‘The school gives my daughter so many opportunities to grow and nurture her talents’

For this parent, what mattered most while searching for schools in Navi Mumbai was the teachers. Having worked as a school counsellor, she sees things from different perspectives. She shared her reasoning for selecting Apeejay School, Nerul for her daughter Keya, who is now in Class 5A. 

In this candid conversation, she talks about what set Apeejay apart from other schools and doesn’t hold back on where she thinks the school still has room to grow.

What attracted you to Apeejay in the first place?

I am a psychology and sociology teacher, so my lens for observing things is different. Teacher quality made the biggest impact. Everything else—the board, the infrastructure—was secondary to me. As an educator myself, I know that experienced, knowledgeable, and motivated teachers who maintain clear boundaries with students and parents have the biggest impact on the education a child receives. I knew that going in.

While searching for schools, Apeejay clearly stood out. Apeejay is a school that has maintained standards, boundaries, and educational excellence, delivering year after year for decades. There was a self-assuredness there that we simply didn’t see anywhere else.

When Keya joined Apeejay, were your expectations around teaching and excellence met?

Yes, they were met. The school has a legacy. A sense of safety is created in children when boundaries are clear. My daughter has been fortunate to have excellent teachers over the last few years. They show deep concern and care. Apeejay still has very dedicated, experienced teachers, which is why we’re happy with the education our daughter is receiving.

Do you think teachers get enough time to oversee and guide individual children?

Teachers are really well spoken. I was impressed by how they approach education, especially on open day. Teachers have genuinely collaborated with us as parents in shaping Keya by understanding who she is. 

The school includes extracurricular activities, excursions, and theme-based assemblies built around student inclusion. Do you feel that reflects in Keya’s day-to-day behaviour or at home?

Absolutely. I love how much enrichment happens beyond the school curriculum, and I’m genuinely happy about that. My daughter is naturally a creative, artistic, performing-arts child. She’s good at dramatics, public speaking, and singing. She gets many opportunities at school to develop those skills and showcase herself. 

Right now, she’s part of the throwball team, in the Founder’s Day skit, and in the Gandhi Jayanti celebration. She’s everywhere, all over the place. The school gives her so many opportunities, and I’m really happy about that.

Over the years, how have you seen Keya’s personality evolve?

Her confidence and overall self-esteem have really blossomed. I think that’s largely due to her experiences in school. They haven’t always been positive experiences either, but even the small setbacks she’s had along the way have taught her a lot and helped her grow.