Maharishi School, Lancashire
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| Maharishi School | |
|---|---|
_logo.jpeg){kind=logo} | |
| Location | |
 | |
| , , L40 6JJ England | |
| Coordinates | 53°34′13″N 2°46′57″W / 53.5703°N 2.78241°W |
| Information | |
| Type | Free school |
| Motto | A school with a difference |
| Religious affiliation(s) | Non-denominational |
| Established | 1986 |
| Department for Education URN | 137498 Tables |
| Ofsted | Reports |
| Headteacher | Lisa Edwards[1] |
| Gender | Co-educational |
| Age | 4 to 16 |
| Enrolment | 212[2] |
| Capacity | 216 |
| Website | http://www.maharishischool.com/ |
The Maharishi School, ("Maharishi Free School or Maharishi School of the Age of Enlightenment") [3][4][5][need quotation to verify] is a non-academically selective free school in Skelmersdale and Lathom, Lancashire, UK.[1][6] The school was founded in 1986 and uses "consciousness-based education" methods including Transcendental Meditation.
Description
The school takes its name from
History
The school was founded in 1986 as an independent, fee-based school with 14 pupils.[8] As of July 2021, the school had 212 pupils and a capacity of 216.[2]
In 2011, it was one of 24 schools that applied for and received government funding as a flagship free school.
Criticism
The school's 2011 qualification for government funding was criticised by the Lancashire branch of the
Further criticism came in June 2011 from the Liberal Democrat MP for Southport, John Pugh, and the Liverpool city council leader, Joe Anderson, both of whom attacked the government for funding the Maharishi School while depriving funds from mainstream schools. Labour MP Lisa Nandy made similar complaints in August and the British Humanist Association (BHA) voiced concerns about the school's "spiritual and 'pseudoscientific' teaching".[14][19] The school's headmaster, Cassells, said: "We bring a balanced curriculum and all we do is introduce a few minutes of meditation three times a day".[26] A Department of Education spokesman said "the Maharishi School, like all Free Schools, will enter pupils for the same exams as other state schools" and "will be open to all pupils of any or no faith."[13]
In May 2012 a group of professors and science communicators, which included
In December 2012, the school was reprimanded by the Department for Education for not entering any of its pupils into compulsory National Curriculum assessments. The school responded by saying that it did not receive the appropriate materials and guidance in time to conduct the tests, but has committed to do so in the future.[28]
See also
References
- ^ a b c BARRETT, DAVID (23 January 2011). "Private schools enrol in Gove's state revolution". The Sunday Telegraph. p. 2.
- ^ a b "Maharishi Free School". gov.uk. HM Government. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
- ^ "Official web site, retrieved June 14 2012". Archived from the original on 8 January 2012. Retrieved 15 June 2012.
- ^ Atkins, Lucy (14 April 2009). "G2: Health: Should our schools teach children to 'dive within'?". The Guardian. p. 18.
- ^ Wilson, Richard (16 March 2008). "I want to teach the world to meditate". Sunday Times. p. 10.
- ^ "Where Free Schools are located in Britain". The Telegraph, Education News. 12 September 2011.
- ^ a b Pattinson, Rob (8 September 2011). "Parents back Maharishi School's move into state sector as a Free School".
- ^ a b Teasdale, Michelle (3 June 2010). "Mummy, can we meditate now?". The Independent. p. 52.
- ^ "Party time at Maharishi school as it celebrates 21 years at top". Liverpool Echo. 15 January 2007. p. 13.
- ^ Gilbert, Francis (7 March 2011). "New schools of thought; Alternative schools are enjoying a renaissance – but what sort of education do they offer?". The Times. London (UK). p. 10.
- ^ Lyden, Jacki (12 September 1998) Meditating Students, NPR Weekend All Things Considered
- ^ (12 January 2002) Children meditate on top class GCSEs, Daily Post (Liverpool, England)"Few schools can boast a 100pc top pass rate in GCSE exams. Fewer still have managed the feat in all but one of the last eight years."
- ^ a b c d e Byrne, Michael (1 September 2011). "Maharishi School in Skelmersdale hits back over Free School status criticisms".
- ^ a b Teed, Paul (19 November 2011) This is Local London
- ^ Newman, Cathy (5 September 2011). "Channel 4 News FactCheck with Cathy Newman". Archived from the original on 9 November 2011. Retrieved 5 September 2011.
- ^ Ryan, Denise (22 October 2012)School Puts Stress On Staying Calm. Retrieved 27 October 2012
- ^ "Om Schooling;'Ridiculous' Gove Plan Sees State Fund Maharishi High" 'The Mirror' 29 August 2011.
- ^ Davis, Anna (14 November 2011). "Free school to teach Beatles guru's meditation methods". London Evening Standard. Archived from the original on 16 November 2011. Retrieved 16 November 2011.
- ^ a b (21 November 2011) Free Schools Malicious Rumors The Guardian Retrieved 5 December 2011
- ^ Teed, Paul (25 November 2011) Meditation School gets warm welcome" Richmond and Twickenham Times
- ^ Teed, Paul (20 December 2011) Maharishi meeting attracts a crowd, Your Local Guardian
- ^ Robinson, Craig (20 October 2011). "Woodbridge: Free school based on teachings of The Beatles' spiritual guru could open soon". EADT.
- ^ Robinson, Craig (20 November 2011) EADT 24
- ^ Robinson, Craig (9 February 2012) Maharishi Free School Bid Set To Be Handed to Department of Education EADT24
- ^ [1] Champion News, Maharishi school hits back at Lancashire NUT criticism, David Simister, 19 February 2011
- ^ "Anger at schools cash fund". Wigan Today. 11 September 2011.
- ^ Dhaliwal, Pavan; Ernst, Edzard; Colquhoun, David; Singh, Simon; et al. (12 May 2012). "Schools of pseudoscience pose a serious threat to education". The Guardian.
- ^ Richardson, Hannah (13 December 2012) Maharishi free school fails to enter pupils for Sats BBC. Retrieved 27 December 2012
