31st March 2024
For any parent of a young child, the decision to pick the right school is of paramount importance. A school is a place where their child will spend a vast majority of their time, building not just their academic foundation for success, but also their personality and character. It is an unparalleled experience spanning almost 15 years, where children form their first and most impressionable relationships with friends and mentors, and begin to discover their own dreams and aspirations.
To select the right school, a parent often seeks out the “best schools” in their cities; however, their decision-making process is not as simplistic as the rank of a school. There are several factors which must be considered while choosing a school for your child. These include:
• Quality of education
• Education board (CBSE, ICSE, State Board, IB, IGCSE etc)
• Fees and affordability
• Proximity to home
• Infrastructure
• Teacher Student Ratio
• Alumni stories
• Extra-curricular opportunities
• Co-Ed vs Single Gender
To make this overwhelming process a little easier, we have compiled a list of the best schools in Pune to aid you in your decision-making. The following schools are not only considered as the most reputed and renowned schools of Pune, but also carry legacies spanning a few decades to over 150 years. Their consistency in their quality of education, their impressive alumni stories and the positive feedback from parents year after year make their strong candidates in the list of the top schools of Pune.
1. The Bishop’s School (Camp)
Established in 1864, The Bishop’s School carries a legacy of over 150 years, making it one of the most coveted schools in Pune. Affiliated with the ICSE board, the school provides education to students from Play Group to grade 12. Year after year, the administration and faculty have consistently maintained their quality of teaching and a culture of discipline, preparing young boys for their journeys as adult men. Their teaching faculty comprises of passionate educators who have served the school for several years (and even decades). Students graduating in Grades 10 and 12 have received excellent scores in their Board Examinations along with a portfolio of diverse extra-curricular activities both inter- and intra-school. Alumni of The Bishop’s School have been successful in receiving acceptances to noteworthy colleges and jobs both in India and abroad.
With an infrastructure including classrooms, Science and IT laboratories, libraries, dining halls, vast spaces for sports and athletics, and a hostel, the school offers a plethora of opportunities to students and boarders alike.
Perhaps one important factor to consider for this school is poor teacher to student ratio of 1:50, which does not encourage every student the attention or support he may deserve. Additionally, being a traditional system, the school is yet to shine with respect to innovation both in its teaching methodology as well as novel opportunities for the students.
Facts:
a. Location: Camp
b. Education Board: ICSE
c. Approximate fees: Rs 80,000 to Rs 1,00,000 per year
d. Single Sex- Only Boys School (Separate Co-Ed branches in Kalyaninagar and Undri)
e. Open for day scholars and boarders
2. The Lexicon Schools
Established in 2006, The Lexicon Schools are a testimony of what continued innovation can do for an academic ecosystem. Affiliated with the CBSE board, all three Lexicon School branches thrive on a child-centric system of learning, where there is a holistic approach to growth and development. Students receive opportunities to discover their own talents and passion and are given platforms to achieve excellence. Featured in the Forbes list of “Great Places to Study in India”, The Lexicon Schools offer the perfect balance of academic excellence and all-rounded extra-curricular growth. Students of Lexicon continue to receive stellar results in the annual board examinations and are able to achieve admissions to renowned universities nationally and internationally.
The Lexicon Schools have consciously and mindfully integrated innovative technology into their pedagogy; primary students are trained with early coding and logical reasoning programs to IT labs and enquiry-driven scientific exploration in their laboratories.
There is also a strong emphasis on experiential learning, where application and deep understanding have replaced conventional rote-learning. The faculty of The Lexicon Schools is constantly undergoing professional development through national and international educational bodies, advancing the entire culture of teaching and learning.
All three campuses have big sports grounds, computer labs, science labs, libraries and other spaces for its students.
a. Location: Wagholi, Kalyaninagar, Hadapsar
b. Education Board: CBSE
c. Approximate fees: Rs 80,000 to Rs 1,60,000 per year
d. Co-Ed School
3. St. Mary’s School
Affiliated with the ICSE board, St Mary’s is a name that carries 150+ years of history and legacy in Pune. Considered to be one of the best girls’ schools in the city since decades, St Mary’s offers high quality education and a mentorship through expert teachers. Year after year, students of this school in Pune have received meritorious results in their board examinations, often receiving national ranks; two of their students received 99.2% in the ICSE Board Exams of 2023. This is the result of disciplined teaching methodology with continued evaluations and commitment to academic excellence.
In an attempt to use technology to aid learning, St Mary’s has recently incorporated iPads, laptops and other innovative methods to enhance application and understanding. However, it is worth noting that primarily, St Mary’s is a discipline-focused school which continues to rely on conventional systems of academics.
The school boasts of huge grounds for the children to play sports and a swimming pool. Although the access to most of these areas is restricted to girls only and is inaccessible to the boy’s sections.
It is important to note that the emphasis on extra-curricular activities is minimal and is a little imbalanced in comparison to the academics. Furthermore, their teacher to student ratio is worrisome at 1:60.
a. Location: Camp
b. Education Board: ICSE
c. Approximate fees: Rs 60,000 to Rs 90,000 per year
d. Single Sex- Only Girls’ School (Separate smaller section for boys, and a co-ed junior college)
4. St Anne’s School
A convent school established in 1860, St Anne’s is a Christian Minority Institution, aiming at the preservation of the Catholic faith and is based on the teachings of Jesus Christ. Their commitment to the moral and spiritual development of young girls is commendable, as they believe in their complete development and preparation for adulthood, where they play a crucial role in the shaping of the world.
