Noorul Uloom Review 2026: A values-led girls’ secondary with standout conduct and character education

This is a small, faith-based independent day school for girls in Blackburn, serving students from age 11 through to 23. Its academic offer is delivered alongside an Islamic ethos, with older students often continuing post-16 to complete a programme of Islamic studies. The tone is highly structured and purposeful, with strong pastoral relationships and clear expectations for behaviour and contribution to the wider community. The most recent inspection evidence points to exceptional conduct and personal development, plus a broad enrichment programme that includes both creative and practical clubs, educational visits, and charity work.

The school’s defining feature is its culture of conduct and mutual respect. Pupils are described as consistently polite, courteous and thoughtful, with relationships between pupils and staff framed as warm and supportive. That combination matters for families who want calm routines, clear boundaries, and adult guidance that extends beyond lessons.

Personal development is not treated as an add-on. Leadership and older students are expected to model the behaviours and attitudes they want to see in younger pupils, for example through student-led assemblies that set aspirations and reinforce shared expectations. The wider message is that pupils are ambassadors for the school, not just attendees, which tends to suit students who respond well to responsibility and service.

The school also frames diversity and civic respect as part of daily life. Pupils are expected to understand that people hold different beliefs and views, and to treat others with respect and tolerance. For a faith school, this is an important marker: religious identity sits alongside preparation for modern Britain, rather than replacing it.

The school’s GCSE profile, as reflected points to mid-range performance compared with other secondary schools in England, with pockets of stronger attainment. Noorul Uloom ranks 1,334th in England for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data) and 7th locally in Blackburn. This sits in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile).

At GCSE level, the school’s Attainment 8 score is 46.3. Its average EBacc APS is 4.83, compared with an England average of 4.08.

A-level performance is hard to interpret from publicly reported grade distributions for the school. In the A-level dataset provided here, the recorded proportions at A*, A and B are all 0%, and the school is shown as 2,639th in England and 8th locally for A-level outcomes. The most useful next step for sixth form families is to ask the school for subject-level outcomes and progression routes for the specific post-16 pathway your child is considering, particularly because some students stay on primarily for Islamic studies rather than mainstream A-level programmes.

Parents comparing options should use the FindMySchool Local Hub and Comparison Tool to place these results alongside nearby providers, especially where sixth form routes differ significantly between schools.

Teaching is structured around a planned sequence of knowledge and vocabulary. The curriculum is described as broad and rich, with careful ordering of small steps so pupils can build knowledge securely over time. Where this works best, it reduces anxiety, because students know what is expected and can see how topics connect from one lesson to the next.

Subject knowledge is a stated strength. Staff are described as having the resources and equipment needed to deliver the intended curriculum, and teachers model ambitious vocabulary rather than simplifying content. That approach tends to benefit students who enjoy precision in language and who respond well to explicit teaching and practice.

The main developmental area sits around identifying gaps in knowledge and additional needs early enough, particularly for reading and for pupils who may require more tailored support. In practice, families with children who have emerging learning needs or who have previously needed additional literacy support should ask how screening works on entry, how reading catch-up is organised, and what triggers targeted interventions.

Because the school’s post-16 provision extends to age 23, progression looks different from a typical sixth form. Some students remain after 16 to complete an Islamic studies programme, and the school is clear that this pathway does not operate as a formal curriculum in the same way as mainstream post-16 study. For families, the key question is alignment: are you seeking A-level outcomes and university progression, or an extended period focused on religious scholarship and related goals.

Careers education is a clear strength in the secondary phase. Pupils meet people from a wide range of professions, including dentistry and the uniformed services, and older pupils complete a work placement. For students who benefit from seeing real-world pathways early, this is a practical advantage, especially when combined with guidance on colleges, apprenticeships and training routes.

Official destinations reporting is limited for this school. The latest destinations cohort recorded here is very small, which means percentage breakdowns are not available.

As an independent school, families should expect admissions to be handled directly by the school, rather than through a distance-based local authority allocation system. Demand and offer ratios are not published here, so the most reliable way to assess competitiveness is to ask about typical year group sizes, whether there is a waiting list for Year 7, and how late in the year places can realistically be offered.

When a school does not publish a detailed admissions calendar, practical questions become more important than dates. Ask what the school expects on application (previous school report, interview, references, any assessment), how transition is handled for students joining mid-year, and how the school supports pupils moving from a different curriculum or school culture.

Families can also use the FindMySchool Map Search to understand how Noorul Uloom sits relative to your other shortlisted schools, including travel time and practical logistics, even though places are not allocated by catchment distance in the same way as state schools.

Pastoral care is presented as a daily strength, not a reactive service. Pupils benefit from guidance and support when they need it, and relationships with staff are described as warm and highly positive. That is often the difference between a school that simply enforces rules and one that helps pupils internalise them as part of character.

Behaviour is positioned as exceptional across lessons, social time and movement around the site, with a clear stance that bullying and discrimination are not tolerated. This matters for parents weighing whether a small school can keep standards consistent across year groups and day-to-day contexts.

Ofsted confirmed that safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Enrichment is unusually specific for a school of this size, which is often a positive sign. Pupils have access to clubs including pottery, art and calligraphy, debating, archery, and British Sign Language. The implication for families is that enrichment is not limited to a narrow set of traditional options; pupils can develop practical skills, cultural literacy and communication in ways that complement academic study.

Educational visits add breadth. Pupils visit museums, farms, castles and places of worship, which supports both curriculum learning and wider cultural understanding. For a faith school, the inclusion of visits to places of worship is also a practical way to teach respectful engagement with different traditions.

Community contribution is a consistent thread. Pupils visit a local hospice and homeless shelter, and fundraise for charities. This kind of outward-facing programme tends to suit students who enjoy purposeful activity and who benefit from seeing their learning and values translated into real action.

Noorul Uloom is an independent school, so fees apply. The most recent official fee figure that is publicly available in inspection paperwork lists annual fees for day pupils at £1,700. Families should confirm the current 2025/26 fee schedule directly with the school, including what is included and what is charged as an extra (for example, trips, exam entry fees, and any specialist provision).

No bursary or scholarship detail is publicly evidenced in the sources accessed for this review. If affordability is a key factor, ask whether means-tested support is available, what evidence is required, and how decisions are made.

The school is registered for up to 200 pupils and is currently much smaller than that, which often shapes day-to-day experience, smaller peer groups, and closer staff oversight.

School day timings, wraparound provision, and term dates are not consistently published in the official sources accessed here. Families should ask directly about start and finish times, supervised study arrangements after lessons (if any), and how late transport pickup can realistically be supported.

• Post-16 route clarity. Some students stay beyond 16 to complete an Islamic studies programme, and the post-16 provision is described as operating without a formal curriculum structure. Families seeking mainstream A-level pathways should clarify exactly what is offered and how outcomes are tracked.

• Identification of additional needs. Systems for identifying gaps in knowledge, reading needs and SEND are described as underdeveloped, with the implication that precision support may not be as early or targeted as some pupils require.

• Governance challenge. Proprietor oversight systems are described as underdeveloped, which can matter in small independent settings where governance is a key driver of improvement and accountability.

Noorul Uloom offers a highly structured, values-led education in a small girls’ independent setting, with exceptional conduct and a strong emphasis on character, service and respectful engagement with wider society. Best suited to families seeking an Islamic ethos alongside a broad curriculum and a distinctive enrichment offer, particularly where calm routines and high behavioural expectations matter. The most important due diligence step is clarity on post-16 options and how learning needs are identified and supported over time.