Birmingham Islamic school shuts over Channel 4 show

An Islamic school in Birmingham has said it is shutting for half term four days early to ensure pupils' safety over a Channel 4 programme.

A Dispatches episode, Lessons in Hatred and Violence to be shown later, claims to have footage of a preacher at Darul Uloom School with extreme views.

It claims pupils are told to distrust unbelievers and more liberal Muslims.

The school, in Small Heath, said its policy was to promote tolerance and appreciation of other religions.

It said it felt it was being targeted unfairly by surreptitious recording inside the school for a period of longer than six months.

"Over that period of time they have selectively gathered a handful of quotes and comments allegedly from some teachers, which they are using to attempt to portray our school in a light completely contrary to its ethos," a statement said.

A spokesman for Dispatches, which used a hidden camera installed by a reporter at the school, said its investigation had shown footage of numerous adults, on different occasions, teaching pupils as young as 11 contempt for other religions and for wider society.

"We stand by our investigation and think the programme speaks for itself," he said.