A large phalanx of shiny new preschools have debuted in Bangalore’s Top 20 league table indicating growing demand from well-informed professionals in this IT city
Although the once green and pleasant Bangalore (pop.8 million) aka the garden city, is slowly but inexorably being asphyxiated by automotive vehicular pollution, and is being threatened by a looming garbage mountain (see edit p.8), the good news is that thus far the city’s vulnerable preschoolers haven’t suffered any of the widely feared child ailments on a significant scale. In the erstwhile garden city’s booming preschools, it’s business as usual.
As in the other metros, the prime position at top table in the EW Bangalore Preschool Rankings 2012 remains unchanged with Head Start Montessori, Koramangala retaining its numero uno position with an aggregate score of 905 (out of a maximum possible 1,100). However there’s been a reordering of seating positions with Neev, Indiranagar ranked third last year moving to No. 2, pipping the newly promoted (2011) Indus Early Learning Centre, Whitefield which has debuted at No. 3. These three together with First Steps, Cunningham Crescent Road, ranked No.4 (2 last year), and Vidya Sagar, RMV 2nd Stage at No. 5 (7), have been voted the city’s Top 5 preschools of 2012.
A representative sample of 392 SEC (socio-economic category) A parents and 68 principals and teachers polled by the well-known Delhi-based market research agency C fore, has ranked Head Start Montessori (estb. 1984) first overall and also on the parameters of parental involvement, value for money and special needs education. “We are delighted that we’ve retained our premier position, and appreciate the goodwill of the discerning citizens of Bangalore who have reposed faith in Head Start. I am particularly pleased for being rated No. 1 on special needs facilities as this is a priority area for us. I am also satisfied with our top rank in the value for money parameter as we have always believed in making Head Start affordable and accessible to the entire middle class,” says Samina Mahmood, founder director of Head Start (tuition fee: Rs.60,000 per year) which mentors 540 children in two batches.
The seating arrangement of Bang-alore’s Top 10 table is completed by Cherry Tree, Vasanth Nagar ranked No. 6 (5 last year), Kangaroo Kids, Indiranagar at No. 7 (4), Magical Years, Kodigehalli (promoted by the Bhupathi Tennis Academy in collabo-ration with The Magic Years, top-ranked in Delhi) debuting at No. 8 and WeCare, Sarjapur Road at No. 9 (12).
Yet the highlight of the Bangalore preschools league table 2012, is the great leap forward into the Top 10 of Petals Montessori, Marathahalli (estb. 2010) from No.19 last year to 10. “I’m delighted with our entry into the Top 10 list. In the past year as indicated in your parameter ratings, we have invested in infrastructure development and safety and hygiene apart from teacher training and curriculum development. I am especially pleased that Bangalore’s public has ranked Petals Montessori No. 1 on safety and hygiene which is a prime focus area for us,” says Soniya Donison, an alumna of the Montessori Central Internat-ional College, London, who acquired hands-on ECE teaching experience in London before prom-oting Petals Montessori (annual tuition fees: Rs.75,000-1.5 lakh) in 2010.
A notable feature of Bangalore’s Top 20 league table this year is that a large phalanx of shiny new preschools have debuted, indicating growing demand from well-informed and well-paid professionals in the IT hub of Marathahalli-Whitefield. Among the debutant preschools are: KLAY, Whitefield (18); Greenwood High Preschool, Whitefield (18), Vibgyor Kids, Marathahalli (19) and Bangalore School, Whitefield (20).
“An increasing number of double income parents are becoming sharply aware that preschool education is an integral and definitive — not optional — part of the school years and are willing to pay for it. Pressing parental demand has prompted a surge in the promotion of new preschools particularly in the city’s IT hubs,” says Reshma Srinivasan, promoter-managing director of the Bangalore-based WeCare Learning Pvt. Ltd (estb.2008) which has also pioneered establishment of on-site crèches and care services for corporates, and has an aggregate enrolment of 500 children in five day care-cum-preschools.
To read Bangalore's best preschools league table click userfiles/Bangalore-Master.pdf
To read Parameters of Excellence: Bangalore's Top Preschools click userfiles/Bangalore-Parameters.pdf