Lantern Academy wins British Beacon Mosque Award 2020

Students at Lantern Academy

Rochdale madrassah, Lantern Academy, has won the British Beacon Mosque Award for Best Madrassah 2020.

Based on Lower Sheriff Street, the academy is a supplementary school which teaches over 300 students from across the borough of Rochdale from primary to GCSE level in Quran recitation, Islamic studies, maths, English and much more.

Lantern Academy is a branch of the Golden Mosque, Rochdale, which was founded in 1963 and was the first mosque in Rochdale.

The academy was named the Best Madrassah 2020 in an online ceremony on Saturday (5 December) by the British Beacon Mosque Awards, founded by Faith Associates UK. It is the first time Lantern Academy has entered the awards, which celebrate the work of Islamic institutions in 10 different categories.

Of the award, Mohammed Shahid, Head of Lantern Academy, said: “It’s a huge recognition for us, an absolute privilege to be recognised as the Best Madrassah 2020 in the UK; this is a boost for all of our dedicated hard working students and staff and a great recognition for Rochdale too. Hard work paid off. It is also a fantastic way to celebrate my tenth year here.

“Our aim here is to create ambassadors for the next generation. My favourite part about the academy has been watching the next generation flourish over the years.”

Lantern Academy has adapted to the Covid-19 pandemic by using Zoom to put all of its learning online. To help keep student morale up during this time, the head teacher - along with other members of staff – visited pupils' houses and placed their prizes and certificates on the front door, waving to the pupils from their cars.

The academy also encourages parents to communicate, involving them in WhatsApp groups and recommending they download the iQra Qaida App. 

When Shahid began his role at Lantern 10 years ago, he had a vision for a school that would teach strong moral virtues and help children learn and improve their character.

Lantern aims to teach traditional values, with an emphasis on good character and encouraging children to help their parents and the elderly.

The Beacon Mosque Awards were created to highlight the pivotal role mosques and Islamic centres play in local communities and contributing to the UK’s social fabric.