Hindustan Times - C fore Top Schools Survey
2012 East Mumbai
top schools HINDUSTAN TIMES-C FORE SURVEY 2012
A guide fo
hindustantimes EAST MUMBAI
W
e are very pleased to present to readers the fourth HT Top Schools Survey. As we did last year, we have refined the methodology to reflect our own deepening understanding of the issues and by incorporating sensible suggestions from readers. See ‘Methodology’ for further details. We hope that the survey will help parents with one of the most significant decisions they will take on behalf of their children: selecting a school. Along with the rankings, we have profiles of the top schools in each zone followed by a series of articles that capture key education trends in the city. We think that the entire series will help not only newcomers to Mumbai but also parents who have lived here all their lives. This is because city schools are rapidly transforming. First, over the past year, Indian policy makers have ushered in radical changes in curricula across boards to make it more student-centric and less marks oriented. Second, international boards are rapidly making inroads in to city schools, raising the cost of education but also ushering in innovative and wider approaches to learning and teaching. Finally, many of today’s generation of highly conscious parents want to be closely involved with their children’s lives at school: they want a lot of information about what goes on at school not only before sending their children there but also afterwards. They would like a school that suits these aspirations. This series takes into account these key shifts in schooling and parenting.
or young parents
top schools HINDUSTAN TIMES-C FORE SURVEY 2012
10
TOP SCHOOLS OF EAST MUMBAI
The 2012 Hindustan Times-C fore Top Schools Survey gave scores to each school across 18 different parameters, from academic rigour to sports. Here is a list of schools ranked in the Top 10 in East Mumbai
BOMBAY SCOTTISH SCHOOL
HIGHEST RATINGS FOR: ■ Teachers ■ Diversity ■ Selection process BOARD Class 10 - ICSE Annual fee: R40,000 Student strength: 1,600 Student - teacher ratio: 23:1
“The vision of the school is to see that the students are allrounders, well-developed, stand on their own feet and can think for themselves.” ALICE BARRETTO principal
History: In 1847, a group of Scottish missionaries began Bombay Scottish Orphanage School. In 1976, the name was changed to Bombay Scottish School. In commemoration of its 150 years, the Powai school was established in 1997. Unique features: The school conducts several inter-house competitions as well as math and science Olympiads. No formal homework is assigned to students in primary school. The school only awards grades.
WEBSITE: www.bombayscottish.in/powai/ ADDRESS: Raheja Vihar, Powai
hindustantimes EAST MUMBAI HIGHEST RATINGS FOR: ■ Teachers
DON BOSCO HIGH SCHOOL
■ Sports ■ Selection process
BOARD:
Class 10 – ICSE Annual fee: R23,000 Student strength: 2,905 Student-teacher ratio 37:1
“As nurturing presence is our theme for the year, the boys are nurtured with care, concern and a phenomenal investment of time.” FAT H E R B O S C O D ’ M E L LO , principal
History: The school was set up in Tardeo by four Salesians in 1928 and named the Educational Institution of Immaculate Conception. It moved to Matunga in 1941. Unique features: The school focuses on making students aware of the needs of the less-privileged through programmes such as Christmas Panorama and Caren-Share. For nine consecutive years, it has won the Jesal Niranjan Trophy for the Best Boys’ School in sports in Mumbai.
WEBSITE:www.donboscomatunga.com ADDRESS: King’s Circle, Matunga
top schools HINDUSTAN TIMES-C FORE SURVEY 2012
HIGHEST RATINGS FOR: ■ Teachers
HIRANANDANI FOUNDATION SCHOOL
“Our educational programme inculcates values such as team spirit, leadership qualities, critical thinking and an innovative mind that has a capacity for lifelong learning. We believe in the concept of ‘sound mind in a sound body’ that can be achieved through good education.”
■ Selection process
■ Infrastructure and facilities
BOARD: Class 10 – ICSE, Class 12 - ISC, IB Annual fee: R60,000 Student strength: 2,332 Student-teacher ratio 17:1
History: The school was founded in 1990 to cater to residents of Hiranandani Gardens in Powai. Unique features: The school has launched a leadership training programme for girls of Class 9 in memory of one of its students. Each class is associated with a different social initiative. The school has rooms designated for dance and music and an audiovisual room.
