UK's first Hindu school rated 'Outstanding' by education watchdog: 'Purposeful and ambitious'

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The UK’s first state-funded Hindu school, Krishna Avanti Primary School in Harrow, has received an ‘Outstanding’ rating across all categories in its latest Ofsted inspection. Ofsted, which stands for the Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills, inspects and regulates services that provide education for young people in England, including schools, colleges, nurseries and childminders.

The state-funded Hindu-faith school was inspected in June 2025, with the results published in September. The school was praised by inspectors for its exceptional quality of education, strong leadership, and nurturing learning environment.

The Ofsted report stated, “Pupils flourish at Krishna Avanti Primary School. There is an impressive understanding of the school’s vision of ‘to inspire spiritually compassionate changemakers’ among pupils, staff, parents, carers, and trustees alike. This shared understanding leads to a strong sense of community, belonging and inclusion.”

What did the Ofsted report say?
Ofsted inspectors also noted that students were “proud of their school”. They were commended for their exemplary behaviour and active participation in shaping the school’s culture through leadership roles in the school council, arts council, and ‘eco warriors’ initiative. The environment, the report noted, is “calm and productive,” with pupils showing courtesy, respect, and responsibility.

Further, in the report, the curriculum was described as “broad and ambitious,” with particular praise for early literacy and mathematics. Inspectors also highlighted the school’s strong provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), and its “well-established and well-taught” reading curriculum. Teachers, on the other hand, were applauded for their “strong subject knowledge” and consistency in maintaining high standards.

Principal Shriti Gadhia said the recognition reflects the “dedication, passion, and hard work” of the entire school community. “This report recognises the high-quality education we provide and the nurturing environment we have cultivated, aligned with our vision to develop spiritually compassionate changemakers. The inspection findings affirm that our commitment to strong teaching and learning practices and delivering a rich, engaging curriculum is making a profound difference in the lives of our learners,” she said in a statement.

Dr James Biddulph MBE, CEO of Avanti Schools Trust, added: “I am thrilled with the outstanding Ofsted result for Krishna Avanti Primary School.”

“This achievement is the result of the dedication of our educators, support staff, administrators, and site teams, all guided by visionary leaders. It reflects their unwavering commitment to providing every child with an exceptional educational journey and to nurturing spiritually compassionate changemakers,” he said.

Notably, the school was previously rated ‘Good’. It is part of the Avanti Schools Trust and is the UK’s first state-funded Hindu-faith primary school.

culled from Hindustan Times

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