Like every child, every boarding school is also different. No two schools are same; therefore, it is very important to choose the right boarding school for your kid. Choosing a school that promotes his/her learning ability is necessary for child’s development and future.
What is boarding school?
India has had a wonderful history surrounding boarding schools. We have been the hub of education for centuries. In ancient India, there was the Gurukul system of education, where the shishyas (students) and the Guru (teacher) used to live in the proximity of the same house. This system is the oldest, about 10,000 years old. At that time anyone who had a desire to study went to a Guru’s house and requested to be taught. These types of ancient Hindu schools were residential in nature.
Modern day education was brought to India by British rulers. Slowly, India saw the development of good educational network with a western curriculum. Today, the teaching methods have changed fundamentally and very few boarding schools are incorporated within a religious environment.
Boarding school is a disciplined communal setting where children learn, live, and socialise. In some countries like the UK, boarding schools accept full boarders from the age of 8. While in India, most of the school accept boarders from the age of 12 and a small number of schools accept 8- year-olds. CBSE and CISCE are the most preferred ones at boarding schools in India.
Boarding schools have different nuances in different societies. In some societies, it is a tradition to send their kids to boarding schools for generations.
Types of boarding schools
Single-sex school: It can be an all-boys or all-girls boarding school.
Military school: These schools have military-type structure, discipline and atmosphere.
Religious school: These types of schools have a religious affiliation.
Day boarding: This is a new trend in India. Some schools offer state-of-the-art boarding facilities which comprise extended day school up to 6.30 pm. Some schools also provide 5-day boarding facilities so that the child can spend a weekend with parents. Day boarding is a great respite for working parents.
Tips to choose a right boarding school
Here are some helpful tips to help you in making an informed decision.
Explore your options
Look at each and every option. Take time to browse every school’s website. Several schools have wonderful video tours. You may find testimonials from students and parents. Go through these testimonials to understand what the students have to say about their school. You may also find official reviews from overseeing bodies. Additionally, explore independent boarding school review websites; usually, they don’t filter student comments.
You must end up with 15-20 schools in your list.
Curtail your selection
This may consume time but it’s very important. Discuss with your child the pros and cons of every school. Finally, you should be able to shortlist 3 to 5 schools. Here are few questions you should ask your child about his or her preference:
Which part of India is preferable?
Which type of boarding school and curriculum?
Do you prefer single sex or coeducation school?
Are you interested in sports, arts and music?
Do you need a small or a large school?
Do you want to go to a religious or a military school?
Any special interests?
What about class sizes?
What is the quality of residential accommodation?
Now, comes the next question – Does the school match the requirements of my child and me? This is difficult to understand, but you can explore relevant websites to go through the catalogue of wants and musts in detail.
While exploring your options ensure that the boarding school has fully equipped infirmary, a school doctor and a nurse.
Visit the schools
This is the only way to check the suitability of school. A visit to every school is a must. Ask a lot of questions about the school when you are on the school campus. Ask your queries like – activities in the school, academic standards, pastoral support quality of staff, personal attention towards students, rules and regulations, quality of resources, extracurricular activities, academic standards, the flexibility of timings, sports infrastructure, etc. Prepare a questionnaire before visiting the schools. Getting answers to all your questions will definitely help you in choosing the right boarding school. During your visit, you and your child should be given tour of the school; you will get an opportunity to see the accommodation. This is your chance to get an idea whether the school is a good fit for your child and your requirements. Last but not the least, don’t forget to save your data and keep a track of it after the visit.
Admission Process
A large number of schools select the students by their own standardised admission tests. They require pre-registration by sending a draft in the name of the school. IThese tests require a lot of practice if you are opting for one of the reputed school, so help your child to prepare for these tests. The tests are mainly basic subject area- mathematics, science and English. You and your child should be ready for written assessment. Take an advice on these tests and give a lot of practice to your kid.
Fill out the admission form
Nowadays, the majority of schools offer admission forms online. Download the forms from their website and fill in the school’s requirement. Keep ready all the certificates and documents that are needed. You can also obtain these forms in person by paying a certain amount.
If you need financial aid, make sure to file the financial aid request forms,although not many schools offer financial aid to students in India.
Cluster of Boarding Schools in India
Some notable boarding schools are present in the below regions.
West: Panchgani, Satara, Jalgaon,Rajkot, Vadodara
East: Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Narendrapur, Kurseong, Kolkata, Bhubaneshwar
North: Delhi, Dehradun, Nainital, Mussoorie, Almora, Pilani, Ajmer, Jaipur, Mt Abu, Shimla, Solan, Sanawar, Chail, Kasauli, Sonipat,
South: Kadayiruppu, Bengaluru, Belgaum, Chennai, Ooty, Coimbatore, Elagiri Hills, Ketti, Tiruchirapalli, Hyderabad,
Central India: Indore, Bhopal, Gwalior
Before taking any decision consider your child’s personality, emotional needs, school environment, training of teachers, curriculum quality and overall facilities. Always remember that if you are able to choose the best boarding school for your child, then it will definitely help him or her carve a niche in future. Only you are in the best position to understand your child; you know his/her strengths and weaknesses. A boarding school that is good for your friend’s child may not be right for your kid. So, start early and stay organised.
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