High school students are on the precipice of adulthood, leaving their schools and going out into the world on their own. While they continue to build upon what they have learnt in middle school, they also have to prepare for higher studies and competitive exams. It is also the time when students usually begin to think about what they want to pursue as a career. Our curriculum is designed to facilitate all of this and more. We follow child-centred, content-focused, and interactive methods of teaching that help to bring about a holistic development of all aspects of the student's personality—physical, intellectual, emotional, social, and spiritual.
English is the medium of instruction. Subjects offered include English, Sanskrit, Kannada, Hindi, Mathematics, Science, and Social Science. Core subjects are General Science, Social Science, and Mathematics
We adhere to the board-mandated comprehensive and continuous assessment format. It consists of projects, activities, practicals, and tests that promote our students' overall development. It emphasises both academic and non-academic skills. It involves four formative assessments scheduled at regular intervals, as well as two summative assessments each year. Rather than rote learning, the assessments are designed to help students learn and retain concepts in a variety of subjects. While the examination formats prepare students for their Secondary School Leaving Certificate exams, they also learn how to prepare for prospective competitive exams.
During the academic year, the library plays an important role in the lives of students by serving as a repository of information. Our library is well-stocked with books ranging from fiction to non-fiction to encyclopaedias, giving our students a wide variety of choices. The library period is held once a week and promotes the growth of both group and individual learners. Reading is known to help students develop their vocabulary, increase comprehension, instil the habit of reading in silence, and encourage a problem-solving approach in pupils. Students and teachers alike use the library to find information on a variety of topics and to find a quiet place to read. Students can use the library for reference work as well as to find information for projects and presentations. The library's books are updated on a regular basis to keep them up-to-date and relevant.
Sri Kumaran Group of Institutions partners with Arpitha Associates to conduct a programme called EQUBE—Enabling Evolutionary Excellence to provide students with a course that instils vital life skills that will help them in the present and the future. The programme is designed to tap into the children's potential during their formative years. Class X is taught SAP (Social Action Project), a project management and leadership module. It provides them with a useful perspective on real-world issues and teaches them how to deal with them. Each student is encouraged to work on their own project. All throughout the course, it provides a platform for students to reflect, introspect, and learn from life. It prepares them to be changemakers. Classes are held once a week.
Science is unlike any other subject. To comprehend its concepts, one must look beyond books and traditional classroom instruction. Seeing, handling, and manipulating real objects and materials is essential for effective science teaching and learning. The knowledge that children gain in school will be ineffective unless they understand the process and the relationship between actions and reactions. Our students are taken to science labs to make scientific knowledge more interesting and effective, as well as to encourage them to make significant contributions to the fields of physics, chemistry, and biology.
Computer science has advanced rapidly and is constantly evolving. It becomes important to include Information and Communication Technology (ICT) as part of our curriculum. The module includes activities such as learning software tools, cyber safety, thinking outside the box, and teamwork. Students use these tools to design the cover page of the school magazine.
The computer curriculum is systematic and helps students improve their thinking and organisational skills. As students progress through the grades, they gradually assimilate and apply more complex concepts.
Our hobbies not only bring us joy, but also help us become better people. Doing what we enjoy greatly enhances and enriches our lives. It provides us with something enjoyable to do in our spare time and allows us to learn new skills. It breaks the monotony of daily life and leaves us content as we use our creative side. At Kumarans, we are fortunate to have a wide range of hobby classes to choose from, including dance, aerobics, home science, craft, aeromodelling, theatre, and music. Classes are held once a week and are conducted by trained professionals.
Yoga is derived from the Sanskrit word "yuj," which means "union" of the mind, body, and spirit. It entails the procedure of physical postures and poses known as asana in Sanskrit. The ultimate objective of practising yoga is to achieve self-enlightenment by creating a balance between the body and the mind. A professional yoga teacher leads yoga classes for students every week. A new definition of a healthy, peaceful, and fulfilling lifestyle is taught through the use of various movements, breathing exercises, relaxation techniques, and meditations.
