The two-year reign of Indus Early Learning Centre as Hyderabad’s #1 pre-primary has ended with sample respondents voting Kangaroo Kids, Banjara Hills as the city’s #1 preschool this year
The two-year reign of the high-profile Indus Early Learning Centre, Jubilee Hills (estb.2011) as Hyderabad’s #1 pre-primary has ended. A respondents sample comprising 238 parents of preschool children and 88 principals/teachers in this coveted joint capital of the newly legislated states of Telangana and Seemandhra, has voted Kangaroo Kids, Banjara Hills as the #1 pre-primary in the EW Hyderabad Preschool Rankings 2014. Ranked #10 in 2011, Kangaroo Kids has been moving erratically in Hyderabad’s league table from #2 in 2012, #3 in 2013 to #1 this year. Though there’s a new #1, the second position has been retained by Globe Toters, Jubilee Hills while Indus Early Learning Centre, Jubilee Hills has been pushed to #3.
Chandrika Chalasami, promoter-principal of Kangaroo Kids, Banjara Hills (KK-BH), feels rewarded with the #1 overall rank awarded to this ten-year-old pre-primary, also top-ranked on the parameters of individual attention to students, parental involvement, safety and hygiene, special needs education and leadership quality. “Our #1 rank was long overdue as we were the first pre-primary to bring international best practices in early childhood care and education to Hyderabad. Our balanced education philosophy combines Montessori and activity-based learning, and is responsive to children’s emotional and social needs. Our #1 rank on individual attention to students, safety and hygiene, and parental involvement validates our child-centric ECCE philosophy,” says Chalasami, an alumna of Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi and the University of Texas, Austin. KK-BH is a franchisee school of the Mumbai-based Kangaroo Kids Education Ltd, which manages 64 owned and franchised preschools countrywide. Currently, the pre-primary housed on a 1 acre campus with air-conditioned classrooms, sand and water play areas, gym and music rooms, outdoor jungle gym, library and audio-visual rooms, has 350 students spanning 18 months to six years mentored by 50 teachers on its muster rolls.
Beyond the Top 3, there’s been minor rearrangement of the seating order at top table with Glendale Edufun, Banjara Hills (#4) and Blue Blocks, Gachibowli (#5) exchanging their 2013 ranks, while Open Interactive Play School, Jubilee Hills has retained its #6 ranking. The debut of Indus International Junior School, Gachibowli at #7 has pushed the previously seventh ranked Polka Dots, Jubilee Hills to #8 and Kinder Kare, Gachibowli to #10 (from #8 in 2013) and EuroKids, Banjara Hills to #10 (#9). However, the most dramatic entry into the Top 10 league table of Hyderabad’s most respected preschools 2014 is that of CHIREC, Jubilee Hills which has vaulted from #20 in 2013 to #9 this year. The pre-primary which has an enrolment of 200 students in the age group 2.5-5.5 years is promoted by CHIREC School, a Top 5 ranked K-12 day school in Andhra Pradesh/Telangana in the EW India School Rankings 2014.
“CHIREC’s focus on rounded, whole child development and activity-oriented pedagogies is unique. My expertise in ECCE in India and the US was put into practice when I set up CHIREC 26 years ago. Since then, it has grown from strength to strength, sustaining high quality and excellence. We are constantly innovating and updating ourselves on latest ECCE best practices and appreciate and welcome parental involvement,” says Ratna D. Reddy, founder-director of CHIREC who has a postgrad degree in child development from the University of Hyderabad and another Masters in ECCE from Iowa University, USA.
The 11-20 league table of Hyderabad’s top pre-primaries, except for the entry of two previously unranked preschools — Strawberry Fields, West Marredpally (#11) and Globe Toters, Gachibowli (#14) — contains no big surprises. Esperanza, Gachibowli (#12) has retained its 2013 rank as have The Tree House, Kukatpally (#15), Little Millennium, Saidabad (#17), Little Einsteins, Kondapur (#18) and Prime Years, Banjara Hills (#19).
To read Hyderabad’s best preschools league table visit: