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“….the character of the Prophet of Allah was the Quran.”
Core Curriculum
Our Quran team is led by our Principal who is himself a Haafiz holding an Ijaza, with many years experience teaching Quran in the Holy Masjid al-Haram in Makkah. In addition, more than half our Quran teachers are themselves advanced Tajweed students who study under a teacher with Ijaza.
We place great emphasis on quality and spend time ensuring our pupils have firm foundations before moving them to the next step.We move slowly and it is not our aim that pupils complete the recitation of the entire Quran. Rather, we aim that they can open the Quran at any page and be able to recite it competently, applying all the necessary Tajweed rules.
Pupils are taught in small, ability based class sizes to ensure the maximum opportunity for practice and feedback. We depend on parental support and on pupils completing homework for them to progress. Videos are used as an additional homework tool.
In the early years, pupils are taught the arabic alphabet in all the joined forms and move on to a basic level kaida (Simple Steps in Quran Reading).This basic level kaida consolidates their knowledge of the alphabet and introduces the Arabic vowels.
From Year 2 onwards, pupils start a more advanced kaida (Graded Steps in Quran Reading) where they repeat the alphabet and progress through to reading simple, short Surahs from the Quran.
Once our pupils have mastered the advanced Kaida, they move onto the Quran initially reading from Juz 30, then Juz 29 and then they start Surah al-Baqara. Formal Tajweed lessons begin with the progression to the Quran, however, essential tajweed lessons such as Makharij al Huroof (how to articulate the letters) are taught intrinsically from the earliest stages.
Each year group will have an Islamic Studies class and we have a number of qualified teachers who help deliver and direct our programme.
We aim to make our classes stimulating and interactive and use a number of approaches from games, creative activities, discussion groups, role play in addition to more formal teaching techniques. We want our pupils to think, to question, to discuss and make the classes relevant to their lives. To promote a relaxed forum,no homework or exams are set for Islamic studies although pupils are encouraged to try and implement what they have learned in their lives.
To support our teaching we use the I Love Islam Series for year groups 1 to 5 and the Learning Islam Series for year groups 6 to 9. For Reception and Year Groups 10+ we devise our own lessons and circles appropriate for each age.
This comprises memorisation of the last chapter of the Quran (Juz 30), memorisation of all the duas of Salaah and memorisation of all the key daily remembrances.
To connect our pupils to the Quran and it’s message, we teach a simple tafseer of all surahs memorised and pupils learn key words associated with each surah alongside the broad meaning of the surah. The application of the daily remembrances are reinforced through our Islamic Studies curriculum.
In addition to the traditional subjects we have a vibrant Tarbiyyah (personal development) and enrichment programme.
We deliver our tarbiyyah programme in coordination with the WISE youth wing, many of whom act as mentors to our pupils. Our tarbiyyah programme has a strong social element and provides opportunity for our pupils to connect in a fun environment and spend time with positive role models and mentors. Activities include monthly fun sessions (Saturday Night Buzz), Masjid late-Nighters, Masjid sleep-overs, pizza parties, inspirational speakers, creative holiday classes, excursions and an annual retreat for our older pupils.
Each term, our Islamic Studies team spends two lessons focusing on a hands-on enrichment topic. The whole madrassah follows the same enrichment topics with age appropriate activities and lessons planned. These enrichment topics are aimed at promoting good citizenship and broadening our pupil’s knowledge and experience.
For our Autumn term enrichment we joined a national orphan charity campaign. Alongside reinforcing the values of charity, kindness and gratitude, this theme engaged our pupils on many additional levels including an appreciation of current world events, inequalities and the gift of parents. The project also boosted team building, public speaking skills, negotiation skills and enterprise skills and our motivated activists raised the most money in our region!