Recently, several UK schools were nominated for “World’s Best School 2024.” Avanti House Secondary School was named one of the top three finalists for the coveted honor. It is part of the Avanti Schools Trust, a collection of state-funded schools that teach Sanskrit, meditation, yoga, ethics, and philosophy alongside traditional academic subjects.

The World’s Best School Prizes program, which aims to “celebrate schools which make a difference,” was founded by T4 Education in collaboration with global corporations like Accenture, American Express, and the Lemann Foundation. Upon learning of the honor, the Avanti Schools Trust said, “This recognition reflects our commitment to promoting well-being, mindfulness, and a balanced lifestyle for all our students. Together, we strive to create a healthy, nurturing environment that empowers young minds to flourish.”

Founded in 2008, the Avanti House Secondary School is being recognized in the “Supporting Healthy Lives” category. It highlights their unique vegetarian lunch program as well as the yoga and meditation techniques they teach to help students not only deal with stress but thrive. Avanti’s yoga teacher, Kate Raghvani (Kishori Yogini Dasi), explained in an interview with BBC London News, “…yoga is part of the curriculum actually. So between years seven to nine, we learn about pranayama, which is breath work, and we do different meditations. We learn about yoga philosophy and the asanas (the physical movement). This [all] has proven to give the students so much strength from the inside out.” One student remarked on the value of the practices, “In the morning, you get a sense of peace and contentment before you start your day.”

The honor was widely covered in UK media, and London’s mayor, Sadiq Khan, said, “It’s fantastic that Avanti House has been nominated for the World’s Best School Prize, and I’d like to congratulate the teachers, parents, and pupils for all their hard work. The school puts the health and wellbeing of pupils at the heart of everything it does, supporting their physical and mental health in its curriculum and achieves impressive results. They are a brilliant example of what is great about our capital as we build a better London for everyone.”

Winners of the coveted prizes will be announced in the next few months, which includes a share in a $50,000 purse and attendance at a November summit in Dubai.

To learn more about Avant Schools Trust, readers can visit their website and follow them on Facebook, and Instagram.