In This Glamour Segment of K-12 Education, the Vintage Woodstock
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In this glamour segment of K-12 education, the vintage Woodstock School, Mussoorie, which topped the table for two consecutive years (2008 and 2009), has regained its No. I position SUMMIYA Y ASMEEN REPORTS APlTAL-INTENSIVE NEW GENRE international schools bench- C marked with the best residential primary-secondaries worldwide consti- tute the glamour segment of the Indian school system. Offering superior infrast- ructure, en suite residential accommo- dation, latest classroom technologies and a wide mix of co-curricular and sports and games facilities, India's high- end international schools affiliated with offshore examination boards such as the International Baccalaureate Organi- sation (IEO), Geneva; Cambridge International Examination (CIE); Edexcel, or CBSE) curriculum, only those K-12 education in Asia," says Dr. Eleanor UK and Advanced Placement (AP), have schools with more than one-fifth of the Nicholson, pro tern principal of the captured the imagination of post- students body enroled in the inter- school. liberalisation India's upper crust, and national programme are classified as An alumna of Loyola and Chicago increasingly of a growing number of international. "This reclassification universities with over three decades of foreign households as well. They offer enabled survey respondents to experience in teaching and school world-class school education at a fraction evaluate international schools on an administration, Nicholson is holding fort of the fees demanded by Eton, equal footing," explains Premchand until Jonathan Long, currently principal Winchester and Andover with the Palety, chief executive of C fore. of the Mahindra United World College additional advantage of climates that Accredited by the US-based Middle of India, Pune (ranked No.3), takes permit year-round outdoor activities. States Association, of Colleges and charge as principal of Woodstock in In this glamour segment of K-12 Secondary Schools and offering the December. education, the vintage Woodstock American High School Diploma to its 500 Perhaps the highlight of the EW-C School, Mussoorie (estb.1852), which students, Woodstock has been top- fore India's Most Respected Schools was bested by Kodaikanal International rated on the newly introduced para- Survey 2011 is that the three-year School (KIS) in the international schools meter of 'international characteristics' duopoly of Woodstock and Kodaikanal league table of 2010 after occupying the (expatriate staff, students and foreign International at the head of the inter- top spot for two consecutive years connections), individual attention to national top table has been seriously (2008 and 2009), has regained its No.1 students and sports education. "We are challenged, if not quite ended, by the posi tion this year. delighted that Woodstock has regained Bangalore-based new genre Indus With an ever increasing number its position as India's No.1 international International School (lIS), co-ranked of primary-secondary schools across the school, especially on account of being second this year. In particular, there's country describing themselves as ranked first on the parameters of considerable jubilation within lIS that 'international', for the purposes of the international characteristics and this lBO, Geneva-affiliated K-12 school annual EW-C fore surveys, international individual attention to students. Our top has trumped the country's more than schools are defined as institutions which rank in sports education can in part be century old Woodstock and KIS on the offer the syllabuses and curriculums of attributed to the inauguration of our new newly introduced parameters of teacher foreign examination boards, namely state-of-the-art $1.5 million (Rs.6.75 welfare and development and comm- lBO, Geneva; CIE and Edexcel, UK and crore) gym last year - funded and built unity service, in addition to co-curricular The College Board, USA from at least by Woodstock alumni. However, we will education and leadership/management middle school (class VIII). Moreover, not rest on our laurels and we are quality. with a growing number of international actively engaged in a strategic planning "We are elated that lIS is moving up schools also offering their students the process - 2020 Vision - to ensure we in every survey. It's a reaffirmation that option of a national exam board (CISCE continue to be leaders in international we are on the right path, and motivates and inspires us to give our best. I am also delighted with our premier rating on community service. In the same year, we started our Indus International Community School, the country's first equal opportunity school which offers free IB education to underprivileged students in our