Bombay Cambridge International School is one pioneering educational institution that operates with a vision to develop world graduates who are sensitive and resilient, able to navigate life with compassion, objectivity, and equanimity; and who will always seek to generate solutions to create a healthy and harmonious society. Founded in 1988, it is a premier K-10 co-educational, English medium school recognized for its fully integrated approach to learning.

Poonam Arora is the Principal of Bombay Cambridge International School and under her guidance, the school has been able to expand its horizons and reach greater heights.

In an exclusive interview with Women Entrepreneur, Poonam Arora gives more insights on her professional journey and the success of Bombay Cambridge International School.

Take us through your educational background and prior industry experience

I am a Post Graduate in English Literature after which, I completed my teacher training course. Aside from this, I have done the Cambridge training when our school switched to the Cambridge curriculum. Later, I completed the teacher’s training program which was conducted by Cambridge and I am training my own teachers for the Cambridge program that we have implemented. Besides, I have done a journalism course also. When it comes to my industry experience, Bombay Cambridge International School is the only organization I have been a part of and I have been working here for 25 years. I began my journey as a teacher and after that, I held the position of supervisor and section head. Currently, I hold the office of Principal at the school for the past 15 years.

Throw some light on the pedagogy you use at Bombay Cambridge International School to enhance learning outcomes

The school plays a pivotal role in nurturing and developing the potential of children and we at Bombay Cambridge International School believe that every child is unique, waiting for that potential to be tapped and channelized. We don’t go for a one-size fits all strategy instead create inclusive and integrative courses.

Our first priority is to understand the needs of the children and design and develop our curriculum and teaching pedagogies such that they best help in our students' development. We encourage collaborative learning and try to offer the best platform to nurture passionate learners. Also, to ensure the holistic development of our students aside from the core subjects they are learning, we train them on improving their soft skills as well. How to work in a team, how to communicate your ideas fluently, and how to be confident in yourself - these are some of the key areas we focus on. Major emphasis is given to developing the critical thinking capabilities of each student so that they not only assimilate the concepts they are taught but are also better prepared for their future. We use a plethora of methods including research-based learning, peerto- peer learning, self-learning, and activity-based learning to ensure the consistent development of our students.

In the fast-paced world, characterized by new challenges, we ensure a happy and safe learning experience. Along with our knowledge-friendly and student sensitive curriculum, our Social Emotional Learning Curriculum (SELC) from Kindergarten to class 10 equips learners to make good decisions, behave ethically and develop positive relationships. Our goal is to create ‘World Graduates’ who are future-ready when they leave school and are able to apply 21st-century skills to successfully negotiate every turn in life. It is our commitment to our students to provide the best learning environment – whether offline or online so that each one of them is confident, skilled, and feels valued because to us, ‘Every Child Matters’.

“Our first priority is to understand the needs of the children which helps us to design and develop our curriculum and teaching pedagogies that best help in our student's holistic development”

What were some of the most critical challenges that you have faced in your current role?

After the COVID pandemic, there has been a 360-degree shift in everybody's thought process. In recent times, the pandemic was one of the toughest posing unprecedented challenges. We as educators had to come up with innovative ways to ensure that our student’s learning was not disrupted. Even when in-person teaching was not possible, we evolved new strategies to ensure seamless education for our students while still catering to their emotional needs. One initiative we introduced into our teaching process was the Social Emotional Learning Curriculum(SELC) which focused on understanding the student’s social and emotional quotient, conducting regular talks with students, and interactive sessions with counsellors (if any child had any issues, it would be addressed promptly). Then, we started training our teachers to adapt to the changing scenarios so that they could still teach the students both efficiently and effectivelythrough a seamless experience of virtual classrooms entailing intensive research, training, and support for all.

How has the school's growth journey been so far?

The journey began in 1988 with the awareness that the true meaning of education is yet to be discovered. Inspired by great thinkers of the times, BCIS pioneered several educational child-friendly concepts ahead of time. Cognizant that the child today will apply his/her learning in the future i.e. 20 years beyond, BCG ensures our faculty are trained to nurture the minds and hearts of the developing child.

We are frontrunners in incorporating technology and we were one of the first to introduce computer education into the curriculum. By introducing a worksheet system, we were also able to significantly reduce the weights of the students’ bags. We were also quick to introduce counselling and remedial services for our students so that they are doing well emotionally and academically. In 2014, we introduced a peace code for our students in order to prevent any instances of bullying or unpleasant experiences in our school. We constantly work with the student council to encourage positive engagement and create a happy and safe environment for our students.

Shifting to the IGCSE curriculum is another momentous milestone in our history and over the years, we have been recognized by leading Newspapers like Times of India and Hindustan Times as one of the top 10 international schools of Mumbai. Many of our students have participated in and won numerous awards and accolades in at international competitions which is a testament to the quality of the education and care we provide.

Poonam Arora, Principal, Bombay Cambridge International School

A Post Graduate in English Literature, and having completed teacher training course, followed by journalism, she is a pioneering educator with over 25 years of experience in the education field. Currently, as the Principal of Bombay Cambridge International School she leaves no stone unturned to ensure the holistic development of her students at the school.