Al-Aqsa Schools Trust Review 2026: Faith-led all-through education with a clear secondary pathway for girls

A small, independent Islamic school in east Leicester, Al-Aqsa Schools Trust educates children from age 3 through to GCSE, blending a broad academic curriculum with Qur’anic learning and character development. The school describes its mission as helping pupils participate constructively in society through a spiritual, Qur’anic and Prophetic perspective, while promoting respect for people of all faiths and none.

The most recent Ofsted inspection (January 2025) judged the school to be Good overall, with Good grades across education quality, behaviour, personal development, leadership, and early years, and confirmed that the Independent School Standards are met.

Families should be clear about structure. Provision is co-educational in early years and primary, while the secondary phase is for girls. This shapes both the social experience and the Year 6 transition plan for boys.

The school’s character is anchored in faith and community responsibility, and it makes explicit links between Islamic ethos and everyday conduct. Values such as kindness, trust and manners are embedded into daily routines and expectations, helping create a calm, respectful atmosphere where discrimination and poor language are not tolerated.

The physical setting also signals a practical, community-built organisation rather than a glossy new-build. Fundraising information explains that the primary building includes older structures that were originally farm buildings, later converted in 1921 for classrooms, with further extensions added in the 1930s and after the Second World War; the secondary building was built in the mid-1930s as a junior school. For parents, the implication is straightforward, facilities and space are real and functional, but ongoing investment and upgrades are part of the school’s story.

Leadership matters in a small all-through, and there has been a clear recent shift. The headteacher is Abdelhamid Chachi, and the January 2025 inspection notes that a new headteacher started in September 2022. For families, this helps explain why recent external judgements focus on consistency of curriculum and teaching, particularly in early years interactions and a small number of primary foundation subjects.

Because this is an independent school educating through to GCSE rather than A-level, the most meaningful published outcome measures sit at Year 11.

FindMySchool’s GCSE outcomes ranking places the school 1,068th in England and 15th in Leicester, based on official data. This sits above the England average, placing it comfortably within the top 25% of schools in England. (FindMySchool ranking.)

Headline GCSE indicators reinforce a broadly positive picture with some clear nuances:

• Attainment 8 score: 53.7.

• EBacc average point score: 4.78, above the England benchmark of 4.08.

• Percentage achieving grade 5 or above in the EBacc: 23.8%.

The best way to interpret these figures is as evidence of a school that supports many students to secure solid, mainstream outcomes, with room to grow in the proportion reaching higher benchmarks across the full suite of EBacc subjects. For parents comparing several local options, the FindMySchool Local Hub and Comparison Tool can help you view these GCSE indicators side-by-side with nearby schools, using consistent measures.

Curriculum intent is explicitly broad and academically framed. The 2025 inspection describes a structured curriculum where key concepts are introduced early and revisited with increasing depth, with examples spanning science sequencing from primary into Key Stage 3, mathematics fluency building to problem solving, and English literature progression through Shakespeare.

Early reading is treated as a priority from Reception, with phonics taught from the start and additional reading sessions used to help pupils catch up where needed. This is important in an all-through context because early literacy can become the strongest lever for later GCSE access, particularly in humanities and extended writing.

The areas flagged for improvement are also worth understanding in practical terms. In a small number of primary foundation subjects, feedback is not always precise enough to help some pupils improve; and in early years, adult interactions during play are not consistently strong enough to deepen learning through conversation. Parents of younger children should ask what is being done to tighten feedback routines and strengthen language-rich interaction in continuous provision.

There is no sixth form, so progression planning focuses on post-16 routes into further education or training. Careers education is described as structured, helping students explore pathways and build ambition through the secondary years.

For families with sons, “what next” planning begins earlier, because the secondary phase is girls-only. That typically means a planned move at the end of Year 6 into another local secondary school. For girls, the internal pathway can be more continuous, with the opportunity to remain within a familiar faith-led environment through GCSE.

At primary level, the school’s curriculum structure also signals what it wants pupils to carry forward. Primary curriculum maps include Arabic and Islamic Studies alongside core academic subjects, which is a distinctive element of preparation for families seeking continuity of faith education through the week.

Admissions are non-selective in principle, but practical oversubscription and readiness checks do apply.

The admissions policy sets out a clear priority order. Looked-after children are prioritised; after that, applications are considered on a first come, first served basis, with oversubscription criteria including staff children and siblings, subject to fees being up to date.

