The Charity Commission has appointed an interim manager to Rabia Education Trust to assess the viability of the organisation.
The Luton-based school is being investigated by the Commission for the second time in five years. It is also subject to regulatory action by the Department for Education and could be removed from the Register of Independent Schools.
In 2017 the Commission’s inquiry report said there had been a series of failings and warned that the charity still had work to do to sort itself out. Trustees were issued with a legal order at this point, which directed them to comply with Ofsted and the Department of Education’s requirements.
The regulator opened a second statutory inquiry last autumn. In May 2020, Ofsted won a court case against Rabia Education Trust.
Luton Magistrates Court found the school to be in breach of the operating conditions, which had been imposed by the Department for Education. The school was fined £8,000 and its chair was fined £4,000.
The charity is appealing the regulatory action taken by the Department for Education. In November the charity said media reports about its potential closure were misleading.
Yesterday the Commission said it “continues to have serious concerns about the charity’s administration and governance” and announced that it had appointed Emma Moody of Womble Bond Dickinson (UK), to the charity on 29 January 2021.
The interim manager will “assess the future viability of the charity”. However, trustees continue to have the powers and duties.
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