THE walls of the Islamic Shakhsiyah Foundation school, based in Lion House, Petersfield Avenue, Slough, are covered with children’s work - from a trip to Windsor Castle to their visit to St Paul’s Church to learn more about Christianity.

In May last year the school was judged, by education watchdog Ofsted, as 'good’ with 'outstanding’ features. The inspector even floated the idea of the school working with other secondaries in the area to spread its good work.

But in January this year a letter arrived from education secretary Michael Gove, announcing the school was being monitored over concerns it was not respecting British values.

Guidelines for what the Government expected of schools were not yet available - they were published only last week - but the school drew up an action plan to outline what it was doing. But after a no-notice inspection on September 30, a critical report was published.

It said the school promoted a political system that 'did not support principles of British democracy’. Concerns about defining 'an Islamic state as superior to other forms of democracy, including British democracy,’ had not yet been made, inspectors said.

Teachers said they were surprised at the findings, which they strongly refute. Nadia Ameen, head of Arabic, said: “We didn’t feel that they [Ofsted] has provided us with any help. If they were clear what we needed to do we would have. We are an open school. We know what we are doing, we are preparing a new generation and giving them the right tools to be the right citizens.” Sajida Ahmed, head of early years, added: “These are second and third generation children. Britain is their home. We feel the national picture has had a backlash on us.” A leaked document released earlier this year revealed dirty tricks were being used to oust non-Muslim staff in some Birmingham schools in an operation called Trojan Horse.

It lead to four separate inquiries, Ofsted inspections of 15 Birmingham schools and the Government urging schools to promote 'fundamental British values’.

Teachers say they are now 'in the dark’ over the next step, and are awaiting to hear from the DfE. “We are teaching our pupils to be model British citizens,” Mrs Ahmed said. “They are taught to be positive role models and make a change.”