25 th April Dear Parents/Carers

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1 25 th April 2018 Dear Parents/Carers As we approach the final phase of our preparation for GCSE examinations and the end of year 11 we felt that it would be an appropriate time to write to you in order to clarify some of the key dates and arrangements for the remainder of this academic year. Examinations and leavers date: In terms of examinations all students will shortly receive an individualised timetable for the summer examinations which should be kept safely at home. Year 11 will leave on Thursday 24 th May. Whilst the exam season is well underway by this date it does allow us to have a brief afternoon leavers assembly with year 11 to say goodbye. This would not have been possible on the Friday before half term due to the afternoon exam commitments of many students. Year 11 will finish school at approximately 1.30pm on that Thursday afternoon so please make arrangements for them to get home safely, slightly earlier than usual. It is important to note that we have a GCSE English examination on the morning of Friday 25 th May, the day after Year 11 stand down. Obviously, it is crucial that all students are well rested for their exams so we ask for your support in ensuring that any, last day evening celebrations are saved until the Friday evening or ideally until the Year 11 Prom. Indeed the importance of sleep, nutrition and hydration is not to be underestimated in terms of its effects on exam performance and it is important that you support your son/daughter with their organisation in this respect, as they often forget that their physical well-being is an important part of their examination preparation. For those students who are considering fasting during the period of Ramadan, which takes place during the examinations, we have attached some guidance and recommendations that have been shared with all schools from the Association of School and College Leaders(ASCL). We have also attached a list of the initial exams with this letter but obviously the remaining exams will be on the students individual timetables. Students will be expected to attend all of their examinations in full school uniform so please ensure that they keep their uniform safe until after their leaving day. We would really value any items of uniform that are no longer needed, in particular blazers, trousers and skirts. Revision (Timetable attached) We have been very pleased with the commitment that our year 11 students have shown to their revision in recent weeks. There is an extensive revision programme after school and we would encourage all our students to access this as a fundamental part of their final preparations. We have asked year 11 to attend a minimum of 12 revision sessions before Thursday 10th May in order to qualify for a non-uniform day on Friday 11 th May as a reward. This was a very popular initiative at the end of last term and saw an average of 144 students attending after school revision classes every night for one or more subjects. As with the previous non-uniform day, which took place just before Easter, we will and send a parent text to the parents of all students who qualify so that parents are aware that their son/daughter is permitted to attend school in non-uniform the following day.

2 Leavers Ball (Prom): Our Year 11 Leavers Ball is taking place at the Dunkenhalgh Hotel in Clayton-Le-Moors, Accrington on Tuesday 26 th June. Letters containing the details and parental permission slips will be given to students after the May bank holiday (Monday 7 th May) but in terms of payment there will be a 1 week window for this between 14 th May and the 18 th May and the cost will be approximately 32. If there are any specific difficulties with this or please do not hesitate to contact us at school. We really would like all of year 11 to be able to attend, it is always a fabulous and unforgettable evening. We do expect all those wishing to attend to have regular attendance at school, a positive attitude towards their learning and final preparations and obviously a commitment to upholding our school expectations. All that remains is to thank you all on behalf of our school for your incredible support over the last 5 years. Together we have watched our year 11 mature into a superb group of young adults of whom we can all be immensely proud and we wish each and every one of them all the very best for the future. Yours Sincerely Mr G Wilson Mr J Howarth (Head of Upper school) (Head of Year 11)

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4 Summer examinations 2018 for the last two weeks of this term: *Examinations will continue from the 4 th June 2018 (see student s individual exam timetable for dates of their examinations).

5 Ramadan and the GCSE exam season In 2018 Ramadan, exams and tests all fall within the same period. Ramadan is predicted to start around 17 May and will end around June. External exams will start as usual in early May and continue until the end of June. The situation where Ramadan coincides with exams and tests is likely to continue until 2019/2020. As a school, we have received advice from The Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) who have worked with imams, Islamic scholars, Muslim chaplains in the education sector and education leaders to produce information for schools so they may work with Muslim students on how best they can fulfil their Islamic obligations during Ramadan, including the obligation to perform well in their exams. The combination of long days, higher temperatures and exams will put extra pressure on young Muslims, however they decide to observe Ramadan. Although we recognise that observing Ramadan brings many benefits to individuals and communities, it also brings individual temporary hardship through hunger and lack of liquids during fasting hours which may impact on physical wellbeing and cognitive performance. Young Muslims and families, particularly those sitting important exams this summer, will need to balance their obligations as Muslims with their studies and the importance of exams for their future, noting that the pursuit of education is also a religious and moral duty for Muslims of both genders. Grades attained at GCSE and A level are critical to the further education and career prospects of young people. Due to the importance of these grades, young people sitting exams will need to seriously and thoughtfully take their future and their studies into account, alongside their previous experiences of fasting, when deciding how they will observe Ramadan this year. As you are no doubt aware, there is a wide and diverse range of possible interpretations of Islamic law. Scholars differ in their opinions on what age Muslims become obliged to fast, how long they should fast for and the legitimate exemptions, but as you know, Islam does not require students to put their futures in jeopardy. Safeguarding Issues Like all schools, we have an overriding safeguarding duty. If there are concerns about an individual child we will apply judgement and common sense on a case-by-case basis. Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is defined in the DfE s statutory guidance Keeping Children Safe in Education, as:.. protecting children from maltreatment; preventing impairment of children s health or development; ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care; and taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes.

