A large phalanx of shiny new preschools have debuted in Bengaluru’s Top 20 league table indicating growing demand from well-informed professionals in this IT city. Here are Bengaluru’s best preschools 2012.
Although the once green and pleasant Bengaluru (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.
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 Bengaluru 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 Bengaluru’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 collaboration with The Magic Years, top-ranked in Delhi) debuting at No. 8 and WeCare, Sarjapur Road at No. 9 (12).
A notable feature of Bengaluru’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 Bengaluru 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 Bengaluru-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 Bengaluru’s best preschools 2012 league table click userfiles/Bangalore-Master.pdf
To read Parameters of Excellence: Bengaluru’s Top Preschools click userfiles/Bangalore-Parameters.pdf
Also read: EW India Preschool Rankings 2012