A landmark evening honouring the educators shaping Britain’s future — and twenty years of Nida Trust.
A night to remember
There are evenings that pass quietly, and then there are evenings that stay with you. The National Muslim Teachers’ Awards 2026 was firmly the second kind. From the first salam exchanged in the foyer to the final du’a as guests headed home, the room was alive with something rare in our busy modern lives: a shared, unhurried sense of gratitude.
This year’s gala brought together teachers, headteachers, university lecturers, trustees, faith leaders, sponsors, judges, families and friends from across the United Kingdom. They came to do something simple but profoundly important — to say thank you to the men and women who quietly shape the next generation, often without recognition, sometimes without rest, and almost always without complaint.
For Nida Trust, the evening carried an extra layer of meaning. 2026 marks twenty years since the charity was founded in London in 2005, with a mission to improve the educational opportunities of young Muslim and BAME citizens by building the capacity of the community. Two decades on, the National Muslim Teachers’ Awards has grown from a modest gathering into one of the most anticipated dates in the British Muslim educational calendar — a national platform that recognises excellence, encourages aspiration, and reminds an entire community of what is possible.
Twenty years of Nida Trust: a milestone worth marking
In his welcome address, Trustee Haji Muttalip Unluer reflected on how far the Trust has come:
“Over time, this event has grown from a small gathering into a special occasion that highlights the important work of Muslim teachers across the country. We continue to see inspiring examples of teachers who go above and beyond to support their students and make a real difference by transforming communities.”
He went on to mark the twentieth anniversary of Nida Trust itself — two decades of teacher training programmes, youth work, and community engagement, all rooted in the belief that education is the most enduring form of empowerment. To stand in that room and look around at the headteachers, CEOs, lecturers and early career teachers gathered together was to see the fruit of those twenty years made visible.
Haji Muttalip then offered a reflection that set the tone for the entire evening — that teaching is not merely a profession, but a noble responsibility:
“Being a teacher is a very important responsibility. Teachers guide, support, and inspire others. In this way, they follow the example of the Prophets of Allah (peace be upon them), who taught and guided people with wisdom and care.”
It was a reminder that, in the Islamic tradition, the act of teaching sits at the very heart of prophetic example. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ described himself as a teacher, and the first revelation began with the command “Read.” For Muslim educators working in mainstream schools, faith schools, supplementary settings, sixth forms and universities up and down the country, that lineage is a daily source of motivation.
A celebration with purpose
The atmosphere throughout the evening struck a careful balance — formal enough to do justice to the achievements being honoured, but warm enough to feel like family. Guests moved between conversations with old colleagues and introductions to new ones. Teachers from Hackney compared notes with lecturers from Manchester. Headteachers from independent Muslim schools sat alongside senior leaders from large multi-academy trusts. The room was, in the truest sense, a snapshot of British Muslim education in 2026.
What made the evening especially powerful was the calibre of speakers who took to the stage. The keynote line-up brought together some of the most influential voices in education today:
- Sir Mufti Hamid Patel CBE, Chief Executive of Star Academies, one of the highest-performing multi-academy trusts in the country
- Ashfaque Chowdhury, Chair of the Association of Muslim Schools UK
- Mona Mohammed, Vice-Chair of the Association of Muslim Schools UK
- Someera Butt, Headteacher of Al-Noor Primary School
- Julie Robinson, CEO of the Independent Schools Council
- Dame Alison Peacock, CEO of the Chartered College of Teaching
- Shafique Zaman, Deputy CEO of the Community Schools Trust
Each speaker brought a different angle — system leadership, faith school advocacy, mainstream sector perspective, professional standards — but the message was strikingly unified: Muslim teachers are making an extraordinary contribution to British education, and that contribution deserves to be seen, celebrated and supported.
The judges: rigour behind the recognition
An award is only as meaningful as the process behind it, and this year’s panel of judges brought formidable expertise to the task. The 2026 judging panel included:
- Dr Abdullah Sahin, Reader in Islamic Education at the University of Warwick
- Dame Anna Hassan DBE, educational consultant and former Executive Headteacher
- Bushra Nasir CBE DL, educational consultant and former Chief Executive Officer
- Dr Mahera Ruby, researcher and academic at The Open University
- Rukhsana Yaqoob MBE, educational consultant and Director of the UK Muslim Network
- Professor Jacek Brant, Professor of Education at the UCL Institute of Education
- Dr Musharraf Hussain OBE DL, author and Chief Executive Officer of the Karimia Institute
Together, the panel sifted through a record number of nominations across twelve categories, weighing classroom impact, leadership, innovation, and the quality of relationships built with students, colleagues and communities. As closing trustee Haji Khalid Chaudhry acknowledged in his vote of thanks, “we know it was not easy to review so many strong nominations.” That difficulty is itself a sign of the health of the sector — a problem any awards organiser would happily welcome.
And the winners are…
Twelve categories, every one of them hard-fought. Behind each name on the list below is a school, a department, a class of children, a family, and a story of dedication that words can only partly capture. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to every nominee, every finalist, and every winner.
