Al-Noor Primary Schools

A Message from Lord Pickles and Lord Blunkett, followed by Al-Noor Primary Schools's best practice article

The ability to listen and learn from one another has always been vital in parliament, in business and in most aspects of daily life. But at this particular moment in time, as national and global events continue to reiterate, it is uncommonly crucial that we forge new channels of communication and reinforce existing ones. The following article from Al-Noor Primary Schools is an attempt to do just that. We would welcome your thoughts on this or any other Parliamentary Review article.

Rt Hon The Lord David Blunkett

Rt Hon The Lord Eric Pickles

www.al-noor.co.uk

1AL-NOOR PRIMARY SCHOOLS |

BEST PRACTICE SPONSOR 2020

Executive Headteacher

Someera Butt

Al-Noor Primary Schools - front

facade and main entrance

Al-Noor Primary Schools is a family of two, co-gender

primary schools located in the London Borough of

Redbridge. With one being run as an independent

and the other a maintained school, both operate from the

same building, working side by side in an attempt to achieve

excellent outcomes for children. Executive Headteacher Someera

Butt tells

The Parliamentary Review

how they make such an

unconventional structure work for their community.

In order to address social ills experienced by the local Muslim communities of East

London, a group of concerned citizens decided in 1997 to open a school to help

nurture upright individuals and contributors to society. A charity was registered, funds

were raised, volunteers were recruited and in 2002 a one-form-entry independent

primary school was opened in Goodmayes, Ilford, in a converted garment factory.

Over time, the founding group became the Al-Noor Foundation, a registered

charity whose vision is to “nurture individuals, families and communities that truly

understand and accept their purpose of being in this world, confidently living and

working together for a just, responsible and compassionate society”.

The independent school kept fees low to make it accessible to people from a wide

range of socio-economic backgrounds. However, this meant that salaries were

below market rates and retention became problematic. To address this, as well as

to open the school to families that could not afford the fees, the board of trustees

decided to apply to open a maintained school.

Adapting and growing

In 2014, the board submitted an application to open a two-form-entry voluntary

aided primary. Thus, a new purpose-built school building opened in 2018 with

REPORT CARD

AL-NOOR PRIMARY SCHOOLS

»Executive Headteacher:

Someera Butt

»Founded in 1997 with the

first school, an Independent

opened in 2002 and the latest,

a Voluntary Aided, Maintained

school, opened in 2018

»Located in London Borough of

Redbridge: Ilford, Essex

»Type of school: Independent,

co-gender, 1 form entry

primary & Voluntary Aided, co-

gender, 2 form entry, primary

»No. of students:

Independent: 81

Voluntary Aided: 240

»Ofsted (2019): “It is pupils’

capacity for empathy, hard

work, laughter and ambition

that singles them out.”

(Independent school)

»www.al-noor.co.uk

Al-Noor Primary Schools

THE PARLIAMENTARY REVIEW

Highlighting best practice

2| AL-NOOR PRIMARY SCHOOLS

reception and year 1 classes. Thereafter

the two schools have operated in

parallel from the same site, as there

is spare capacity until the maintained

school grows to full size in 2023.

People are at the heart of both schools’

vision. We strive to inspire and nurture

staff so they can aim for excellence

and high expectations, with excellent

learning and development at the heart

of that. A commitment to continuous

high-quality professional development

and school improvement is key to this.

It has led to the development of a

sought-after Independent, lauded for

its positive impact on pupil character,

learning and development. The

maintained school has adopted the

learning of the independent, and the

two work together to ensure high

standards across both schools.

The most recent Ofsted report for the

independent graded pupil behaviour

and attitudes as well as pupil personal

development as “outstanding”, noting:

“Pupils told us that they love coming

to this school. Teachers encourage

all pupils to be their best. As well as

aiming for academic excellence, pupils

aim to become strong British Muslim

citizens.”

Although not required, the

independent has participated in key

stage tests and assessments since its

inception in which it has demonstrated

notable performance. In2019,atKey

Stage 2, 72 per cent of pupils attained

the expected standard, higher than 65

per cent nationally, while 91.5 per cent

of students at the maintained school

were at a good level of development at

the end of reception, compared with

71.9 per cent nationally. Furthermore,

97 per cent of the year 1 cohort

passed the phonics screening check,

despite high numbers of EAL families

and many pupils entering the school at

low educational starting points.

The success of the two schools can

be directly attributed to their faith

ethos and how closely this is shared

by families, as well as by staff and

governors. All are bound together by

a common faith-based aim to attain

God’s pleasure and reward. On the

part of parents, sending their children

to the school is mainly predicated on

a desire for their children to learn and

live the faith sincerely and well. On the

part of staff and governors, it is about

being part of an organisation that

seeks to serve God by nurturing the

faith and all-round positive outcomes

of the young.

The faith ethos has moulded the

school’s curriculum and nurtured

pupils’ spirituality. Pupils learn

the foundations of the faith

through reliable sources, ensuring

the development of a sound

understanding that builds resilience

against the siren calls of radicalisation.

They also learn first-hand that faith

and godliness require them to work for

the betterment of society, to support

the weak and vulnerable and to be

excellent neighbours and citizens.

Theory into practice

Our pupils live this in practice in a

variety of ways. The student council

works with the local Citizens Alliance

to learn how to engage with local

democracy to effect change for the

common good. This has flowered into

a campaign to have speed bumps

installed on the road outside the

school and led to pupils participating

Reception classes hard

at play and busy learning

A sought-after

independent,

lauded for its

positive

impact on

pupil

character,

learning and

development

“

3AL-NOOR PRIMARY SCHOOLS |

BEST PRACTICE SPONSOR 2020

in several events to celebrate

achievements, or to campaign for

change such as congratulating the

local authority when it became a living

wage provider.

