Eden News
OCTOBER 2015
MUHURRUM 1437
Principal’s Message
Assalaamu Alaikum (peace be with you) and welcome to our first Eden Newsletter of the new
academic year and at the start of Muharram, the first month on the Islamic calendar. We are
marking the holy month of Muharram and the day of Ashoora by encouraging our students to
fast, to pray regularly and to share gifts. We are doing our bit by giving a small gift to every
student to thank them (and their families) for their commitment to the school and their
contribution to creating a beautiful and spiritual environment in school.
Busy Summer
During a very busy summer, we reviewed the school’s first year, meticulously analysing every
aspect of the school’s work. It was a very useful exercise highlighting the fantastic achievements
our staff and students made in our historic first year and providing many opportunities to learn
from some of the things we could do better going forward. This learning has been incorporated
into our detailed planning for the current year and for the years to come.
The Cotton Street building has been adapted to create an extra 4 classrooms and redesigned to
accommodate the extra 109 students and the extra teachers and support staff that we recruited
to add to our outstanding team. The challenge now is to maintain the fantastic standards we set
in our first year in a building that is full to bursting. Work has continued on the new building on
Wolfenden street. It will be completed on time (IA) for a move in January 2016 so that our time
in the cramped Cotton Street building will be limited to just one term.
New Building but the same mission—Academic Excellence, Faith Ethos and Community Service
The boys are very excited and this will increase as we get closer to the January move and they
begin to see the fantastic new building with its state of the art Science, ICT and technology
facilities, fantastic sports facilities and brilliant teaching and learning spaces. They will begin visits
to the new site in mid-December (IA).
‘This is our school’ —Students doing their bit for the school
The students are keen to do their bit for the school. We have recently appointed 20 prefects from
Year 9 and are in the process of electing new Student Shura representatives for Year 7. In Year 8
we are appointing student mentors who will help and support other students in school. In
addition we already have STEM Ambassadors. These positions enable our student to learn and
develop valuable leadership, communication and presentation skills as providing a way for them
to show their commitment to the school’s ethos. The boys have already shown their maturity
whilst supporting school events—we are very proud of them, they are a credit to our school and
their families. In recognition of their efforts and in response to their feedback we are beginning to
organise many more special events, sporting opportunities and school trips—students with the
best school record of achievement and behaviour will be given priority when choosing which
students will attend.
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit—ARISTOTLE
Faith Ethos
1. Every lesson starts
with Surah Fatiha
(opening of the
Qur’an) and finishes with Du’aa
(prayer)
2. ‘Hadith of the
week’ that helps
our children to
think about developing one particular aspect of their
character by thinking about the special message and
advice we received
for the prophet
(PBUH)
3. Weekly Assembly
where students
highlight special
events in the Islamic calendar
(e.g. Ashura) as
well as special
dates for other
faiths.
4. Islamic Learning
Circles held every
Tuesday and
Thursday morning
where boys explore and extend
their understanding of the basics of
Islam whilst enjoying breakfast in
the company of
fellow students
and Maulana
Yunus. There are
also students
memorising the
Qur’an with assistance and encouragement from
staff.
ANOTHER YEAR PASSES
It only seems like yesterday when we were composing our very first Newsletter and here we are one year on!
Another Muhurrum, the first month of the Islamic calendar commenced a week a so ago. It is one of the four sanctified
months regarding which the Holy Quran says, “The number of months in the sight of Allāh is certainly twelve months
according to the Book of Allāh, the day Allāh created the heavens and the earth; there are four sacred ones amongst
them.”( Quran 8:36). These four months, according to the authentic traditions, are Dhul-Qa'dah, Dhul-Hijjah, Muharram and
Rajab. All the commentators of the Holy Quran are unanimous on this point, because the Prophet (PBUH) in his final sermon
in Hajj, declared: "One year consists of twelve months, of which four are sanctified months, three of them are in sequence;
Dhul-Qa'dah, Dhul-Hijjah, Muharram, and the fourth is Rajab." Muharram has certain other characteristics special to it:

The Prophet (PBUH), has said: 'The best days for the observance of fasts after the fasts of Ramadan are the fasts of
Muharram." (Bukhari)

Observance of a fast on the day of Ashura compensates for the (minor) sins of one entire year.

“One who is generous to his loved ones on the day of Ashura, the All-Benevolent Lord will be more beneficent towards them throughout the entire forthcoming year.” (Tabrani, narrating from Ibn Masood)

The 10th of Muharram 1437H will be on Saturday 24th October 2015, so one should fast on this day and one day
either before or after. (Bukhari)
“Time is what we want most, but what we use worst.” William Penn
BEHAVIOUR , HOMEWORK & PLANNERS
Attendance, Punctuality & Behaviour
Good behaviour, excellent manners, attention to overall appearance and adherence to
the school uniform code are very important.
The vast majority of our students have been
exemplary in these and have made a great
impression on the many important visitors
we have already had. Occasionally a small
minority of our boys have let themselves and
the school down with their conduct and appearance and we have had to deal with
these so as to maintain our high standards.
Coming to school everyday and on time is a core expectation of boys at
Eden and you have a vital role (as parents) in helping us develop these
key habits in your sons. Our pupil attendance to date is 97.7%, there is
room for improvement in this. Well done to the 195 boys who have
100% attendance so far—keep it up.
Remember we give detentions for being late
and for unacceptable behaviour. Regular or
serious breaches of our behaviour policy are
recorded on SIMs and will appear on your
son’s report card. Please check your son’s
planner daily, ensure he does his homework on time and sign the planner each
week to confirm you have checked it.
Enrichment Timetable
Tues
Wed
Thurs
Drama/
Public
Speaking
Year 7 & 8
Board
Games
French
Club
Creative
Tech
Science
Club
Arabic
Handwriting
Table Tennis
Eden Boys
TV
Have your say
This newsletter contains lots of good news but we also know that we can
do better. We have benefitted from your encouragement and praise but
also from your honest feedback when things have not been right. For
example, you told us:
 You would like the school to create more opportunities for your sons
to participate in out of school activities. We will start extra activities
on Friday afternoons starting with a 4 weekly sessions at a centre
where our students can take on the challenge of a climbing wall.
 Your sons want to play competitive sports—we will begin to organise
competitive football matches against other schools in the Trust and
then other schools in Bolton. In the summer we will arrange Cricket
matches against other schools as well.
 Tell us more — we promise we will listen and if we can we will
improve it.