(Photo:Tauheedul Islam Girls’ High School and Sixth Form College)

Elham Asaad Bauras

For the third consecutive year over half of Muslim schools featured in the Department of Education league table have surpassed the national average of students achieving 5 or more GCSEs or equivalent A*to C grades including English and Math GCSEs (5+ *A-C plus English & Math).

The combined Muslim schools average (61%) for 5+ *A-C plus English & Math has also surpassed the national figure of 54% last year.

Almost 60% [47] of the 82 Muslim schools featured in The Muslim News performance table attained a higher pass rate than the national average.

Birmingham’s Al-Furqan Community College (boys) and (girls), Hackney’s Tayyibah Girls’ School, Darul Uloom Leicester and Blackburn-based Jamiatul-Ilm Wal-Huda UK School all had a remarkable a 100 % 5+ *A-C plus English & Math.

Jamiatul-Ilm Wal-Huda UK Head Teacher, Mufti Abdus-Samad Ahmed, told The Muslim News , “We attained 100 percent 5 A* to Cs including English and Math which is nearly double the average of local Blackburn with Darwen schools [54 %] . I would like to congratulate the students, staff and parents; without the hard work and efforts of all stakeholders, this would not have been achievable. ”

Muslim schools also surpassed that national Average Point Score, which stood at 361.7 last year. The average point score gives an indication of the average grade achieved by students at a school or college. The higher the grades achieved by students, the higher the point score per examination entry. On average Muslim schools have a combined point score of 378.5 and 49 of the 82 Muslim schools surpassed the national Average Point Score.

Students at Lantern of Knowledge Independent Boys Secondary School walked away with an average point score of 475.9, 114.2 higher than the national average.

The school is already celebrating a remarkable Ofsted inspection results. In November the Waltham Forest, London, based school was awarded Ofsted’s highest possible grade in all areas, including Effectiveness of Leadership and Management, Quality of Teaching, Learning & Assessment, Personal Development, Behaviour & Welfare and in Outcomes for Pupils.

“Naturally we are very pleased that our results continue to reflect an overwhelming positive trend over national and local schools. Last year our Year 11 pupils left our school with over 9 GCSE A* to C passes on average and two thirds of all grades were quality grades of A* to B” said Head Teacher, Abdullah Keekeebhai.

Students at Tauheedul Islam Girls’ High School and Sixth Form College were also celebrating outstanding GCSE results, placing the school as the one of the highest achieving in Lancashire and the country.

91 % of students achieved 5+ *A-C plus English & Math, whilst 74 % achieved the English Baccalaureate. Nationally, only around 25% of students achieve the English Baccalaureate.

The academic achievements are part of several accolades the school has received over the past two years. Last year, the Government confirmed that Tauheedul is one of the best schools in the country for achievement by students with low prior achievement at primary school and from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Assistant Principal, Munir Vali thanked “the students, staff, parents, governors and the wider community for their commitment and their support.”

Results for Preston Muslim Girl’s High School have risen with 87 % of students gaining 5+ *A-C plus English & Math. Impressively 100% of students obtained A* to C grades in English Language, English Literature and Food Technology; with many other subjects achieving 90% or more A* to C grades. In Urdu and English over half of all the students sitting the exam gained an A or A* grade.

Head Teacher Mufti Javid told The Muslim News, “I would like to congratulate all the girls on their hard work and application. I am certain that their excellent GCSE results will provide a strong platform for their future success. We wish them all well. A special thanks to all of the staff and parents as well. We know how important this partnership is in ensuring that our pupils achieve and often exceed their potential.”

Sometimes the results are not what they seem, as in the case Manchester based Afifah School where only 13% of student achieved for 5+ *A-C plus English & Math.

Head Teacher Abdul Huy Malek explained to The Muslim News, “Afifah School’s students take [International General Certificate of Secondary Education] IGCSE in English and these do not count in the performance tables. Hence, the low %ages (11% and 13%). However, our average GCSE points score compares favorably with other schools.”

The 92 girls who sat their GCSE and equivalent exams in Feversham College exceeded Bradford’s averages in all measures including the attaining an average grade of C+ compared to Bradford’s D grade average. A spokesperson for the college told The Muslim News, “Feversham College also ranks highly in progress measures and is first in Bradford for Best 8 value added.”

68% of all girls who sat their exams in Ayesha Siddiqa Girls School in West London achieved 5+ *A-C plus English & Math, that is an impressive 14 % higher than the national average and 8 % higher than the Ealing average.

Head Teacher Fathuma Liyawdeen told The Muslim News the pupils “have obtained above national and Ealing average results. For the past several years the pupils at Ayesha Siddiqa Girls School have obtained above average results.”

She added, “The school’s ethos, hard work of pupils and staff have helped deliver good outcomes. We are very proud of everyone’s efforts. Well done, Ayesha Siddiqa Girls School.”