Which international school is best in Bangalore?

Is your child just beginning school? Or, are you looking for a strong middle-year or high school programme? A large metro city like Bangalore attracts diversity and talent and has a high demand for good education institutions. Thus, many good alternatives for an International School in Bangalore have modern infrastructure, adopt sophisticated education technologies, and focus on teaching lessons and skills relevant to students in the 21st century. The reputed international schools of the city commonly offer IB or IGCSE curricula. These two boards enjoy global recognition and a reputation for being progressive and intense.

The top international Schools in Bangalore

Some of the international schools in Bangalore that enjoy excellent reputation are -

• The International School of Bangalore
• Canadian International School
• Jain International Residential School
• Oakridge International School
• Candor International School
• Knowledgeum Academy
• Stonehill International School

Choosing IB for High School

IB provides a strong foundation for students with their broad experiential learning methodologies.  Here students are taught the subject’s theories in the classroom but they gain conceptual understanding and clarity through its application. The courses have projects and assignments where students apply their classroom learning and the assessment queries are explorative. So, the students learn to research and engage with the subjects in a way that they are comfortable with and apply it to real-life situations. Thus, they develop important skills for critical thinking, self-study, academic research and resourcefulness among others.

These are important skills that are transferable to college, career and personal development. In high school programmes, IB offers the IB Diploma Programme (IBDP) and the IB Career-related Programme (IBCP). These are two distinct courses with few common objectives such as making students internationally aware, critical thinkers, and compassionate individuals who are unafraid of accountability.

The IBDP path after 10th grade

Up to 10th grade, IB has the Primary Year Programme and the Middle Year programme. After 10th grade, for students who are academically inclined and want to choose a strong academic path to college and career, IBDP is a suitable course. This is a non-traditional interdisciplinary course which is specifically designed to lay a strong academic foundation and enable students to prepare specially for college admissions. The course curriculum balances academics and extracurricular activities, and it includes -

• Option to choose at least six subjects from the six subject groups
• Students can choose the intensity at which they study these subjects by opting for them at the Standard Level (SL) or Higher Level (HL). They have to choose at least 3 subjects at HL.
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• DP Core -
  • Extended Essay (EE) - This is a 4000-word interdisciplinary essay where the student will research and present a paper on a real-life problem.
  • Theory of Knowledge (ToK) - this is a 1600-word reflective essay about the nature of knowledge and our understanding of it.
  • Creativity, Activity, and Service (CAS) - students will engage for 150 hours in creative interests, sports, and community service and write a detailed learning report on the same.

The IBCP path after 10th grade

IBCP is a vocational certification programme that prepares students for college education or work after high school. The course provides students with a strong academic foundation while teaching the courses on any vocation that makes them career- and college-ready at the end of the programme. It takes a more practical approach to professional education with its curriculum where the student will opt for -

• At least two IBDP subjects from its 6 subject groups at SL or HL.
• At least one Career Related Studies (CRS) subject where they will study a vocation in fields such as Business, Hospitality management, Engineering, digital media, Tourism, Hotel Management, or design to name a few.
• CP Core -
  • Personal and professional skills - students learn skills that are transferable in personal and professional contexts.
  • Service Learning - they will apply their skills and vocational training in a community service context to solve real problems.
  • Reflective Projects - this is a 3000-word essay which draws on the student’s experience and knowledge of the career-related study. Here they discuss ethics, technical knowledge and practical application.
  • Language Development - it builds the student’s communication skills and understanding of culture with an international perspective.

IB programmes are recognised by the top international universities and colleges. Many of the IB schools have university admissions counsellors and other support systems and initiatives to guide students and give them career advice. When you are looking at international schools, factor in these additional programmes and supporting courses that give the student exposure and opportunities.