neighbourhood. Last year we also inaugurated our Indus Training and Research Institute, which in collaboration with Keele University, UK offers a postgrad diploma progra- mme in teacher development. I'm thrilled these pioneer initiatives are reflected in the survey," says Sarojini Rao, principal of lIS, who is also elated about the swift rise into the Top 10 list of lIS, Hyderabad (estb.2008), ranked No.1 2 last year. "We hope our new lIS Pune which admitted its first batch of students in 2008 will be ranked next year," she adds. OTHER NEW GENRE INTERNATIONAL school which is obviously education eminences experience consi- ~ aking waves within the small the lBO-affiliated Oberoi International but growing fraternity of international School, Mumbai (estb. 2008): "It's a derable discomfort with accepting their schools is the Gurgaon-based lBO, good start for a young school to be verdict. Every year, following publication Geneva-affiliated Pathways World ranked among the top dozen and No.3 of the Education World league tables, School, which has advanced in the in Mumbai. I am particularly pleased that our mailbox (letters to the editor) pages national league table to No.7 (10) and we have been rated highly on the are filled with complaints. is top-ranked again under the parameter parameters of individual attention to This year Sharonee Mullick, principal of infrastructure provision. "Last year, students and value for money. We of the well-ranked (No.16) Singapore Pathways became one of seven schools maintain a very favourable 1:5 teacher- International School, Mumbai (SIS, in India awarded accreditation by the pupil ratio which enables our 150 estb. 2007), took exception to the Council of International Schools. teachers to offer personal attention to methodology employed by C-fore to rate However, our low rank on the new our 710 students. And Oberoi Inter- and rank the country's most admired parameters of life skills education and national definitely offers the best value schools. "How can you rank schools community service shows there's for money among all international without visiting us? Our IB results are insufficient public awareness of our schools in Mumbai." outstanding and last year, 50 of our excellent in-house Pulse life skills course Despite the EW-C fore annual survey students were admitted into Ivy League and outreach programmes, particularly of the country's most admired schools universities. A survey cannot be done the ground-breaking work done by our having been introduced in 2007, and without checking the facts," she students in preserving the local public perception-based opinion polls contends. environment. I'm sure these new becoming de rigueur worldwide, some Mullick's response is typical of the initiatives will be acknowledged business illiteracy of numerous in forthcoming surveys," says ivory-tower educationists who Dr. Sarvesh Naidu, executive tend to be unaware about the director of Pathways Schools. importance of consciously While there are no new building institution brands which entrants in the Top 10 league attract the brightest students, table, down the list there are best teachers, alumni and public several nexgen internationally endowments, and official and affiliated schools that have made societal goodwill. One of the it into the Top 20 list. Among objectives of the annual EW-C fore them: Oberoi International India's Most Respected Schools School, Mumbai (No.12); surveys is to prompt educatio- Singapore International School, nists, principals and teachers to Mumbai (No.16), and Stonehill emerge from isolationism and International School, Bangalore connect with the real world (No.20). 1 beyond school walls and gates to Comments Vladimir Kuskovski, ! . teach and learn in the public the newly appointed principal of 1~~ interest. Most Admired International Schools league table Woodstock School, Mussoorie 87 186 84 90 93 76 91 85 73 84 86 73 73 81 95 Kodaikanal International School 90 187 87 89 88 77 86 82 70 85 87 75 79 82 89 Indus International School, Bangalore Mahindra United World College, Pune Dhirubhai Ambani International School, Mumbai The International School Bangalore (TISB) Good Shepherd International School, Ooty Ecole Mondiale World School, Mumbai Pathways World School, Gurgaon Mercedes BenZ International School, Pune 88 177 79 80 76 75 85 68 75 80 72 68 67 84 82 Hebron School, Ooty 83 164 73 76 74 78 80 79 71 87 84 70 69 77 84 I Indus International School, Hyderabad International School of Hyderabad Oberoi International School, Mumbai Scottish High International School, Gurgaon J Podar World School, Santacruz (W), Mumbai Billabong International School, Mumbai • Singapore International School, Mumbai Canadian International School, Bangalore Vidya Sanskar International, Faridabad • GD. Goenka World School, Gurgaon c E a.'" a;0 > ~ :;