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Glasgow row over future of Calderwood Lodge school

October 11, 2012 06:30

ByJennifer Lipman, Jennifer Lipman

1 min read

A war of words has broken out between the Glasgow Jewish Representative Council (JRC) and the Calderwood Lodge Parent Council over the religious future of Glasgow’s only Jewish school.

Set up in 1962, Calderwood Lodge caters to both Jewish and non-Jewish children, but offers kosher food and Jewish studies. Despite this, in the most recent inspection report, it was labelled a “non-denominational school with a Jewish ethos”.

Responsibility for Jewish education has lain with East Renfrewshire Council for the past two years. As part of the handover to the local authority, an independent advisory body was set up to monitor Jewish education and maintain links with the community.

In June, this was disbanded without explanation. “It brought things to a head,” said JRC president Edward Isaacs. He held a meeting with East Renfrewshire last month, during which he said he “pressed for the full implementation of the statutory legislation governing denominational schools”.