Ex-leader at gender segregation school is banned

The former chairman of a school where girls were taught knitting and sewing has been banned from running independent schools.

Rabia School for Boys and Girls in Luton was closed down in 2021 after repeatedly failing to meet Ofsted standards.

Inspectors said the school, which was set up in 1996 to provide an Islamic education, had been "undermining British values".

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has ruled that Zafar Iqbal Khan should be barred from management at any independent school, including free schools and academies, and from being a governor.

In its summary, the Department for Education said: "Mr Khan failed to follow a direction given by the secretary of state and failed in his role to ensure that an independent school was managed in compliance with the independent school standards."

Ofsted visited the school at least 15 times between 2008 and 2021.

After one of the visits, the education watchdog said teachers "did not have the resources or skills necessary to meet pupils' needs".

The Charity Commission investigated the Rabia Educational Trust in 2016-17.

The school was criticised for segregating male and female staff with a screen across the room.

Ofsted also found that female pupils were not given the same opportunities to learn science and technology.

The school was registered to admit 60 children between the ages of five and 16.

Before it was closed in 2021, Ofsted said 25 pupils were at the school, although there was no-one in Year 1 or Year 5.

Mr Khan has three months to appeal following the decision.

He was approached for comment.

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