New Secondary Schools for Richmond 2

[BayJay]

I'm starting this new thread because the other one of the same name has filled up.

The people on this thread have raised some interesting points about the inclusiveness of the Maharishi School. I was at the Clarenden Hall meeting when some of these concerns were raised. The answer was No Tm, No School. TM is their ?unique selling point?. If a child decided whilst at the school that they did not wish to do TM they would eventually be asked to leave. At least one parent would also be encouraged to learn TM but they have arranged a discount so it will not cost as much as it usually does!

Thanks for all the responses and questions!

I'll try to answer them all here.

First, regarding Jeev's question. Just to clarify - people don't 'follow' TM; TM is a simple mental technique that people practice in order to produce a specific result. Research confirms that whether one believes the result will happen or believes the result will not happen has absolutely no bearing on the outcome. The result is the same, as reported in the International Journal of Neuroscience, brain wave orderliness improves, and not just during the practice, but outside of the practice as well. So you can literally sit down and think 'This isn't going to work', but as long as you practice the technique as you were taught you'll get the same benefits.

With a better functioning brain, students' academic performance and behaviour improves - its as simple and straightforward as that.

As for parents practicing TM; of the 85 new intake children we had this past September, once the parents were well informed, the parents of 84 of the children did learn to practice TM. The parents of one child chose not to and was obviously free to do so.

As for staff, well TM and Consciousness-based Education are our unique differentiators. Parents who chose to send their children to a Maharishi School expect it to deliver the real deal, they don't expect us to just pay lip service to what we promise to deliver. Our teachers don't have to be a qualified meditator before they apply for a job, but each of our teachers has to be a qualified meditator before being let loose in a classroom, and has to complete additional training. This is comprised of 100 hours of video-based training and 100 hours of classroom training which develop specific classroom skills that emphasize a teacher?s role in:

• Always being uplifting to pupils
• Positive correction of classroom behaviour
• Early identification of learning or behavioural challenges
• Relating the subjects being studied back to the pupils? own experience
• Creating an atmosphere of receptivity within the classroom

So I hope you can see from the above that our ethos isn't just window dressing with some laudable mission statement stuck on. As Einstein is reported to have said "madness is doing the same thing and expecting a different result"; we do things differently, because that's what we have to do to deliver a consistently better result.

ChrisSquire

Another good point, yes we will have smaller classes. Interestingly, the West London Free School also came to the same conclusion as we have - that a class of 24 is a very good number that still lets us balance the books.

It's not for me to discuss how other schools spend their money, but we find the budget sufficient to deliver excellent education. And no, we are not planning to be subsidised by anyone.

Also, teachers really enjoy teaching at our schools. Many Richmond teachers are aware of this and have already sent me their CVs.

The problem with all this talk of research and using ?science? to ?prove? the superiority of your methods is that when you need to establish your own university (The Maharishi University of Management based in Maharishi Vedic City, or Fairfield Iowa as it is more prosaically known) to push the grandiose claims made for your copywrited brand of meditation you have a bit of a credibility problem.
The 100 hours of video training that you refer to is for The Science of Creative Intelligence which you teach in addition to the National Curriculum. It may well be designed to do the things you claim but I feel you are being a bit disingenuous. The SCI consists of a view about how the world fits together and a variety of sayings that children learn and apply. The SCI was developed by the Maharishi.
The other aspect of your credibility problem is the accusation that you are a covert religion. This seems to have been settled in the USA with the court case of 1979 which stopped the teaching of TM in the public school system as religion is banned from them. Since then the TMO has had to be satisfied with after school clubs, etc. in the US. I heard your reply to this accusation at the Clarenden Hall meeting but if you can repeat it here that would be helpful.

katbb
As for inclusiveness, as mentioned previously, Maharishi Schools are 100% inclusive. Any religion or no religion, any ability, any ethnicity...

If a school, as part of their curriculum offering said school started at 09:00 and ended at 15:30 and a parent said "I'd really like Joanne to come to your school but I only want her to attend in the mornings" most schools would say "sorry but our curriculum is our curriculum, Joanne needs to follow the curriculum."

Similarly, if a parent wanted Joanne to attend a Sports school but she didn't want to study sport they would recommend she went elsewhere.

This is the very basis of a diverse educational offering, otherwise everything becomes a melting pot.

Ofsted regards TM as core to our curriculum. Parents who want to send their children to a Maharishi School want it to be a real Maharishi School that delivers what we promise, they don't expect it to be watered down.

