Islamiyah School Review 2026: Faith-led girls’ secondary with strong GCSE outcomes in Blackburn

High expectations are explicit here, and the timetable makes that tangible. The taught day runs through to 4.00pm, with Islamic learning (Ilmiyah) built into the afternoon structure and prayer embedded at midday, including Zohar salah and (on Fridays) recitation of Surah Kahf in the Jamaat Khana.

For families seeking a girls-only secondary where Islamic identity is not an add-on but part of the daily rhythm, the proposition is clear: academic study sits alongside faith and character formation, with leadership roles such as Head and Vice head girl, Prefects, Peer Mentors, Reading Leaders, and Islamic Society highlighted as part of student life.

On published outcomes, the school’s GCSE profile is stronger than many local alternatives. In FindMySchool’s GCSE rankings (based on official data), it sits 540th in England and 3rd in Blackburn, placing it comfortably within the top 25% of schools in England for GCSE outcomes. EBacc average points are also strong at 5.61.

This is a small, single-sex independent school (girls aged 11 to 16) with a clearly articulated Islamic ethos and a strong emphasis on conduct, discipline and responsibility. The mission statement frames the school as an Islamic environment that promotes “good discipline, behaviour, tolerance and respect”, and links this to developing potential and producing role models for the community.

The headteacher’s welcome reinforces the same tone: a culture of high expectations, strong teaching and pastoral support, and a deliberate focus on character and leadership rather than exam scores alone. It also sets out a distinctive values set for the school community: Innovative, Gratitude, Humility and Spirituality.

The student leadership model appears deliberately broad rather than limited to a small prefect team. Beyond formal roles, pupils are encouraged into structured responsibilities such as Charity Leaders, Newsletter Team, Health and Wellbeing, and leading lunch clubs, including debate clubs. This helps the school cultivate confidence and “pupil voice” in a way that fits its wider aims around faith and service.

A practical point that matters for families: the school publishes named safeguarding leads and leadership roles, including designated safeguarding leads (DSLs) and deputy DSLs, alongside curriculum and enrichment responsibilities. That clarity is often a sign of an organisation that takes compliance and operational discipline seriously.

Islamiyah School is ranked 540th in England and 3rd in Blackburn for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data). This places it above England average overall, within the top 25% of schools in England for GCSE performance (around the 12th percentile).

The dataset also reports:

• EBacc average points score: 5.61

• Percentage achieving grade 5 or above across the EBacc: 47.6

• Attainment 8 score: 58.3

Parents comparing local options should treat the ranking context as the most intuitive headline. The Local Hub page and Comparison Tool on FindMySchool can help you view nearby schools side by side using the same methodology, rather than trying to reconcile inconsistent headline claims across different websites.

Two cautions, particularly relevant for academically ambitious families:

1. The school’s website includes GCSE headline tiles, but without visible figures in the extracted content available at the time of research, so this review relies on the published dataset for performance metrics and rankings.

2. This is an 11 to 16 school, so published destination measures that apply to sixth forms (A-level grades, Russell Group percentages, Oxbridge counts) are not part of the core picture here.

The timetable indicates a long academic day, and the structure signals a deliberate integration of faith and learning rather than a separation between “school hours” and “religious hours”. For Year 7, the day includes five lesson blocks, a structured lunch period that includes wudhu, and a dedicated Ilmiyah session running from 2.30pm to 4.00pm. Fridays include Zohar salah and Surah Kahf recitation in the Jamaat Khana, again followed by Ilmiyah.

Curriculum breadth appears conventional for a secondary phase, with subject areas presented across English, mathematics, humanities, science, art, business or ICT, religious studies, Urdu, physical education, and PSHCE. The existence of dedicated pages for these subjects suggests a planned curriculum rather than an ad hoc offer.

Literacy is treated as a whole-school priority. One example is the Book Club model, which blends reading with creative outputs such as scrapbook making, drama inspired by favourite books, and pupil-designed bookmarks. It is a simple programme, but it signals a practical approach to making reading feel social and purposeful for adolescents.

Support for pupils with additional needs is framed in terms of equal ambition. The school’s SEND vision statement explicitly links support to GCSE success and to access to teaching, enrichment, and educational visits, with personalised support where required. The same page identifies the SENCO by name.

As an 11 to 16 school, the key transition point is post-16 rather than university entry. The most relevant indicators are preparation for GCSE success, careers guidance, and structured experiences that build readiness for sixth form or college pathways.

The school calendar highlights a Year 10 Work Experience Week, signalling that work-related learning is part of the planned journey rather than an optional extra.

Leadership opportunities also function as preparation for post-16 settings, particularly roles that require communication, responsibility, and peer influence (Peer Mentors, Reading Leaders, and leading open evenings and assemblies).

If families want a more concrete sense of typical destinations, the most reliable approach is to ask directly for the school’s most recent destination list (named colleges or sixth forms, and subject pathways), as that information is not published in the available official extracts used for this review.

Admissions are run by the school as an independent provider, with the governing body responsible for admissions. The published admissions policy states that there are two entry points, September and January, and that the school intends to admit up to 50 girls into Year 7 for the September intake.

