Introduction: Spirituality and Community in Focus
Aaminah Hussain introduces this special episode of the PE Insights Podcast, released on the first Jummah of Ramadan. She frames the discussion as an opportunity to reflect on well-being, spirituality and inclusivity during the holy month, offering warm wishes of Ramadan Mubarak to all Muslim listeners.
Dr Khawaja’s Educational Journey
Dr Irfan (Iffy) Khawaja shares his 15-year educational career, beginning as a secondary PE teacher and progressing to primary education and then higher education at Birmingham City University. His passion for inclusion in education, particularly within PE, has led him to international work and influential consultancy.
Personal Experiences Shaping Professional Advocacy
Iffy discusses the origins of his work around Ramadan guidance, drawing from powerful personal experiences. As a fasting GCSE student and later a teacher, he encountered a lack of understanding and provision, which highlighted serious health and safety concerns and the need for institutional awareness and support.
Creating National Guidance for Ramadan
Iffy developed comprehensive Ramadan guidance that now influences over 3,000 UK schools. His work is backed by the Association for PE, Youth Sport Trust, and Muslim Council of Britain, and is even informing national education policy and legal standards. The guidance emphasises supporting both students and staff, encouraging full inclusion across the school community.
Key Guidance Themes
- Awareness: Understanding what Ramadan is, including daily and monthly practices.
- Empathy: Explaining the physical and emotional toll of fasting, particularly in later weeks.
- Inclusivity: Adjusting PE expectations, ensuring safety, and recognising religious exemptions.
- Misconceptions: Addressing false assumptions such as fasting from sunrise rather than dawn.
- Staff Support: Highlighting the unique challenges for fasting educators.
Understanding Ramadan Beyond Fasting
Ramadan is not solely about abstaining from food and drink. It’s a month of spiritual reflection, self-discipline, and community connection, focusing on kindness, charity, and personal growth. There are parallels with Lent, emphasising shared values across faiths.
Supporting Muslim Students During PE
Students may feel misunderstood if staff aren’t aware of fasting’s impact, especially in physically demanding subjects like PE. The key is empathy—some schools initiated “Fast for a Day” to foster understanding and community.
Practical Strategies for Inclusion
Early planning using the 33-year lunar cycle is vital. Adjusting PE activities to reduce intensity, using student voice for curriculum tweaks, and considering alternate timings for extracurriculars helps maintain engagement. Tools like red-amber-green self-assessments can aid in lesson differentiation.
Staff Wellbeing During Ramadan
Leaders should monitor fasting staff workloads and offer minor supports—help with equipment or registers. Encouraging screen breaks, walks, and providing quiet spaces can aid energy conservation.
Cultural Sensitivity and Awareness
Eating in front of fasting individuals is not offensive in the UK context—it reinforces discipline. The focus remains on mutual respect, inclusion, and maintaining normalcy during Ramadan.
Guidance on Fasting for Young Children
Iffy discusses how children begin fasting at varying ages, with some as young as 7 or 8 taking part, even though Islamic guidance suggests fasting starts at puberty. He recommends parents and schools collaborate, using half-day fasts for younger children as a gradual introduction. Schools should not judge but rather support families by ensuring communication between teachers and parents around children’s fasting intentions.
School Best Practice During Ramadan
Good practice includes schools reaching out to all students and staff who may be fasting, not singling out individuals. In some schools, pupils self-report fasting each day (e.g., “fasting, miss”) to aid staff awareness. Teachers, especially in PE, should be vigilant, balancing inclusion with wellbeing and ensuring appropriate physical activity adjustments.
Accessing Ramadan PE Guidance
Iffy’s published guidance can be downloaded for free via the Association for Physical Education (AfPE) website here. PE leaders are encouraged to display it for easy reference.
Core Philosophy and Vision for PE
Iffy emphasises inclusivity, planning, consistency, and energy in PE teaching. Every learner should access and enjoy PE, regardless of ability. PE is described as life learning – offering emotional, social, psychological, and academic development far beyond physical skills.
Key Takeaways
- Mantra: Look in, look up, look out – reflect, aspire, and be aware of challenges.
- One Change: Remove the stigma around PE and stop using PE time for other subject interventions.
- One Word for PE: Life learning – it prepares students for life, not just sport.
About the Guest
This episode is a conversation with Dr Irfan Khawaja, Birmingham City University. Groundbreaking guidance developed by Irfan will help create a more inclusive school environment for Muslim students and staff engaging in physical education (PE) during Ramadan. Thought to be the first of its kind in the United Kingdom to support curriculum and extra-curricular PE, the guidance gives schools practical advice for supporting fasting Muslim students and staff during Islam’s Holy Month so they can continue to participate in physical activity. The guidance can be accessed through this link.
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