‘I have seen her growing into a confident and well-learned individual’

From kindergarten to Class 8, Shraddha Ambrit has watched her daughter Ananya evolve within the same school walls. In this candid conversation, she reflects on what drew her to Apeejay School, Nerul initially, and how the institution has evolved over the years while raising teenagers in the age of social media. 

What factors did you consider when thinking of admitting your daughter to this school?

It was near my house. It is a reputed school that I already knew of. It’s been around since 1986, so it’s one of the best schools I could find in our area. Also, I got a lot of good feedback from other parents I consulted before enrolling my kid, which made me feel confident about the decision.

Were the expectations or the word-of-mouth you heard about Apeejay all fulfilled?

Along with studies, I wanted my child to get involved in sports and extracurricular activities as well, because education alone isn’t everything anymore. Academically, it’s really good. There are wonderful teachers, staff, and everyone is cooperative. Those were the factors on my mind while enrolling her and they are met.

When it comes to safety, infrastructure, washroom facilities, and staff behaviour towards girls—do you feel it’s fine?

Yes, definitely. It’s improved a lot since she was enrolled in kindergarten, and now she’s in Class 8. So year by year, I’ve seen improvement. I expect it will keep improving going forward too. I have noticed a lot of changes in the school, in the administration, and in the way they engage with parents. I think they are genuinely on an improving path.

Do you get regular and up-to-date communication from the school?

Yes, definitely. Class teachers inform parents well in advance about extracurricular activities, academic exams, timetables, and the syllabus. The coordinators for sports or other exams like Olympiads also send circulars on time, so we can enrol our children and reach out to the representatives responsible for that. I don’t find any problem there. They are approachable.

Since your daughter has been here from KG to Class 8 now, have you noticed improvement in her personality and academics?

Yes, definitely. She’s been taking part in debate competitions and MUNs. The teachers are very supportive; they tell us what needs work and where she’s lagging. I feel every child gets a fair chance to participate and learn. All the competitions are conducted well, so that’s been a good experience overall. I have seen her growing into a confident and well-learned individual. 

With social media being such a big influence today, do you feel discipline — both verbal and physical — is maintained well among the students at this school?

I think the school is handling such issues very properly. They have counselors in place who work with the students, and if required, they call in and counsel parents too. Considering that kids at this age, in Class 7-8, are growing into teenagers, I think the school is doing its level best to handle that. 

They have had a lot of experience since 1986 in handling children, so I haven’t faced any real difficulty. They keep a close eye on things, and if anything goes wrong, they take action and stay connected with both parents and kids. I think that’s what matters most.