World Bulletin / News Desk

Two Muslim schools have knocked of hundreds of others in the UK and have been ranked in the top three schools in the country – knocking grammars down a new national league table for the first time.

The Muslim girls’ and boys’ schools in Blackburn, Lancashire, run by the Tauheedul Education Trust, beat off competition from London grammars to top the annual school performance tables coming first and third.

The Islamic free schools, which opened in the mid 1980s, push their students hard and don’t accept background as “an excuse for failure”.

Chief executive of Tauheedul Education Trust, Hamid Patel, said he was proud of the results.

He said: “It is especially rewarding to see that some of our most vulnerable learners – those who join us from primary school behind the expected level of attainment and those who come from disadvantaged backgrounds – have achieved such outstanding results.”

“We are focused on building on this success across our family of schools and through collaboration with others, to ensure every young person has the opportunity to fulfil their potential.”

Jim Skinner, chief executive of the Grammar School Heads Association, said: “Grammar schools are doing an extremely good job of bringing pupils on. It’s clear proof of their success.

“It’s yet further evidence to support the Prime Minister’s proposals.”

Toby Young, director of the New Schools Network, said free schools were performing “exceptionally well".

He said: “Free schools often have longer school days and more after-school clubs. A lot of them have used their freedoms to go back to basics with strong discipline, high expectations, and competitive sport and we’re beginning to see that pay off.”