The Dharma School in Brighton is the first primary school in the UK to be based on Buddhist principles. Run independently by a charitable trust, it is for children aged three to 11 years.
After small beginnings, opening with four pupils, the school moved to a large detached property in 1995 and now 75 children attend.
An intimate group of 15 nursery and reception children is taught by three staff in an annex within the beautiful school grounds. The five- to eleven-year-olds are educated in the main building.
The school takes children of all cultural and religious backgrounds, although preference is given to Buddhist families when there is competition for places. Non-Buddhist families tend to choose the school because of its calm, caring ethos and human-scale values. Most of all, parents say they are attracted by the emphasis on spiritual matters. The majority of staff are practising Buddhists.
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