Trojan Horse school 'didn't follow religious syllabus'
A picture of a Christian used in RE lessons at a school at the centre of the 'Trojan Horse' scandal depicted 'a white person', according to a teacher.
The anonymous teacher, giving witness evidence to a professional misconduct panel in Birmingham today, said the picture was just one example of 'inaccuracies in the RE curriculum' when she arrived at Oldknow Academy in 2012.
The woman – referred to as Teacher P – told a panel: "We weren't following the Birmingham agreed syllabus.
"One example is that when I started, one of the Year 3 lessons was 'What does a Christian look like?' and it showed a picture of a white person. That was when I was an NQT (newly qualified teacher), around the autumn term of 2012."
She was giving evidence to a National College of Teaching and Leadership (NCTL) panel in Bournville, today, which is considering allegations of professional misconduct against former acting head Jahangir Akbar and ex-teacher Asif Khan.
Teacher P also told the panel Mr Khan 'behaved inappropriately by sharing his personal beliefs with the children.
Mr Akbar and Mr Khan face an allegation that on or before July 31 last year, they had agreed to 'the inclusion of an undue amount of religious influence in the education of pupils', at the academy.
They are facing several separate accusations of wrong-doing, including stopping Christmas and Diwali celebrations.
The former acting headteacher told the panel: "I was acting head for only 40 working days before Ofsted and the EFA arrived.
"In that time I could not have narrowed the curriculum or Islamify the school."
Mr Akbar has denied any wrong-doing, while Oldknow has since been taken on by the Ark Trust.
His former colleague, Mr Khan, has not appeared once at the hearing.
The hearing continues.
