(Photo credit: Ahmed J Versi/ rchive The Muslim News)
Elham Asaad Buaras
The UK’s first government-funded Muslim school has petitioned Brent council to allocate it the future new school delivered by the South Kilburn regeneration scheme.
Islamia Primary School, which is facing eviction from its location in Queen’s Park, North West London by Yusuf Islam Foundation, petitioned Brent Council on July 7.
Brent Council said there is a shortage of land in the area, which means a new school cannot be built nearby.
The school added that it has been offered the site of the former Roe Green Strathcona School. However, since this is in Wembley, more than six miles away from Islamia, it would be difficult for many to reach.
In the petition school officials argue that “the current proposal to use the former Roe Green Strathcona school site (which is over 6 miles away from the school’s current location) to house Islamia’s children is highly unsuitable, unaffordable, unsafe and impractical for current families. It will sadly leave behind the most disadvantaged and vulnerable families.”
The site in South Kilburn has apparently been earmarked for Carlton Vale Infants School and Kilburn Park Junior School to share. But those at Islamia say these schools are operating below their capacity and, therefore, would not make the best use of the upgraded facilities.
They argued that they would be better suited to move in since they do not have space for all those who apply and are one of the few Muslim faith schools in the area.
The petition added, “Islamia is a heavily oversubscribed and popular faith school and the hardest primary school to get into in Brent. There are currently 420 pupils enrolled, and the school has to also manage a long waiting list.
“Islamia is the only state-funded Muslim denomination school in the area. Therefore, if the school closes down, this will have a detrimental impact on the lives of the Muslim children currently attending. For these reasons, it is utterly incomprehensible why Islamia, an oversubscribed Brent school, is not being considered for the new school.”
Councillor Muhammed Butt, leader of Brent Council, said: “We understand parents’ concerns about the future of their children’s school. The situation is far from ideal.
“Islamia Primary School in Queens Park is a Voluntary Aided School of the Yusuf Islam Foundation. Since the Foundation issued a notice requiring the school to leave its current site, Brent Council has been working closely with both parties to find an alternative site beyond September 2024.
“Sites like these are very difficult to find, but we have been searching for suitable sites. No formal decisions have yet been made and any proposal to relocate the school will be subject to statutory consultation in which all parents, staff and stakeholders can share their views.”
In a statement to The Muslim News, Councillor Muhammed Butt, Leader of Brent Council, said, “Islamia Primary School in Queens Park is a Voluntary Aided School of the Yusuf Islam Foundation.
Since the Foundation issued a notice requiring the school to leave its current site, Brent Council has been working closely with both parties to find an alternative site beyond September 2024. No formal decisions have been made. Any proposal to relocate the school will be subject to statutory and informal consultation in which all parents, staff, and stakeholders can share their views.”
The Islamia Primary School, which opened in October 1983, has a long history of lobbying for its students, after a 13-year effort and several rejections of their applications, almost four decades ago, it was granted voluntary state status, becoming the first Muslim school in Britain to receive state funding.
