Our Full Story

The Vision

In the year 2000 a group of ordinary people made an intention to dream a vision of extraordinary ambition. Not for themselves but the future of Muslim children.

Their concerns grew from witnessing the consistent low achievement among children of Muslim backgrounds in particular those from a Pakistani ethnic origin.

They worked within the system to understand why such children were underperforming. They wanted to find a way of improving achievement and build the self-esteem of the children and to enhance their chances of a brighter future.

The Bid

In the year 2005, The Slough Islamic School Project (SISP) was conceived when the opportunity arose to bid for a new state funded voluntary aided primary school based on Islamic ethos.

The original trustees of the trust(SISP) were Zafar Ali, (Foundation Trustee and Foundation Governor) Latif Khan, Nasreen Ali, Nighat Kianni , (late) Nadeem Rana,(late) Samundar Khan.

The name for the school was agreed as Iqra and a strapline was chosen to underpin their vision.

The Charity Commission then approved suitable Foundation governors namely Sajida Choudhary and Cherryll Pepper.

“To learn, to lead, to inspire”

Despite tough competition, political and significant factional opposition within their own community, locally they were successful in their bid to the Secretary of State for Education. Their bid was described as the best of such bids submitted at that time and was supported by the Association of Muslim Schools UK

The Obstacles

In 2007 there was also a backdrop of antimuslim dissent. Undeterred they persevered and had to raise £1.5 million to secure the total funding cost of £12 million. They were given some time to raise the money.

An adjudicator was appointed by a minister to visit the school, its community, parents and the foundation governors to determine if those running SISP were suitable. When the Judge confirmed that not only was the bid consistent with the need and desire of parents and pupils but the foundation governors were very well informed, better than some existing successful schools.

2008 Global Financial Crash and funding gap

In 2008 the world was ravaged by the global financial crash.
Raising the matched funding of £1.5 million was proving difficult, partly because of the global financial crash but also because of the controversy caused by the MP’s opposition.

Nonetheless supported by the local community and some global philanthropists they managed to raise £1.5million. However the original foundation governors had decided on a hall that would be the largest hall in any primary school in Slough so that it could be available and suitable for weddings, community debates and lectures (600 capacity) as well as providing excellent indoor sports facilities for the children.

The funding for a primary school with 3 forms did not allow for a hall twice the size of what regulations would permit. They fell short by £450,000, as that was the extra cost it had to be raised in full by SISP prior to the commencement of construction. The project was at risk of only a modest sized hall. Two of the foundation governors namely Zafar Ali and Latif Khan offered to take out a loan with the school as collateral and their own personal guarantees. This was accepted by HSBC after 7 other financial institutions refused.

Neither of the foundation governors were business people, one had been a bus station manager and the other the Director of Slough Citizens Advice Bureau and Law Centre.

Failing School to Outstanding with achievement well above average

Finally in 2008 Iqra School was born and replaced Lea Infant School and Lea Junior School. The Lea Junior school was borderline failing. Iqra was a combined school for 4 to 11 year old. Iqra was set up to tackle and improve governance and quality of teaching so as to improve achievements.

The foundation governors were determined to eradicate the low expectations of Pakistani children in our schools as displayed by the education authorities.

There was a presumption that because 90% of the school children were of Pakistani background and faced multiple disadvantage of English not being a first language, with less well educated parents, and their lower socioeconomic standing that the results could not be improved.

Sisp had a five year plan to establish strong governance, improving management and raising teaching standards. This brought some transitional difficulties and reducing the use of supply teachers.

Involving parents in the educational life of their children also became a demand of the governors even going to the homes of parents when they did not show for their children’s parents evening.

Thus began the journey and the significant change in their fortunes began on the arrival of Gareth Thomas a superb interim Head Teacher who demanded high standards for the school from pupils, teachers and parents. Mr. Thomas was followed by Nouman Anwar , another excellent Head Teacher.

Today – Outstanding school – achievement well above average

Today the Slough Islamic School Project, the foundation governors and all of the staff including the current Headteacher Mineza Maher, senior management, pupils and parents can be extremely proud of their status now. Ranked 1st in Slough overall, second in Royal Berkshire and 2nd best in the prosperous and privileged South East of England.

“It would be a remarkable achievement for any school, but to have overcome the obstacles, the objections and the fact that it was a school in a difficult catchment and a school based on an Islamic Ethos makes the success worthy of international repute”

It is a story for anyone from any community to never accept that you can’t succeed, never trust the ‘experts’ word alone, if you want to improve something, you can. Against all the odds.

Alas – there is an overdue and outstanding challenge – £250,000.

The foundation governors have now reached their mature years. They have given 17 years directly to the school, some have already retired, other friends such as Samundar Khan have passed away. The oldest governor Latif Khan is 82 and the former Chair of Governors (2008-24} Zafar Ali is now 72 and suffering from poor health. Sajidah Chaudhary retired once she felt the school was well on its way recently and Cheryl Pepper another foundation governor stepped down too.

Sadly two foundation governors still have personal guarantees and still owe £250,000. Covid impacted their lettings income and they have never recovered since.

A local Business Adviser and now Trustee of SISP Rafiq Chohan has made a commitment to remove the burden of debt.