Can a Scottish school make a leap of faith?

This week, the Campaign for Muslim Schools (CMS) is calling for the school to change its faith in order to better represent the existing pupils, a controversial move which would make it the first Muslim school in Scotland. The campaigners argue that to maintain the Catholic faith rituals for such a minority is absurd, particularly when there are no denominational schools for Muslim children.

The group has singled out St Albert's as an example of the need which justifies the creation of a Muslim primary school. Harris Yousaf, 39, has two children at the school, aged six and ten. He grew up in the area himself, and attended the nearby Pollokshields primary school, but chose to enrol his own sons at St Albert's because it was the closest and safest option for his boys to walk to and from every day.

"I've got no objection at all to it being a Catholic school," says Yousaf. "I respect that, and I'm happy for the Catholics to practise their religion. All I'm asking for is that they show my children the courtesy of not having to participate in rituals which don't fit with our faith. If the whole class are asked to stand to recite the Lord's Prayer, it is hard for my six-year-old son to [be] the only one who stands in silence. If they could make it clear that these rituals were optional, it would make all the difference."

Yousaf first raised the issue with his youngest son's teacher in August 2004. "The deputy head contacted me to say that if any child didn't feel comfortable reciting the prayers, they could opt out," says Yousaf. "But I don't understand why they can't just take the handful of Catholic children out of the class to pray or conduct mass, rather than asking the Muslim children to participate. At mass services, although the children aren't offered wine, it is on open display, and I don't agree with that." The CMS supports him on these points.

Should the school reorganise itself to offer separate religious provisions? Opinion at the school gate is divided. One Muslim parent, who wishes to remain anonymous, has three children at St Albert's, but believes the current provisions are perfectly acceptable.

"I don't think any change is necessary," he says. "The educational standards of the school are excellent, and I don't think the Catholic instruction affects my kids. They know what religion they are, and respect the Catholic tradition of the school and society. I am a firm believer that communities need to integrate and I can't ask people to respect my religion if I don't respect theirs. I think to change the school, or to convert it into a Muslim school, would be a step backwards."

Helen McShane, 41, has five grandchildren at the school, a proportion which, she says, makes up around 25 per cent of St Albert's Catholic population.

"It should definitely stay Catholic because most of the state schools around here are integrated. It's important to have schools that teach Catholics about their religion, and the school is so good that although my family has moved further away, we still bring the kids here. They integrate well, and the Muslim children aren't forced to attend mass, so I don't see the problem."

Teaching staff at St Albert's refuse to comment on the present situation in their school; however, Father Joe Chambers, the Catholic Church's representative on Glasgow City Council's Education Services Committee, points out that there are clear guidelines on this issue laid out in education law, and that the school is following these satisfactorily: "In denominational schools, there is a difference between religious observance and religious curriculum. The RE curriculum is the day-to-day teaching about faiths, and that is not optional. In Catholic schools, it must be predominantly Catholic, and that is mandatory just as maths or English would be. But religious observance is about having a service in schools, and [any] child is free to opt out of that. Any wine on the premises would never be offered to children. They are given the Eucharist, which is bread blessed by the priest."

Is opting out of services the best or only solution for the 300 Muslim children at St Albert's? Osama Saeed thinks not. A local spokesperson for the Muslim Association of Britain as well as the CMS, he is vocal in his advocacy of a new Muslim state school for the area. Given that provision of primary schools in Glasgow is currently under review, Saeed insists that the time for change is now.

The city council is proposing to close five schools in the city, and regroup them all in one new, larger school. Parents are invited to respond to the proposal, and although the consultation is not about Muslim education, some Muslim parents are suggesting the council use this opportunity for change to keep one of the schools open - Willowbank Primary - and make it the city's first Muslim school.

"[Willowbank] already has a high Muslim population, but there are only around 70 pupils," says Saeed. "If it were converted into a Muslim school, it would automatically attract another 100 pupils, and the school would be viable again. The council will eventually have to provide a Muslim school and this is a cost-effective solution, as there would be no extra building costs and the staff are already in place."

The legal provisions for denominational schools in Scotland, however, are laid out in a 1918 education act, as well as in subsequent amendments to that law. As Islam was not a significant faith in Scotland at the time of the act, its faith does not feature in any of the guidelines about teacher training, curriculum development or school management.

"The education act gives clear instruction on how non-denominational schools and denominational schools should be run," says Chambers. "The non-denominational schools should not encompass any particular faith, but should embrace elements of all faiths. Denominational schools are set up to support one specific faith - [be it] Catholic, Jewish or Episcopalian - and they obviously follow that faith.

"When a school is designated a Catholic school, the teachers and administration must run it as such."

At present, teachers in Catholic schools must train in the Catholic curriculum in addition to their standard teaching qualification. Chambers suspects that if Muslim schools were to open, authorities would require there to be a similar training course so teachers could be accredited appropriately.

Glasgow City Council will report on the consultation of their new education provisions next month, but they maintain there are currently no plans for a Muslim school: "Glasgow City Council is not opposed to Muslim schools in principle, but we do not have any plans to establish [any].

"There is no clear evidence of a consensus in favour of such a major development from within the diverse Muslim community itself, nor from across the wider community. We do not think this question can be addressed on an individual school basis."

For now, at least, St Albert's will stay just as it is. But if the Muslim parents who seek a separate facility are to achieve their goal, they won't be able to do it on their own. The issue is one for Scotland to address together.