Review for Sishu Griha

Overview

Sishu Griha is one of the best school in Bangalore which follows Montessori system @ preschool level. My daughter was with Sishu Griha till Mont3 and unfortunately :) we had to move to UK after that. Currently she is going to croydon high school-Croydon-London. In her current school, teachers appreciate her mathematics skill and I had to thank Sishu Griha for getting the basics right.

I have come across some -ve comments on Sishu Griha and hence wanted to clarify few things here. Most (if not all) of these comments are from parents who did not get admission in Sishu Griha and not from parents whose kid(s) are already studying in Sishu Griha.

Disclaimer :

Points discussed here are not from school, just based on experience from my-side and people I know. Do not quote my review during any discussion with the school. This review is only for Mont1 to Mont3. My intention is not to bad mouth about any other school. I'm writing this to help parents who are planning to put their kids in Sishu Griha.

What we liked about the school

• Best pre-school which teaches un-diluted Montessori education (till Mont3) in Bangalore
• Established around 30 years back. (My colleague did his primary-school here :)).
• Student to Teacher ratio : Each class have 2 teachers (a.k.a Aunty) and 1 helper (a.k.a Akka ==> Dhidi in hindi). Max student per class is only ~20 to ~25
   * Well trained management team, teachers and akkas and they have regular Montessori trainings for them
• Most of the teachers stay for longer years (not like other schools) and hence they have good understanding of the kid.
• Teachers and Akkas are very caring. Once I went late to pick my daughter and she was enjoying sitting on Aunty's lap.
• No home-work (little-bit in Mont3)
• Your kid will solve fraction / binomial at 5 years :) Yes, our daughter used to surprise us daily
• We felt kids from Sishu Griha are well behaved when compared to kids from other schools (our personal opinion)
• They focus on other activities apart from academics. Our daughter sings well and we came to know that only during a meeting with the Aunty.
• They have a decent play area explicitly for Mont kids
• They have wash basins (at height comfortable for kids and) close to every class.
• The bathrooms are clean and Mont kids have separate bathrooms. The akkas used to help kids remove/wear their dresses
• Mont1 to Mont3 kids sit in the same class (we liked it). I have seen Mont3 kids helping younger one's and younger ones learn from the elders. They also carry this relationship to Primary and Secondary classes.
• Their orientation program. One full day with full of information (no nonsense). when you return back home you would really feel how much you learned during those ~5 hours
• Observation day - You can go to school, sit next to your kid and watch what your kid and other kids do. It was an amazing experience which you will remember throughout your lifetime.
• Everyone one in the management chain is accessible (I had couple of meetings with school head when my daughter left the school).
• They don't charge for the initial application form (i.e. the child information sheet). Only when 1st level is through you had to buy the application. I remember my friend spending ~1K for application forms in NPS /  DPS / ... and he did not get through in any
• They inculcate good values and culture. That doesn't mean they are fundamentalists (that was my friends impression about the school). I have seen kids from multiple language/ethnicity and religion @ Sishu Griha. Teaching Sanskrit or saying a Sanskrit prayer doesn't mean they are fundamentalist. They celebrate all festivals with the same enthusiasm. They respect/treat everyone without any partiality.
• They easily identify weaknesses/disabilities in your kid and they communicate this to you. The good part is, they don't ask you to pull your kid out of school, instead they help the kid to get rid of the disabilities (if it is possible). I have seen cases where kids don't speak a word in Mont1 and talk for hours in Mont3.
• My daughter (and other Kids) love to go to school. Its not a pressure cooker like some other schools

