A NEW Arabic school set to bring youngsters of all faiths together is aiming to be the top Sunday school of its kind in the country.

Members of Islamic organisation Darussalam will launch the new school at Littlemore’s Oxford Academy next month after three years of planning.

Children as young as four will be taught Arabic to GCSE level at the Al-Oula Oxford Arabic School, alongside Islamic studies and teachings from the holy book the Qu’ran.

Dr Bassam Saeh, who will supervise teachers, said he hoped his 55 years of teaching experience will help the Arabic school to become the top performing school in the city and across the UK.

The Wolsey Road resident added: “I know there are four or five Arabic schools in Oxford. I do not want to reinvent them.

“In all of my work, I always look for the best.”

Dr Saeh, who has been teaching Arabic in the country for the past 32 years after moving from native Syria in 1983, said the school’s name means “the first” or “the top”.

Teachers specialising in Arabic as a second language will tutor up to 60 students between four and 16 from 11am to 3.30pm, supported by a headteacher, secretary and a nurse.

Chairman of trustees Nazar Eltahir said the school has already received about 40 applications from families across the city, from different cultural backgrounds.

The father-of-four said Darussalam did not need to raise funds for the school, but will rely on the £60-a-month fee for students and £40-a-month for additional siblings.

Mr Eltahir, of Littlemore, said the school will help different community groups “integrate” with each other.

He added: “It’s important to break barriers between the community.

“We want to leave a legacy behind. We are sure we have something to add to the city.”

Mr Eltahir said the school will consider taking on more pupils after the first term and hopes to introduce A-level Arabic teaching in the future, as well as adult learning courses.

He said it was important to educate British children and young people “easily manipulated” by extremist behaviour about Islamic teachings.

Mr Eltahir added: “For years we’ve been concerned for people who hijack Islam to use it for their own ends.”

Director of the Cowley-based Oxford Islamic Information Centre Hojjat Ramzy, who has worked with Darussalam, said the new school will help residents to “understand” Islam better.

Proposed headteacher Nadim Ahmed, added: “We are trying to prevent any radicalisation from occurring.”

* For more information contact Mr Eltahir on nazar167@yahoo.co.uk