been registered as a school with the Department for Education.
Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor for the Complex Casework Unit in CPS London South, Lynette Woodrow, said: “This is the first prosecution of its kind against an unregistered school in England and Wales.
“The centre claimed it simply provided tuition to home-schooled children but using witness statements and photographic evidence collected by Ofsted inspectors, the CPS was able to prove this was not the case.
“It is a criminal offence to run an unregistered school and we will take steps to prosecute those responsible where there is the evidence to do so,” CPS says.
Director Nacerdine Talbi and head teacher Beatrix Bernhardt have been fined for running an illegal school, the Crown Prosecution Office announced Wednesday.
After a three-day trial, the two have been convicted of conducting an unregistered school, which taught over 50 children between five and eleven years old, and were each given a three-month curfew between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m.
Sentencing will take place in due course. (NAN)
The CPS, which is responsible for criminal prosecutions in England and Wales, said the school’s head teacher Beatrix Bernhardt, 38; and director, Nacerdine Talbi, 47, were convicted of running the Al-Istiqamah Learning Centre in Southall, west London, following a three-day trial at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, which concluded on Wednesday, October 24.
Even though Al-Istiqamah Learning Centre in London was not registered as a school with the Department of Education, it used to give lessons to some 60 children five days a week.
The court heard how Ofsted inspectors visited the unregistered Islamic learning centre,which is based inside a three-storey office block along Uxbridge Road, on two separate occasions on 12 October and 14 November in 2017.
Photographs of lesson plans and homework diaries taken by Ofsted inspectors showed that the centre was being run as a school.
In the course of the investigation, it emerged that the centre taught children that Noah was a prophet of Allah, who built an ark and saved only Muslims and animals.
“The fees being charged were £230 per month for primary school age pupils and £250 for secondary school age and envisaged a 10-month academic year.
“I find that Fridays were a special religious day but according to the many examples of the timetable there were Arabic lessons taking place,” Chief Magistrate Emma Arbuthnot said.
Speaking after the judgement, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills, Amanda Spielman, said that such schools “deny children a proper education and leave them at risk of harm and, in some instances, radicalization.”
“We hope that the judgement sends out a message to all those running such schools that they will face justice.
“We will continue to investigate and expose illegal, unregistered schools and where we find them, play our part in making sure they are closed or become properly registered. Further action is needed now to protect the children who attend these settings,” Spielman added.
This marks the first time that people have been prosecuted for running an educational institution without registration in England and Wales.
“The center claimed it simply provided tuition to home-schooled children but using witness statements and photographic evidence collected by Ofsted inspectors, the CPS was able to prove this was not the case. It is a criminal offense to run an unregistered school and we will take steps to prosecute those responsible where there is the evidence to do so,” said Lynette Woodrow, a spokeswoman for the Crown Prosecution Service.
Between January 1, 2016 and July 31, 2018, the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills (Ofsted) identified 420 suspected illegal schools, UK government official data reveals. As a result of the probe, 55 establishments have already been closed, while others are still under active investigation.
It is contrary to the Education and Skills Act 2008 to run a full-time educational establishment that has not been registered as a school with the Department for Education.
Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor for the Complex Casework Unit in CPS London South, Lynette Woodrow, said: “This is the first prosecution of its kind against an unregistered school in England and Wales.
“The centre claimed it simply provided tuition to home-schooled children but using witness statements and photographic evidence collected by Ofsted inspectors, the CPS was able to prove this was not the case.
“It is a criminal offence to run an unregistered school and we will take steps to prosecute those responsible where there is the evidence to do so,” CPS says.
Director Nacerdine Talbi and head teacher Beatrix Bernhardt have been fined for running an illegal school, the Crown Prosecution Office announced Wednesday.
After a three-day trial, the two have been convicted of conducting an unregistered school, which taught over 50 children between five and eleven years old, and were each given a three-month curfew between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m.
Sentencing will take place in due course. (NAN)
