Schools in chennai

Originally Posted by priyas

Hi
I'm living in brampton,canada for the past 5yrs and planning to return to India in the coming year(2009)around the month of april or early May.I dont have any knowledge of the schools in chennai since I was brought up in madurai.So can u tell me about the various schools in chennai and their admission process.Also some of my friends say matriculation board is good and some say cbse is good and also the icse board.So Im confused a little bit.So any kind of help is appreciated.Thanks.

priyas,
you have'nt mentioned the age of ur kids, the area you are going to stay etc.
Generally, there is an increasing trend towards CBSE schools. Matriculation syllabus is lighter than CBSE syllabus and ICSE is tougher. But people prefer CBSE syllabus bcos they feel their wards will perform better in competetive entrance tests with CBSE syllabus. I think most parents have big plans of IITs / IIM s or Pilani for their kids!
My cousin studied in a matric school but made it to IIM. Ultimately it boils down to the capacity of the child and hardwork that he or she is going to put into academics !
Its my personal opinion that schools do only 20% of the job.

What I would be looking for in a ideal school:

1. Facilities : since my kid like your kid is moving from abroad to India, i want to make sure that the kid is happy in the school. I dont want ac class rooms or a theme park like setup in the school but basic facilities like good clean toilets, big play grounds,etc.
2.Staff: Staff should know their job. They should have patience with children and have a smooth approach.
3.Discipline: The school students should be taught to behave properly and strict rules
should be enforced.
4.Management: The management should not be arrogant or money minded.
5. Learning methodology: Learning should not be centered just around academics but aim for all round personality development of the kid.

I wonder if any school like this exists, but i prefer to go around and check these points before admitting my kid in any school. am not worried about CBSE/ ICSE/ matric or the past records of the school. whichever school am going to put my child in, i want to make sure that my kid is happy and am also happy (some schools have good track record of taunting parents too..!!!).

I just came across the application form of the so called prestigious and no.1 school in the city. The application form had many questions like:

1. What are the educational qualifications of the parents?
2.Which institution they did their degrees/ post graduation?
3.What are the special talents of the parents?
4. Special achievements of parents?
5. Annual income of parents, etc

Now this gives me a pointer to how the school performs well. They try to get kids of parents who are products of prestigious institutions and who have done well in life.
They feel brainy parents may produce brainy offspring.!! The criterion for admission is
based on the theory of genetics! how impressed I am !!!

So what major role does the school have to play when there are two intelligent parents guiding an intelligent child. ? The school merely collects the students from educated , intellectual families, wraps them with some so-called innovative methods of teaching where parents are called upon and constantly advised by the school to coach their child and there we are!. The students come out in flying colours.!!!!

Imagine a kid who is not from a well educated family or a child who has proved their theory of genetics wrong...
.
1.The kid is constantly bullied by teachers of underperforming
2.The other kids think he is a inferior human being causing him to loose his self esteem.
3.The parents are pricked in all the parent teacher meetings .

Net result: mental agony for parents and kids!.

I have nothing against the school but just putting down my observations!

I studied in a anglo indian school where the teachers during my time were nuns and were kind to students. They had moral science classes for us and gave more importance to discipline. They never pressurised any kids in the class and I had a good school life.
I did not get into any IITs or IIMs but have done my engineering, can earn enough to lead a decent life and am contented with my life. Iam pretty sure the school has moulded me into a decent human being.
Pity its a girls school so I cant put my son there...

Looks like am deviating from the topic...
Anyways, its your choice what you want to do for ur kid. Parents know the kids better and always judge for yourself as to what situation you and ur child want to get into.

It is better the follow these general guidelines.

1.Shortlist the schools which are close to your area of residence.
2.Analyse the schools you have shortlisted. If u have time, you can go thru this thread from the begining for this purpose.
3.Applications are generally issued in november/december(for pre kg, Lkg) . Most schools have admission guidelines/information in their website. Contact them and tell them you will be coming in April or May and then what's the procedure you have to follow.
4. If you are not able to come down early ask somebody to check out the school for you.
5.Last but not the least if you dont get admissions into prestigious schools, dont worry.!. The school does not deserve your child and your child deserves a better school.

