Faith-Led, Results-Driven: Unlocking the Potential of Islamic Schools
36%
Above the national GCSE average
Average GCSE performance across eight subjects was 36% above the national average across Equi’s case studies.
86%
Islamic schools inspected by Ofsted are rated Good or Outstanding
Only 1% are rated as Inadequate, which is three times lower than the national average.
Report summary
Low-fee independent Islamic schools are consistently outperforming national academic benchmarks at half the cost of state-funded education and far below the average fee of mainstream independent schools.
Drawing on Ofsted and Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) inspections, exam results and ten in-depth case studies based on interviews with headteachers and education specialists, the report highlights a sector that combines academic excellence, strong moral development and deep community engagement, offering one of the clearest examples of best-value education provision in the UK.
The findings challenge long held assumptions about faith schools and social cohesion. Rather than isolating pupils, the study shows that Islamic schools embed British values, promote civic responsibility and cultivate strong moral character, demonstrating how faith-informed education can be a powerful driver of inclusion and aspiration.
“Independent Islamic schools are delivering exceptional results on shoestring budgets. They show how values-driven, community-centred education can raise attainment and build responsible citizens, whilst costing the taxpayer far less.”
Prof. Javed Khan OBE
Managing Director, Equi
KEY REPORT FINDINGS
What the numbers say
£20m vs. £1.4m
If the ten featured schools were to close, the cost of educating their pupils in the state sector would exceed £20 million, far outweighing the £1.4 million raised through VAT.
£4,000 vs £19,000
Average annual fee per pupil in the featured low-fee independent Islamic schools compared with the average annual independent school fee nationally.
Low-fee provision
The schools profiled operate on fees far below mainstream independent schools, making high-performing education accessible to families who could not otherwise afford it.
“Recognising the valuable role Islamic schools play in promoting social cohesion, community service and academic achievement would go a long way.”
Khaleda Begum, Headteacher
Al-Ikhlaas Primary School, Lancashire