Their students have accomplished excellent results in the SSC Board Examinations with scores as high as 97.8%. In addition to their emphasis on academics, they are also committed to raising strong sportswomen. They have a keen focus on hockey, tennis, athletics, and gymnastics, and have seen several girls achieve victory at national level competitions and become celebrated all-India players.
With respect to new-age infrastructure and innovative learning, perhaps St Anne’s will still take time to adopt the 21st century methodologies. Their teacher to student ratio is also concern-worthy at 55:1. Furthermore, while there is no discrimination in admitting students of all religions and faith, Catholic studies are mandatory for the students.
a. Location: Camp
b. Education Board: SSC
c. Approximate fees: Not Available
d. Single Sex- Only Girls’ School
5. St Vincent’s High School
Large playgrounds, stadiums, auditoriums, libraries, a swimming pool and a legacy of 157 years! Established in 1867, St Vincent’s High School in Pune is a school that places high emphasis on excellence in sports and has a rich heritage of students shining across various disciplines, such as football, athletics, basketball, hockey, swimming, chess, martial arts, tennis and others.
a. Location: Camp
b. Education Board: SSC
c. Approximate fees: Rs 50,000 per year
d. Single Sex- Only Boys’ School
6. Vidya Valley School
The last 24 years have seen Vidya Valley School grow from a small bungalow to a 12-acre space supporting 1300+ students. Huge open spaces, exemplary sports grounds and performance studios, this is a “Green School” where students can embrace sustainable, naturalistic learning in a dynamic education system.
With consistent professional trainings of the teachers, rigorous academic structure for the students and a constant spirit of enquiry, Vidya Valley works on achieving academic excellence for its students. Their students excel in their Board Examinations, receiving scores as high as 98.33%.
Furthermore, the school strives for holistic development through community service, fine arts, visual arts, fitness and sports.
a. Location: Sus Village (new branch in Wakad)
b. Education Board: ICSE & NIOS
c. Approximate fees: Rs 1,25,00 per year
d. Co-Ed School
7. Indus International School
Recognised as an IB World School, Indus International offers a successful pedagogy of experiential learning and a global network of peers and mentors. It is one of the only schools in Pune, which offers all four of the IB Curricula, starting with their PYP from age 3 to the IBDP and CR programs for students in Grades 11 and 12. Their impressive student to teacher ratio is 25:2, ensuring that each child receives adequate attention and support from the faculty.
Their unique “Whole Education Programme” and “Innovation Curriculum” nurtures young minds to participate in novel projects, taking their learning experiences beyond just the textbooks and the academics. This transformational system of education has allowed the Indus Alumni to achieve university and job offers from countries across the globe.
Indus is spread across a 40-acre green campus for its students, where they can enjoy immersive experiences in sports, fitness, creative arts, fine arts, and a oneness with nature. They also provide meals for both day scholars and boarders.
a. Location: Mulshi
b. Education Board: IB
c. Approximate fees: Rs 1,90,000 to 7,40,000 per year
d. Co-Ed School
e. Open for day scholars and boarders
8. Symbiosis International School
Driven to offer a global perspective to its students through the International Baccalaureate curriculum, Symbiosis International School is one of the many educational institutes by the Symbiosis Group, founded in 1971. As an IB World School, the pedagogy of the school is primarily driven by inquiry and application, rather than the conventional chalkboard format of a teacher teaching and the student learning silently. The school also offers the IGCSE curriculum in addition to the IB PYP, MYP and the IBDP. Both of these curricula require a better teacher to student ratio and also ensure that children carry the onus of learning through innovative methods.
SIS also offers a diverse range of technology integration, modern infrastructural amenities such as visual arts studios, music studios, sports facilities, laboratories and libraries as part of their new campus.
a. Location: Viman Nagar
b. ducation Board: IB/IGCSE
c. Approximate fees: Rs 1,70,000 to Rs 7,30,00 per year
d. Co-Ed School
9. The Kalyani School
Set on a large campus spanning over 9 acres of land, The Kalyani School offers a vast area to children to experience holistic development, both in the classrooms and outside. While the school is relatively new, operational only from 2015, it has created a mark with its high quality of education through competent teachers who are also receiving consistent training workshops.
In addition to their academic goals, they also enable their children to participate in drama, elocution and extensive reading programs. It is a school that offers a plethora of extra-curricular activities both during the school hours as well as after.
a. Location: Manjri
b. Education Board: CBSE
c. Approximate fees: Rs
d. Co-Ed School
10. Delhi Public School
With a holistic learning experience, where academics and a range of extra-curricular activities such as sports, drama, cultural events, art and more are balanced, DPS offers a sturdy education format for students. Recently, their integration of the Play Way Method, especially for the Pre-primary sections and experiential learning for the higher sections has enhanced their quality of education.
DPS also has a large infrastructure for its students, consisting of safe spaces, green gardens, sports complexes, swimming pool, laboratories, libraries and art sections. They have also setup the Atal Tinkering lab to promote STEM learning and independent innovative work.
DPS offers a standardised NCERT model of teaching and is part of one of the largest chains of CBSE Schools in India.
a. Location: Mohammadwadi
b. Education Board: CBSE
c. Approximate fees: Rs 1,19,000
d. Co-Ed School
