Formerly 'outstanding' school put in special measures over 'unlawful discrimination' against pupils

One of the best-performing high schools in the country has been put into special measures after being downgraded from 'outstanding' to 'inadequate' by Ofsted.

The King David High School, an 800-pupil Jewish state school in Crumpsall, has been accused of 'unlawfully discriminating' against pupils on the grounds of sex by the schools watchdog.

The school was last rated as 'outstanding' following an inspection in May 2015.

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King David High School consists of a main school and two separate streams - Yavneh Girls and Yavneh Boys, which offer modern Jewish orthodox education at secondary school level.

But in a damning assessment, inspectors said: "The school is unlawfully discriminating against pupils who attend Yavneh Girls in relation to the protected characteristic of sex.

"Pupils who attend Yavneh Girls, unlike pupils in Yavneh Boys and pupils in the main school, are deprived of the opportunity to mix socially with boys and girls in other parts of the school.

"This constitutes a detriment to those pupils due to their sex. Leaders and governors must act to fulfil their duties under the Equality Act 2010 by ensuring that they do not discriminate against pupils in the Yavneh Girls on the ground of sex."

While pupils at the main school, and Yavneh Boys, benefited from a range of extra-curricular activities, inspectors said pupils at Yavneh Girls did not have the same access.

Pupils at Yavneh Girls felt 'isolated' under the current arrangements, the report said.

Ofsted has previously accused the school of 'unlawful segregation' of pupils 'on the grounds of faith and belief and sex' following an inspection in 2019.