Posted: Tue, 21 Jan 2014 16:42
Britain's only state-funded Hindu school, located in
Harrow Middlesex, is planning a large-scale expansion which will make it
one of the largest "faith schools" in the country.
Avanti
House School announced on Monday 20 January 2014 that it has identified
Whitchurch Playing Fields under Harrow Borough Council as the site
where the secondary section of the school will eventually be shifted.
It is within miles of the school's current home, which includes a primary and secondary school set up.
The
school is based on a "Hindu ethos" but claims to be open to the
community at large. It specialises in maths and performing arts.
The
new site, located in the heart of an area with a large population of
Indian-origin, would accommodate 1,260 students after reaching full
capacity.
Councillor Susan Hall told the school's
proponents that a feasibility study will be carried out by the Education
Funding Agency. If this is favourable it could lead to the school being
opened at its new site in January 2016.
Hall said:
"There is a pressing need for more school places in Harrow and a lack of
suitable land for development. We have worked closely with the Avanti
Schools Trust who already have a strong and indeed unique track record
in Harrow serving our significant Hindu community.
"Harrow Council was of course a key partner in delivering the Krishna Avanti Primary School in 2008".
Stephen Evans, the NSS campaigns manager, told The Times:
"Our objections to this school are really the same as for any other
faith school. In a society already seeing rising tensions over race and
religion, it is dangerously misguided to separate children on the
grounds of their parents' religion at such a formative time in their
lives. Minority faith schools further separate religious minorities from
mainstream communities, creating self-imposed segregation. The only
fair way forward is to ensure that no religion is allowed control of
publicly-funded schools".
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