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Tarbiyah and pedagogy
Learning · Apex Islamic Schools
Our whole educational process leads towards one proficiency: rushd, sound and purposeful judgement, built through contemplation, study and hard work, and granted by the light of Allāh ﷻ.
The Apex Didactic Wheel
Our teaching and learning approach is summarised in the Apex Didactic Wheel. “Didactic” means intended to teach, with moral instruction as its deeper purpose. We take our inspiration from the words of Allāh ﷻ in the Qur'ān (3:110), which describe a community that encourages good, forbids evil and believes in Allāh.
Four questions the wheel answers
Ontology: the philosophy and purpose of life
Epistemology: curriculum and interpretation (hermeneutics)
Axiology: right and wrong, and our values
Pedagogy: teaching methodology and practice
[Image suggestion: the school's own Apex Didactic Wheel graphic, unaltered. Confirm the wording of the four elements with the school.]
Axiology: our FITRA values
Our five core values are inspired by the description in Sūrah al-Furqān [25:63–74] of the true servants of Allāh, the highest status a person can reach in this world and the next. We summarise them in one word, FITRA: we aspire for our students to become faithful, informed, tolerant, responsible and active.
Faithful - We nurture a sincere relationship with Allāh through worship, reflection and choices guided by Islamic teachings.
Informed - Pupils build strong subject knowledge, ask thoughtful questions and learn to assess what they hear and read.
Tolerant - Pupils treat others with dignity, listen respectfully and learn to navigate differences with good character.
Responsible - Pupils take ownership of their learning, conduct and commitments to their families, school and wider community.
Active - Pupils put knowledge and values into practice through participation, service and positive action.
Across Years 7–11, these values shape lessons, relationships, pastoral guidance and opportunities beyond the classroom.
Ontology: purpose and belief
Our ontology is rooted in the noble Qur'ān and the authentic Sunnah. It stresses pure monotheism (tawḥīd), sincerity in worship (ʿibādah) and following the prophetic example (ittibāʿ as-sunnah).
From an Islamic perspective, the whole of life can be summarised in the three essential questions that every person will be asked in the grave. Every decision a person makes leads to that final examination, and that shapes how we teach.
[Image suggestion: Qur'an study or a quiet reflective moment. A calm, respectful photograph taken by the school; faces are not needed.]
Epistemology: the UNITY curriculum
The Apex UNITY curriculum aims to bring students from all backgrounds together under one unified curriculum, rooted in the Islamic ethos of tarbiyah and education. It has been researched for over a decade, and it sets out Islamic perspectives on ontology, epistemology, axiology and pedagogy.
Its annual programme has five six-week thematic modules that are consistent with our values and pedagogy. Its core subjects are inspired by the maqāṣid ash-sharīʿah, the objectives of the Islamic charter. We consider it an alternative, or extension, to the classical trivium of grammar, logic and rhetoric.
At Secondary, the UNITY framework helps connect subject learning with wider questions of faith, character and responsibility. Teachers can draw on its themes to make meaningful links across subjects while teaching the knowledge and skills required for each year group. In Years 10 and 11, preparation for GCSE courses remains a clear priority, with opportunities for reflection and application woven into learning where appropriate.
Pedagogy: how we teach
The UNITY curriculum and our RUSHD method of teaching help us focus on the talents of every child, alongside a solid, knowledge-rich foundation across a wide range of subjects. We aim not only to teach, but to nurture each pupil to their fullest potential.
The Qur'ān as a model
We see the Qur'ān as a student-centred, problem-based curriculum, revealed over 23 years, often in response to real problems in the lives of the Prophet ﷺ and his companions.
Reflection through worship
Learning includes consistent repetition (dhikr) with gratitude, and reflection through worship (ʿibādah) that focuses on values and ethics such as patience.
Teaching with variety
Teachers are encouraged to use a wide variety of techniques that improve learning without contravening Islamic norms, and to draw on the teaching methods of the Prophet ﷺ.
Our approach grows from Apex’s established curriculum and pedagogy. At Secondary, teachers adapt it to the needs of older pupils: building secure knowledge, encouraging independent thought and helping young people apply what they learn with sound judgement and good character.
Apex Primary School · Apex Secondary School · Ilford, London
Providing excellence in Islamic education · apexprimary.co.uk · apexsecondary.co.uk
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