UK’s Only State- Funded Hindu School Plans Expansion

LONDON – Britain’s onlystate-funded Hindu schoolplans to expand its operationsin an Indian-inhabited area herein order to become a keyresource for the community.Avanti House School onMonday announced that it hasidentified Whitchurch PlayingFields under Harrow BoroughCouncil as the site where thesecondary section of the schoolwill eventually be shifted.It is within miles of the school’scurrent home, which includes aprimary and secondary schoolset up.”This is an extremelyattractive site and ideally located.We are looking forward tothe opportunity to develop it asa school and as a wonderfulresource for the community,”said head teacher Gareth Jones.”This will come as very welcomenews to our students, toour loyal parents and to thepupils in more than 60 schoolsin the area who have expressedan interest in joining us inSeptember 2014.”The school, based on a Hinduethos but open to the communityat large, claims progress inall subjects with specialisms inmathematics and performingarts. The new site, located in theheart of an area with a largepopulation of Indian-origin,would accommodate 1,260 studentsafter reaching full capacity.Councillor Susan Hallinformed Avanti Schools Trustthat a feasibility study will beginfor the site at WhitchurchPlaying Fields.That study, to be undertaken bythe Education Funding Agency,could in turn lead to a planningapplication and a school on thesite in January 2016.Hall said: “There is a pressingneed for more school places inHarrow and a lack of suitableland for development. We haveworked closely with the AvantiSchools Trust who already havea strong and indeed uniquetrack record in Harrow servingour significant Hindu community.”Harrow Council was ofcourse a key partner in deliveringthe Krishna Avanti PrimarySchool in 2008.” Avanti SchoolsTrust chief executive NiteshGor thanked the local counciland Hall for making the schoola priority. “We know thatHarrow residents value ourschools and it is good to seethat this is being recognised bythe council.”