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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Islamic extremism concerns at Tower Hamlets school | Islamic extremism concerns at Tower Hamlets school |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| An east London primary school is at the centre of concerns over Islamic extremism, it has been revealed. | An east London primary school is at the centre of concerns over Islamic extremism, it has been revealed. |
| A Freedom of Information (FoI) request by BBC London shows Tower Hamlets Council holds information concerning the possible Islamification of Kobi Nazrul Primary School in Whitechapel. | A Freedom of Information (FoI) request by BBC London shows Tower Hamlets Council holds information concerning the possible Islamification of Kobi Nazrul Primary School in Whitechapel. |
| It follows the so-called Trojan Horse plot in Birmingham, in which some schools were the target of an alleged Islamic takeover plan. | |
| Kobi Nazrul school is yet to comment. | Kobi Nazrul school is yet to comment. |
| The FoI request demanded details of alleged attempts to infiltrate any school by Islamic extremists in the borough, subvert the school's teaching, or oversee the increasing Islamification of lessons. | The FoI request demanded details of alleged attempts to infiltrate any school by Islamic extremists in the borough, subvert the school's teaching, or oversee the increasing Islamification of lessons. |
| Tower Hamlets confirmed it was in possession of relevant information, but refused to hand it over, claiming data protection rules may be breached by doing so. | Tower Hamlets confirmed it was in possession of relevant information, but refused to hand it over, claiming data protection rules may be breached by doing so. |
| In a statement, it said: "The council has received some information about a single school in the borough. | In a statement, it said: "The council has received some information about a single school in the borough. |
| "The council does not propose to identify the school or produce the document it holds." | "The council does not propose to identify the school or produce the document it holds." |
| However the BBC understands the information held by the council relates to Kobi Nazrul school. | However the BBC understands the information held by the council relates to Kobi Nazrul school. |
| BBC London has also learned one of the governors, Mohammed Abdul Kuddus, is a member of the radical Islamist group Hitzb-ut-Tahir. | BBC London has also learned one of the governors, Mohammed Abdul Kuddus, is a member of the radical Islamist group Hitzb-ut-Tahir. |
| Successive prime ministers have considered banning the group, which has in the past infiltrated and recruited at universities. | Successive prime ministers have considered banning the group, which has in the past infiltrated and recruited at universities. |
| It remains under "constant review" by the Home Office. | It remains under "constant review" by the Home Office. |
| Mr Abdul Kuddus declined to comment. | Mr Abdul Kuddus declined to comment. |
| Rushanara Ali, Labour MP for Bethnal Green and Bow, said: "Alarm bells had been raised by the local education authority six months ago - there has been a government failure to step in. | Rushanara Ali, Labour MP for Bethnal Green and Bow, said: "Alarm bells had been raised by the local education authority six months ago - there has been a government failure to step in. |
| "Now it seems there is another dimension which is very concerning for parents. | "Now it seems there is another dimension which is very concerning for parents. |
| SATs results | SATs results |
| "This is bound to increase anxiety about safeguarding and standards." | "This is bound to increase anxiety about safeguarding and standards." |
| The school was already the subject of concern after a drop in standards. | The school was already the subject of concern after a drop in standards. |
| An emergency Ofsted inspection was carried out after the school recorded the worst SATs results ever in the borough. | An emergency Ofsted inspection was carried out after the school recorded the worst SATs results ever in the borough. |
| In 2012, 82% of children achieved the required results in maths and English. | In 2012, 82% of children achieved the required results in maths and English. |
| The following summer that figure was down to 40%. | The following summer that figure was down to 40%. |
| Four governors at the school resigned. | Four governors at the school resigned. |
| One of them, Suroth Miah, said: "The focus for us is the learning, development, teaching standards and the management. | One of them, Suroth Miah, said: "The focus for us is the learning, development, teaching standards and the management. |
| "The results of the last 18 months have not been good enough. | "The results of the last 18 months have not been good enough. |
| "This alone should influence the senior leadership to resign." | "This alone should influence the senior leadership to resign." |
| Jamal Hussain, the parent of a child at the school, said: "For this school to have failed in such a dramatic way - parents are frustrated and angry as to what has happened. | Jamal Hussain, the parent of a child at the school, said: "For this school to have failed in such a dramatic way - parents are frustrated and angry as to what has happened. |
| "We asked the governors why our school is failing, but we don't have an answer." | "We asked the governors why our school is failing, but we don't have an answer." |
| The vast majority of pupils at the school are Bangladeshi. Nearly all speak English as a second language. | The vast majority of pupils at the school are Bangladeshi. Nearly all speak English as a second language. |
| Robert McCulloch-Graham, Tower Hamlets Council's director of education, said: "This council has an excellent track record of transforming underperforming schools and of taking tough action when the school does not cooperate. | Robert McCulloch-Graham, Tower Hamlets Council's director of education, said: "This council has an excellent track record of transforming underperforming schools and of taking tough action when the school does not cooperate. |
| "With our support we fully expect Kobi Nazrul to return quickly to the excellent school it was two years ago." | "With our support we fully expect Kobi Nazrul to return quickly to the excellent school it was two years ago." |
| A spokesman for the Department for Education said: "Ofsted recently carried out an inspection at Kobi Nazrul school due to concerns about SATs test results. We await the results with interest. | A spokesman for the Department for Education said: "Ofsted recently carried out an inspection at Kobi Nazrul school due to concerns about SATs test results. We await the results with interest. |
| "If there are allegations of extremism in any school, we will investigate them. | "If there are allegations of extremism in any school, we will investigate them. |
| "If we find evidence of extremism we will not hesitate to act, as we have done in Birmingham." | "If we find evidence of extremism we will not hesitate to act, as we have done in Birmingham." |