The National Muslim Teachers’ Awards 2026

Join us for our prestigious gala awards evening as we honour the exceptional achievements of Muslim teachers from across the UK.

Includes three course dinner.*

Finalists

Early Career Teacher of the Year

• Khadeejah Hussain (Apex Primary School)
• Nadimur Rahman (Challney High School for Boys)             

Early Years Teacher of the Year

• Fatima Mamodo (The Olive School Hackney)       
• Monsur Ahmed Khan (Milkyway Preschool Playgroup)

Primary Teacher of the Year

• Essaid Elkerf (Apex Primary School)   
• Rashida Khanam (Old Ford Primary Academy)    
• Uzma Aslam (Beechwood Primary School)    

Secondary Teacher of the Year

• Razziya Siddique (Elizabeth Garrett Anderson School for Girls)    
• Rubi Begum (Lantern of Knowledge School) 
• Wakib Ullah (Royal Greenwich Trust School)

Middle Leader of the Year

• Afshain Noreen (Lea Manor High School)
• Aysha Sharif (Aldersbrook Primary School)    
• Fateha Begum (Azhar Academy Girls School)

Senior Leader of the Year

• Farzana Chowdhury (Brays School)   
• Samira Islam (Elmhurst Primary School)
• Summaiyah Mukadam (The Olive School Hackney)
• Zaheera Navlakhi Ahmed (Al-Noor Primary School)            

Sixth Form Teacher of the Year

• Adnan Ilahi (Mill Hill School)
• Shanaz Mughal (Copthall school)            
• Tamoor Malik (Newham college)          

University Lecturer of the Year

• Atif Jaleel (University of Roehampton)        
• Dr. Aleeza Khan (University of Greater Manchester)         
• Marwan Elfallah (University of East London)

Headteacher of the Year

• Rajia Mukit (Edullect Academy Independent School)            
• Rookshana Adam (Azhar Academy Girls School)   
• Thahmina Begum (Haggerston School)

Executive Leader of the Year

• Gulbanu Kader (School Improvement Service Ltd)          
• Omar Deria (The Excelsior Academy)             
• Sufian Sadiq (Chiltern Learning Trust)
• Zaitoon Bukhari (Achievement through Collaboration Trust)        

CEO of the Year

• Shah Sher Ali (Edullect Academy Independent School)            
• Sir Mufti Hamid Patel (Star Academies)

Supplementary School Teacher of the Year

• Dr. Israfil Demirhan (ICMG Edmonton)           

Judges

• Dr. Abdullah Sahin (Reader in Islamic Education, University of Warwick)
• Dame Anna Hasan DBE (Educational Consultant & Former Executive Headteacher)
• Bushra Nasir CBE (Educational Consultant & Retired Chief Executive Officer)
• Dr. Mahera Ruby (Parenting Consultant & Researcher at Goldsmiths University)
• Rukhsana Yaqoob (Educational Consultant)
• Dr. Jacek Brant (Professor (teaching) at the UCL Institute of Education)
• Dr. Musharraf Hussain OBE (Author & Chief Executive Officer of the Karimia institute Nottingham)

Keynote Speakers

• Sir Mufti Hamid Patel (CEO, Star Academies)
• Ashfaque Chowdhury (Chair, Association of Muslim Schools UK)
• ⁠Mona Mohammed (Vice-Chair, Association of Muslim Schools UK)
• ⁠Someera Butt (Headteacher, Al-Noor Primary School)
• Julie Robinson (CEO, İndependent Schools Council)
• Dame Alison Peacock (CEO, Chartered College of Teachers)
• ⁠Shafique Zaman (Deputy CEO, Community Schools Trust)