Hi Thendral

Very appropriate, best and informative advice. We end up exactly the same situation and finally put our kid in Matric which is afterall near to our residence.

Originally Posted by Thendral

priyas,
you have'nt mentioned the age of ur kids, the area you are going to stay etc.
Generally, there is an increasing trend towards CBSE schools. Matriculation syllabus is lighter than CBSE syllabus and ICSE is tougher. But people prefer CBSE syllabus bcos they feel their wards will perform better in competetive entrance tests with CBSE syllabus. I think most parents have big plans of IITs / IIM s or Pilani for their kids!
My cousin studied in a matric school but made it to IIM. Ultimately it boils down to the capacity of the child and hardwork that he or she is going to put into academics !
Its my personal opinion that schools do only 20% of the job.

What I would be looking for in a ideal school:

1. Facilities : since my kid like your kid is moving from abroad to India, i want to make sure that the kid is happy in the school. I dont want ac class rooms or a theme park like setup in the school but basic facilities like good clean toilets, big play grounds,etc.
2.Staff: Staff should know their job. They should have patience with children and have a smooth approach.
3.Discipline: The school students should be taught to behave properly and strict rules
should be enforced.
4.Management: The management should not be arrogant or money minded.
5. Learning methodology: Learning should not be centered just around academics but aim for all round personality development of the kid.

I wonder if any school like this exists, but i prefer to go around and check these points before admitting my kid in any school. am not worried about CBSE/ ICSE/ matric or the past records of the school. whichever school am going to put my child in, i want to make sure that my kid is happy and am also happy (some schools have good track record of taunting parents too..!!!).

I just came across the application form of the so called prestigious and no.1 school in the city. The application form had many questions like:

1. What are the educational qualifications of the parents?
2.Which institution they did their degrees/ post graduation?
3.What are the special talents of the parents?
4. Special achievements of parents?
5. Annual income of parents, etc

Now this gives me a pointer to how the school performs well. They try to get kids of parents who are products of prestigious institutions and who have done well in life.
They feel brainy parents may produce brainy offspring.!! The criterion for admission is
based on the theory of genetics! how impressed I am !!!

So what major role does the school have to play when there are two intelligent parents guiding an intelligent child. ? The school merely collects the students from educated , intellectual families, wraps them with some so-called innovative methods of teaching where parents are called upon and constantly advised by the school to coach their child and there we are!. The students come out in flying colours.!!!!

Imagine a kid who is not from a well educated family or a child who has proved their theory of genetics wrong...
.
1.The kid is constantly bullied by teachers of underperforming
2.The other kids think he is a inferior human being causing him to loose his self esteem.
3.The parents are pricked in all the parent teacher meetings .

Net result: mental agony for parents and kids!.

I have nothing against the school but just putting down my observations!

I studied in a anglo indian school where the teachers during my time were nuns and were kind to students. They had moral science classes for us and gave more importance to discipline. They never pressurised any kids in the class and I had a good school life.
I did not get into any IITs or IIMs but have done my engineering, can earn enough to lead a decent life and am contented with my life. Iam pretty sure the school has moulded me into a decent human being.
Pity its a girls school so I cant put my son there...

Looks like am deviating from the topic...
Anyways, its your choice what you want to do for ur kid. Parents know the kids better and always judge for yourself as to what situation you and ur child want to get into.

It is better the follow these general guidelines.

1.Shortlist the schools which are close to your area of residence.
2.Analyse the schools you have shortlisted. If u have time, you can go thru this thread from the begining for this purpose.
3.Applications are generally issued in november/december(for pre kg, Lkg) . Most schools have admission guidelines/information in their website. Contact them and tell them you will be coming in April or May and then what's the procedure you have to follow.
4. If you are not able to come down early ask somebody to check out the school for you.
5.Last but not the least if you dont get admissions into prestigious schools, dont worry.!. The school does not deserve your child and your child deserves a better school.