Having said that I can appreciate your view on this; it can be tough to reconcile 'inclusivity' with the requirement to practice TM - at least as long as one thinks of TM as 'something to believe in' or something other than it is which is a technique that is scientifically proven to produce good academic results.

Hope that helps...but happy to go into it some more if you like...

I was wondering if you could answer my question -

"The other aspect of your credibility problem is the accusation that you are a covert religion. This seems to have been settled in the USA with the court case of 1979 which stopped the teaching of TM in the public school system as religion is banned from them. Since then the TMO has had to be satisfied with after school clubs, etc. in the US. I heard your reply to this accusation at the Clarenden Hall meeting but if you can repeat it here that would be helpful."

Also could you give us some specific examples of the sayings that children learn and apply as part of The Science of Creative Intelligence?

Opening and closing times of a school are not part of the curriculum they are administrative and there are examples of schools which allow pupils to start and stop the day at different times because of the learning needs of the individual child. Transcendental Meditation, you have said, is a simple technique that helps a child to fully access the curriculum you offer. It is not a subject in its own right so you cannot compare it with geography. There is no progression in TM unless what you are saying is that the meditation technique is progressive and so will eventually lead to the TM-Siddhi programme.

Hi katbb

Ok...lots more questions...

But thanks for the opportunity.

First, I don't know where you got the idea that the 100 hrs of video training is SCI. It isn't. It is a course related specifically to principals of teaching. I, for example, have completed the 33 lesson SCI course, but have never completed the principles of teaching course. They are completely different.

Regarding 'grandiose' claims...I really do try to not claim for anything that does not have a basis in published, peer-reviewed research.

As stated by a past editor-in-chief of the International Journal of Neuroscience "Over the past 10 years the editors and reviewers of the International Journal of Neuroscience have accepted several papers on Transcendental Meditation because they have met the rigorous standards of scientific publication. IJN is honoured to have two Nobel laureates on its editorial board, and has a distinguished group of scientists from leading universities on every continent who judge the scientific value of the papers submitted for consideration.?

Next...
Now you are getting ever so slightly personal suggesting I am "a bit disingenuous" regarding SCI stating "SCI was developed by the Maharishi"...further suggesting that I am somehow sneaking in knowledge developed by Maharishi.
Our School is called 'Maharishi School' ...it is hard to be more straightforward than that. The technique of TM, SCI and the Principles of Teaching all came from Maharishi - no secrets there.

Finally, TM was never considered by the court ruling you refer to as religious. In fact, as I stated at Clarendon Hall, TM is still being practiced in state schools in the US as evidenced by several YouTube videos.

I did read the ruling back in 1977 (showing my age here.... :-)) and as I recall the judge was worried that the term 'creative intelligence' or 'field of consciousness' could somehow be construed by some as having religious connotations. Remember, this is the land of extreme right-wing fundamentalism...
So if anyone wants to think that those terms are religious...well, its a free world.

For just about everyone else, religion requires faith. There is NO faith involved in TM or SCI. None. Zero. Zilch.

As you recall one of Reverend Winterburn's entourage raised his hand at the meeting and said that he had learned TM 25 years ago and that he couldn't understand why anyone could confuse it with religion. He went on to say that he was a 'church-going man' and that if anything, the practice of TM helped him appreciate his Christian faith more...

Whew...sorry that was so long...

Hi richard. Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions. Can you provide links to, or at least references for, the Journal of Neuroscience papers that you mention? I'd be interested to read them.

Also, I'm curious to know to what extent a three-form entry secondary school can provide the same breadth of curriculum as, say, a 5-form or 7-form entry school. Is your proposed secondary school curriculum published? If so I'd be interested to see it.

It had never occured to me to use You Tube as evidence. However, just to be clear here is a copy of section 4 of the ruling.

