Sikh Community school comes up in UK

London, Sept 17: British Sikhs in a town north-west of London in England's West Midlands region have set up a new school targeted at children from the Sikh community.

The new Seva School in Coventry kicked off term this week with 130 pupils of ages four to seven, with plans to increase to 1,450 four to 16-year-olds over the next five years. The newly-opened school has been set up under the UK government's free school system, which functions on an independent state-funded model and is free to attend.

"The trustees are born and bred in Foleshill in Coventry and want to give something back to the community," explained deputy head Suneta Bagri told 'The Coventry Telegraph.' [Why choose UK for higher education?]

"They left school with low aspirations in life. They have achieved and become professionals, but they want better for the next generation of children. The Seva School ethos is that every child can and will achieve," she added.

Head Devinder Riat said, "We are not full yet, but numbers are increasing as word is getting out."

The school is using a maths curriculum based on schools in Singapore, where pupils are regularly ahead of those in other countries, the newspaper reported.

The school is following the International Primary Curriculum, and teachers are using Kagan strategies, a method where pupils work closely together in groups and help each other.

The Seva School is one of three newly opened schools in the city, alongside the Muslim Eden Girls School in Foleshill and University Technical Colleges the WMG Academy for Young Engineers in Mitchell Avenue, Canley.

PTI