HT brings you top 10 schools (Indian boards) from across the city — the north, east, west, south zones and Navi Mumbai
Selecting a school for their children is possibly the most crucial decision parents make. The Hindustan Times Top Schools survey is an important tool to help them arrive at this choice.
It’s not easy, of course. Parents decide on a school after careful consideration of various factors: distance from home, fees, the institution’s academic record, its infrastructure, the quality of teachers and the support staff, children’s safety, curricular and co-curricular activities, etc. While earlier this would have been a limited but easy choice, it is not so now thanks to an explosion in the number of schools, curricula options, and the city’s evolving demographics.
It is with all these factors in mind that we are pleased to present the 2019 Hindustan Times Top Schools survey. Now in its 11th edition, the HT Top Schools survey is the most exhaustive, most credible study of the city’s best schools across 18 parameters that are judged with the most rigorous standards. The methodology (details provided below) has proved its efficacy since 2009, the year we launched our Top Schools list.
Over the years, we have incorporated suggestions from parents and schools to make the process more robust and demanding so that only the best make it to the top. Each year, we list the top schools —including international schools — from Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai. Apart from the rankings, we have short profiles of each of the schools that made it to the top of each zone. At the end of the rankings series, we will publish a few special pieces on the latest trends in school education and how they will impact your child. We hope you enjoy our series.
1. SMT. SULOCHANADEVI SINGHANIA SCHOOL
Pokharan Road No.1, Thane (West) | www.singhaniaschool.org
History: The school was founded in 1968. Sulochanadevi Singhania School Trust is affiliated to ICSE board. Apart from academics, the school stands tall for its vision, infra, sports and individual attention to students.
Unique features: It is an all-inclusive school providing an environment of progressive education with empathy and care. The school strongly promotes experiential learning.
Highest ratings: Value for money, breadth of vision, academic rigour
Board: ICSE
Annual fees: ₹50,000
Students: 6,500
Student-teacher ratio: 18:1
What attracts students to learning are the real world challenges. We strive to equip kids with the skill sets in a world of innovation.
Revathi Srinivasan, director education and principal
2. THE CATHEDRAL AND JOHN CONNON SCHOOL
Purshottamdas Thakurdas Road, Fort | cathedral-school.com
History: In 1860, Bishop Harding and the Cathedral Chaplain decided to open a Grammar School. This small establishment, along with an even smaller school for girls, was to be the first of many strands later joined to form the Cathedral School.
Unique features: Along with ICSE and ISC, the school has got IB Diploma Programme and Cambridge IGCSE curriculum, so kids have multiple options to choose from.
Highest ratings: Attitude towards learning, teachers, selection process & governance.
Board: ICSE, ISC, IGCSE (Year 9), IBDP (Years 11, 12)
Annual fees: ₹1.85L
Students: 1,966
Student-teacher ratio: 36:1
Our 159-year-old school has built a reputation that is synonymous with excellence. We strive to encourage growth, and foster creativity and exploration.
Meera Isaacs, principal
3. CAMPION SCHOOL
Cooperage Road, Fort | www.campionschool.in
History: Founded in January 1943 by the members of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits), the school began its career in a rental ground floor at 45 Marine Lines and later shifted to its current campus in 1948.
Unique features: The aim of the school is the development of the whole child — spiritual, moral, mental, emotional, physical and social and the formation of an upright citizen.
Highest ratings: Attitude towards learning, sports, teachers, value for money
Board: ICSE
Annual fees: Not disclosed
Students: 837
Student-teacher ratio: 19:1
We transformed Campion School from a conservative Jesuit institution into a contemporary, new tech-enabled, child-centric school.
Paul Machado, principal
4. JAMNABAI NARSEE SCHOOL
JVPD Scheme | www.jns.ac.in
History: The school was founded in 1971 by the Narsee Monjee Educational Trust. Over the past 49 years, the school has grown in strength and is now at the threshold of its golden jubilee celebrations.
Unique features: The school was one of the first ones that catered to the learning requirement of students at various levels. Remedial teaching is provided for specially-abled kids. In pre-school, the school has amalgamated the best practices from seven teaching pedagogies.
Highest ratings: Academic rigour, social engagement, cultural activities.
Board: ICSE, ISC, NIOS
Annual fees: ₹2.31L
Students: 4,200
Student-teacher ratio: 40:1
Individual differences among students are respected. Parent-teacher relationship is strengthened by an effort towards the child’s growth and development.
Zeenat Bhojabhoy,principal
5. RN PODAR SCHOOL
Jain Derasar Road, Santacruz (West) | www.rnpodarschool.com
History: The Podar group of schools was started in 1927, with Mahatma Gandhi, as the first president of Anandilal Podar Trust.
