Pathways Schools

Pathways Schools is a group of International K12 and Pre-Primary schools located in Gurgaon and Noida (Delhi NCR), India. The curriculum includes the Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP) and Diploma Programme (DP) of the International Baccalaureate Organisation of Geneva. Pathways World School, Aravali was the first IB Continnum School in North India and the first residential school in the region to follow the IB curriculum. The K12 schools in Gurgaon and Noida are day schools, whereas the K12 school at Aravali is a day cum residential school offering day, week and term boarding options.^[1]

Pathways has opted for a student-centred system with opportunities for project work and discovery learning, guided by an international teaching faculty with access to in service training both in India and abroad. The school applies the multiple intelligences approach, developed by Howard Gardner of Harvard University.^[2]

History

The idea was first conceived by the board of Sarla Holdings Private Limited (SHPL) in 1999, when the chairman, Pramod Kumar Jain and the directors of SHPL decided to venture into the education space in the country. A lot of research was carried out to strive towards creating an innovative and progressive educational pedagogy. After studying and contemplating various education systems both in India and abroad, and numerous months of learning and unlearning, the IB program was found to be the most suitable fit with their vision.^[3] National and international experts developed the concept and plans for the school. They decided to name the school "Pathways" to represent Howard Gardner's multiple pathways to learning.^[2]

Construction for Pathways World School began in April 2002. The first phase of construction was completed within a year and Pathways World School held its first day of classes on 28 April 2003.^[4] In the year 2009, SHPL decided to expand their school vertical and began work on two new Pathways Schools in Gurgaon and Noida respectively. The two new Pathways Schools commenced classes on 18 and 20 October 2010 respectively.^[5]

The Academic Program

The academic systems at Pathways follow a threefold track: the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (Pre Nursery to Grade 5), the IB Middle Years Programme (Grades 6 to 10), and the International Baccalaureate Diploma (Grades 11 & 12). All the systems are international, relevant to the challenges of the 21st Century and accepted for entrance to first-class universities throughout the world. Teaching at Pathways is student-centred, project-based, and incorporates the multiple intelligences concept. While the general curriculum is followed by all students, they are also encouraged to develop talents and interests in personal areas of academic interest, and in sport, theatre music and dance, for which facilities are outstanding.^[6]

Technology is extensively used as a learning tool at Pathways. Every Secondary School student is required to carry a laptop computer that is linked by campus-wide radio-networking. There are Science facilities, a Library-Media-Centre and studios for Art and Craft-Design-Technology.^[6] Pathways follows a long day format which facilitates students to indulge in creative and sporting activities in addition to academics.

The Three Schools

Pathways World School Aravali

Pathways World School was the first school to be launched under the Pathways umbrella in the year 2003. It was the first residential school in North India to follow the IB curriculum. The campus is situated on 34 acres of land on an elevated, wooded site along the majestic foothills of the Aravali Hills. The school is 35 kilometres from the Delhi International Airport and falls within the NCR.^[7]

The school offers both day and boarding options for students while providing flexibility in the boarding options with choices among week, fortnight and term boarding. The current student strength of the school is approximately 1400 with representation from over 60 nationalities. Dr Sarvesh Naidu is the School Director of Pathways World School Aravali.^[8] More than 10 batches of students have already graduated from the school and have successfully attained admissions and scholarships in some of the most reputable universities in India and abroad including Ivy League colleges.^[9] school has been consistently ranked among the top international schools in the country. In the latest Education World Rankings for International Day cum Residential Schools, Pathways Aravali was ranked 1 in the whole of North India and ranked 2 in INDIA.^{[10] [11]}

The school was also the recipient of the ‘Designshare Award’ from New York, USA in 2003 for its aesthetic and purposeful infrastructure design and the ‘Best IT User Award” in the education category in the country’ from NASSCOM in 2004. In the year 2007, the school was rated among the five best architectural works in Delhi and NCR. In the year 2010, the school earned the honour of becoming a global member of Round Square and is also a member of the Council of International Schools (CIS). ^[12]

Pathways School Gurgaon

Pathways School Gurgaon was launched in 2010. Pathways at Gurgaon is a day school. It is situated at Baliawas on Gurgaon-Faridabad road, about 11 km from Andheria morh in Delhi, 17 km from Badhkal chowk in Faridabad and 7 km from DLF golf course, Gurgaon.^[13] The school began its first academic year on 18 October 2010.

