Tauheedul Islam Girls' High School

Tauheedul Islam Girls' High School and Sixth Form College (TIGHS) is a secondary school for girls in Beardwood, Blackburn.[1] It was founded by the charitable trust Tauheedul Islam Faith, Education and Community Trust[2] (now known Star Academies). It serves as the flagship school of the trust.

See also: Tauheedul Islam Boys' High School

Tauheedul Islam Girls' High School
Address
Preston New Road

Blackburn

Lancashire
,
BB2 7AD

England
Coordinates53.7537°N 2.4855°W / 53.7537; -2.4855
Information
TypeAcademy
Religious affiliation(s)Islam
Established1984 (1984)
Local authorityBlackburn with Darwen
TrustStar Academies
Department for Education URN141565 Tables
OfstedReports
Executive PrincipalMufti Hamid Patel
GenderGirls
Age11 to 18
Enrolment777 as of February 2016
Capacity800
Websitehttp://www.tighs.com/

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.[3] 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%.[4]

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. 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."[5]

On 17 August 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.[6] 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.[7]

References
  1. "History." Tauheedul Islam Girls' High School. Retrieved 29 September 2013. Archived 6 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  2. "Admissions Policy (Archive) Blackburn with Darwen. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
  3. "School celebrates new funded status". Lancashire Evening Telegraph. 17 June 2005. Retrieved 3 March 2008.
  4. "Tauheedul Islam Girls' High School". BBC News. 10 January 2008. Archived from the original on 15 January 2009. Retrieved 11 December 2008.
  5. "Sunday Times Article." Tauheedul Islam Girls' High School. Retrieved 29 September 2013. Archived 6 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  6. Griffiths, Richard Kerbaj and Sian. "Muslim school drops strict dress code" – via www.thetimes.co.uk.
  7. "British Muslim Awards 2014 winners". Asian Image. 31 January 2014. Retrieved 1 November 2015.
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