Physical fitness is a key ingredient for a healthy lifestyle. This is why physical education is an important aspect of our curriculum. Our school trains the students in various sports such as basketball, volleyball, throwball, football, badminton, hockey, and cricket. Students participate in other athletic activities as part of their physical education classes that are held weekly.
Our school encourages students who excel not only in sports and academics, but also in extracurricular activities such as National Cadet Corps [NCC] training. The NCC was established in our school to train students by instilling values such as discipline, patriotism, courage, and punctuality. The NCC, as part of India's second line of defence, teaches its cadre marching, moral qualities, and weapon operation, and also aids in the strengthening of the cadets' bodies and minds. The NCC also instils in its members the importance of service.
Kalakshari is a beautiful celebration of art that touches every student's life. Students are given the opportunity to immerse themselves in an environment that inspires them to participate in activities such as creative writing, drama, dance, music, debate, art, T-shirt designing, mehendi, face painting, hair styling, rangoli, fireless cooking, origami, jewellery designing, and quizzing. This is a fantastic opportunity for our students to hone their literary skills while having fun. This is an event that students look forward to all year.
The Kumarans' annual day has always been a grand celebration and one of the most important events. It is a time to celebrate and recognise the accomplishments of the students as well as the school. Students take part in a variety of cultural events and work tirelessly to prepare for the big show. Teachers, too, work tirelessly to ensure the success of the show. Every alternate year, the school day is held in November and has a specific theme. The day is made even more special because the students' parents and families attend to watch them perform.
Our school believes that students should learn to be global citizens while still holding onto traditional values. Keeping this in mind, all major national holidays and festivals such as World Environment Day, International Yoga Day, Independence Day, Republic Day, and Kannada Rajyotsava are commemorated at school through special assemblies. Students are given a platform to showcase their talent these days. Music, dance, and role-play are used to capture the essence of the special day.
Bulletin boards serve many functions, including the dissemination of information and the display of works of art. Students are given the opportunity to showcase their work, thereby making their learning visible. It helps students connect and feel like they are part of a learning community.
The cover pages of our school notebooks, school diaries, and the school magazine are chosen from the drawings and paintings of the aspiring artists among our students, along with a suitable caption. Every year, the school holds a theme-based competition, and students are encouraged to submit their artwork. The best are displayed on the cover pages. This allows our students to take pride in their work.
The Student's Editorial Entity of Kumarans, or SEEK, is a committee that produces the annual school magazine, Gnanamanthanam. This magazine serves as a yearbook for our school's students. Pupils from all classes are encouraged to submit original works of art and creative writing, such as poems, stories, articles, and reports. This magazine is significant because it provides an opportunity for aspiring and talented writers to enhance their writing skills through an appraisal that inspires and motivates. The magazine also covers events held during the academic year and documents the school's and its students' accomplishments.
Students from various classes are taken on trips, treks, and excursions as an extension of classroom learning, which provides alternative educational opportunities for children while also serving as recreation. Students from Class X who are graduating are taken on a longer trip to create memories that they will cherish for the rest of their lives. Field trips broaden students' knowledge of their country, state, or the destination they visit, and teach them how to care for themselves in the absence of their parents. It helps them develop social skills as they interact with their peers outside of the classroom.
Learning art gives the learner pleasure and joy, and fosters collaboration and group learning skills.Art classes help enhance creativity, neural development, and the problem-solving ability of our students. It encourages the improvement of fine motor skills. At the Sri Kumaran Children's Home, SSLC Section, art classes are held once a week by trained professionals.
The Kumarans Model United Nations (KMUN) is a three-day high school international relations simulation that teaches students about current events, international relations, conflicts, and diplomacy. At this conference, our students act as representatives of a specific country and attend simulated United Nations sessions such as the General Assembly, Security Council, or any other committee. They must collaborate with other delegates from around the world to solve a problem. The entire programme is conducted by alumni from our schools. Delegates at the KMUN get to experience how the United Nations works by taking on the roles of international organisations and national cabinets. Participants work on international issues and find solutions to global problems through debate sessions. It teaches participants public speaking, debate, critical thinking, and teamwork skills. It also allows them to gain a better understanding of current global issues.
