Exams and Ramadan: Guidance for Schools

FAO. All headteachers in primary, secondary and tertiary schools and colleges and anyone involved in adminstering public examinations including GCSE, GCE AS and A levels, and national curriculum tests (SATs)

In 2018, the Muslim festival of Ramadan falls in the same period as certain exams and tests. Ramadan is predicted to start around 17 May and will end around 14-15 June. Eid-al-Fitr festivities this year will fall on either 15 or 16 June.

We would therefore like to highlight to schools two useful guidance documents to help them to support any Muslim pupils who may be considering or planning to fast during the exam period:

1.  Ramadan: Exams and Tests, 2018, published by The Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL)

STA have been referring schools to this information paper and a link was included in the STA assessment update emailed to schools on 17th April.

2. Celebrating Diversity 2018 - a briefing paper on Ramadan, published by Newham Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE) and recommended by the National Association of SACREs (NASACRE).

This has been written to support schools in making informed decisions about handling Muslim pupils who might be fasting during the time of public or internal school examinations.