Do Islamic Schools Follow the National Curriculum?
Parent Guides
Parent guides · By Daffodil Preparatory School staff
Parent GuidesBy Daffodil Preparatory School staff
First, Which Kind of Islamic School?
Many do, but they don't all have to. That is the detail worth understanding. Islamic schools in England's state sector must follow the rules that apply to their school type; independent Islamic schools are not legally required to teach the National Curriculum, though the law does require them to provide a broad curriculum, and many choose to teach the National Curriculum in full alongside Islamic education. Here's how to tell what any given school actually does.
"Islamic school" covers two legal categories:
- State-funded schools with an Islamic character (such as faith academies and voluntary-aided schools). These are bound by the framework for their school type; academies, for instance, must teach a broad and balanced curriculum including English, maths and science.
- Independent (fee-paying) Islamic schools, the majority of Islamic schools in East London. These set their own curriculum, within legal standards described below.
If you're comparing local fee-paying schools, it's the second category that matters. So the honest answer to "do they follow the National Curriculum?" is: check each school, because the law leaves it to them.
What the law actually requires of independent schools
Independent schools don't have to teach the National Curriculum, but they are far from unregulated. Every independent school in England must meet the independent school standards, set out in the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 and explained in the Department for Education's guidance on regulating independent schools (GOV.UK).
On curriculum, the standards require a written policy, implemented effectively, giving pupils experience in seven areas: linguistic, mathematical, scientific, technological, human and social, physical, and aesthetic and creative education. They also require, among other things, PSHE, careers-related provision at the right ages, and teaching that doesn't undermine fundamental British values. Schools are inspected against these standards by Ofsted or by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI, the inspectorate for member schools of certain independent school associations).
So an independent Islamic school has a genuine choice: design its own curriculum meeting those seven areas, or adopt the National Curriculum (the detailed programme taught in state schools) as its framework and build Islamic education around it.
Why the answer varies, and why it matters to you
Schools weigh this differently. Some build bespoke curricula with a larger share of the day given to Islamic sciences. Others teach the full National Curriculum so that children's academic experience matches their state-school peers year for year: same subjects, same expected standards, same assessment points. That keeps every door open at secondary transfer, including moves back into the state sector.
Neither choice is automatically wrong, but they are different products, and the difference shows up at age 11. A child who has followed the National Curriculum and sat the standard assessments arrives at secondary transfer with results every secondary school understands.
How to check what a school really teaches
Don't settle for a sentence on a homepage. Ask for:
- The curriculum, subject by subject, year by year. A school teaching the National Curriculum can show you exactly how, and what sits alongside it.
- Which standardised assessments pupils sit. Independent schools can choose to administer phonics screening and Key Stage 2 SATs (the national tests at the end of primary school). A school that does so is voluntarily measuring itself against national benchmarks. Ask any school whether it does, and what happens with the results.
- The latest inspection report. Ofsted and ISI reports state whether the curriculum standards are met. Read the actual report, not the school's summary of it.
- How Islamic education fits the timetable. Added on top of a full curriculum, or carved out of it? Hours per week for each tells you the real balance.
How it works at Daffodil
We teach the full National Curriculum for England across Key Stages 1 and 2: English, maths, science and the foundation subjects. Pupils sit all the standardised assessments, including phonics screening and Key Stage 2 SATs, alongside weekly, monthly and termly internal assessment. Explore the curriculum · How we assess.
Around that core, rather than instead of it, sit Islamic Studies, Qur'an taught in three ability-based levels up to hifdh (Qur'an memorisation), Arabic, basic Latin for all pupils, and verbal and non-verbal reasoning in preparation for secondary transfer. See the Qur'an and Hifdh programme.
At our most recent inspection, all of the independent school standards were met; our inspection history is set out plainly, in full. Read our inspections page.
Frequently asked questions
Are independent Islamic schools required to teach the National Curriculum?
No. Independent schools in England set their own curriculum, but must meet the independent school standards, which require effective teaching across seven areas including linguistic, mathematical and scientific education. Many independent Islamic schools nonetheless choose to teach the full National Curriculum alongside Islamic education.
Do children at Islamic schools sit SATs?
It depends on the school. Independent schools can choose whether to administer national assessments such as Key Stage 2 SATs. Ask each school directly which standardised assessments its pupils sit. At Daffodil, pupils sit all the standardised assessments, including phonics screening and KS2 SATs.
Who checks what an independent Islamic school teaches?
Ofsted or the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) inspect every independent school against the independent school standards, which include curriculum requirements. Inspection reports are public, and reading a school's latest report is the quickest independent check on what's actually being taught.
Does teaching Islamic subjects mean less time for English and maths?
Not necessarily; it depends how the school builds its timetable. Ask whether Islamic Studies, Qur'an and Arabic sit alongside a full academic curriculum or replace parts of it, and how many hours each receives weekly. The strongest schools can show you both, timetabled, without either being squeezed.
Related Guides
Are Islamic schools inspected? Ofsted, ISI and the independent school standards explained
Yes: every registered Islamic school in England is inspected. How Ofsted and ISI inspections work, what they check, and how to read a school's report.
KS1, KS2 and SATs explained for parents
What KS1 and KS2 mean, which tests children take and when, and how SATs scaled scores work, with the expected standard and higher standard in plain English.
See the Curriculum for Yourself
The subject-by-subject picture (National Curriculum, Qur'an, Arabic, Latin and reasoning) is laid out on our curriculum page. Better still, watch it being taught.