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Investigation: The hidden schools of Stamford Hill
In the strictly isolated Hasidic community of North London, thousands of boys reach the age of 16 without being able to read or speak much English. The education for boys in the community includes only minimal secular teaching at most places of learning. Many schools are unregistered, and in some cases, as a Times investigation finds, are not even supposed to exist. And - in a rare glimpse into this hidden world - we speak with the head teacher of a registered Hasidic school, who explains that any discussion around improving the institutions must start with one basic question: what do these schools do right?
This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes.
Guests:
Andrew Norfolk, Chief Investigative Reporter, The Times
Eli Spitzer, head teacher at a Hasidic school
Host: Manveen Rana.
Clips: Parliament TV.
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