AN ARABIC Sunday school has held a celebratory event to mark the contribution of Syrian refugees to teaching at the school.

The Bradford Arabic School welcomed the Lord Mayor of Bradford Councillor Geoff Reid and Bradford East MP Imran Hussain to the celebration, at the school in Claremont, Bradford.

The Lord Mayor and Mr Hussain lent a hand in presenting students at the school with their awards, and were also treated to authentic Arabic food at the event.

The end-of-year event recognised the achievements of pupils, with nearly all GCSE and A-Level students achieving A or A* grades.

The celebration also recognised the contribution of the school’s Syrian staff, who volunteer as teachers.

Syrian refugees Hisham Al Mahayni, Lama Al Madani, Fadia Boshi, Rana Aljaffan, and Maha Aljaffan all teach Arabic at the school.

Sharif Kaf Al-Ghazal, chairman of the school, said there have always been Syrians teaching at the school, but the numbers have risen recently due to refugees settling in the city.

He said: “Syrian refugees have been a great asset for Bradford Arabic School over the past year or so and have made a positive contribution to the lives of the children they teach.

“As Arabic is increasingly considered a vital modern foreign language in today’s globalised world, their education in this area is important, and it has been excellent to see so many Syrian refugees ensure that these children obtain the best Arabic education.”

In the past couple of years, the school has seen three Syrian refugees join the teaching staff, all of whom have settled in Bradford after fleeing their home country.

Dr Khaled Khalil, head teacher at Bradford Arabic School, said that the refugees have had a big impact on the school since they first came to the UK, and it has also helped them to integrate into the local community.

He said: “They have really helped the children at the school to develop their Arabic since arriving.

“The school is for the community. We have children here from all ethnic backgrounds - English children, children from Eastern Europe, Asia, as well as from Arabic speaking countries.

“It has also helped them to integrate, as when they arrive English is a completely new language to them, and they are trying their best to pick it up.

“By helping these children to learn Arabic, they can also improve their English and contribute to the community.

“One of our Syrian teachers is a qualified pharmacist, but to get a job in that profession she has to first learn English, so by helping at the school she can improve by speaking to people in everyday life, which will help her to get back into pharmacy.

“Teaching also helps them to get used to the British way of life, and I know they have been taking extra English classes through the week as well.”

When the Syrian refugees first paid a visit to the Arabic school, Dr Khalil said they were very shy, but over time they have come out of their shells.

“When you first come to into a new environment, especially moving to a new country and way of life, it is difficult, but through time they have settled in and can be themselves.”

At the awards ceremony, around 40 trophies were handed out to high achieving children, including a Syrian girl who is five years old.

Cllr Reid presented a few awards to the children, and Mr Hussain also handed over prizes to star pupils.

The Lord Mayor called the visit one of the highlights of his term in office so far.

Cllr Reid said: “The school is a hidden gem; it is one of the jewels in Bradford’s crown.

“We had more than 100 youngsters in the room. They did dialogues and chants in Arabic. They were just loving doing it.

“It was a very special occasion and I enjoyed it; it was one of the highlights of my term so far.”

Mr Hussain echoed the sentiments of the Lord Mayor, and thanked the Bradford Arabic School for inviting him to be a guest at the awards ceremony.

He said: “Bradford houses many different communities who have made their home here over the past few decades, and are all making a positive contribution to society.

“It was a pleasure to be invited to the event, and it was fantastic to see the Syrian refugees who have been helping out in the last couple of years.”