Eternal Light Review 2026: A long school day, a dual curriculum, and a clear pathway into post-16 study

A school day that can run until 7:00pm (with the after-school Mutala session) immediately signals that this is not a conventional timetable. For some families, the extended day is the point: it creates time for structured study, religious learning, and routine. For others, it is a practical challenge that affects travel, family life, and after-school commitments.

Eternal Light is an independent day school for boys, with an age range extending beyond Year 11 into post-16. The school opened in October 2007 and has since expanded its premises, including major extensions and refurbishment referenced in official inspection material.

Leadership is clearly identified. The school names Maulana Yusuf Collector as headteacher, though a public start date is not stated on the sources reviewed.

The school’s identity is closely tied to the way it blends a secular curriculum with an Islamic syllabus. On the academic side, the published curriculum outline lists English, maths, science and humanities alongside ICT, art and design, PE, religious education, and Urdu. Alongside this sits a defined Islamic track, with Alim and Hifz routes described in school documentation.

That structure shapes daily expectations. The attendance and punctuality guidance is unusually specific, including an 8:05am arrival time and firm language around term-time absence. It also sets out the practical reality of a late finish on most weekdays, with pick-up arrangements and suggested collection points to reduce congestion.

The pastoral tone, as expressed in published policies, emphasises routine, behaviour expectations, and safeguarding procedures that align with current statutory language used across schools. The safeguarding policy for 2025/26 indicates the school maintains a formal approach to child protection and related processes.

Academic outcomes for Eternal Light sit in a mixed position across key stages, based on the available official-data-derived metrics and local comparisons.

At GCSE level, the school’s Attainment 8 score is 50.3, above the England average of 45.9. Its EBacc average point score is 4.58, compared with an England average of 4.08. These indicators suggest that, for the cohort measured, outcomes across a broad set of subjects were stronger than the typical England profile.

In the FindMySchool GCSE rankings (based on official data), the school is ranked 2,092nd in England and 17th in Bradford for GCSE outcomes. This corresponds to performance broadly in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile).

At A-level, the picture is more challenging. The A-level grade profile shows 2.86% at A*, 11.43% at A, and 31.43% at A* to B. The comparable England average for A* to B is 47.2%. In the FindMySchool A-level rankings (based on official data), the school is ranked 2,004th in England and 13th in Bradford for A-level outcomes, placing it below England average overall.

Parents comparing options locally should use the FindMySchool Local Hub page and Comparison Tool to view these GCSE and A-level measures alongside nearby providers, as the same headline grade can mean different things depending on entry patterns and subject mix.

Teaching and learning here sits on the central design choice: two curricula running in parallel. The published curriculum outline makes this explicit, describing a National Curriculum-led programme alongside Islamic studies, including Alim and Hifz provision.

The academic curriculum list is detailed enough to give families a concrete sense of what students will study. GCSE entry subjects listed include English language and literature, mathematics, combined science, religious studies, Urdu, and a humanities option that may include geography, history or citizenship.

Post-16, the curriculum description places the final years of the Alim course alongside a limited but specific set of A-level and vocational options, including A-level biology, religious studies, computer science and Urdu, and BTEC applied law.

Careers education appears to start early. The school states that students receive careers lessons from Year 7 onwards and that independent careers advice is provided via an external organisation, Wise Origin, alongside talks from working professionals.

Where Students Go Next

The school does not publish a detailed destination breakdown with named universities and counts in the materials reviewed. Oxbridge application and acceptance figures are not available in the accessible destination data for this school, so it is not possible to make a responsible claim about Oxford or Cambridge progression.

What is available is a small-cohort destination snapshot for the 2023/24 leavers. For that cohort (10 students), the reported progression is 10% to university, 20% to further education, 10% to apprenticeships, and 10% to employment. With a cohort of 10, this is best read as directional rather than definitive, as one student can materially shift the percentages.

Given the school’s extended age range and its described post-16 structure, families considering sixth form should ask specifically how the school supports applications for university, apprenticeships, and vocational routes, including the balance of timetable time between Alim study and exam-based qualifications.

Admissions are handled directly by the school and are structured into a staged process. For Year 7 entry, the school states that the application form must be submitted by 1 December of the year when a child is in Year 6. For September 2026 entry, that implies a deadline of 1 December 2025. Late applications are placed on a waiting list and may not be considered.