Well said

Mangai

Hi Thendral,

You just spoke my mind in your reply above.
That's exactly the kind of school I'm looking from my daughter.
I'ld rather want her to be in a school where she's enjoying
herself learning.I don't want to put her in the international schools
where the setup is Hi-Fi.I would rather go where the teachers are ready
to work with the Parents & child and also enjoy what they're doing!
Have you found a school yet for your child?
Geena

Hello, My name is Praba from Los angeles. I have a son of age 8 currently in 2nd grade and we want to return to india by next June. i.e We are looking for admission to 4th grade. we will be staying in alwarpet, chennai.
1. Second language problem. My son does not know Hindi or tamil. Is it possible to manage.
2. we want to admit in some local schools [i.e no international schools]. When do we need to approach the schools for details and application forms.

I am worried on how the whole thing will settle. Appreicate if anybody could provide good suggesstion.
Praba

Hi all,

Good to see the points from thendral. Really wish some of the parents look at them closely. another discussion on the same is here. may be a different look at the same issue..

School Hunting?????????

Hi,

Can anybody pl let me know if there are vans/buses from Valasaravakkam to PSBB, KK Nagar.

Thanks

Hi All,

Recently joined IL to get more details about Admissions for my son who will be 3 in Feb 2009. We are currently in the UK and planning to move to India for my son's education. We will be staying in T Nagar and after some initial research i have narrowed down to the foolowing schools

1. PSBB
2. Adarsh Senior Sec school
3. Jawahar Vidyalaya
4. DAV
5. Vidya Mandir

I am unable to find detailed reviews about the above schools, so if any one of you have your kid in one of the above schools please can you let me know how your experience has been? Initially i thought i will put my son in PSBB as its just a few mins walk but then i have been reading that they kind of pressurise both the kid as well as parents (correct me if I am wrong) so that's when i started to consider other options. As all parents wish, I just want my son to be in an environment which helps him without stress. Please let me know if i have missed out any other CBSE school in T nagar.

Looking forward to get some varied responses :) Thanks...

Sunandha

Dearest Sunandha ma'am,

Our hearty welcome to you !! May you find all that you need in our falily of IL !!

I did my schooling at DAV Gopalapuram Girls Senior Secondary School. And I would say, its the best CBSE school in the city. Though I joined in my 9th standard; just for the want of CBSE syllabus which was not available from 10th std in my previous school; I would attribute what ever I am now to my school Princi, Mrs.Lalitha Chandrasekaran abd the staff members. Its a friendly campus; though very strict; we will get to like the same as the days progress !!!

I guess its the same scenario even in the boys wing; whose campus is just some two min walk from ours !!!

I wish you son all the very best for his bright Life :)

Regards with Love
RamyaVaradharajan

Originally Posted by suna_teddy

Hi All,

Recently joined IL to get more details about Admissions for my son who will be 3 in Feb 2009. We are currently in the UK and planning to move to India for my son's education. We will be staying in T Nagar and after some initial research i have narrowed down to the foolowing schools

1. PSBB
2. Adarsh Senior Sec school
3. Jawahar Vidyalaya
4. DAV
5. Vidya Mandir

I am unable to find detailed reviews about the above schools, so if any one of you have your kid in one of the above schools please can you let me know how your experience has been? Initially i thought i will put my son in PSBB as its just a few mins walk but then i have been reading that they kind of pressurise both the kid as well as parents (correct me if I am wrong) so that's when i started to consider other options. As all parents wish, I just want my son to be in an environment which helps him without stress. Please let me know if i have missed out any other CBSE school in T nagar.

Looking forward to get some varied responses :) Thanks...

Sunandha

Hey Ramya,

Thanks for your reply which indeed added some thoughts to my research. If you have views about other schools please do post it.

Thanks again
Sunandha