I-Foundation
"We were the promoters of the UK's first, and so far, only Hindu state school, the Krishna-Avanti Primary School, in Edgware, North West London...
"Our aim is to help children realise their spiritual, moral and academic potential in a welcoming, secure and supportive environment centred on loving service to Lord Krishna. We hope to enable pupils to enjoy learning, develop character and competence, and prepare for the responsibilities of adult life in contemporary Britain." [1]
"About seven thousand—almost a third—of England's schools are church or faith schools, yet until recently the followers of the sacred Vedic texts lacked a state-funded school. The run-up to one started in 2005. That year, the iFoundation, established by a few congregation members of Bhaktivedanta Manor in 2003 to create enterprises that embody and promote Vaishnava values, won approval for a primary school that would have ISKCON, the Hare Krishna movement, as its faith partner. The iFoundation's first four directors were Nitesh Gor (Navina Krishna Dasa), Prashun Popat, Pradyumna Dasa, and Upendra Kalan. ..
" About seven thousand—almost a third—of England's schools are church or faith schools, yet until recently the followers of the sacred Vedic texts lacked a state-funded school. The run-up to one started in 2005. That year, the iFoundation, established by a few congregation members of Bhaktivedanta Manor in 2003 to create enterprises that embody and promote Vaishnava values, won approval for a primary school that would have ISKCON, the Hare Krishna movement, as its faith partner. The iFoundation's first four directors were Nitesh Gor (Navina Krishna Dasa), Prashun Popat, Pradyumna Dasa, and Upendra Kalan...
"Spirituality is present not only in the collective worship at Krishna-Avanti; it is woven into the National Curriculum the school teaches, and it influences far more than just the study of religion. Rasamandala Dasa, author of The Heart of Hinduism, a work used for religious education in Britain's schools, helped enhance the Krishna-Avanti syllabus by looking at what Vaishnavism could add, such as its developed concepts of the inclusivity and equality of all beings and its emphasis on interactive and experiential approaches to education...
"How are controversies between science and faith dealt with at Krishna-Avanti? The book In Good Faith provides a look at "schools, religion, and public funding" in the UK. The authors note that in science education the concept of God is sometimes challenged and found unscientific and irrelevant. In this scheme of things, all creatures lack a spirit soul and are the products of evolution. This view conflicts with the Vaishnava view that God and the soul are at the heart of the beginning of the universe. So, like the schools mentioned in In Good Faith, Krishna-Avanti provides science teaching from its own perspective, staying true to the school's religious convictions and encouraging critical thought on scientific issues. " [2]
Board (2011)
Accessed March 2013: [3]
- lip Patel
- Nitesh Gor - chair
- Pradip Gajjar
- Prashun Popat
- Ramesh Shah
- Sanjay Gadhvi
- Sanjiv Agarwal
- Upendra Kalan
- Yuvraj Rana
