Dear Parents/Carers,

At Upton Court Grammar School we understand that the pursuit of education is a religious and moral duty for all Muslims with the Qur’an stating: ‘Seeking knowledge is compulsory for every Muslim, man and woman’ (hadith).

We all understand that good school attendance and results are vital to your child’s future life chances and options. Whilst fasting has many spiritual benefits its physical impact can lead to tiredness, low energy, dehydration, reduced focus, memory loss or inability to concentrate. We recognise that each of the children will desire to fulfil their religious obligations, however if this creates hardship it can impact upon their performance and could have a negative impact on their future aspirations.

The decision to fast or not remains with your family and with your child. Whether your child will be observing Ramadan or not you may find the following suggestions for their physical, mental and emotional well-being helpful during the school term and will be especially important when temperatures begin to raise again:

• Ensure your child gets plenty of sleep – 8 hours as a general guide
• Switch off mobile electronic devices at night - the ‘blue light’ is proven to over stimulate the brain
• Create and stick to a homework and revision timetable
• Be sure to plan relaxation time and be good to yourself – a relaxed mind and body is more effective and efficient
• If you have any concerns or worries, speak to a teacher or the form tutor in the first instance who will be able to offer you advice and guidance
• Eat a healthy balanced diet cutting down on highly sugary and fatty foods and processed or junk food
• Drink plenty of water throughout the day
• For those young Muslims who will be fasting, The Department of Health recommends drinking enough water prior to fasting to avoid dehydration.

If you have any concerns regarding your child’s studies or health during Ramadan, or at any time, please do not hesitate to contact your child’s form tutor.

Calendar