The award given to the UK Gurukula; Gunacuda Dasi, the Headteacher.

The UK Gurukula, also known as the Hare Krishna Primary School, received a 2024 Social Impact Schools Award this summer. These awards recognize schools and their students for having a positive impact on the world.

Based on students at any school executing social action such as volunteering, fundraising, and raising awareness, the award is given by SuperKind Education C.I.C., a non-profit organization “dedicated to empowering young children to make positive change happen in the world around them.” Students who have engaged in any social work may also register on their website to earn a badge for their contribution. 

Gunacuda Dasi, Headteacher at the UK Gurukula, said, “The children organized and took part in several different activities to gain individual badges and the award as a whole. It recognised how we place social action and charity work as an important part of our curriculum. We encourage our pupils to become active citizens, make a difference, and develop character.”

The teachers of the UK Gurukula shared their experience teaching. One of them said, “I love working at the Gurukul because it’s a really, really special and nurturing environment for the children and the staff. Everyone is very supportive of each other and the beauty of the Gurukul is that because everyone is practicing Krishna Consciousness in some way, they have the lens of the philosophy always at the forefront.”

Another teacher remarked, “Why do I serve here? Why do I want to keep serving here at the Gurukul? It’s because of a commitment to Srila Prabhupada and the community. Families in the community want their child to have a Krishna-conscious education. So many families, you know, they want their children to continue with the culture, the faith, and the values.”

Regarding the future projects at the Gurukula, Gunacuda Dasi said, “We are currently raising funds to construct a children’s kitchen where we will teach cooking and a sensory garden.”

She continued, “We always need volunteers to help with supporting children in school or projects on the school premises. Anyone who has a business that allows employees to volunteer or to visit to run workshops. For example, we’ve had parents who work for major banks come and run Moneysense workshops) can come forward. We welcome visits from senior devotees and collaboration from other educators regarding curriculum, professional development, and resources. We are always looking for talented devotee teachers with a UK teaching qualification or people interested in running after-school clubs.”

To learn more about Gurukula, please visit its website. You can also follow it on its Instagram and Facebook accounts. If you are interested in financially supporting the school, please email them for details.