Section 4 of the Malnak v Yogi Court of Appeals, 3rd Circuit 1979

IV ? SCI/TM AS A RELIGION
Although Transcendental Meditation by itself might be defended ? as appellants sought to do
in this appeal ? as primarily a relaxation or concentration technique with no "ultimate"
significance,[54] the New Jersey course at issue here was not a course in TM alone, but a
course in the Science of Creative Intelligence. Creative Intelligence, according to the textbook
in the record, is "at the basis of all growth and progress" and is, indeed, "the basis of
everything." Transcendental Meditation is presented as a means for contacting this "impelling
life force" so as to achieve "inner contentment." Creative Intelligence can provide such
"contentment" because it is "a field of unlimited happiness," which is at work everywhere and
visible in such diverse places as in "the changing of the seasons" and "the wings of a butterfly."
That the existence of such a pervasive and fundamental life force is a matter of "ultimate
concern" can hardly be questioned. It is put forth as the foundation of life and the world
itself.[55]
The Science of Creative Intelligence provides answers to questions concerning the nature both
of world and man, the underlying sustaining force of the universe, and the way to unlimited
happiness. Although it is not as comprehensive as some religions ? for example, it does not
appear to include a complete or absolute moral code ? it is nonetheless sufficiently
comprehensive to avoid the suggestion of an isolated theory unconnected with any particular
world view or basic belief system. SCI/TM provides a way ? indeed in the eyes of its adherents
the way ? to full self realization and oneness with the underlying reality of the universe.
Consequently, it can reasonably be understood as presenting a claim of ultimate "truth."
co nve rte d by We b2P DFC o nve rt.com
*214 This conclusion is supported by the formal observances and structure of SCI/TM. Although
there is no evidence in the record of organized clergy or traditional rites, such as marriage,
burial or the like, there are trained teachers and an organization devoted to the propagation of
the faith. And there is a ceremony, the Puja, that is intimately associated with the transmission
of the mantra. The mantra is a word communicated privately to each newly-inducted
practitioner, which is said to be vital to transcendental meditation and access to the field of
unlimited happiness.
214
SCI/TM is not a Theistic religion, but it is nonetheless a constitutionally protected religion. It
concerns itself with the same search for ultimate truth as other religions and seeks to offer a
comprehensive and critically important answer to the questions and doubts that haunt modern
man. That those who espouse these views and engage in the Puja, or meditate in the hope of
reaching the transcendental reality of creative intelligence, would be entitled to the protection of
the free exercise clause if threatened by governmental interference or regulation is clear. They
are thus similarly subject, in my view, to the constraints of the establishment clause. When the
government seeks to encourage this version of ultimate truth, and not others, an establishment
clause problem arises.

I am not disputing that TM is practised in state schools in the US. I am disputing that it is allowed in these schools as anything other than an after school club. Please let me know which schools allow TM in so I can check them out.

Why were you filming the meeting at the Clarenden Hall?

katebb

I don't think there is anything in this that contradicts what I said - in fact, considering I last read it about 35 years ago, I think I did a pretty fair job of summarising it!

But then, you obviously have an agenda here that has nothing to do with a school in Richmond...

As for schools that include TM - haven't you checked out our website?

As for SCI principles that you referred to earlier, here are some - maybe readers can make up their own mind:

• life is found in layers
• every action has a reaction
• the nature of life is to grow
• order is present everywhere

-etc.

SCI highlights the very principles and orderliness in nature that enables mathematics and science to be capable of repeatable experimentation leading to consistent and predictable results.

For info, here is a link to the Lancashire Maharishi School's 2009 OFSTED report. As it was then a private school, it was a light touch inspection.

I've also found this document on the Maharishi School website which highlights some of the results of "a selection of 6 studies from more than 600 studies documents documenting the holistic development of life through Maharishi's Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi programme." Richard, do you know how those 6 studies were selected from the 600? Also do you know if there has been a meta-study to analyse the combine results of all 600 studies? If so, please provide a reference.

Richard, I'm interested in your answers to katbb's points. I'd be prepared to accept that daily meditation can have positive benefits, but I would want to know a lot more about the "Science of Creative Intelligence" before I allowed my children to be taught it. Do you publish a curriculum, or could you provide a link to a core text on which the course is based?

Also, can you give a summary of the costs involved for parents who might be interested in studying TM? Would the equivalent costs for pupils be covered by the school?

Bayjay

I'll see what I can do about getting some kind of access to the Neuroscience papers - the only link I could find was subscription only! It might take me a couple of days.

As for the curriculum - we are in the process of changing it. We had hoped to offer the International Baccalaureate but feedback we have had is suggesting that this would be too 'elitist' and academic.

We are now putting together a curriculum built around GCSEs and 'A' levels. It will offer a list of core subjects and a separate list of 'enrichment' subjects.

I should have something reasonably final by the end of the week...

Bye for now

I am a Hampton resident with children the correct age to go to your school. I have attended the meetings that you have held and they have generated more questions that answers. I am interested in answers that are correctly referenced. I do have an agenda - to find out if your school is suitable for my neighbourhood.

I have read your list of phrases from the SCI and would like to know how they are applied to education.

