Proud pupils at the high-flying Feversham College say they believe there should be more state-funded Muslim schools for girls.

The school in north Bradford was the first of its type in the country and after just two years in business came top of the national league table of which pupils make most progress.

Feversham is a voluntary-aided Muslim school, making it the Islamic equivalent of Catholic secondaries such as Yorkshire Martyrs.

Pupils learn in a cloistered environment where all the teachers and pupils are female.

It is compulsory to wear a hijab (head scarf) and daily prayers are built into the timetable, helping pupils to practise their faith properly.

"We were very proud to see those league tables, but I didn't feel surprised," said sixth former Sumayya Rahman, 18. "When I was at middle school I wasn't a confident person at all.

"Here, there are no distractions and you can get on with your work. This school prepares you for life. Obviously we will be in a secular environment once we leave, but we keep our Islamic principles."

Classmate Salma Bibi, 17, added: "Each person is an individual here."

The girls value the way their school helps them to practise their faith.

The older girls take their faith very seriously and believe they are a positive influence on younger pupils who turn to them for help and advice.

"They are here so we can guide them," said Fatima Sidat, 18, who hopes to train as a teacher after leaving school.

The girls now think there should be a Feversham-style primary school, and even a Feversham-style university.

Headteacher Judith Fitzpatrick retires this summer and is proud of what the school has achieved in a short time.

Next year, girls will move to their new building in Undercliffe, which governors believe is the first purpose-built Muslim high school in Europe.

It will have ablution areas where the girls can wash their hands, faces and feet before prayers in the approved Muslim fashion, and the school hall will be positioned to face Mecca.

Currently the school is housed at the old Swain House Middle School site, in cramped conditions which make pupils' high exam results even more impressive, say staff.

Government policy favours the creation of more faith schools, and in Bradford the Church of England established two new secondaries during re-organisation.

Councillor David Ward, executive member for education, said: "I have expressed publicly my concerns over separate schools in terms of social cohesion but they have a right to exist.

"Feversham is obviously providing an extremely good education and good luck to them."

Schools Section