A Derby school at the centre of controversy over its alleged policies, including making female teachers wear hijabs – Islamic head scarves – and seating girls at the back of the class, has responded to media stories by writing to parents.
The Al-Madinah School – based in Friar Gate and Nelson Street – was set up as a multi-faith free school in September 2012, funded by £1.4 million of public money.
It was already being investigated by the Education Funding Agency when the Derby Telegraph revealed exclusively last Friday there had been allegations of non-Muslim female staff being told they must follow the Muslim dress code and girls seated behind boys in lessons.
Despite repeated requests, the school has declined to comment or take part in an interview for the past two weeks about the allegations.
But the school’s letter to parents denies that female members of staff are “unhappy to wear a headscarf or hijab when they are on the school site”.
It goes on to say: “Whenever we interview candidates, we draw their attention to our dress code, which we have based on our interpretation of modesty within our unique free-school environment.”
It said that “to date, the school has not received a single concern from colleagues about this issue”.
The Derby Telegraph has spoken with teaching unions and individual staff, past and present, who claim the opposite and are concerned about the impact of the policies.
One teacher, who did not wish to be named, said she was not aware of the dress code until a handbook was issued three weeks after the school opened and added “she would not have taken the position had she known it was compulsory to wear Muslim dress”.
The letter to parents also denies claims that “girls are treated in a way that implies they are not equal to boys”.
It said: “In primary, boys and girls have never been segregated either inside or outside the classroom. In secondary, girls are seated as a group, either at one side of the classroom, or alternately at the front or the back of the room, swapping over from time to time.”
But the letter fails to tell parents the Department for Education has ordered the Office for Standards in Education to inspect the school – earlier than would have been expected.
A Department for Education spokesman said: “We will not hesitate to take whatever action is necessary to prevent religious intolerance or any breaking of the rules for free schools.”