Richard - I am confused with your responses here and just as concerned as I was when I attended your meeting. To start with your claims about track record and quality have been misleading and not credible. A lot of parents are concerned about what is going to be your admission policy - is it going to be distance based are you going to turn down an applicant who lives close to Oldfield and does not want to follow TM. We are all concerned about the no of state primary and secondary places in Richmond. It does not seem fair if there will be a new state school for a selective group of TM practioners only at the expense of local Hampton parents losing their state school option. We will need lot more facts and substance on curriculum, TM conflicts with generally accepted and proven scientific truths, quality of teaching staff

From the Admission Policy of the Lancashire school:

? . . Any pupil will be admitted . . Although it is not expected that each child will be practising TM prior to being offered a place at the School, each child will learn and be regularly practising TM prior to the 1st day of their first term at the School . . there will be no charge for any pupil learning TM to attend the School. It is expected that at least one carer/parent also learn TM at the same time as the child . . Should the child?s circumstances preclude a parent or carer learning, as in the case of a child in public care, then this condition can be waived.

. . it is also expected that parents/carers attend one of the many Maharishi Free School open days held throughout the year prior to choosing Maharishi Free School for their child; during this open day, parents will be briefed on these differences including both the School?s and the parent?s responsibilities . . Neither the parents/carers nor the child(en) will be subject to any interviews, and advice will not form part of, or influence the application of, the published admission criteria during this Open Day briefing process . .

Oversubscription Policy: . . e) Tie breaker: Where having applied the above criteria, there are still more children than there are places available, 25% (rounded down) of the final places will be allocated based on proximity of the child?s address to the School?s address. The measurement used will be a straight line distance from the pupil?s home to the school with those living nearest to the school being given priority. The remaining 75% of places (rounded up) will be allocated by a random draw.?

Richard - just to be clear, please can you confirm that:

1. The Maharishi School in Lancashire is the only one in the country so far.
2. It was an independent school which converted into a state-funded Free School in 2011.
3. It only has 12 children per class at secondary level - half the class size proposed for Richmond - and 20 at primary level.
4. The school is part of a community called "Maharishi European Sidhland" which "was created through the inspiration of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and is dedicated to individual enlightenment for its members and creating world peace through the positive influence of collective practice of Transcendental Meditation and its advanced programmes. Facilities include the Maharishi Golden Dome, the Maharishi School, a Maharishi Ayurveda Health Centre and a Sports and Arts Centre."

Admissions Policy

Thank you ChrisSquire - that is very helpful. I am running out of time to answer all these different points....

The only major change to the Admissions Policy is that we have been asked to change the Oversubscription Policy to approximately 50% Proximity and 50% lottery.

This is largely at the request of the Council who have had a lot of feedback from Hampton residents asking for more places to be available based on nearness to the School (proximity). However this has had to be balanced with requests from existing local schools to not take too much of their local intake of children. The result, we hope, provides enough Maharishi School places to local children who want them and, by taking some pupils from a broader area, also releases places in other schools so that more parents get their first/second choice school nearer to them.

As indicated at the top of the thread, the response to our proposals so far have been very positive with the Primary School already having more than sufficient pre-registrations to fill it in just the past few weeks. We still need more Secondary pre-registrations though and I would encourage you to let your friends know if they would like a Year 7 place for their child in 2013 or 2014.

Rylerom

Richard - just to be clear, please can you confirm that:

1. The Maharishi School in Lancashire is the only one in the country so far.
2. It was an independent school which converted into a state-funded Free School in 2011.

Yes to both questions - it has been running for about 25 years now, and to address an earlier question, we have had regular Ofsted inspections during that time, not just the most recent one.

1. It only has 12 children per class at secondary level - half the class size proposed for Richmond - and 20 at primary level.

The secondary intake in Lancashire is based on 15 children per class, the same as the primary intake. Why so small? The smallest classroom in the building could only accommodate 15, therefore that is the maximum we could have in the other classes including primary. The numbers you refer to above are transitional while we have our second building remodeled.

Regarding primary, once construction is complete we have no plans to have teaching assistants in primary classes in Lancashire - however we will have teaching assistants in every primary class in Richmond.

1. The school is part of a community called "Maharishi European Sidhland" which "was created through the inspiration of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and is dedicated to individual enlightenment for its members and creating world peace through the positive influence of collective practice of Transcendental Meditation and its advanced programmes. Facilities include the Maharishi Golden Dome, the Maharishi School, a Maharishi Ayurveda Health Centre and a Sports and Arts Centre."

Yes again.

