- The St James Schools group (which includes a boys’ school and a nursery/prep) was founded in 1975 by the School of Economic Science, an organisation based on the Hindu philosophy of Advaita Vedanta. All food served at its sites is vegetarian.
- The school’s mission is “to offer a unique education based on eastern and western philosophical foundations”. Lessons begin and end with a short period of quiet reflection, referred to as “the Pause”, to promote pupils’ appreciation of meditation and mindfulness.
- Sanskrit is a core part of the school curriculum. St James is considered a centre of excellence for teaching the language, and some pupils have furthered their study at Oxford.
- The St James Academy of Performing Arts was launched in 2022 and offers extracurricular classes in dance, drama, music and singing.
- Alumnae include the actress Emily Watson and the film director Nida Manzoor.
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