Tauheedul Islam Girls' High School

Tauheedul Islam Girls' High School
Established 1984 (1984)
Type Academy
Religion mainly islam but girls of other religions are welcome
Executive Principal Mufti Hamid Patel
Location Preston New Road
Blackburn
Lancashire
BB2 7AD
England
Coordinates: 53°45′13″N 2°29′08″W / 53.7537°N 2.4855°W / 53.7537; -2.4855
Local authority Blackburn with Darwen
DfE number 889/4800
DfE URN 141565 Tables
Ofsted Reports
Students 777 as of February 2016
Gender Girls
Ages 11–18
Website School website

Tauheedul Islam Girls' High School and Sixth Form College (TIGHS) is a secondary school for girls in Beardwood, Blackburn,[1] a community in Blackburn with Darwen, Lancashire, England.[2] It was founded by the charitable trust Tauheedul Islam Faith, Education and Community Trust (TIFECT),[3] and serves as TIFECT's flagship school. As of September 2013 the school had 800 students.[2]

History

The school opened as an independent school in September 1984 with six teachers and 96 students. The school stated that its first building was "very old" at the time.[1]

In 2005, the school became the first Muslim state school in the North West. It had previously been an independent school.[4] The school has been a success in school league tables, with 82% of pupils gaining five or more GCSEs at grade C or above in 2007, compared to the national average of 46.7%.[5]

In September 2013 the school moved to a new campus in the Beardwood area.[1]

In December 2014 the school converted to academy status.

Student dress and personal behaviour

As of September 2013 10% of the school's sixth form students wear niqabs. According to the Daily Mail, September 2013 the school instituted a rule stating that students had to wear hijabs outside of the school setting, not possess stationery with "unislamic images" such as those of pop stars, and to recite the Qur'an at least once per week.[2] In the same month, Sunday Times published a headline stating that girls were forced to wear hijabs outside of school. In response, Mufti Hamid Patel, the principal, said that "It is totally incorrect to say that pupils are 'forced' to wear hijab outside of school."[6]

On August 17 2014, the Sunday Times published an article describing a 'remarkable transformation at the Tauheedul Islam Girls School' and listed a number of changes the school had made. These included: stricter vetting policies for external speakers, girls no longer being required to wear hijabs (if they didn't want to) and inviting a range of speakers from all faiths to address its pupils.[7] As a result and following no notice Ofsted inspections in July 2014, the school is now seen as a model for other faith schools by the Department for Education.

Awards and nominations

In January 2014, the school was nominated for the Services to Education award at the British Muslim Awards.[8]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "History." Tauheedul Islam Girls' High School. Retrieved on 29 September 2013. Archived December 6, 2013, at the Wayback Machine.
  2. 1 2 3 Mackenzie, Craig. "The state school where girls are forced to wear hijabs in classrooms AND outside school." Daily Mail. 29 September 2013. Retrieved on 29 September 2013. Archived September 29, 2013, at WebCite
  3. ↑ "Admissions Policy (Archive) Blackburn with Darwen. Retrieved on 29 September 2013.
  4. ↑ "School celebrates new funded status". Lancashire Evening Telegraph. Newsquest Media Group. 17 June 2005. Retrieved 3 March 2008.
  5. ↑ "Tauheedul Islam Girls' High School". BBC News. 10 January 2008. Archived from the original on 2009-01-15. Retrieved 11 December 2008.
  6. ↑ "Sunday Times Article." Tauheedul Islam Girls' High School. Retrieved on 29 September 2013. Archived October 6, 2013, at the Wayback Machine.
  7. ↑ http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/uk_news/Education/article1447900.ece
  8. ↑ "British Muslim Awards 2014 winners". Asian Image. 31 January 2014. Retrieved 1 November 2015.
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