Good citizenship is also endorsed

through initiatives such as The Faith

& Belief Forum’s School Linking

Programme where year 5 pupils work

with pupils from a local Catholic

school to promote understanding

and friendship. Through the school’s

annual Islam Awareness week the

same objective is achieved but with

a wider audience, as primary schools

across the borough are invited to

browse an exhibition put together

by the school and hosted by pupils.

Visitors from charities, different faiths

during national interfaith week and

professional backgrounds educate

pupils about key values they have

in common with people from all

backgrounds and the important role

they can play in society.

Faith for positive personal development

is also fostered through the school’s

“Navigate” character curriculum

which was developed by staff

and trustees. Through a focus on

essential characteristics for life,

pupils develop across their schooling

a range of attributes to help them

become upright individuals of

integrity, motivated by a belief in

accountability to God. A range of 17

characteristics are covered, including

those that would help children to

develop leadership qualities, such

as communication, ownership and

contribution, as well as those that

develop morality such as sincerity,

honesty, empathy and generosity.

The schools are also in the process

of planning and delivering a new

thematic approach to the curriculum,

based on the flagship “Harmony”

curriculum. The school has adapted

this ethos by promoting a connection

to God through reflection on the

natural world, while retaining its

original theme of environmental

sustainability. Environmental

sustainability is an important part of

Islamic citizenship, which views the

human being as God’s custodian of

the earth. The individual is charged

with thoughtful consumption while

sharing and protecting the resources

God has blessed and is testing us with.

The approach advances a cross-

curricular theme across curricular

subjects, which are planned around

key questions to answer during

lessons, so children own their learning

through enquiry. The curriculum is

underpinned by seven principles:

oneness, adaptation, cycles,

interdependence, diversity, health and

geometry. Each year group takes a

principle each half-term and reflects on

it while exploring answers to their key

questions. The national curriculum is

delivered with value added beyond its

prescription, and purpose is given to

pupil learning, enriching knowledge of

the world and cultural capital.

Looking ahead

We encourage our pupils to examine

the world they take for granted

around them. Through reflection on

the Divine miracles they observe, they

forge a devotion to God that can fuel

them through their lives. For example,

reflecting on the Covid-19 pandemic

in this light, galvanises pupils as they

acknowledge its Divine root has

purpose. This reflection establishes a

profound faith that motivates pupils’

aspirations and actions so that they

leave a blessed mark on the world in

their wake.

Underpinned by a clearly articulated

purpose and strategic vision, I am

optimistic that the schools will,

God-willing, continue to grow from

strength to strength, becoming

trailblazers for others, thereby

continuing to nurture generations of

citizens who contribute positively to

the country and the communities in

which they live.

The success of

the two schools

can be directly

attributed to

their faith ethos

and how closely

this is shared by

families, as well

as by staff and

governors

“

Year 6 visit

Snowdonia as part

of the curriculum for

their last half term at

the school

www.al-noor.co.uk

This article was sponsored by Al-Noor Primary Schools. The Parliamentary Review is wholly funded by the representatives who write for it.

Rt Hon Michael Gove's Foreword For The Parliamentary Review

By Rt Hon Michael Gove

This year's Parliamentary Review comes at a momentous time for parliament, as we collectively determine the destiny of the United Kingdom.

On October 31, the UK will leave the European Union. The successful implementation of this process is this government's number-one priority.

Three years after a historic referendum vote, we will deliver on the decisive mandate from the British people. Trust in our democracy depends on it. Until that final hour, we will work determinedly and diligently to negotiate a deal, one that abolishes the backstop and upholds the warm and close relationship we share with our friends, allies and neighbours in the EU. But in the event that the EU refuses to meet us at the table, we must be prepared to leave without a deal.

As the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, it is my job to lead on this government's approach, should that scenario happen. Preparing for Brexit is my department's driving mission. But while I am leading this turbocharged effort, the whole of government is committed to this endeavour.

Ministers across Whitehall are working together to ensure that every possibility is considered, every plan is scrutinised and every provision is made. A daily drumbeat of meetings means that we are holding departments accountable, so that preparations are completed on time.

The chancellor has confirmed that all necessary funding will be made available. And we have mobilised thecivil service, assigning 15,000 of our most talented civil servants to manage our exit from the EU.

We will make sure that on November 1, there is as little disruption to national life as possible. Our trade relationships will continue to thrive, thanks to agreements with countries around the world worth £70 billion. Our country will remain secure, thanks to nearly 1,000 new officers posted at our borders. And the 3.2 million EU nationals now living and working among us can remain confident, with absolute certainty, of their right to remain in the UK.

Above all, our goal is to be transparent. Soon, we will launch a public information campaign so that citizens, communities and businesses are ready and reassured about what will happen in the event of “no deal”.

In my first few weeks in this role, I have travelled to ports and tarmacs, borders and bridges, all across the UK –from the seaside of Dover to the rolling green hills of County Armagh. I have heard from business owners and border officials, farmers and hauliers. They are ready to put an end to uncertainty. And they are ready to embrace the opportunities ahead.

Our departure from the EU will be a once in a lifetime chance to chart a new course for the United Kingdom. Preparing for that new course will be a herculean effort. But this country has made astounding efforts before. We can do it again.

Rt Hon Michael Gove
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster