21 Apr 2016
Chitkara International School in Chandigarh, India, takes a highly innovative approach to curriculum development. Using research from Chitkara University (part of the same educational trust), the school uses the skills required by higher education and employers as the basis for a teaching programme designed to give students both academic and career success.
The Cambridge Primary programme plays a key role in this holistic strategy. The programme, which develops skills in English, maths and science, is used with Senior Kindergarten students, and the curriculum emphasis on exploration, interaction and enquiry has made a real difference to teaching quality and style. As Alka Thapa, Chitkara’s Academic Co-ordinator, explains: ‘Cambridge lessons bring freshness and life to the classroom, with student involvement and stress-free learning core to the approach.’
By introducing a structured and progressive curriculum at this early stage, Cambridge Primary is making a real contribution to the school’s vision – to use transformative, empowering education, informed by the latest research, delivered using innovative techniques.
As Principal Dr Niyati Chitkara explains: ‘A student-friendly curriculum not only involves classroom teaching and formal assessment, but also a drive for multifaceted development where students can undertake research and scientific discovery, and are encouraged to develop innovative thinking and a curiosity to learn more.’
For Chitkara, Cambridge Primary has ‘altered the DNA’ of its future learners, giving students the essential educational foundation for success as they progress through the school.