Young Muslims in the UK: Education and Integration Briefing for FES/ippr seminar by Jodie Reed, ippr

Contents: Facts about background & identity Educational attainment Policy & practice: positive Policy & practice: negative Policy & practice: disputed Summary, what next and lessons learnt

British Muslims by numbers… 1.6 million Muslims in the UK 3% population and 2nd largest faith group 73% Muslims in the UK identify as Asian/Asian British 46% were born in the UK 1/3 of Muslims are under 16 1/2 million young Muslims within education system 15% is the unemployment rate – 3x higher than Christians

Young British Muslim identity Complex Religion important & increasingly influential Young - strong British element

Identity tensions… Concern about protection to religious rights Feel they are assumed guilty by association Small minority feels values are incompatible

Education Attainment at foundation stage:

Educational outcomes

Policy and Practice Ethnic Minority Focus Voluntary Sector/State Sector Collaborations Citizenship and RE

Policy and Practice Childcare outreach Muslim specific teacher training/support Curriculum recognition

Policy and Practice ? Faith Schools??? Supplementary Schools??? Standards in citizenship education Standards in religious education Patchy facilities & procedures in FE/HE Effectiveness of EMAG

In Summary Ethnically adjusted policy across the board, interspersed with pockets of Muslim- specific good practice. Almost always spearheaded by the voluntary sector.

A faith-blind approach Does it matter? What if equality is the key to integration? What if identity is the key to integration?