Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what lessons they have learnt from the successful prosecution and closure of the unregistered Al-Istiqamah Learning Centre.
We welcome Westminster Magistrates Court’s ruling and firmly believe this was an appropriate case to prosecute and that we have adopted the correct approach in our prosecutions guidance on full-time education.
We have always been clear that where schools are operating illegally action will be taken, and the decision by the court is evidence of that.
We will however continue our work with Ofsted and the Crown Prosecution Service, to build on the successes we have already had, and see where lessons can be learned.