An Islamic school which was last year raided in an anti-terror operation has today been closed down by the Government because it was failing to provide pupils with a suitable education.

It is now illegal for the Jameah Islameah School, in Mark Cross near Crowborough, East Sussex, to operate after it failed to follow an action plan laid down by Ofsted, the education watchdog, to improve the way it operates. It was also struggling due to a lack of students, which meant it was no longer in a position to open.

Teachers of the school, which is in the independent sector, will be prosecuted if they refuse to abide by the decision to close.

In a written statement to the House of Commons today, Jim Knight, the Schools Minister, did not say whether the closure of the school was linked to a three-week police anti-terror raid last September, at which no arrests were made, but simply said it was failing.

"It is important that parents and the wider public are assured that all schools - whether in the maintained or independent sector - provide their pupils with a suitable education, and that we will take strong action against those that are failing," he said.

The Minister added that more than 45 independent schools have been closed down by the Government in the last three years after failing to follow Ofsted guidelines, in a bid to ensure high educational standards are maintained.

A spokesman for the Department for Education and Skills said that Ofsted had visited the school several times during the last year and demanded action.

"Following concerns raised about the school, a series of Ofsted inspections were made at the school last year and it was required to satisfy an action plan to address failings," he said.

"The action plan has not been met, and significantly, the school is still not operating due to a lack of pupils and is likely to be in this position for the foreseeable future.

"The department has now concluded that, while some progress has been made, the school nevertheless continues to fail to meet the standards which all independent schools must meet under the Education Act 2002 concerning the quality of education provided; the welfare, health and safety of pupils; and quality of premises and accommodation."

The school was visited by more than 100 police officers in a dawn anti-terror raid last September, and police remained at the site for more than three weeks before the operation was wound up. No arrests were made.

At the time, the DfES said that Ofsted was due to visit the school again and, if improvements that were deemed necessary after an earlier inspection had not been made, the department would "delete" the school from the Register of Independent Schools.

Explore UK News

• Crime News

• Education News

• Health News

• Scotland News

Times Recommends

• UK regional accents thrive against the odds
• ‘Scarecrow’ wind farms put rare birds to flight
• What an anti-climax: G-spot is a myth