This is a small independent girls’ school in Nottingham with a strongly structured day built around Islamic studies alongside GCSE subjects. The timetable is distinctive, with a full day that runs from early morning through to evening study, designed to support both academic qualifications and a long-form Aalimah course. The school’s pupil numbers are modest, which can suit families looking for a close-knit setting and clear routines.
The most recent standard inspection (September 2025) judged the school Good overall and confirmed that it meets the independent school standards.
Relationships and belonging are central themes in the school’s published and inspected picture. Pupils describe the community using language such as “family” and “sisterhood”, and the culture is framed around respect and courtesy. Staff are positioned as approachable adults, and pupils report confidence that concerns will be handled.
Faith is not an add-on, it is the organising framework. Islamic studies run through the morning, with academic GCSE and post-16 study later in the day, followed by supervised personal study in the evening. This rhythm is a defining feature for families to understand upfront, particularly for students who respond well to routine and extended learning time.
Leadership is listed under Headteacher Maha Abu-Taha in the most recent standard inspection documentation, and the school also uses the title Principal for Raza ul-Haq Siakhvy on its website. For parents, the practical point is that the operational leadership team is visible to families during admissions events, including separate briefings for male and female family members on open days.
GCSE performance sits in the stronger half nationally by independent-sector measures supplied. Jamia Al-Hudaa Residential College is ranked 1,146th in England and 14th in Nottingham for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking, based on official data). This places it above the England average, within the top 25% of schools in England (25th percentile band).
In the underlying GCSE indicators provided, the Attainment 8 score is 48.7 and the EBacc average point score is 4.74. 30% of pupils achieved grades 5 or above across the EBacc measure.
A-level measures are not published for this school, and it is not ranked for A-level outcomes view. In practical terms, parents should treat GCSE as the best evidenced academic benchmark here, then explore sixth form pathways through curriculum, support, and destinations conversations during admissions.
Parents comparing local options can use the FindMySchool Local Hub page and the Comparison Tool to check how this GCSE ranking sits alongside other Nottingham schools with published measures.
England ranks and key metrics (where available)
GCSE 9–7
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% of students achieving grades 9-7
The curriculum is deliberately dual-track. The school describes Islamic sciences as a structured long-course programme, including subjects such as Tajweed, Qur’anic translation and Tafseer, Aqeedah, Fiqh, Hadith, Arabic language, and related disciplines.
Alongside that, the academic curriculum includes GCSE subjects such as English language and literature, mathematics, science, religious education, Arabic, and ICT, with scope for additional subjects. The day plan published by the school illustrates how these components are sequenced, with dedicated time for personal study and booster lessons in the evening.
A helpful way to assess fit is to focus on learning stamina and independence. A long day can be a genuine advantage for students who benefit from supervised study and frequent consolidation. For students who need significant downtime to reset, families should ask direct questions about how evenings are structured, what choice students have in independent study time, and how staff handle pressure points around exams.
Destination statistics are not provided and the school does not publish a simple headline percentage for Russell Group or Oxbridge progression on the pages reviewed. The most reliable picture available is qualitative. Sixth form is part of the school’s registered provision, and external reviews point to structured careers guidance, visiting speakers, and preparation for further study, employment, and training.
Families considering post-16 entry should treat this as a “conversation-heavy” decision. Ask for the current sixth form offer, how many subjects are typically timetabled, what proportion of students stay on from Year 11, and what support exists for applications beyond school, including apprenticeships and further education routes, where relevant.
Admissions are direct to the school rather than local authority coordinated. The published admissions policy sets out a merit-based process using entrance tests, references from the current school, and interviews. Suitability for boarding is also assessed through the application and interview process, with safeguarding considerations explicitly stated as a condition of decision-making.
Entry points are primarily Year 7 (11+) and 16+. The admissions policy also gives a practical indication of scale, stating an annual intake of around 65 new students, with around 40 places for 11+ and around 15 places for 16+.
For 2026 entry, the school advertises an open day on Sunday 29 March 2026, and states that the open day is on the same day as the entry test for potential candidates. The page also indicates that candidates should have at least one parent or guardian attend.
For families mapping their shortlist, the FindMySchool Saved Schools feature can help track deadlines, open events, and follow-up questions for each setting you visit.
Pastoral expectations are closely tied to boarding structures and the extended day. The school frames the environment as safe and supportive, and external evidence supports a view of generally positive peer relationships and confidence in staff support. Safeguarding is reported as effective in the most recent standard inspection.
