Case Study

Introduction

The School of Cultural and Linguistic Studies was established in 2005 when Yusuf Aboobakar, the school’s founder, identified the need for Arabic teaching and cultural learning about Islam for pupils in Southwest Leicester. There was no mosque close by and although there was a Madrassa, it did not provide a GCSE exam in Islamic studies or the Arabic language.

The partnership

The complementary school is working in partnership with The Lancaster School to use their classroom premises. Yusuf wanted to work in partnership with a maintained school to use their premises as well as their teaching resources as it benefits the students who are familiar with the learning environment. Yusuf provides regular feedback to Lancaster’s Headteacher about student progress and achievements. The Lancaster School helps the complementary school with the GCSE Arabic Language and GCSE Islamic Studies exam and pays all the exam charges for students who attend the maintained school.

How the partnership was planned

Before any maintained schools were approached, a management committee consisting of five members was set up for the complementary school. People from within the local community who were working or had previously worked in the field of education were chosen. Together with the support of the management committee, they started approaching maintained schools in the area in search of a venue to host the school. Many of the schools were not interested in collaborating as it meant they would have to keep their schools open during the evening.

Finally, after months of meetings and negotiations with the Headteacher of The Lancaster School, Yusuf managed to convince him of the benefits of the collaborative work for the children. Yusuf agreed to administer all the paperwork and employed three teachers who still work in the school today. The teachers are qualified teachers in their home countries and some have teacher status in England as well. All of them are CRB checked.

Impact

The students benefit from the partnership through the additional qualifications they obtain from attending the complementary school. As the learning environment is familiar to the children, it is conducive to learning and reduces the stress on both children as well as parents who are used to dropping off and picking up the children at The Lancaster School.

By learning Arabic and more about the Arab culture, the knowledge and the confidence of the children attending the school has increased. Learning another language also helps the children perform better in other subjects. Most of the children are new to Arabic but with the help of the language classes, they can read books and magazines in Arabic. Children are also taught Islam and the true meaning of Islam, which is important following the events of 9/11 and increased anti-islam feelings. Yusuf points out that the Headteacher of The Lancaster School has noted improved behaviour among some of the students attending the complementary school.

Challenges

• More help from the maintained school would help with advertising the complementary school.
• Contributions made by the complementary school are not always recognised by the maintained school. Many children perform much better in the maintained school thanks to the work that is being undertaken out of school hours in the complementary school.
• Arabic GCSE points go the maintained school although the complementary school teaches the children.

Successes

• Good facilities provided by The Lancaster School to run the complementary school from. It’s great for parents who pick up and drop off their children at the school.
• Good working environment for the students.
• Children sit the GCSE exams in the maintained school, where the exam fees are paid by the maintained school.

What could have been done differently?

If the complementary school was set up today, arrangements would be made to ensure that all the financial support needed beforehand, as the financial side has been a struggle. Pupils are charged a minimum to attend, but it is not sufficient to cover teachers’ pay and the classroom letting fee charged by The Lancaster School. The complementary school plans to approach the Headteacher at The Lancaster School for permission to run a stall at the next parents’ evening to recruit more students.

School background

The school has 10 students attending the school every day from 5.30 – 7pm. They follow the maintained school term and breaks.

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