Richard your explanation on admissions policy seems to contradict what your press release has said about shortage of school places www.maharishischool.com/2011/maharishi-free-school-richmond-press-release
"There is an extraordinary need for more school places in Richmond, with the Hampton-based parent organisation Children-Without-Choice stating that there was a shortage of 190 places for Reception-age children this year alone, while even greater demand exists for secondary places"

In times of ever increasing demand for school places and supply constrains, I cant see why you would have only 50% oversubscription based on distance and offer an explanation that that is to protect interest of other local schools or release places in other schools. Hampton state schools are already over subscribed. The risk of yr admissions policy is that new state places will go to only those who agree to get their children to practice TM ( including from out of the borough), at the expense of local parents in Hampton. As a consequence, parents living close to Oldfield who do not want to force their kids into TM will end up having to send their kids long distance to state schools or go private.

Parrich

Sorry if you're confused, I'm doing my best to answer questions, both here and at the meetings.

I can understand why you are annoyed - everyone wants more schools in Richmond, but most can't agree on which type of schools those should be.

For example the proposed Catholic school had a petition or 3,300 signatures against and about 3,500 in favour - its a tough call.

Many are not aware though that Richmond Education Authority are rated the #1 Education Authority? They really are doing a stellar job of addressing the problem. They have plans in place to create both diversity and quantity of places over the next 3-4 years, but these plans include free schools.

What I can say is this, if we are successful in our bid, regardless of whether you decide to send your children to Maharishi School or not, it will release about 120 places at other schools in Richmond every year. The result is that many, many more parents will get their first or second choice school than there are currently.

The competition for Free School money is national, it doesn't come from the Borough. If we don't get it, chances are it will probably be allocated to another borough or county elsewhere in the country.

You're of the opinion that our track record is not credible, I'm sorry to hear that - The DfE, Lancashire Education Authority, Richmond Education Authority and Ofsted seem to disagree with you, but you are entitled to your opinion.

katbb

Here's an simple example of how a teacher might use one of the SCI principles in a secondary SCI lesson..

Let's take 'life is found in layers'

She might point out examples in physics (molecular, atomic, sub-atomic), then biology (epidermal layers), literature (different levels of meaning in a William Blake poem) and finally the student's own experience during TM when he feels himself experiencing deeper levels of the thinking process.

At primary, it would be much simpler, she might point out the different layers in an onion and the different layers of life found in a classroom fish tank.

That's the general idea.

Thanks Richard - You are right that there is a lot of debate on education in Richmond as people are concerned about funding and site availability in these tough economic times. Type of school becomes an issue when the admissions policy are restrictive or discriminatory as it can negative impact on local communities living close to the school. I welcome diveristy but not exclusive/ restrictive diversity.

Can you please point out to the source that rates Richmond Education Authority as #1. Frankly speaking I am surprised as though we have great primary schools, we have variable standards in state secondary education. Their future plans are also being challenged and debated.

I am sorry but I do not buy-in your logic of freeing 120 places in other schools as that suggests substitution which is not the case in places with high demand and supply constraints. Lastly my point on track record and credebility was targetted at the information that suggested that you have a number of outstanding schools when in fact there is only 1 small school in Lancashire .

Richard - thanks for your responses. You're right that a new school would free places at other schools (if they're full). But would the places all be "at other schools in Richmond"? Your site is on the edge of the borough, so the 50% "distance" and 50% "ballot" places would I guess draw in children from other areas too. And presumably TM practitioners from a wide area would be interested in entering the ballot. Any views on how many primary and secondary places will go to children living in Hampton or other parts of Richmond versus children from other areas?

Free schools and diversity are great for Richmond, provided they benefit Richmond community at large. I like the ethos of another free school proposal www.thomsonhouseschool.org/ that will be open to all without any pre-conditions

"Can you please point out to the source that rates Richmond Education Authority as #1"

parrich, I suspect richard is referring to the fact that in 2011, Richmond Primary Schools collectively had the best Key Stage 2 results in the country (see para 14 of this doc). However, as you correctly point out, our secondary schools are lagging behind our primaries.

Richard, this thread and its predecessor have been running for over a year, and those who have been following it for some time are very up to speed on the local issues with Secondary schools. I would recommend that you take the time to read through it, as the issues are complex and numerous, and there are many links to primary sources of background information.

I would just like to correct you on one point. There were 3500 signatures in favour of a Catholic school, but the 3300 signatures on the Inclusive Schools Petition were in favour of inclusive schools, rather than against a Catholic school. It is possible for a Catholic school to be inclusive, satisfying the wording of both petitions.