Principal - Mr Alim Shaikh (MA, PGCE, MPhil, NPQH)
After gaining an MA in Philosophy from the University of Glasgow, I undertook a PGCE in English and Computing from Jordanhill College, the University of Strathclyde, qualifying as an English teacher in 1996. Subsequently, I attained my Masters degree in Applied Language Studies in Education at Kings College, University of London whilst helping to develop one of the first Islamic boys schools in the UK, Brondesbury College for Boys. Later, during my tenure as a School Improvement Consultant for a West London local authority, I commenced postgraduate studies as a Doctoral student at Kings' investigating children's multimodality and semiotics: I published papers and articles for leading journals, The Journal of Language & Education; museums, the National Museum of Media and; government agencies including QCA and BECTa. My consultancy and advisory roles for various local authorities across the UK led me to pursue further postgraduate studies in Leadership, Development and Consultancy at the Institute of Education, UCL and, eventually to pursue the NPQH headship qualification also at the Institute of Education.
I joined Barnet Hill Academy under its previous guise, as a community school, in Autumn, 2017. Presently, I lead the Academy in the capacity of Principal, leading the school through a transformation programme for students from 3 through to 16, with the aim of building upon it's successful 'Good' OfSTED rating in July, 2018 - inshaAllah.
Senior Leadership Team
| Shuayb Piprawala | Assistant Headteacher Head of Islamic Studies and Pastoral Care, Designated Safeguarding Lead & Complaints Officer | I graduated from one of the oldest Islamic seminaries in the UK; the Institute of Islamic Education, where I studied Islamic sciences, upon graduating I embarked on a year-long tour, where I engaged extensively in da'wah work with a wide range of communities. I've been the Imām at Hendon Mosque & Islamic Centre since January 2009. At BHA I helped lay the foundations of a reflective pastoral structure, where pupils are encouraged to reflect on character and take responsibility for their actions and I continue to lead on this in my revised capacity as Assistant Headteacher. My curriculum duties extend to Islamic Studies, Arabic and Nasheed for which I am the overall lead. |
| Samira Saddique | Assistant Headteacher Curriculum Leader, SENCo & Complaints Officer | I qualified with a PGCE, after gaining my Masters in Chemistry, and commenced my teaching career as a Primary school teacher in Barnet, I enjoy teaching and have a specialism in Literacy and Science and it gives me great joy to see my students develop as they grow from young people into young adults! In January, 2020 I was appointed as Assistant Headteacher at Barnet Hill Academy and I am thrilled to be leading a revised curriculum strategy in this role. In addition to overall curriculum responsibilities I lead on the History curriculum. |
EYFS Practitioners
| Name | Role | About Me |
|---|---|---|
Ms Shahnaz | Early Years Manager & Deputy Safeguarding Lead & Complaints Officer | As an Early Years trained teacher with BA (Hons) in Early Years & Education, I am extremely passionate about children’s learning and development and strongly believe in facilitating children's curiosity their problem solving skills. Helping children achieve their potential by enabling them to develop resilience with supportive environments and positive relationships is my top-most priority. |
| Ms Moni | Early Years Practitioner | My Early Years Level 3 qualification and vast experience has greatly assisted my ability to make a difference in the learning environment. As an EY Practitioner and governor of BHA, working with young children over the course of three years has enabled me to better understand children's needs and make a positive impact upon their learning. |
| Ms Salima | Early Years Practitioner | I have a BA (Hons) in Education and have been working with children and young people for over 20 years. During this time, I have learned that every child is unique and has an individual character. Working with children is my passion and it gives me great satisfaction. |
| Ms Harriet | Early Years Practitioner | I am a qualified teacher with a PGCE in Primary Education, after gaining my degree in Early Childhood Studies. I have been in Education for nearly a decade and I have experience of teaching in EYFS, KS1 and KS2. I am passionate about children's education and given them the very best experience in their educational life. I am happy to continue my professional journey at BHA. |
| Ms Summer | Early Years Practitioner | I qualified as an Early Years Level 3 Practitioner, which greatly contributed to my understanding of how to support a child from their early years in childhood. Since I have been working with children, I have further developed my knowledge of child development and improved my ability to plan and deliver educational activities. |
Primary Teachers
| Mr Hamid | Year 1 Teacher P.E. Subject Leader | I gained my Primary Education PGCE in 2020 and have trained as a primary teacher in key stage 1 and 2. Prior to this I have engaged in various teaching and learning settings, education being my passion, I am also a qualified FA football coach and have supported children's football amongst supporting other social and educational classes for young people. |