6 The NHS says: Fasting during the month of Ramadan can be good for your health if it s done correctly... When the body is starved of food, it starts to burn fat so that it can make energy. This can lead to weight loss. However, if you fast for too long your body will eventually start breaking down muscle protein for energy, which is unhealthy. Muslim scholars agree that if there is danger to an individual s health, it is permitted for them to break their fast, and indeed they should do so immediately. If the school notices signs of dehydration or exhaustion then the child will be asked if they are fasting and advised to terminate the fast immediately by drinking some water. They can be reassured that in this situation, Islamic rulings allow them to break their fast and make it up later. If a student seems extremely unwell or an adverse incident occurs, for example a student faints or collapses, the situation will be dealt with in the usual way through providing appropriate medical assistance, including the administering of medicines or giving water to drink. The imams, Islamic scholars, experts, chaplains and leaders consulted have said that while some children and young people want to fast, there are occasions when peers or others put pressure on them to do so. Further, some young people may feel guilt even though they feel that it is not in their best interests to fast, while others may want to fast because they do not want to miss out on the rewards of Ramadan. Whilst we are aware of all these pressures on our students, we have an overriding responsibility for their welfare and will apply our best judgment should any safeguarding or wellbeing issues arise. If you have any queries or concerns about the issues raised here, please contact Ms Edyvean, Assistant Headteacher, in the first instance. List of contributors to the ASCL consultation : Dr Shaykh Salah al-ansari, Heythrop College Imam Mohammad Asad, Association of Muslim Supplementary Schools Kalsoom Bashir, Muslim Chaplain at Bristol University Dr Hashim Bata, Research Fellow and Member of Al Mahdi Institute Educationand Research Board Abdul Chohan, Founder The Olive Tree School, UK Ashfaque Chowdhury, Chair, The Association of Muslim Schools Imam Irfan Chishti, MBE, Manchester Central Mosque, Co-founder Me&You Education Maurice Irfan Coles, CEO, The CoED Foundation, former director of Islam and Citizenship Education Project Sajid Gulzar, Executive Headteacher and CEO, Prince Albert Community Trust (PACT) Rabiha Hannan, Co-Founder of New Horizons in British Islam Kamal Hanif OBE, Executive Principal, Waverley School, Birmingham Andrew Harland, Chief Executive and Founder Member of the International Examinations Officers Association (ieoa) Khola Hasan, Scholar Islamic Sharia Council and Imams Online Sheikh Dr Usama Hasan, Imam and Astronomer, Quilliam Foundation (Imam Sheikh) Mohammad Ismail, The Muslim Chaplain and Member of SIIBS, The University of Sheffield and Lead Imam of Birmingham Central Mosque and Senior Member of Board of British Muslim Scholars Tehmina Kazi, Policy and Advocacy Officer, Cork Equal and Sustainable Communities Alliance Shabnam Khan, Executive Director, Education and Support Services VIP Minds Imam Muhammad Sarfraz Madni, Assistant Headteacher and Director of Islamic Ethos, Al-Hijrah School Birmingham Shaykh Ibrahim Mogra, imam, University of Leicester World Faiths Advisory Group member, Assistant Secretary General of The Muslim Council of Britain Dr Farid Panjwani, Director of the Institute of Education Centre for Research & Evaluation in Muslim Education Asgar Halim Rajput, Association of Muslim Chaplains in Education (AMCed)

7 Dr Mohammad Shahid Raza OBE, Chair, Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board (MINAB) Head Imam, Leicester Central Mosque, Leicester Nasreen Rehman, Chair, British Muslims for Secular Democracy Mawlana Sayyid Ali Raza Rizvi, Head of Ahlul Bayt Islamic Centre, London Sir Iqbal Sacranie, Al-Risalah Education Trust, former Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain Mohammad Imran Sulaman Al-Azhari, Leicester Dr Matthew L N Wilkinson, Senior Research Fellow in Contemporary Islam, SOAS, University of London; Principal Invesitgator, Understanding Conversion to Islam in Prison Rukhsana Yaqoob, President, of the Muslim Teachers Association on behalf of the Muslim Teachers Association Anna Cole, chair and author, ASCL Parliamentary and Inclusion Specialist