ENGAGING WITH LEICESTER'S FAITH COMMUNITIES: MUSLIMS

At Madani High School, Evington Valley Road, this morning, for a meeting to progress the Muslim text in the series, Engaging with Leicester's Faith Communities. We've recently held a similar meeting on the Christian text with representatives from different churches. Back in the summer (way back in the summer) we held what turned out to be a significant meeting at the Tigers with leading figures from each of the city's Gurdwaras (and the schools with the biggest populations of Sick pupils and students) on the Sikh text. We're in the process of arranging this kind of meeting to look over the text of the Hindu booklet, to be held early next year.

This meeting should have been held two weeks ago, but was postponed. The school was closed because the heating had broken down. It's much colder today (at one point this morning, the temperature read -8 on the top of the Leicester Mercury building) and when I arrive at Madani, the school is once again closed to pupils today because the heating has broken down. But it feels quite cosy compared to outside and our meeting is on.

There are only two others here for the meeting: Jill Carr, RE Advisor to Leicester City Council and Secretary of Leicester SACRE (Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education) and Shaykh Dr Ashraf Makadam, Chair of the Federation of Muslim Organisations and Director of Madani High School.

The intention behind these booklets is that they should provide practical advice to school staff on everyday matters affecting, or affected by, the beliefs and practices of members of the school community (as well as applying guidance to topics such as holy days and festivals). One of the interesting things we explore today is how to produce a text that is useful both in the context of a Muslim faith school (like Madani) and in state schools with varying numbers of Muslims pupils, students and staff among them.

These booklets are partly in Q&A form, addressing the kind of issues that could easily cause confusion or contention in schools. For example:

• "Is our school dress code suitable for Muslim pupils/students?"
• "Does a beard have religious significance for older male Muslim students?"
• "What provision should be made for after-school classes during Ramadan?"
• "Is it alright to take part in mixed gender sports activities?"

We make good progress on the text, but there's not enough time to finish it today, so Jill will make the amendments agreed this morning and circulate the booklet one (last?) time.

On the way out, we're introduced to John Kirk, from the Gideons, who's come to the school to discuss introducing the Bible to students and the possibility of teaching a few sessions on Christianity in their RE classes. I remember being given a Gideon's Bible at school when I was 11 or 12. I still have it.

I'm also greeted by a couple of teachers from the school who helped out on the Council of Faiths exhibition in Highcross for Inter Faith Week. Nice to see them again - and they seem to have positive recollections of the event (which is nice).

Jill offers me a lift into town. As we're walking to her car, she mentions that she's been invited to Dovelands Primary School's junior pupils' Christmas Concert, at St Anne's Parish Church in Western Park. She asks me if I'd like to come - why not? Doesn't look like I'm going to get to any other Christmas concerts this year and there are few things more seasonal and cheering. I'm sure it will be a very nice way to pass an hour or so.