The Charity Commission has opened a statutory inquiry into Darul Uloom School, based in London, over concerns about potential misconduct and mismanagement at the charity, which has been the subject of investigations by the police and the Department for Education
The charity’s object is for the advancement of education and religion in accordance with the tenets and doctrines of Islam. It provides Islamic and national curriculum education to children and young people.
The Commission received a serious incident report from the charity after police arrested one of the charity’s trustees, and seized weapons and £400,000 cash held at the charity’s premises. The individual was also a teacher and designated safeguarding lead at the school.
In response, the Commission has taken action to suspend the individual as trustee, officer and agent of the charity. A second individual, also a trustee and headteacher at the school, was also arrested.
The inquiry will now look at the management and oversight of the charity by the trustees, including the financial management of the charity and whether conflicts of interest are being properly identified and managed by the trustees. It will also consider the conduct of the arrested individuals.
The Commission is continuing to work with the Metropolitan Police, the DfE and Bromley Council in whose authority the independent school, operated by the charity, resides.
It is the Commission’s policy, after it has concluded an inquiry, to publish a report detailing what issues the inquiry looked at, what actions were undertaken as part of the inquiry and what the outcomes were.
Report by Pat Sweet