For boarding families, it is also relevant that a separate boarding social care inspection in July 2024 judged the boarding provision “requires improvement to be good”. That judgement is narrower than the education inspection, but it is still important context for families weighing residential life, supervision, and routines in boarding settings.
The school’s public materials place more emphasis on structured study and faith-led formation than on a broad co-curricular menu. That is not a weakness by definition, but it does define the experience. The timetable includes evening “personal study (booster lessons)”, which functions as a built-in extension and consolidation mechanism rather than optional after-school clubs.
Facilities mentioned by the school include a library, study areas, a dining hall, an indoor recreational area, an outdoor play area, and on-site laundry. The site is described as a multi-block building repurposed from a former administrative headquarters, with residential accommodation integrated into the overall premises.
If co-curricular breadth matters to your child, treat this as a key line of enquiry. Ask what current enrichment looks like in practice, how many activities run weekly, and how participation is tracked, especially given that external review identifies co-curricular breadth as an improvement priority.
Boarding is a core part of the model, not an optional extra. The most recent education inspection lists 171 pupils on roll, and the admissions policy describes around 130 boarders within a school of roughly 175 students.
Boarding accommodation is described in the boarding inspection as being within the main building across two floors. Families should ask how house or corridor groupings are organised by age, what supervision ratios look like in evenings, and how students access support outside lesson times, particularly during exam periods.
As an independent school, Jamia Al-Hudaa frames charges as parental contributions, with amounts structured by household income bands and by day versus residential routes. For the 2025 to 2026 year (September 2025 to 2026), the published annual parental contributions are:
11+ Residential: £5,205 (Category C) to £6,825 (Category A)
11+ Day: £3,774 (Category C) to £5,574 (Category A)
16+ Residential: £3,765 (Category C) to £5,385 (Category A)
16+ Day: £2,514 (Category C) to £3,774 (Category A)
The same document lists instalment due dates and notes that the amounts are inclusive of estimated VAT and subject to ongoing review.
In addition, the parental contributions page sets out a means-related approach and explains that charitable funds may subsidise costs where contributions do not cover full provision. It also lists a key deposit and an electrical items contribution (both £20, total £40) and provides indicative book costs by year group.
*Bursaries may be available for eligible families.
Basis: per year
The day structure is longer than most schools. The published schedule runs from 8.30am to 8.00pm and includes separate blocks for Islamic studies, academic curriculum, and supervised personal study.
Weekend expectations matter here. The admissions policy states there are compulsory Saturday classes, and families should factor this into travel patterns, family commitments, and student workload.
Extended day and compulsory Saturday classes. A day that runs to 8.00pm and weekend classes can be a strong fit for students who like structure, but it can feel intense for those who need more downtime.
Co-curricular breadth is a stated improvement priority. External review highlights that wider opportunities and tracking of uptake are areas to develop. Families for whom sport, music, or clubs are central should ask for a current term list.
Boarding quality has mixed recent signals. The education inspection is Good overall, while the July 2024 boarding social care judgement indicates work still to do. Ask how boarding has changed since that inspection.
The model assumes long-course commitment. The admissions policy states students would normally be expected to stay and complete the Aalimah course, which is an important cultural and practical expectation to discuss before accepting a place.
Jamia Al-Hudaa Residential College is a specialist-feeling setting in the way it structures time and purpose, even though it is registered as mainstream. Academic outcomes at GCSE sit in the top quarter in England by the dataset ranking, and the school offers a clearly defined faith-led routine with intensive study time. Best suited to girls who want a highly structured residential or day model anchored in Islamic studies alongside GCSEs, and families who actively want the longer day and the expectations that come with it.
The most recent full inspection judgement available for the education provision is Good overall, with safeguarding reported as effective. GCSE outcomes also compare favourably ranking, placing the school within the top quarter of schools in England for GCSE outcomes.
As an independent school, the school publishes parental contribution amounts for 2025 to 2026, differentiated by day or residential route and by household income category. The published annual range for 11+ residential students is £5,205 to £6,825, and for 11+ day students is £3,774 to £5,574.
The school advertises an open day on Sunday 29 March 2026 and states that the open day takes place on the same day as the entry test for potential candidates. Families are asked to submit an application with supporting documentation in advance so that the schedule can be confirmed by email.
Admissions are direct to the school. The process includes entrance tests, a reference from the student’s current school, and interviews. Entry is primarily at 11+ (Year 7) and 16+, with boarding suitability considered as part of decision-making.
The school states that students are required to be resident, although special arrangements may be made for non-residential students. Families should clarify current availability of day places for the relevant age group during the admissions process, as the boarding model is a central part of school life.
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