There are two most important things we can give our children, roots to grow and wings to fly. With this intrinsic belief, we have undertaken this journey, seeking parents as our Partners in Progress. At Billabong High International School, we acknowledge that schools are because students are. Its rightly said that a school is a building of four walls…with tomorrow inside. Therefore, we seek to join hands with parents to nurture our tomorrow as rooted …yet ready to fly, dynamic … yet focused, organized… yet exploratory.
Billabong High International Schools in India started operations in Mumbai in 1994. The parents who experienced their children developing and enjoying learning in a meaningful context at Kangaroo Kids, wanted a transition to primary School with the same methodology and ecosystem of teaching and learning. And thus evolved BHIS with the belief ‘to teach is to touch a life forever ‘at its core. Keeping students’ needs as the prime focus, we at Billabong designed a learning content with a holistic and interdisciplinary approach. We believe that every child learns differently- some through kinesthetic, some audio and video stimulation, while others learn through activity. The passionate faculty across BHIS schools in India bring in their innovative and progressive learning concepts at every stage of student development. Fueled by this passion, BHIS was the first school to move beyond the one-dimensional textbook learning approach. BHIS has succeeded in bringing about the change with the right mix of chalk and technology.
At BHIS, we aim to ‘ignite human greatness’ in each and every child.
We enable them to discover, enhance and maximize their potential. We have worked on various models of inclusion, namely collaboration, co-teaching, pull-out services, and paraprofessional support. Teachers and staff collaborate and consult with each other; students work with each other despite differences, and administrators support the collaborative efforts of faculty and staff. Inclusion for us is practiced not because it is the law, but because it is embedded within the school’s culture.
We work towards making this a reality by paying attention to the different individuals and groups of children within our school – girls / boys, children from minority faiths and ethnicities, children with additional learning needs, gifted and talented children and self-paced learners. Thus, all children are integrated into the mainstream and we extend additional emotional, behavioural, academic and social support to them whenever needed. This helps to lay the foundation of an inclusive society by respecting diversity and provides better opportunity to develop empathy, create friendships, learn through peer modelling, and enhance cognitive skills, social quotient, emotional quotient, fun quotient and academic outcome for ALL learners.
To ensure effective implementation of inclusive education, we have a team of Psychologists, Counsellors and Special Educators who together form the ‘Centre of Wellbeing’. At the Centre of Wellbeing, the team works towards using their professional expertise to ensure maximum support to children who need additional aid. Three different types of Plans are offered keeping children’s varied needs in mind – Counselling Plan, Remedial Education Plan and Individualized Education Plan. We also conduct varied activities like- Brain Gym, Social Skills Training, Art Therapy, Play Therapy, Group Sessions and Workshops.
…And More… to work towards holistic development of children.
Inclusive Education benefits all children. Most positive outcome being that it turns everyone around more empathetic. Empathy makes children more emotionally and socially competent, and helps them be more successful and better equipped future citizens. We take immense pride in the fact that we have now progressed from being a school with inclusion to being a model inclusive school in the country!
BHIS, with its award- winning marquee in education, spans across 38 locations in India and abroad with curriculum across all boards – CBSC, ICSE and IGCSE. We march ahead with an ennobling vision of empowering every child to reach his/her full potential. Our learners grow from strength to strength as responsible leaders and independent thinkers. In the corridors of BHIS, students and faculty come together for a purpose by implementing the theory of teaching and learning.
Due to this approach, BHIS has won the Education World’s special merit award for India’s most respected school for two consecutive years in 2008 and 2009. Also, BHIS Maldives, went on to receive accolades as it won the National School Achievement Award from the government of Maldives reaffirming its pioneering teaching process towards- intellectual, emotional, social and spiritual growth of the child.