'Islamic assemblies' held at 'Trojan Horse' school 'without consultation'

Islamic assemblies were held without consultation with the head teacher at the time and parents, a witness said

Islamic assemblies were held without consultation at a Birmingham school involved in the "Trojan Horse" affair, a misconduct panel has heard.

Razwan Faraz, former deputy head teacher at Nansen Primary, also, on one occasion, had girls sitting at the back and boys at the front, it was claimed.

Mr Faraz and four other senior staff deny unacceptable professional conduct.

The school was investigated amid claims of a Muslim hardliners' plot to control several schools.

The National College for Teaching and Leadership hearing, in Coventry, heard from former staff member Hilary Thompson, who resigned in May 2013 because of "ongoing exclusion, isolation, lies and bullying."

'Islamic prayer chanting'

The hearing was told her resignation followed periods of absence for sickness and came after a leadership restructure at Park View Educational Trust.

The trust ran Park View Academy, Nansen Primary and Golden Hillock Primary.

In her witness statement, Mrs Thompson said the Islamic assemblies were held without consultation with the head teacher at the time or parents.

Nansen Primary school was run by the Park View Education Trust, which also looked after Park View School and Golden Hillock

On one occasion the children were segregated and appeared to be chanting "Islamic prayer".

Some of the assemblies, she said, were lead by Monzoor "Moz" Hussain, former head teacher at Park View Academy.

Some witnesses have been granted anonymity when giving evidence in the hearing.

A senior teacher at Park View, known as "Witness A", told the hearing she was aware of flyers being distributed saying things such as women should obey their husbands in marriage.

She said prefects were acting as monitors and reporting back to some teachers when boys and girls were getting too close.

Where dating was evident, some children were segregated and kept in silence.

The tribunal was also told that in her witness statement she told of hearing both pupils and staff use anti-Semitic language.

She said it went on unchallenged and "racist and homophobic comments were an on-going problem" at Park View Academy.

Staff before the tribunal are accused of unprofessional conduct, by agreeing to the inclusion of an undue amount of religious influence in the education of pupils along with. They are:

• Hardeep Saini, former head teacher of Golden Hillock

• Arshad Hussain, an assistant head teacher at Park View

• Monzoor "Moz" Hussain, former head teacher at Park View Academy

• Lindsey Clark, former executive head teacher at Park View

In a separate hearing, in Birmingham, teacher Johirul Islam had an accusation of bringing undue religious influence into lessons dismissed.

Another hearing, in Solihull, against Inamulhuq Anwar and Akeel Ahmed has finished. The panel has adjourned to consider its conclusion, which will be delivered at a later date.

Ten teachers in total face hearings.