For entry into Year 1 and above, the policy states there is an admissions test fee of £50, and the school expects children to be working at, or close to, expected levels in English and mathematics. This is not academic selection in a grammar-school sense, but it does mean families should be ready for a practical assessment of whether the curriculum is an appropriate match.

Early years admissions are also clearly framed. Nursery entry does not guarantee a Reception place, and parents are told they will be informed during nursery about how and when to secure a Reception place. For Reception entry, the policy indicates that deposits or registration fees must be paid by the last date of February prior to the child starting Reception.

If you are weighing the school partly on accessibility, FindMySchool’s Map Search is useful for checking travel distance and likely journey patterns, especially when you are also considering alternatives for the Year 7 move for boys.

Pastoral support is a central part of the school’s day-to-day culture, and students are encouraged to raise concerns through trusted relationships with staff. There is also visible emphasis on inclusion and respectful conduct, aligning with the school’s stated aim of promoting tolerance and mutual respect in wider British society.

Support for additional needs is described as organised and monitored. The school identifies pupils’ needs and provides targeted help to access the curriculum, which matters for an all-through setting where early identification can prevent later gaps.

For parents, the key implication is that wellbeing support is embedded into the core school narrative rather than treated as a bolt-on. Families should still ask practical questions at enquiry stage, for example, how concerns are logged, how communication works with parents, and what the escalation route is if an issue is not resolved quickly.

A small school does not need hundreds of clubs to provide breadth, but it does need identifiable opportunities that develop confidence and responsibility. The school council is one such route, linked to pupil voice and practical improvements to school life.

There is also evidence of structured enrichment through trips and cultural experiences. Examples referenced include visits to Warwick Castle and the Curve Theatre, plus a Culture Day designed to celebrate diversity. For pupils, this matters because it expands cultural literacy and supports the school’s aim of preparing young people for modern Britain, without compromising its faith-led foundations.

Sport and clubs appear in external reporting as well. Earlier inspection evidence referenced debating, netball and art clubs as examples of social-time opportunities.

Distinctively, the school also runs a Madrasah straight after the school day in term time, Monday to Friday, from 3.00pm to 4.30pm, with content spanning Qur’an reading and pronunciation, memorisation, Arabic handwriting practice, du’aas, and Islamic studies. Fees are published as £42.50 per child per month, or £425 per academic year (10 months). For many families, this is a practical advantage, it reduces timetable fragmentation and keeps religious learning integrated into the weekly routine.

Fees for 2025/26 are published by the school. For the primary phase, tuition fees (including VAT) are £2,760 plus a £270 resource fee, making £3,030 total. For the secondary phase, tuition fees (including VAT) are £3,175 plus a £375 resource fee, making £3,550 total. The school also publishes monthly payment options across 10 or 11 months.

The school’s public materials emphasise clear expectations around timely fee payment. Information on means-tested bursaries or scholarships is not clearly published on the same fees page; families for whom affordability is central should ask directly what support, if any, is available and what the eligibility process looks like.

Nursery fee information should be checked directly with the school, as early years pricing can vary by session pattern and funding eligibility.

The school operates on two adjacent sites that share the same address, with early years and primary taught separately from the secondary phase.

Published information about the school day is not presented as a single, up-to-date timetable on the public-facing site. Families should confirm start and finish times for their child’s phase, and ask about any breakfast or after-school care that is separate from the Madrasah offer. The Madrasah timetable is clearly set out as 3.00pm to 4.30pm in term time, which may serve as an after-school option for some families.

• Secondary phase is girls-only. Boys will need a planned move at the end of Year 6, while girls can continue through to GCSE within the same trust.

• Early years and some primary areas need sharper consistency. Improvement areas include adult interaction quality in early years play and the precision of feedback in a small number of primary foundation subjects.

• Admissions include readiness checks for in-year entry. For Year 1 and above, families should factor in an admissions test process and a £50 fee.

• Facilities are practical, not pristine. The buildings have a long civic history and the trust has publicly described ongoing upgrade needs, which may matter if you prioritise new-build sports and specialist spaces.

Al-Aqsa Schools Trust suits families seeking an independent, faith-led education where Islamic ethos, respectful conduct, and mainstream academic study are intended to sit side by side. The latest inspection outcome supports a picture of a calm, well-ordered school with structured curriculum thinking and clear safeguarding culture. Best suited to families who value integrated Qur’anic and character education, and who are comfortable planning early for the different secondary pathway needs of boys and girls.