The stages described include document submission (also required by 1 December), followed by an entry assessment that usually takes place in December, based on a written test in English and maths. The school also states that papers and reports are checked externally, before the admissions team selects candidates for the next stage.

Interview then adds an oral component focused on competence in Islamic studies, with additional assessment for candidates applying for the Hifz class.

Finally, the process culminates in a parent meeting and an agreement stage, after which a place is confirmed once a signed agreement is returned. The school advises parents to continue pursuing local authority applications or other independent options in parallel, in case an applicant is unsuccessful.

Parents weighing the practicalities should also factor in the late finish times. If family logistics rely on public transport or shared pick-ups, it is worth stress-testing the routine before committing.

The school’s published policies emphasise clear expectations around attendance, punctuality, and conduct, backed by direct consequences for unauthorised absence. The tone is explicit that consistent attendance is treated as a prerequisite for success.

Systems for communication with families also appear defined. The school promotes the MCAS platform as a way for parents and carers to see attendance, behaviour and timetable information, and to manage contact details and language settings for communication.

Safeguarding documentation for 2025/26 indicates a current policy framework, including handling of alternative provision and related checks. Families evaluating fit should focus less on policy existence, which is expected, and more on how concerns are raised, escalated, and communicated in practice.

Extracurricular and enrichment at Eternal Light reads as purposeful and values-led, with activities connected to personal development, careers awareness, and cultural education.

A practical example is the school’s recording studio visit, where pupils tried professional equipment and performed nasheeds, recitations, and poetry as part of producing a CD. This indicates a creative strand that sits comfortably alongside the school’s wider emphasis on structured learning.

Careers learning is not framed as a late-stage add-on. The school states that careers lessons run from Year 7 and that students receive independent careers advice, plus visits from working professionals who describe pathways into their roles. The implication is early exposure to options, which can be especially useful for students balancing a demanding timetable with future planning.

The curriculum outline also references performing arts and structured PSHCE and citizenship content, suggesting that wider personal development is formally timetabled rather than left only to clubs.

Start time is published as 8:05am. The school day ends after Mutala at 7:00pm from Monday to Thursday and at 6:15pm on Friday. On the last day before each holiday, Mutala does not take place and students leave at 4:45pm.

Pick-up and parking guidance is unusually detailed. Families are asked to avoid bringing vehicles directly outside the gates at busy times and instead to agree local pick-up points with their child. Named options include Southfield Lane, Thornton Lane, Little Horton Lane, and Canterbury Avenue, plus a nearby masjid car park.

Term dates are stated to broadly align with local authority schools, with potential differences around Ramadan and summer, and the school reserves the right to alter holiday dates if required.

Fees & Financial Aid

For 2025/26, the published annual fee is £3,100 inclusive of VAT. The school offers two payment approaches: a single annual payment or ten monthly standing-order payments of £310 (from 1 September to 1 June).

The school also states that meals, trips, examination fees, and some book costs are not included and must be paid separately.

Information on bursaries and scholarships is not set out on the fees page reviewed. Families who need financial support should ask directly what assistance exists, what eligibility looks like, and how decisions are made.

• Late finishes most days. A 7:00pm finish Monday to Thursday changes family logistics and may limit external activities. It suits families who want a structured extended day, but it is not easy to combine with evening commitments.

• Admissions is multi-stage and time-bound. For Year 7, the process requires application and documents by 1 December in Year 6, then assessment and interview stages. Families who move late into the area or decide late may find timing difficult.

• Sixth form outcomes look weaker than GCSE measures. The A-level profile and England comparisons point to a tougher picture post-16. Families should ask how subject choice, cohort size, and timetable balance affect outcomes.

• Extras sit outside the headline fee. The school is clear that key costs such as trips and exam fees are additional, so budgeting should be realistic from the outset.

Eternal Light will suit families who actively want an extended, highly structured school day and a curriculum that explicitly combines mainstream academic subjects with Alim or Hifz pathways. The admissions process is clear, staged, and centred on both academic readiness and Islamic studies competence.

Best suited to boys who respond well to routine, sustained study time, and a faith-informed learning environment. The main decision point is practical: whether the long day and the post-16 outcomes align with your child’s needs and your family’s weekly rhythm.