Al-Qalam 
By 5Pillars
New government statistics have revealed that eight of the top 20 schools in England for academic progress are Muslim schools.
Top of the list is Tauheedul Islam Girls’ School (TIGHS) in Blackburn which scored highest in the country in the “Progress 8” metric which measures the progress a pupil makes from the end of primary school to the end of secondary school.
A Progress 8 score of 1.0 means pupils made, on average, a grade more progress than the national average. Tauheedul Islam scored a remarkable 2.17.
83% of students at the school achieved a “strong pass” in English and Maths, while 65% achieved the English Baccalaureate.
TIGHS is also ranked one of the highest in the country for results by students with low prior achievement at primary school. 50% of students with low prior achievement achieved a “standard pass” in English and Maths at TIGHS. Nationally, only 11% of such students achieve this result.
Government figures also reported that TIGHS is one of the best schools in the country for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, those living in low-income households or who are in care. Over four-fifths of students from disadvantaged backgrounds achieved a “strong pass” in English and Maths at TIGHS. Nationally, only a quarter of such students achieve this result.
Mufti Hamid Patel, Chief Executive of Star Academies which runs the school, said: “Despite harder exams, our amazing students have worked really hard to achieve life-changing outcomes. They owe a lot to their devoted parents and our fantastic teachers and support staff.
“However, it is not just about excellent grades. We are also proud that our young women have developed good character, are informed and responsible citizens and have a commitment to serving their communities passionately.”
The other Muslim schools to make the top 20 list were:Eden Boys’ School in Birmingham;Eden Girls’ School in Coventry; Preston Muslim Girls’ High School; Eden Girls’ School in Waltham Forest; Eden Girls’ School in Slough; Bolton Muslim Girls’ School and Al-Hijrah School in Birmingham.
Tahir Alam, from the Muslim Parents’ Association, told 5Pillars that the results show that when state schools take into account the religious and cultural needs of their pupils, they will thrive.
He said: “If children really feel that they belong in a school and that they are recognised and valued then they will produce children who are confident in their own skins and who will be an asset to their school, community and country.
“Perhaps schools in Birmingham with large Muslim intakes which are underachieving could learn something from these top rated schools in terms of creating an ethos in which children can thrive.”
