Nicky Morgan calls for more Jewish free schools

Mrs Morgan said that she was "delighted that six Jewish free schools have been established since 2010. I hope more will follow." (In fact, her department has given approval to eight Jewish free schools).

"I want to be clear, I want to see Jewish faith schools continuing to have a long-standing role in our education system," she said. "That is why my department will continue to work closely with the bodies that represent faith schools. I want to assure you of our commitment to maintaining their religious ethos."

Concerns about protecting the religious ethos of faith schools had been noted, she said.

She was also aware that "there are occasionally concerns that inspections have misunderstood Jewish schools. Please know the community's concerns have been heard by me, by ministers and the department."

Hasmonean, she said, was "a special place for young people to learn and its success speaks for itself as a top-performing school with a glowing Ofsted report, outstanding in all areas."

Faith schools were often over-subscribed, she said, because "of their well-known commitment to high academic standards and instilling positive character traits in students".

She said that she knew "that principles of mutual respect are at the heart of the Jewish community and it is something you should be very proud of.

"On a recent visit to a Jewish school in north London, I was struck by the fact that they displayed both an Israeli flag and a Union Jack. This was symbolic of the fact that pupils at the school were clearly proud to be British and Jewish. It wasn't an either-or choice for them."

But at the same time, the security on the gates was "a stark reminder of the discrimination and fear that the community still encounters", she said.

The government would be alert to extremism of any kind and clear it had no place in schools.

She said that her department had increased its grant to the Holocaust Education Trust's Lessons in Auschwitz project to ensure that an extra 1,200 pupils could participate over the next three years.

Nicky Morgan, the Education Secretary, has said that she hoped the Jewish community would set up more free schools and lauded the contribution of faith.

She promised that the government would protect the ethos of religious schools and noted concern among parts of the Jewish community over recent inspections.

Mrs Morgan was speaking as guest of honour at the annual fundraising dinner in central London for the Hasmonean High School on Wednesday night.

The large audience was especially appreciative that the minister had kept the engagement in spite of the political upheaval after the Brexit referendum and rose to their feet as she took the stage.

Mrs Morgan said that she was "delighted that six Jewish free schools have been established since 2010. I hope more will follow." (In fact, her department has given approval to eight Jewish free schools).

"I want to be clear, I want to see Jewish faith schools continuing to have a long-standing role in our education system," she said. "That is why my department will continue to work closely with the bodies that represent faith schools. I want to assure you of our commitment to maintaining their religious ethos."

Concerns about protecting the religious ethos of faith schools had been noted, she said.

She was also aware that "there are occasionally concerns that inspections have misunderstood Jewish schools. Please know the community's concerns have been heard by me, by ministers and the department."

Hasmonean, she said, was "a special place for young people to learn and its success speaks for itself as a top-performing school with a glowing Ofsted report, outstanding in all areas."

Faith schools were often over-subscribed, she said, because "of their well-known commitment to high academic standards and instilling positive character traits in students".

She said that she knew "that principles of mutual respect are at the heart of the Jewish community and it is something you should be very proud of.

"On a recent visit to a Jewish school in north London, I was struck by the fact that they displayed both an Israeli flag and a Union Jack. This was symbolic of the fact that pupils at the school were clearly proud to be British and Jewish. It wasn't an either-or choice for them."

But at the same time, the security on the gates was "a stark reminder of the discrimination and fear that the community still encounters", she said.

The government would be alert to extremism of any kind and clear it had no place in schools.

She said that her department had increased its grant to the Holocaust Education Trust's Lessons in Auschwitz project to ensure that an extra 1,200 pupils could participate over the next three years.