Captain Rohit Bajaj is the school director of Pathways School Gurgaon.^[14] The school is located on a 10-acre site and is equipped with an environment friendly modern architecture and infrastructure. In the latest Education World Rankings for International Day Schools, Pathways Gurgaon was ranked 1 in the whole of North India.^[15] The school also has the honour of being the first K12 school and the highest rated educational institution on the planet to earn a ‘LEED-EB Platinum’ rating from United States Green Building Council for its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.^[16]

Pathways School Noida

Pathways School Noida was launched in 2010. Pathways at Noida is centrally located with ease of access from Delhi, Noida and Ghaziabad and is a day school. It is situated at Sector 100 in Noida, 8 km from the DND Flyway.^[17] The school began its first academic year on 20 October 2010.

Dr Shalini Advani is the school director of Pathways School Noida.^[18] The school is located on a 10-acre site and is equipped with an environment friendly modern architecture and infrastructure. In the latest Education World Rankings for International Day Schools, Pathways Noida was ranked 2 in the whole of North India.^[19] The school has the honour of being a 'Microsoft Showcase School’ for its global leadership in successful integrations of technology with teaching and learning.^[20] The school has also earned the prestigious ‘LEED-EB Platinum’ rating from United States Green Building Council for its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.^[21]

Campus and Infrastructure

Academic facilities include classrooms and laboratories which are equipped with interactive whiteboards and projection screens to integrate Information Communication Technology (ICT) with classroom learning. There are specialised studios for dance, music & theatre and a design technology workshop. The schools also include a library and media centre, amphitheatre and atriums with skylight in each building to promote out of class interactions and seminars.^[22]

The schools also consist of a sporting infrastructure which includes the following:

^[23]

Community Service at Pathways

Instituted as early as the primary years, all students engage in community service activities at least once a week, in one form or the other. While the primary students are entrusted with issues such as water conservation, hygiene and care of the environment, the middle and secondary level students are allotted much more imperative tasks like teaching ancillary staff, working with community schools, imparting adult education, and establishing and running Balwaadis. Having obtained the mandate from the government, Pathways has adopted a number of government schools in nearby villages.^[24]

The Interact Club at Pathways also takes up many projects which include eye camps, blood donation camps and awareness drives on social issues like planting trees in the surrounding villages. Some major projects of the club involve setting up computer labs in neighboring village schools and solar panels to generate electricity.^[25]

Additional Learning Support (ALS)

The ALS Department at Pathways acts as a full-fledged support system, catering to the needs of students who are slow learners or suffer from learning disabilities, ADD/ ADHD and Aspergers Syndrome. The department employs Special Educators who set up the systems and procedures for supporting all ALS students.^[24]

Pathways Green Philosophy

Pathways Schools are built in consonance with nature and attention has been given to collectively optimise consumption of resources. Simple but effective techniques like using cavity walls which act as natural thermal conditioners, placing windows on inner edge of extra-thick walls, rain water harvesting, equipping buildings with natural skylight, and other such energy conservation measures have helped the schools lower their energy consumption and promote sustainable development.^[26] Over half of the campus is dedicated to open spaces, playfields and plantations with trees of varied species and dense growth of bushes and vines in each school.^[24]

The United States Green Building Council (USGBC) has recognised Pathways School Gurgaon and Pathways School Noida for their Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) thus conferring the honour of being the only two schools serving all grades K-12 in the world to achieve LEED-EB Platinum Certification. Among all the educational facilities worldwide who have achieved this top distinction which includes one High School and a small number of Universities, our campuses are the highest rated.^[27]

The PULSE Program

The PULSE (Pathways of Universal Life Support Education) program consists of the following modules:

• Pathways Life Support Training
• P.U.L.S.E Classes
• Social Behavioural Counselling
• Support Systems

The Pathways Life Support Training Center is approved by the American Safety & Health Institute (ASHI). It is the only ASHI training center in India teaching the program to the 2005 guidelines.^[28]

Board of Governors

^[29]

Pathways Early Years

In 2012, Pathways ventured into the pre-primary education segment with the launch of it first pre school in Gurgaon. Today, Pathways Early Years is located in 5 different locations in Gurgaon and NOIDA. Pathways Early Years offers programmes for Infants, Toddlers, Pre Nursery, Nursery in addition to a day care facility. A specialized speeach & drama programme (Centrestage) and a parent & child programme (Holding Hands) are also offered.^[30]

References

External links

• Pathways Official Website