K A LYA N I PAT N A I K , principal
WEBSITE: www.hiranandanischools.edu.in ADDRESS: Hiranandani Gardens, Powai
hindustantimes EAST MUMBAI HIGHEST RATINGS FOR:
LORETO CONVENT SCHOOL
■ Selection process ■ Cultural activites ■ Teachers
BOARD: Class 10 – SSC Annual fee: R11,200 (primary) Secondary section is free Student strength: 1,593 Student-teacher ratio 38:1
“Education is a gift of a sapling to a child from a teacher, who nurtures it over the years to bloom into a caring, moral, spiritual, intelligent and social human being.”
History: The school began on June 6, 1968. The Loreto Sisters took over the school from the Good Shepherd Nuns. The school shifted to its present building in 1969. Unique features: The school has a Girl Guides programme. The traffic police department also trains students on traffic rules. The school has its own band and the 8 Counts Dance Studio. Students also learn Hindustani classical music and taekwondo.
S I ST E R G E E T H A , principal
WEBSITE: www.loretoconventschool.org ADDRESS: RCF Township, Chembur
top schools HINDUSTAN TIMES-C FORE SURVEY 2012
OUR LADY OF GOOD COUNSEL HIGH SCHOOL
HIGHEST RATINGS FOR: ■ Attitude towards learning ■ Teachers ■Life skills education BOARD Class 10, SSC Annual fee: R15,500 Student strength: 3,423 Student-teacher ratio: 53: 1
“We create students who seek knowledge and become responsible citizens. Modern technology has played a significant role in the teaching-learning process – thereby providing a competitive edge with holistic understanding, reasoning and cognitive learning.”
History: The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Mumbai established the school in 1939. It began as a primary school and became a high school in 1958. Unique features: The school has an excellent academic record. Located on a hill, students have to climb 50 stairs each day to reach the main square. Students are part of social organisations such as the Red Cross and Rotaract Club.
FAT H E R K A R LU D I A S , principal
WEBSITE: Not available ADDRESS: Near Railway Station, Sion (East)
hindustantimes EAST MUMBAI
OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL SUCCOUR HIGH SCHOOL
■
“We aim to secure all-round development of students with the help of our teachers. Special importance is given to discipline among students as it serves as a catalyst to success in every field.”
History: The school was established by the Catholic Church in 1957 and is run by the Archdiocese of Bombay. The school is managed by the Redemptorist Fathers.
BOARD Class 10 - SSC Annual fee: Not available Student strength: 3,000 Student - teacher ratio: 60: 1
Unique features: The school emphasises sports and co-curricular activities. Students have consistently excelled in football, basketball, badminton and cricket. Its alumni include actor Anil Kapoor and singer Shankar Mahadevan.
FAT H E R PA U L J U L I U S , manager
WEBSITE: Not available ADDRESS: St Anthony’s Road, Chembur
HIGHEST RATINGS FOR: Academic rigour ■ Teachers ■ Sports
top schools HINDUSTAN TIMES-C FORE SURVEY 2012
PAWAR PUBLIC SCHOOL “PPS is firmly committed towards creating a free and open environment, so that the latent potential of students can blossom, bringing out the best creative abilities in them.” DA S ,
History: The school’s foundation stone was laid in April 2005 and classes began a year later. The first batch of Class 10 students passed with 100% results. Unique features: The school has implemented Xseed i-discover and i-curriculum, activity-based syllabi for students till Class 5. Teachers make an extra effort to bring innovation to the method through which they teach various subjects.
principal
HIGHEST RATINGS FOR: ■ Teachers ■ Academic rigour ■ Parent participation
BOARD: Class 10 – ICSE Annual fee: R34,900 Student strength: 2,523 Student-teacher ratio 20:1
WEBSITE: www.pawarpublicschool.com ADDRESS: LBS Road, Bhandup
hindustantimes EAST MUMBAI
HIGHEST RATINGS FOR: ■ Academic rigour ■ Teachers ■ Selection process
BOARD:
SHISHUVAN SCHOOL “We believe that the child is not always the learner and the adult is not always the teacher. Everyone participates in building curriculum, teaching and learning. Students have a say in what they wish to learn.”
History: Shishuvan School was set up in 2001 in response to the community’s need for an English medium school with modern facilities. Unique features: Concepts such as ‘methods of farming’ are taught to Class 5 students by taking them to Dahanu for paddy farming. A School Self-Review and Evaluation (SSRE) is undertaken to evaluate the school in light of its own philosophy, mission and vision.
