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A SECRETIVE religious sect that bans children from using
computers or reading fiction has won praise from Ofsted for the quality
of education provided by its schools.
The Exclusive
Brethren, which also believes that members should not go to university
because it is too “worldly”, runs 43 private schools
educating 1,400 children.
The group, an
offshoot of the Evangelical Protestant Plymouth Brethren, cuts itself
off from the outside world, which it regards as evil. Members are not
allowed to have friends from outside the Brethren. They work only in
Brethren-owned businesses, and their meeting halls have no windows.
They must follow a rigid code of behaviour set down by their leader,
known as the “Elect Vessel”.
Television,
radio, mobile telephones, newspapers and going to places of
entertainment are all banned. Computers and the internet are regarded
as tools of the Devil.
All private
schools are now required to register either with Ofsted or the
Independent Schools Council to show that they satisfy minimum criteria
for education, although they are not required to follow the national
curriculum. Ofsted has already accredited six of the Brethren’s
schools through the Focus Learning Trust, an educational group
established by the church.
A spokesman for
the trust said it hoped to have all of them registered by the summer.
He said that the schools observed the same rules as the Brethren on the
use of computers and modern technology.
“We
don’t have such things in our homes, we don’t have them in
our businesses and we would not have them in our schools,” he
said. “Children were educated extremely well, some would say
better, before such things were dreamt up. There is a general
perception in the educational world that the teacher who needs to
employ such gimmicks to get their message across is clearly not the
most committed teacher.”
David Bell, the
Chief Inspector of Schools in England,
praised the Exclusive Brethren in his annual report last month, in
which he also criticised Islamic schools for teaching a narrow
curriculum that posed a potential threat to Britain’s sense of
national identity.
The sect, which
adheres to a strict interpretation of biblical teaching, has most of
its schools in the South of England. They were set up to keep children
“away from damaging influences” in the state system.
Mr Bell said in
his report that teaching in the Focus Learning schools visited so far
by inspectors was generally good. He went on: “Focus Learning
provides good support to its schools and has developed a number of
common policy documents that are of very good quality . . . The quality
of teaching, most of which is done by experienced practitioners, is
generally good.”
Most of the
schools, which cater for pupils aged 11 to 17, had operated previously
as tuition centres for children who were otherwise taught at home. They
rely on fees from parents or donations from the Exclusive Brethren.
Pupils are entered for GCSE and vocational qualifications.
The Exclusive
Brethren was founded in the mid 19th century. It believes the world is
the domain of the Devil, and members spend most of their time in
“safe places” such as meeting rooms and their own homes.
Ofsted’s
praise of education standards at its schools has drawn criticism. Keith
Porteous Wood, executive director of the National Secular Society,
said: “Denying children access to knowledge that would help them
to cope in the modern world is tantamount to abuse.
“It will
leave them ill-equipped to cope if they later decide that life inside
the Brethren is not for them. It is alarming that Ofsted, in its
keenness to accommodate religion, appears to have suspended its
critical faculties.”
Doug Harris,
director of the Reachout Trust charity, which provides support for
former members of religious sects, said: “The basis of Exclusive
Brethren belief is separation from the rest of the world. It can be
distressing for them if they try to leave.”
SEPARATE LIVES
· Members believe that the
world is full of wickedness
· Main group of Exclusive
Brethren are called “Taylorites” after James Taylor Sr and
Jr, who led the sect for much of the last century
· There are up to 15,000
Exclusive Brethren in Britain,
with congregations in 98 towns
· Until recently, Brethren
who left the sect, or “leavers”, were ostracised
· Members must keep away
from others who do not follow the teaching
· Members must marry young
and have big families
· Men must be clean-shaven,
keep hair short and not wear ties, while women should keep hair uncut
and wear blue or white headscarves
· Worship is very simple with no ritual
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