| Ms Uzma Ms Amna | Year 2 Teacher Maths & Geography Subject Leader Year 2 Teacher Art Subject Leader & School Council Lead | I graduated with a BSc in Medical Sciences from Kings College, London and went on to do my PGCE in Secondary Sciences from the Institute of Education, London and also hold a Diploma in Arabic from SOAS, London. Since joining BHA some three years ago, I have been team-teaching the Year 6 class and I have two children also attending the school. I have undertaken many teacher training opportunities including an Award in Teaching and Education. Working with children is my passion and it gives me great satisfaction. Along with teaching my passion is doing creative work with children, and I lead on Art Week and the annual Master Chef Cooking Competition at the Academy. |
| Ms Harriet Ms Yasmeen | Year 3 Teacher Year 3 Teacher & HLTA | I am a qualified teacher with a PGCE in Primary Education, after gaining my degree in Early Childhood Studies. I have been in Education for nearly a decade and I have experience of teaching in EYFS, KS1 and KS2. I am passionate about children's education and given them the very best experience in their educational life. I am happy to continue my professional journey at BHA. |
Ms Samiah | Year 4 Teacher English Subject Leader & ITT Partnership Lead | I have a BA in Primary Education (specialising in English) and have over 10 years teaching experience in Key Stage One and Two. Prior to joining Barnet Hill Academy, I was teaching at Islamia Primary School and therefore have experience in teaching in an Islamic faith school. I am passionate about making learning fun and engaging, as I believe this is how children learn best, and am excited to help children flourish and become proud of their own achievements. |
| Ms Bhairavi | Year 5 Teacher ICT & Science Subject Leader | I am currently gaining my QTS at BHA and hold a Master’s degree in Commerce. I have more than 12 years of experience in teaching across a wide range of primary schools. In addition to my QTS at present, I have undertaken various teacher training opportunities including Award in Education and Training and Working with SEN/EAL pupils in the classroom. |
| Ms Samira | Year 6 Teacher History Subject Leader | I qualified with a PGCE, after gaining my Masters in Chemistry, and commenced my teaching career as a Primary school teacher in Barnet, I enjoy teaching and have a specialism in Literacy and Science and it gives me great joy to see my students develop as they grow from young people into young adults! |
IS & Arabic Teachers
| Ms Mariam | Yr 1 / Yr2 / Yr3 IS & Arabic Teacher | I have a background in teaching Islamic Studies across a number of institutions; with a particular enthusiasm for encouraging a discourse fusing contemporary issues with traditional Islamic ideals. At BHA I teach a range of Islamic teachings through themes. |
| Ms Rawshan | Yr3 / Yr4 / Yr5 / Yr6 Arabic Teacher | I am a native Arabic speaker with many years of experience in the Arabic domain. Having completed a Bachelor of Law in Arabic equipped me with an outstanding proficiency in writing and speaking in the Arabic language and literature. I have developed a wide range of techniques to help students to maximise their learning in my engaging lessons. |
| Shaykh Shuayb | Yr 4 / Yr 5 / Yr 6 IS & Arabic Teacher | I hold a BA in Arabic literature with a focus on the language of Quran and the traditions of the Prophet (s.a.w). I have experience in teaching Arabic to primary school pupils for a number of years. |
P.E. Coach
Coach Abdul Rahman | P.E. Coach | I have over 20 years of coaching experiences ranging from KS1 up to adults, I am very passionate about helping students participate in sports to work towards achieving their full potential. Setting high standards and work ethic throughout my sessions has always produced positive outcomes and I believe I have a unique coaching style that is very relevant to students of today. |
Teaching Assistants
| Name | Role | About Me |
|---|---|---|
| Ms Rawshan | Teaching Assistant | I attained a CACHE L3 Diploma for children and young people, I also successfully completed a Level 3 Teaching Assistant course. Whilst working in school's I gained crucial knowledge on child development allowing me to obtain a unique ability of seeing where students required support. In addition, I have a degree in Law which I studied in Arabic and consequently, I mastered the Arabic Language and Literature at degree level. |
| Ms Yasmeen | Higher Level Teaching Assistant | I have successfully attained level 4 HLTA qualification whilst working in school. It has enabled me to improve my skills in teaching classes unsupervised in key stage 1 and 2. In completing this course, it has been rewarding as I have been able to constructively apply my skills and understanding in strengthening my level of expertise. Additionally, I support the class teacher by giving tracked spelling assessments and providing topic lesson plans to aid in the development and well-being of the children. Furthermore, I hold a degree in Psychology and Arabic; CACHE Level 3 Diploma in Specialist support for Teaching and Learning in schools. My main goal is to ensure children are encouraged to achieve their full potential and to make a real difference to the young learners I work with. |