N E H A C H H E DA , principal
WEBSITE: www.shishuvan.com ADDRESS: 426, Shraddhanand Road, King’s Circle
Class 10 – ICSE Annual fee: R50,000 Student strength: 1,250 Student-teacher ratio 18:1 (primary), 30:1 (secondary)
top schools HINDUSTAN TIMES-C FORE SURVEY 2012
HIGHEST RATINGS FOR: ■ Life skills education ■Teachers ■ Selection process
BOARD: Class 10 – ICSE, Class 12 – ISC Annual fee: R52,000 Student strength: 1,910 Student-teacher ratio: 21:1
ST GREGORIOS HIGH SCHOOL “It is a happy place; children want to come to school. We nurture young minds hoping to give back to society young men and women who will be caring, concerned and contributing citizens.”
History: The St Gregorios Education & Medical Trust was formed in 1992. The Gregorian Nursery opened in 1993 and the main school a year later. Unique features: The school is a member of the Junior Global Partnership programme initiated by the New York Mayor’s office. It is also a part of EUMIND, an organisation promoting cultural relations between Europe and India. Students participate in an annual international peace camp in USA.
R A N J I N I K R I S H A N S WA M Y, principal
WEBSITE: www.stgregorios.net
ADDRESS: VN Purav Marg, Chembur
hindustantimes EAST MUMBAI
UDAYACHAL HIGH SCHOOL
HIGHEST RATINGS FOR: ■ Teachers ■ Safety, health and
hygiene ■ Selection process
BOARD: Class 10 –SSC Annual fee: Not available Student strength: 1,176 Student-teacher ratio 16:1
“We have sustained a tradition of fostering not only top-quality education, but also comprehensive allround development of our students by imparting an international dimension to the curriculum.”
History: The school was set up primarily to teach children of Godrej employees. On August 15, 1955, a welfare centre, Pragati Kendra, was established. The Kendra workers, assisted by colony residents, then started a ‘Balmandir’ and Udayachal School took root. Unique features: The school is ISO-14001 certified and has won the International School Award. Students have participated in the Seeds of Peace programme in the US for two years now.
R E K H A PA N D E Y, principal
WEBSITE: www.udayachal.com ADDRESS: Pirojshanagar, Vikhroli (west)
METHODOLOGY A. Process HT and research firm Cfore conducted the survey in three phases over four months. In the first phase, we sent out an exhaustive questionnaire to 307 private schools in the Mumbai region, asking them to send us detailed data about themselves, such as their studentteacher ratios, total area of all their playgrounds, etc. Of these, 109 schools replied. (We hope that many more will join in next year.) Based on these replies, we assigned each school an objective score. In the second phase, a perceptual survey was conducted among a carefully selected sample of teachers and parents. In all, 2512 respondents were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire. The respondents were asked to evaluate the schools that they were aware of on a 10 point scale against 18 parameters. We used the same parameters as last year. We had arrived at the parameters based on suggestions from a panel of educationists. Simultaneously, objective data was also collected. In the third phase, Cfore research-ers visited each school shortlisted for ranking based on the objective and perceptual data collected. The data was also audited by talking to parents and students. To arrive at the ranking score, the figures of perceptual and objective data were combined. In case the objective data was not available, the perceptual data scores were extrapolated to rank top 10 schools of each of the five zones of the Mumbai region: north, south, east, west and Navi Mumbai. B. The parameters along which we rated the schools I Educational philosophy I Attitude towards learning I Breadth of vision I Social engagement I Academic rigour I Innovative teaching I Quality of teachers I Teacher-student relationship I Sports I Cultural activities I Life skills education I Infrastructure and facilities I Safety, health and hygiene I Diversity I Selection process I Governance I Parent participation I Value for money
NOTES 1. Despite employing such a comprehensive process, we at HT believe that such rankings cannot be completely objective because people will have different opinions of what they believe constitutes a good education. Some parents might be looking for a school that allows them to be closely involved while others may want the opposite. Some parents might want schools that focus on sports while others may want one where academics dominates. 2. We believe that beyond a particular threshold, it is difficult to objectively rank schools. Indeed, as we have said, our survey includes some subjective, perceptual inputs. Therefore, we will only list in alphabetical order schools that emerged as the top ten in each of the other zones. We have, however, provided rankings for the top ten schools overall in the city because many readers have asked us for it. 3. In any case, we advise parents to look carefully at how schools have scored against the various parameters instead of going just by the overall rank. These scores will indicate to parents which school might better suit their specific aspirations. Indeed, a school that is ranked lower might actually be better suited to a parent and his or her child than the topranked one.