Akiva School
'Akiva opened in 1981 as a one-form independent (fee-paying) school in a three-storey former convent school building on the Manor House site in Finchley, North West London, which was part of the Sternberg Centre for Judaism. The Sternberg Centre for Judaism is the largest Jewish communal site in Western Europe and houses a number of organisations, including the Leo Baeck College (which trains Progressive rabbis and teachers), the New North London (Masorti) Synagogue and the headquarters of the Movement for Reform Judaism.'[1]
Zionist school
From a 2018 inspection report by the Board of Deputies of British Jews, posted on the school website:
- The school has a strong affiliation to Israel. Akiva School is proud of its Zionist ethos. Knowledge of and a love of Israel permeate the formal and informal curriculum, usually culminating in a 10-day trip to Israel in Year 6. Israel’s Independence Day is a highlight of the year, and celebrations are organised primarily by the Hebrew Department and Israeli parents at the school.[2]
- Jewish values are exemplified through the school’s approach to tzedaka(charity). Each year pupils discuss and select three charities, both Jewish and non-Jewish. Charities sponsored include Cancer Research UK, Great Ormond Street Hospital and ‘My Israel’. In addition, the school encourages pupils and their families to take part in Jewish communal initiatives, such as ‘Mitzvah Day.’[2]
Funding
Lewis Family Charitable Trust |
