Yorkshire ‘tuition centre’ pleads guilty to providing full time education illegally

Two people and a charitable trust have pleaded guilty to operating an illegal school in Sheffield while disguising as a tuition centre.
By Rahmah Ghazali
Published 14th Jan 2022, 08:04 BST
Updated 14th Jan 2022, 08:44 BST

The illegal school, Aysha Tuition Centre (ATC), was located at premises previously used by a registered private school, Oak Tree High on Bland Street, Grimesthorpe, which had closed because it was failing to provide pupils with a good education.

Ofsted inspectors found ATC was operating on the same site and employing many of the same staff as OTH to teach former pupils of the failed private school.

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In a hearing at Sheffield Magistrates’ Court, Chair of Trustees Shahjan Yasmin Hussain, Manager Dr Shathea Zamzam and Yorkshire Tuition Centre have admitted to running an unregistered school.

Sheffield Magistrates' Court heard that Chair of Trustees Shahjan Yasmin Hussain, Manager Dr Shathea Zamzam and Yorkshire Tuition Centre have admitted to running an unregistered school.Sheffield Magistrates' Court heard that Chair of Trustees Shahjan Yasmin Hussain, Manager Dr Shathea Zamzam and Yorkshire Tuition Centre have admitted to running an unregistered school.
Sheffield Magistrates' Court heard that Chair of Trustees Shahjan Yasmin Hussain, Manager Dr Shathea Zamzam and Yorkshire Tuition Centre have admitted to running an unregistered school.

The case was heard on January 5 and is the latest successful prosecution of those running unregistered schools.

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Deputy Senior District Judge, Tanweer Ikram, made a clear judgement that the defendants in charge 'wanted to carry on under the radar without the requirement of regulation'.

ATC was first investigated by Ofsted’s unregistered schools taskforce during 2021.

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It was found that the setting which claimed to be a tuition centre, was in reality providing up to 28 children with full-time education.

Ofsted Chief Inspector, Amanda Spielman said: “This case shows the lengths some people will go to side-step the law and mislead parents into believing they can provide their children with a good education.

“Many of the children at this illegal school were allegedly being home educated. But in fact they were receiving all of their education at the centre.

“Cases like this are why I have long called for a register for children who are being home educated – so we can know where they are and that they’re getting a good education.

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“We also urgently need legislation to be strengthened so that we can take strong action against illegal schools and close them down.”

The sentence handed down by Judge Ikram included a £500 fine for Yorkshire Tuition Centre, a charitable trust which oversaw the illegal school, ATC.

Both Hussain and Zamzami were also ordered to undertake 80 hours of unpaid work and were made the subject of a community order for 18 months.

The three defendants were also instructed to pay a £500 contribution towards prosecution costs.