A Jewish independent school has received a warning notice from the government after Ofsted found that it was only teaching pupils religion in Year 8.

Talmud Torah Bobov Primary School in East London is one of 12 independent schools that have received warning notices from the government.

The school, which teaches boys aged between 2 and 13, was rated “inadequate” by Ofsted following an inspection in May 2018.

Ofsted found that the curriculum in the school was “narrow”, with “no schemes of work to cater for pupils’ learning and progress in science, technology, humanities and arts subjects”.

While in most year groups “pupils now receive regular teaching of mathematics and English”, the inspection found that in Year 8 “teaching and the curriculum are confined to religious studies”.

Ofsted said this “impedes pupils’ learning, including the development of their spoken and written English”.

Another Jewish school, Talmud Torah London, also received a warning notice from the Department for Education, following an Ofsted inspection in April 2018 which identified “serious regulatory failings”.

Ofsted found that the school, which teaches boys aged between 5 and 7, “had not ensured that the curriculum included all areas of learning”.

The inspectorate found that “plans for teaching PSHE education do not exist”, and “leaders have not taken action to ensure that respect for all groups of people with protected characteristics are actively promoted”.

Among other schools issued with warning notices was Cambian Potterbury Lodge School in Northamptonshire, a residential school for pupils aged 8-18 with Asperger’s Syndrome.

An Ofsted inspection highlighted multiple health and safety breaches at the school. 

Electrical sockets were found to be overloaded, a classroom contained damp and mould, and out-of-date first aid items had not been replaced.

Several fire exit notices were missing, fire doors were locked and fire extinguishers had been removed.

“No plans were in place to ensure that all staff knew what to do in case of fire,” Ofsted’s report from March 2018 states.

“For example, some fire extinguishers were locked away in a cupboard, but staff teaching nearby were not aware of this.”

The full list of schools which received warning notices, published today, is as follows:

• Talmud Torah London
• Cambian Potterbury Lodge School, Northamptonshire
• Rosemary Works School, London
• All Saints School, Norwich
• The Grove Independent School, Milton Keynes
• HawleyHurst School, Surrey
• Talmud Torah Bobov Primary School, London
• The Prebendal School, West Sussex
• Catch22, Bristol
• Manorway Academy, Kent
• Caversham Preparatory School, Reading
• Include - Thames Valley, Berkshire