The process described combines paperwork and assessment:

• Submit the application form with identification and a recent school report

• Pay an admission fee of £150 to cover the initial online test

• Attend a preliminary online test and interview

• If accepted, a further £100 payment is described as covering items including uniform and books

Oversubscription is addressed through published criteria. The policy sets out priority for looked-after children, sibling priority, and faith-related criteria, including a “religious practice test” for Muslim applicants. It also describes how applicants of other faiths may be supported by a minister of religion confirming regular practice, and it includes a lottery mechanism as a final tie-break.

For families applying for Year 7 entry in September 2026, Blackburn with Darwen’s coordinated timetable is the key external reference point. The local authority states that the secondary application deadline is 31 October 2025, and that offers for Year 7 places starting September 2026 will be made on 2 March 2026.

Even where an independent school runs its own process, parents often benefit from understanding this timetable because it shapes decision-making, offer timing, and local expectations. Use FindMySchoolMap Search to check practical travel distances and to sanity-check daily logistics before committing to a long school day.

Pastoral care is presented as a central pillar rather than a support service for the few. The headteacher’s message emphasises safeguarding, emotional wellbeing, and a structured environment where pupils feel safe, supported and ready to learn.

Operationally, the school publishes a clear safeguarding structure, naming DSLs and deputy DSLs in its staff structure listing. This matters because it shows pupils and parents exactly who holds safeguarding responsibility, and it supports consistent reporting lines in a small school setting.

The latest compliance-facing inspection information is also relevant. The January 2024 ISI progress monitoring inspection judged the required standards as met, including safeguarding, risk assessment, staff suitability checks, premises requirements, complaints handling, and leadership and management.

For parents, the practical implication is that safeguarding systems and governance oversight were tested in a regulatory context, which is particularly important for independent schools.

Extracurricular life here is strongly tied to leadership, literacy and character formation, rather than a “clubs list” approach.

A concrete example is Book Club. Sessions mix reading with literacy-themed short-form video work, scrapbook making, and performance activity such as drama inspired by favourite books. The school also describes competitive elements like pupil-designed bookmarks with prizes, which can be motivating for reluctant readers.

Student leadership and pupil voice is the other major pillar. The school’s published model includes School Council, Prefects, Head and Vice head girl, Peer Mentors, Charity Leaders, Reading Leaders, Newsletter Team, and Islamic Society. It also references pupils leading lunch clubs, including debate clubs, and supporting younger groups through team teaching.

The implication is that pupils who enjoy structured responsibility, public speaking, or service roles are likely to find plenty of scope, while those who prefer to keep their heads down still benefit from a culture where leadership is normalised.

Finally, the school calendar highlights structured enrichment moments, such as CREST Award activity for Years 9 to 11 and STEM workshops for Years 7 to 10. These are specific, time-bound activities that go beyond generic enrichment claims, and they suggest a deliberate push into applied learning and recognition schemes.

As an independent school, tuition is fee-paying. However, the school’s published “School Fee” webpage (as accessed during research) describes payment methods and conditions but does not display the actual 2025 to 2026 tuition fee figure in the available extract.

What is published clearly is the admissions-related cost structure:

• £150 admission fee to cover the initial online test

• A further £100 payment is described as covering items including uniform and books, if a place is accepted

For families shortlisting, the practical step is to request the current fee schedule and any bursary or hardship support policies directly. Where a school does not publish bursary percentages or scholarship values, it is sensible to ask not only “is support available” but also how it is assessed, what evidence is required, and whether support is means-tested.

The school day is longer than many local secondaries. For Year 7, Monday to Thursday runs from an 8.30am start through to 4.00pm, with Ilmiyah scheduled in the final block; Friday includes prayer and Surah Kahf recitation as part of the day.

Wraparound care is not typically a feature of secondary schools, and no breakfast or after-school childcare offer is stated in the available official extracts. Families should confirm current supervision arrangements for early drop-off, late collection, and after-school enrichment directly with the school.

For transport planning, prioritise practicality over theory: map your real door-to-door route and consider winter travel. The long school day and later finish can change what is workable for families with multiple children or shift-based work.

• A long day with faith built in. A 4.00pm finish with Ilmiyah in the afternoon can suit families who want a fully integrated Islamic education; it can feel demanding for pupils who need more downtime after lessons.

• Admissions include testing and interview. Entry is not simply a paperwork exercise. The published process includes an online test and interview, plus an admissions fee, which families should factor into planning.

• Fee transparency requires a direct request. The tuition fee figure for 2025 to 2026 is not visible in the accessible fee page extract, so budgeting requires direct confirmation from the school.

• Leadership culture is prominent. Pupils who enjoy structured responsibility will find many routes into leadership and service roles; those who dislike public-facing roles may still benefit, but should expect leadership language to be common.

Islamiyah School will suit families who want a girls-only secondary where Islamic faith is embedded into the weekly structure, not limited to assemblies or optional clubs. The long day and Ilmiyah timetable create a distinctive rhythm, and the school’s GCSE performance, including a top-25% England position in FindMySchool’s rankings, suggests academic outcomes are taken seriously.

Best suited to pupils who respond well to structure, value-led expectations, and a community where faith and behaviour standards are explicit. The main practical hurdle is aligning admissions timelines, assessment requirements, and fee clarity early enough to make confident decisions.