Leicester’s first free Sikh school has shown that a good ethos is the main ingredient in creating a successful learning environment.
Falcons Primary School, in Gipsy Lane, opened its doors on Monday, October 27 last year under the Government’s free schools programme, providing places for reception and year one children.
Over time, the school will expand to have 420 pupils on roll, with at least 50 per cent of places available for non-Sikh children.
Head teacher Jasbir Mann said: “The school is built on a Sikh ethos, but the virtues or values that we’re building it on would resonate with most other schools.
“We’re built on compassion for each other and the environment, as well as respect, perseverance and faith.”
The school had a difficult period in 2014 when the Department for Education pulled funding at the last minute, prompting angry calls from parents to have it reinstated.
The DfE later agreed to allow the school to open, providing the trustees, who make up the Akaal Education Trust, would restructure the board of trustees and governing body to include more people from the primary education sector, alongside finding a new head teacher.
Mrs Mann, who was appointed as the new head teacher, said: “It’s very important in an area that you have diversity of provision – you’re catering for a diverse population these days, and there is a space for faith schools.”
“I think we fit into the Leicester vision of celebrating diversity, and we contribute to that richness of the city, alongside a rich curriculum that will teach our children a wide variety of skills.”
The school have recently embedded an arts award into the curriculum, with funding support from The Mighty Creatives, Linda Harding and arts manager, Gemma Kiddy – starting with the creation of a giant falcon.
Mrs Mann added: “We were a school that had just opened – It’s a blank canvas. So creating something like this seemed to be a really good opportunity of getting some external expertise working with us, and have something the children could look at for years to come.
“As this is a new school, the building itself is still being developed, and the children just take it all in their stride.
“We’re here to ensure that our pupils get the highest quality of education, and at Falcons, that’s exactly what we’re doing.”
Source: Leicester Mercury