During the 6th – 8th of June Year 10 students visited Jalalabad Jamay Mosque in Oldham. This educational visit focused on key aspects of the GCSE Religious Studies course,  but also allowed students the opportunity to learn more about the work of a faith group in the local community, and meet both leaders and members of the Islamic Community in Oldham.

Students had the opportunity to look around the Mosque, hear about the similarities and differences between Christianity and Islam, and they also had the chance for a question and answer session. Many of the questions posed by students were challenging and yet all were answered in an honest, and sensitive way. In addition, many students wanted to know what part the Mosque plays in the local Oldham community. Students learnt that Jalalabad Jamay Mosque and Blue Coat have many common aims, such as raising money for local charities and donating to local food banks.

Thomas Percival in Year 10 said ‘the amount of work the Mosque does for the community is outstanding. They bring the whole community together despite what religion or ethnicity you are. The Imam that spoke to our class was really open and answered every question that was asked of him (even the really difficult questions). Everyone learnt something that they previously did not know’.

We are extremely grateful to both Fazal and Mufti Helal at the Oldham Interfaith Network for leading these sessions for our students.