Summary
For Classes VI to X, the school will follow the Cambridge curriculum. For XI and XII, RPGIS will offer International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
A new school in Alipore will be the first in the city to offer the primary years programme (PYP) of the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum.
RP Goenka International School will offer the PYP from nursery to Class V and is starting with 250-odd students.
In 2024, the school will start Classes VI to IX and the next year, Classes XI and XII.
For Classes VI to X, the school will follow the Cambridge curriculum. For XI and XII, RPGIS will offer the IBDP (International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme).
The other three Calcutta schools that follow IB — Calcutta International School, The Heritage School and Modern High School International — do so only for Classes XI and XII (IBDP).
“The idea of IB is to instil the love for learning, so the children learn how to learn. It is not just about reading a book, memorising and writing out an answer. The advantage of IB is it is a methodology of teaching and learning where it allows you to build on your own local cultural values, history and tradition into the system. It has allowed us to do an international curriculum along with deeply rooted in Indian cultures and values. That’s is why we have chosen IB because it allows that flexibility,” said Shashwat Goenka, founder, RP Goenka International School.
At maximum capacity, the school will have 700 students.
Each section will have 20 students and each class will have two sections, the authorities said.
“We have had an overwhelming response,” said Goenka.
The annual fee of RPGIS is Rs 4,35,000, approximately.
The classrooms are designed with desks where students face each other and not necessarily the teacher, like in a conventional classroom setup.
“The idea for the classrooms is to make it more interactive and less structured, where you have a table and a chair and you are looking in front at the teachers. This layout allows more collaborative teaching,” said Goenka.
There is a set-up outside the four walls where teachers can take classes.
The school will offer scope for research and experiential learning, the authorities said.
Shivika Goenka, founder, RP Goenka International School, said the school intends to instil a culture of compassion, empathy, kindness and a strong sense of social responsibility in the students.
Calcutta International School follows the Cambridge curriculum, offering the Cambridge IGCSE (International General Certificate of Secondary Education) in Class X and A levels (Classes XI and XII).
“We incorporate elements of IB throughout — at the junior, middle and senior school. The IB’s MYP (middle years programme) does not offer any formal assessment at the end of Class X, which is why it has not gained popularity in India,” said Tina Servaia, principal, senior school, Calcutta International School.
Some other international schools in the city like The Cambridge School and Garden High International School offer the Cambridge curriculum.
Last updated on 15 Jul 2023
