Erasmus Primay School | |
---|---|
Location | |
Hawthorn, Victoria Australia | |
Information | |
Type | Independent |
Motto | Luceat Lux Vestra (Let your light shine) |
Religious affiliation(s) | School of Economic Science |
Established | 1996 |
Founder | Leon MacLaren |
Grades | P-6 |
Enrollment | 114 |
Website | erasmus |
Erasmus Primary School is a school in Hawthorn, Victoria, a suburb of Melbourne, Australia, serving children from prep through year 6. It is founded by the Education Renaissance Trust,[1] which is connected with the School of Economic Science, also known as the School of Philosophy.[2]
Erasmus has a unique curriculum for an Australian primary school. The school incorporates meditation and mindfulness practices on a daily basis from early grade levels; in addition, the curriculum includes Latin and Sanskrit, the latter of which former headmaster Jonathan Tickner described as 'almost scientifically perfect'.[3] The school also teaches once-a-week classes in philosophy and scripture, drawing from a mix of Eastern and Western philosophy, particularly relating to the Advaita Vedanta school.[4] The school's website features quotes by Shantanand Saraswati, former head of the Jyotir Math Hindu monastery and pioneer of the Advaita movement.[5] The unusual curriculum and pedagogy of Erasmus Primary School has received mention in the national media.[3][4]
Erasmus is a small school, with 95 students enrolled in 2020.[6] The school's NAPLAN results are above the national average; students in years 3 and 5 average 55 points above the national average in reading, 40 in writing, 48 in spelling, 58 in grammar, and 47 in numeracy.[7]
Erasmus Primary School names Leon MacLaren of the School of Economic Science as its founder.[8] Schools associated with the School of Economic Science have been the subject of child abuse scandals[9] and cult accusations.[10] Erasmus was discussed extensively[11][12] in internet forums for former students of the London-based St James Independent Schools, another SES-related educational institution, regarding child abuse experienced by the former students and their families; this forum was later the topic of a private inquiry finding that children were "criminally assaulted" during their time at the St James and Vedast schools.[13]