Early Career Teacher of the Year
- 1st Place — Khadeejah Hussain, Apex Primary School
- 2nd Place — Nadimur Rahman, Challney High School for Boys
Early Years Teacher of the Year
- 1st Place — Fatima Mamodo, The Olive School Hackney
- 2nd Place — Monsur Ahmed Khan, Milkyway Preschool Playgroup
Primary Teacher of the Year
- 1st Place — Rashida Khanam, Old Ford Primary Academy
- 2nd Place — Essaid Elkerf, Apex Primary School
- 3rd Place — Uzma Aslam, Beechwood Primary School
Secondary Teacher of the Year
- 1st Place — Razziya Siddique, Elizabeth Garrett Anderson School for Girls
- 2nd Place — Wakib Ullah, Royal Greenwich Trust School
- 3rd Place — Rubi Begum, Lantern of Knowledge School
Middle Leader of the Year
- 1st Place — Aysha Sharif, Aldersbrook Primary School
- 2nd Place — Afshain Noreen, Lea Manor High School
- 3rd Place — Fateha Begum, Azhar Academy Girls School
Senior Leader of the Year
- 1st Place — Samira Islam, Elmhurst Primary School
- 2nd Place — Summaiyah Mukadam, The Olive School Hackney
- Joint 3rd Place — Farzana Chowdhury, Brays School
- Joint 3rd Place — Zaheera Navlakhi Ahmed, Al-Noor Primary School
Sixth Form Teacher of the Year
- 1st Place — Shanaz Mughal, Copthall School
- 2nd Place — Tamoor Malik, Newham College
- 3rd Place — Adnan Ilahi, Mill Hill School
University Lecturer of the Year
- 1st Place — Dr Aleeza Khan, University of Greater Manchester
- 2nd Place — Atif Jaleel, University of Roehampton
- 3rd Place — Marwan Elfallah, University of East London
Headteacher of the Year
- 1st Place — Thahmina Begum, Haggerston School
- 2nd Place — Rajia Mukit, Edullect Academy Independent School
- 3rd Place — Rookshana Adam, Azhar Academy Girls School
Executive Leader of the Year
- 1st Place — Sufian Sadiq, Chiltern Learning Trust
- 2nd Place — Gulbanu Kader, School Improvement Service Ltd
- Joint 3rd Place — Omar Deria, The Excelsior Academy
- Joint 3rd Place — Zaitoon Bukhari, Achievement through Collaboration Trust
CEO of the Year
- 1st Place — Sir Mufti Hamid Patel, Star Academies
- 2nd Place — Shah Sher Ali, Edullect Academy Independent School
Supplementary School Teacher of the Year
- 1st Place — Dr Israfil Demirhan, ICMG Edmonton
More than a list of names
Reading a list of winners is one thing. Sitting in the room as each name is read out is quite another. Behind every certificate handed over on stage is a teacher who arrives early, marks late, plans on weekends, mentors quietly, and treats their classroom as a trust from Allah and a service to society.
This year’s winners span the full breadth of the British educational landscape — state primary and secondary schools, independent Muslim schools, sixth form colleges, universities, supplementary schools, and the early years sector. Some lead vast multi-academy trusts educating tens of thousands of children. Others work with a single class of preschoolers in a community playgroup. The point of the National Muslim Teachers’ Awards has always been that all of this matters, and all of it deserves recognition.
There is also something quietly significant about the geography of this year’s list. Winners came from London, Luton, Manchester, Birmingham, and beyond. The Awards are a national event in more than name — they are a genuine map of where Muslim educators are making their mark on Britain.
Words from our trustees
In closing the evening, Haji Khalid Chaudhry offered a vote of thanks that captured the spirit of the night with characteristic warmth:
“Congratulations to all of our winners. You should be very proud. Your work is making a real difference by inspiring others and transforming communities.”
He thanked the partners and sponsors whose generous support made the evening possible, the volunteers whose hard work was felt in every detail of the night’s running, the keynote speakers whose words inspired the room, and the judges who gave their time and care to the difficult task of selection.
He closed with a du’a that we believe sums up everything this event stands for:
“May Allah the Almighty accept the efforts of all those who have worked hard for this event and for education. Bless our teachers with sincerity, strength, and success in all that they do. Put khair in their work and allow it to benefit many people. May Allah the Almighty grant us all the ability to continue doing good in the future, and guide us to what is right. Ameen.”
Thank you
Events of this scale do not happen by accident. They are built, painstakingly, by a small army of people who believe that what they are doing matters. Nida Trust would like to record its sincere thanks to:
- Our sponsors and partners, whose backing makes everything else possible.
- Our volunteers, whose energy and care were felt in every corner of the evening.
- Our keynote speakers, for taking time out of demanding schedules to be with us.
- Our judges, for their rigour, their fairness and their generosity.
- Our nominees and finalists, for putting your work forward and inspiring others to do the same.
- And our winners — mabrook. You are a credit to your schools, your families, your communities, and your faith.
Looking ahead
Twenty years in, Nida Trust’s mission feels more relevant than ever. The challenges facing young people — and the teachers who serve them — are real. But so is the talent in our community, the commitment in our classrooms, and the hope that fills a room like the one we gathered in this year.
We will be releasing the official photo gallery, a highlights film, and the full event booklet in the coming weeks. We would warmly encourage every school, every trust and every supporter to share these stories proudly. They belong to all of us.
To our 2026 winners: the work continues on Monday morning. May Allah place barakah in every lesson you teach, every child you reach, and every community you transform.
We will see you next year, in shaa Allah.
The National Muslim Teachers’ Awards is organised by Nida Trust, a registered educational charity established in 2005.
