View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

  1. Media Law
July 11, 2017

Daily Mail wins right to name school at the centre of legal battle with Ofsted over sex discrimination

By PA Media Lawyer

A ban on naming an Islamic faith school at the centre of a legal battle over alleged sex discrimination has been lifted by the Court of Appeal after a press challenge.

A High Court judge in London ruled in November last year that Ofsted inspectors were wrong to penalise Al-Hijrah school in Birmingham because of their “erroneous” view that segregation of boys and girls amounted to unlawful discrimination.

But Mr Justice Jay allowed Ofsted, the body that regulates schools in England, to publish the rest of its inspection report placing anonymised “School X” into special measures, after inspectors found books in the school library that gave tacit approval to domestic violence.

Issues raised by the case were scheduled to be analysed by the Court of Appeal today.

But yesterday, on the eve of the two-day hearing, Associated Newspapers, publisher of the Daily Mail, applied for an order giving the school anonymity to be lifted so it can be fully identified during the appeal.

Sir Terence Etherton, Master of the Rolls, sitting with Lady Justice Gloster and Lord Justice Beatson, said after hearing argument: “We have reached the clear decision on this application that we consider anonymity should be raised so that (the press and media) will be able to name the school.”

The judge said the court would give its full reasons later.

Content from our partners
How PA Media is helping newspapers make the digital transition
Publishing on the open web is broken, how generative AI could help fix it
Impress: Regulation, arbitration and complaints resolution

In the first case of its kind, the schools watchdog Ofsted is appealing against the High Court’s decision that the policy at Al-Hijrah of separating the sexes from year five does not constitute discrimination on grounds of sex under the 2010 Equality Act.

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

Select and enter your email address Weekly insight into the big strategic issues affecting the future of the news industry. Essential reading for media leaders every Thursday. Your morning brew of news about the world of news from Press Gazette and elsewhere in the media. Sent at around 10am UK time. Our weekly does of strategic insight about the future of news media aimed at US readers. A fortnightly update from the front-line of news and advertising. Aimed at marketers and those involved in the advertising industry.
  • Business owner/co-owner
  • CEO
  • COO
  • CFO
  • CTO
  • Chairperson
  • Non-Exec Director
  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thanks for subscribing.

Websites in our network