Out-of-school Education: Islam

(asked on 5th February 2020) - View Source

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Agnew of Oulton on 4 February (HL646), how many madrasas in the UK are teaching for less than 18 hours per week; and how they assess whether extremist ideology is being taught in them.


Answered by
 Portrait
Lord Agnew of Oulton
This question was answered on 13th February 2020

A madrasa operating for fewer than 18 hours per week would generally be considered to be an out-of-school setting. The department does not hold data on the number of out-of-school settings in the UK and therefore does not collect data on the number of children who are attending these settings.

As indicated in the answer I gave on 4 February 2020, out-of-school settings are not captured by a regulatory framework, therefore they are not subject to any assessment regarding their teachings. However, as set out in my previous answer, the department is taking forward a package of measures to enhance safeguarding in out-of-school settings – safeguarding children from all forms of harm, including extremism.

If the department became aware of a setting where extremist activity was taking place resulting in children being at risk of harm, we would work closely with the local authority, police and other relevant agencies to take action. For guidance that covers both out-of-school settings and unregistered schools setting out how the department, Ofsted and local authorities can work collaboratively to help ensure that children attending unregistered independent schools and out-of-school settings, are safe and are receiving a suitable education is attached and available from: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/690495/La_Guidance_March_2018.pdf

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