 
What you wont like

• They don't have a private ground. The ground which you see in front is owned by BBMP/BMP. But during school hours public is not allowed to use the ground. The school management makes sure from restricting others from entering the ground
• Selection criteria is not transparent. Annoying if you don't get admission. Do not worry, there are other schools which are as good as Sishu Griha.
• School fees for Montessori is little high ==> But this is true only for Mont1. I remember paying ~40K as fees and ~30K as donation. But Mont2 and Mont3 we paid only the fees and for primary it was less than Mont fees. Last year (i.e. 2010) my friend said they charged 50K as fees and 60K as donation for Mont1.
• You had to pay the full fees in 3 or 4 days from the day you have been notified that your kid is shortlisted
• No separate parking area for parents, we had to use the roads. Anyways, which school in bangalore has parking area for parents, even if they had they would have charged you for that also :)
• You are not allowed to teach ABCD at home (we liked this :))
• No proper school van facility for pre-school (only private operators, not sure about current status)

Selection Criteria (based on our experience but not in any order)

• Age Criteria : Age should be 2.8 to 3 years as of 1st-June of academic year you are applying for. Which means your kids Date-of-birth should be between 1st June and 30th September.
• (if not a bangalorean then) How many years since you moved to Bangalore. If you are just 1 or 2 years then the probability of you leaving bangalore in a year is more. Basically they expect you to stick to this school for a long time. If you are not a south Indian then you had to prove that you don't have plans of leaving Bangalore, they check this because, a family from Noida has more chances of moving back to Noida in future but this is not the case with a family from Chennai. Distance to your hometown from Bangalore matters :) ==> This criteria might generate false +ves and my case is an example (I'm from chennai).
• Parents earning potential. ==> They would like to know if you can pay the fees/donation on time (consistently). You need not work for MNC or you need not be a business man. Do not give a clue of you leaving Bangalore/India. I would suggest not to apply in Sishu Griha if you those intentions.
• Mother as homemaker ==> But there are cases where both work and grand parents stay with them. I have also seen cases where kids go to day care after school.
• Joint Family ==> They believe moral strength of kid is more in case of Joint family. If you are selected for interview then take grand parents with you (or send grand parents with father/mother).
• Interest in Montessori system : They check this when you attend interview so google a lot before attending interview. They also give some toys to the kids and observe them. They don't even talk to the kid, the selection criteria is for the parents and not for the kid.
• Family Education background.
• Home should be in the same locality as school (max 5 to 7kms)
• +1 if your office is in Bagmane Tech Park.
• +1 if you are a business man ===> not because you can pay more, they charge same fees for everyone. It gives a confidence that you will not move out of bangalore.
• There is another admission slot in october which is mostly for siblings. But the school management will never agree on this point.

What information we filled in application form (put it in the order you prefer)

• child information - date of birth (DOB), name (you need to provide DOB original/copy during interview)
• Parent Information (Father and Mother)
•        Name, DOB, Designation, Annual Income, office/business address,   Mobile/Landline/Office phone numbers
•        Email office/personal
•        Education
•        Designation
• Residence Address
• Family details
•        Nationality, Religion, Languages spoken @ home
•        Who are all staying with you (maid, grand parents)
• Grand parent details (both paternal and maternal)
•        Education
•        Employment history and current status
• Signature of both father/mother pledging above information is true.

How To Apply (based on our experience)

• When to submit Application : Fill above details in a white sheet (hand written or printed copy). Usually they accept this form in the 1st week of September.
• Start checking with the school in the first week of August itself
• After dropping the form you should get a call for the interview in a month. But call the school every 2 weeks (in the first month) or every week (after 1st month). They should feel you are really interested.
• Meantime prepare for the interview. If you are called for the interview then you are 90% through so don't spoil the show.
• After the interview they will confirm in a week's time and you had to pay the full fee + donation in 3 or 4 days. (keep the money ready)
• After you pay the fees, you are done with the admission process.
• Mont usually opens in the second week of June. Contact school in the month of May.

Summary

Do not worry if you did not get admission, there are other schools which are as good as Sishu Griha. "Eveything happens for good, so don't worry". 

But why we have to put so much effort for pre-school? because Sishu Griha is worth it, and we have to do it for our kids. Don't let our ego spoil a chance in our kids life (just my opinion).

 Regards -> Medhan