Seva Day is observed in the loving memory of our beloved former school director, Smt. Meenakshi Balakrishnan. It is observed on October 1st, the anniversary of her passing. On this day, our students take the initiative to keep the school premises clean. It assists them in integrating positive values, encouraging good behaviour, and developing an altruistic nature. We also strive to uphold the values instilled by our mother Smt. Meenakshi Balakrishnan.
The school provides students with the opportunity to take a variety of external examinations. It instils in students a healthy sense of academic competition and contrasts them to students from other institutions. Students can also exercise and improve their application skills while increasing their self-confidence. One of them is the Assessment of Scholastic Skills through Educational Testing (ASSET), which is administered in schools across the country by Educational Initiatives. This diagnostic test aids students in improving their academic performance by identifying misconceptions, measuring a student's conceptual understanding, and benchmarking the school's performance at various levels. The Spell Bee International is another external exam that is an exclusive, immersive, meticulously organised, world-class language development programme for students. It assists in the development of their spelling, vocabulary, and communication skills.
Students in Class IX participate in the International Award for Young People programme, which encourages young people to reach their full potential within the context of Indian society, improving their moral, social, and intellectual well-being — "to equip them for life." It was established in the United Kingdom in 1956 as the Duke of Edinburgh's Award. Students engage in non-competitive and voluntary self-development activities that aim to make a significant difference in their lives. The project's concept is an individual challenge that fosters personal discovery and advancement, self-reliance, perseverance, and a sense of duty to oneself, and their community.
Our annual sports day is an opportunity for children who have a passion for outdoor sports and team games to shine. It is also a day that students spend outdoors, either participating in varied events or cheering on their friends in house teams. Various displays, such as the march past, yoga, and aerobics, take place, along with individual and group athletic competitions. The winners are awarded medals and certificates.
Our school provides a platform for our students to demonstrate their scientific aptitude through IT and Science fairs. This fosters scientific and technological creativity in students, instilling pride in their abilities. Students get the opportunity to apply classroom learning to real life and showcase their skills and abilities.
Hobbies allow children to discover their inner passions and talents. Hobby Day allows them to comprehend and showcase everything they have learned in their hobby classes throughout the academic year, such as cooking, aeromodelling, theatre, dance, karate, public speaking, stitching, and crafts.
Our school bids farewell to Class X students, signalling not only the end of high school life, but also the beginning of life outside the four walls of this place of learning. The day elicits a range of emotions in students as they bid farewell to their friends and teachers, but it is also a time for celebration, reminiscence, and reflection, as the future unfolds with a multitude of promises. Students who have excelled in various fields such as academics, sports, and co-curricular activities are recognised and rewarded on this day.
Parents and teachers are crucial in shaping a child's future. Our school allows parents to meet with their children's class teachers and subject teachers to discuss concerns about their children's performance. This is especially true in high school, when students are preparing for their board exams. Positive working relationships between the teacher and the parent can benefit the student's academic performance. During parent-teacher meetings, subject teachers inform parents about their ward's progress and areas that need improvement. Teachers usually offer solutions when certain areas need to be improved.
The counselling services at Kumarans assist in addressing students' emotional, social, and behavioural needs in order to create a seamless and friendly environment in which each of them can be helped in various ways. Counsellors provide a safe environment for students to discuss their worries and doubts and assist them to resolve these apprehensions.
Class X students at Kumarans participate in a career counselling programme to help them know and understand themselves and the world of different professions in order for them to make career, educational, and life decisions. Workshops are held to provide them with objective and professional advice on their thoughts about higher education and the professional career they want to pursue. This aids in the organisation of their thoughts and potential career choices, the identification of factors influencing their career development, and the assessment of their interests, abilities, and values.