A new breed of Islamic school for Muslim and non-Muslim children opens its doors in Oxford next week.

The Meco Saturday Islamic School bills itself as the first Islamic school of its kind.

Open to children of all faiths, it will feature mixed classes and male and female teachers - pupils will not be required to wear headscarves or skull caps.

Run by the Muslim Education Centre of Oxford, principal Dr Taj Hargey said the aim was to allow pupils to learn about the Muslim identity and faith while becoming "integrated and productive" British citizens.

He said: "We are very excited about this school. It is unique and we hope it will pave the way for many others like it.

"Meco has been running for six years, promoting Islam and integration to adults, but what we have realised - and what parents have told us - is that this teaching needs to start in childhood.

"Too often, Muslim youngsters are taught that British values are about negative things like binge drinking, promiscuity and drugs.

"We not only know this to be wrong, but we also feel it makes youngsters feel isolated from the society in which they live.

"We want children to grow up retaining their faith, but also knowing they are British citizens with responsibilities to Britain."

The Meco School will instruct children in the basic fundamentals of Islam - they will learn to speak, read and write in classical Arabic up to GCSE level.

Dr Hargey said: "Whereas many other Islamic schools focus on memorisation, we will teach using modern techniques, right up to GCSE proficiency.

"Classes, apart from Arabic, will be taught in English.

"Pupils will learn that Islam is a religion, not a culture. Citizenship will be very important - no child will pass his of her course for example, unless they know the full English meaning of Arabic prayers.

"We will not be separating children by gender - all classes will be made up of both boys and girls, and girls will not be required to wear a head scarf and the boys will not have to wear a skull cap.

"And we will be thrilled to welcome non-Muslim children whose parents would like them to learn Arabic."

Twenty Muslim children have already signed up for the Saturday classes.

Meco aims to raise numbers to 100 by the time the new terms starts in September.

Sidra Malik, 24, who is among eight volunteer teachers at the school, said: "Unfortunately, many children are learning about Islam by just having Arabic texts read out to them and this does not help them.

"Children need a proper understanding of Islam and I will be very pleased to teach non-Muslim children too."

The Meco Saturday Islamic School opens next Saturday and runs classes for six-16 years olds at Cherwell School, in Marston Ferry Road.