Unique features: The school was the first to integrate state-of-the-art tech, pilot the Khan Academy and implement flipped learning model. It has been a case study for initiating new practices like Google for Education and for innovative practices by IIM-A.
Highest ratings: Teachers, selection process, academic rigour
Board: CBSE
Annual fees: ₹70,000- ₹2L depending on grade
Students: 3,000
Student-teacher ratio: 40:1
Our school has differentiated itself by daring to get out of its comfort zone and keep experimenting and innovating and be a catalyst for change.
Avnita Bir, principal
6. JB PETIT HIGH SCHOOL FOR GIRLS
Maharshi Dadhichi Marg, Fort | www.jbpetithighschool.com
History: Established in 1860 by an English woman, the school was originally known as Miss Prescott’s Fort Christian School. It was renamed to JB Petit High School for Girls in 1946.
Unique features: The school is dedicated to academic excellence and quality instruction while recognizing each child’s uniqueness. The learning environment is characterised by close student-teacher relationships, with an emphasis on universal human values.
Highest ratings: Academic rigour, selection process and teachers
Board: ICSE
Annual fees: Not disclosed
Students: 920
Student-teacher ratio: 15:1
JB is a vibrant, diverse school, grounded in a bedrock of values with a contemporary vision. The staff is united by a strong bond — a desire to provide education.
Benaifer P Kutar, principal
7. UDAYACHAL HIGH SCHOOL
Pirjosha Nagar, Vikhroli (East) | www.udaychal.com
History: The motto of the school is “Tamaso ma jyotirgamaya”, which means “lead us from darkness to light”. Udayachal School was founded in 1955.
Unique features: It was awarded ISA certification by the British Council and green school certification by IGBC. Emphasis is placed on activities like debates, elocution, essay-writing, dramatics and sports. The school strives to inculcate love for the Arts among kids.
Highest ratings: Educational philosophy, teachers, cultural activities.
Board: SSC
Annual fees: Not disclosed
Students: 2,714
Student-teacher ratio: 15:1
We strive towards pioneering goals while being deeply rooted in strong values at the heart of our teaching process.
Rekha Pandey, principal, secondary school and BINAIFER CHHOGA, primary and pre-primary school
7. DELHI PUBLIC SCHOOL
Palm Beach Road, Nerul | www.dpsnavimumbai.edu.in
History: The school is one of the 11 Delhi Public Schools of DPS Society and was established in 1999. It is spread over 7.5 acres.
Unique features: The school provides to students a holistic environment to face global challenges. It boasts of a 5-acre ground with facilities like horse riding and pool. The school insists on integration of teaching content with experiential learning to ensure all-round growth.
Highest ratings: Academic rigour, teachers, attitude towards learning and infrastructure and facilities
Board: CBSE
Annual fees: ₹77,450
Students: 3,600
Student-teacher ratio: 18:1
The school promotes an innovative culture among the staff and students — to develop the ability to deal with ambiguity and impact a changing world.
J Mohanty, principal
9. ARYA VIDYA MANDIR, BANDRA WEST
St Cyril Road, Bandra (West) | www.avmschools.ac.in
History: The foundation of Arya Vidya Mandir Bandra West was laid in 1983. It was the brainchild of our first honorary secretary Jagdishchandra Malhotra.
Unique features: We impart the most modern and progressive methods of education based on a firm foundation of Vedic culture and Indian heritage. Allied to academic excellence, our school encourages students in their pursuits of extra-curricular activities which facilitate their all-round development.
Highest ratings: Value for money, academic rigour, diversity
Board: ICSE
Annual fees: ₹75,000
Students: 1,456
Student-teacher ratio: 40:1
Over these 50 years, we have provided education that promotes holistic development of students, keeping traditional Indian values as the foundation.
Jyoti Kumar,principal
10. SHISHUVAN ENGLISH MEDIUM SCHOOL
426, Shraddhanand Road, Matunga | www.shishuvan.com
History: In 1995, the management of Shri Hirji Bhojraj & Sons Kutchi Visha Oswal Jain Chhatralaya, a charitable trust, first mooted the idea of an English medium school, and Shishuvan came into existence in June 2001.
Unique features: The school has a state-of-the-art infra for sports. Innovative methods like integrated learning, presentations, using drama to teach concepts, are used.
Highest ratings: Innovative teaching, teachers, selection process
Board: ICSE
Annual fees: ₹1.23L
Students: 1,520
Student-teacher ratio: 18:1
At Shishuvan, we endeavour to give to the society a generation which is analytical, caring, strong and empowered to face the realities of life.
Prachi Ranadive, principal
