Headteacher’s Welcome

Welcome from the Headteacher

Assalamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh,

It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to Al-Nimra School.

Since our founding in 2011, our aim has been to provide children with a high-quality Islamic education in an environment where they feel supported, encouraged and inspired to learn. We believe that learning the Qur’an and understanding our faith should be a positive and meaningful experience that stays with a child throughout their life.

At Al-Nimra, our students develop their knowledge through Qur’anic Arabic, Qur’an & Tajweed and Islamic Studies. Alongside academic progress, we place great importance on good character, confidence, respect and helping our students develop a strong and positive Muslim identity.

We also recognise that a child’s education is a partnership between the school and the family. We value the trust parents place in us and work closely with families to support each student’s individual learning journey.

I am proud of how Al-Nimra has developed over the years, while continuing to maintain the values and educational principles upon which the school was founded. We look forward to continuing to serve our community and inspiring the next generation to develop a lifelong love of learning, the Qur’an and Islam and be proud of their Islamic identity in the UK.

I warmly welcome you and your family to Al-Nimra School.

Dr Ghalia Sarmani
Headteacher, Al-Nimra School

About Dr Ghalia Sarmani

Dr Ghalia Sarmani is the Headteacher of Al-Nimra School, bringing more than 20 years of experience in teaching Arabic, Qur’an and Islamic Studies to children and adults from a wide range of backgrounds.

Dr Sarmani has been part of Al-Nimra since 2013, working as both a teacher and curriculum developer. She became Deputy Headteacher in 2019 and was appointed Headteacher in 2024. Her many years within the school have given her a deep understanding of its pupils, families and educational needs.

Alongside her work at Al-Nimra, Dr Sarmani has an academic career in higher education and is a Fellow at The University of Manchester, where she teaches Sociology and Anthropology. She also holds a PhD in Sociology from The University of Manchester.

Her doctoral research, The Role of Religious Institutions in Constructing Minorities’ Religious Identity, grew from her experience of teaching Qur’an to children and adults from different ethnic backgrounds. Her research examined Muslim religious identity in Britain, with particular attention to the role of religious institutions and Qur’an schools in transmitting religious knowledge and identity to younger generations growing up in a multicultural society.

This combination of academic research, curriculum development and extensive classroom experience has shaped Dr Sarmani’s approach to education. Since joining Al-Nimra, she has been involved in developing the school’s curriculum and is continuing to develop and implement a structured educational programme tailored to the needs of Al-Nimra’s pupils.

Her approach aims not only to develop pupils’ knowledge of Qur’anic Arabic, Qur’an, Tajweed and Islamic Studies, but also to help children build confidence, good character and a strong and positive Muslim identity.

As Headteacher, Dr Sarmani brings together more than two decades of teaching experience, academic expertise and a long-standing commitment to Al-Nimra to guide the school into its next stage of development.