Introduction to ICSE
ICSE stands for Indian School Certificate Examinations. It is one of the exams and the biggest one conducted by the CISCE – Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations
After India attained independence in 1947, ICSE was set up as part of the process of replacing the British Cambridge School Certificate Examination with an All India Examination system.
ICSE affiliated schools have made an important contribution to Indian Education by providing high quality education in both the academic and extra-curricular fields. Currently there are 2750 plus schools affiliated to ICSE in India and in 5 countries abroad.
The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations conducts three examinations annually
- The ICSE in Class 10
- The ISC in Class 12
- The CVE (Vocational Education) in Class 12
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Understanding the ICSE Curriculum
The ICSE curriculum is an English medium curriculum. In the Primary classes students learn English, Mathematics, Environment Sciences, Social Studies, Second Language, Value Education, GK, Arts & crafts
In the Middle School, Science and Social Studies are subdivided into Physics, Chemistry, Biology and History & Civics and Geography respectively.
In the High School students have the option of selecting the Science stream or Commerce & Humanities stream.
CICSE provides a large number of subjects for schools to select and curate streams from. ICSE students can do Drama & Theatre studies, Western Music, Indian Music, Fine Arts, a variety of Indian and Foreign languages, Physical Education (P.E) etc.
Other Boards do not offer such a wide variety of subjects to choose from. They also focus only on functional English as a medium of instruction.
The ICSE curriculum is continuously monitored and updated by the activities of their research wing RDCD (Research Development & Consultancy Division). RDCD monitors latest trends and developments in the education space and adapts them appropriately to the ICSE curriculum to keep it up to date and relevant.
The ICSE curriculum is implemented as per the guidelines laid down by the Council. The number of teaching days in the academic year, guidelines for the hours of instruction per subject per class are provided and must be adhered to.
The Council conducts regular training modules for teachers and Principals as part of their professional development. This enables the schools to implement innovative teaching methods among the students.
Technology is presented to students with the inclusion of Computer Science as a subject from the very youngest class. Depending upon their resources, schools may also offer advanced technical subjects like Robotics. The Governmentt of India has earmarked one of the “National Awards for School teachers for innovative use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT)” for CICSE schools.
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Top ICSE Schools in Bangalore: A Comprehensive Guide
Many of Bangalore’s oldest and most reputed schools offer the ICSE curriculum.
These include:
Bethany High (Koramangala), Bishop Cotton’s School (Boys & Girls), Baldwin High School (Boys & Girls), St. Joseph’s Boys High School, Clarence High School etc.
Many new ICSE schools have been set up in the Sarjapur road area. These have soon gained repute as some of the best ICSE schools in Bangalore.
Some of these are:
Bethany High (Sarjapur), Greenwood High, Inventure Academy. Headstart International Academy etc.
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Benefits of Choosing an ICSE School
Choosing to attend an ICSE school offers the following benefits:
An excellent education leading to fluency in English, engagement in an up-to-date curriculum which provides focus on academics (STEM and Humanities) as well as extra-curricular activities. This is evidenced by a list of illustrious alumni who have excelled in various fields
Rahul Dravid – cricketer
Nandan Nilekani- IT
Sabeer Bhatia – IT
Altamas Kabir Chief Justice of India
Shankar Roy Chowdhary – Army Chief of Staff
Swapan Dasgupta – Editor
Kiran Mazumdar Shaw – Scientific entrepreneur
Sharmila Nicollet – golf
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Understanding the core values and Philosophy of ICSE schools
ICSE schools have a “child centric” approach and their core values are the holistic development and nurturing of students in their care. The philosophy is to guide the students to be inquisitive and creative learners.
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Admission Process in ICSE Schools
- Within the framework provided by the Council, individual ICSE schools have the freedom to create their own ethos.
- Parents seeking admission for their children should do their research to find out which ICSE school in Bangalore is likely to be a good fit for their child.
For most schools the bulk of the admissions happen in the Kindergarten section.
As per the Government and Council regulations, a child joining the youngest class must have completed 3 years before the start of the academic year.
The steps followed are
- Intimation of opening of admissions on school website and other media
- Filling of online Enquiry form by the parents
- Verification of Enquiry form data
- Selection of candidates for interaction – priority is usually given to siblings, children of school alumni, children of staff members etc.
- The child is assessed only through an informal interaction where the child is observed at play, engaged in conversation and the main discussion is held with parents.
- The school’s philosophy and rules are discussed with the parents
- When a message is received about the child’s selection the parents pay the fees and complete other admission formalities.
For higher classes, admissions are advertised only against vacancies
- Students shortlisted for admission usually have to write an age appropriate test in English, Math and Second language to judge their suitability.
- Students who pass the entrance test and their parents meet the department Head for discussions
- The school’s philosophy and rules are discussed with the parents.
- When a message is received about the child’s selection the parents pay the fees and complete other admission formalities.
Documents for admission
- Municipal birth certificate
- Aadhar card
- Report card from any previous school attended
- Transfer certificate from previous school attended (for higher classes)
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Extracurricular activities in ICSE schools
- The Council lays great importance in activities other than academics. ICSE schools host various inter-school tournaments.
- Bethany High has hosted the Council Table tennis games and sends participants in many fields to all the Council events.
- The school provides guides to accompany students representing Bethany to other venues.
Sports, debates, literary contests, elocution contests, quizzes, tech contests , music and dance competitions etc. are some of the popular extracurricular activities offered by Bethany High and many ICSE schools.
Balancing academics and extracurricular activities
Teachers at Bethany High go the extra mile to ensure that students who participate in extracurricular activities are able to balance the academic load by providing study material and tutoring during free periods etc.
Students too learn the importance of academics and prioritize and balance their extracurricular activities with academics
Parental involvement in ICSE schools
Parents are important stakeholders in the journey of their child in an ICSE school. Parents should do their research and select an ICSE school whose philosophy matches their own and commit to being a supportive partner to the school.
Parents can effectively engage with the school by abiding by the rules in the school diary, ensuring their child comes to school on time, well-rested and with all the materials required for the school day.
They should refrain from criticising school staff and policies in front of their children and should use proper channels to discuss their issues with the teachers and escalate matters if need be.
Facilities and Infrastructure of ICSE schools
– Proper facilities and infrastructure are a condition for a school to get ICSE affiliation
– The school should have a playing field, classrooms large enough to accommodate the children comfortably, suitable labs, libraries and an auditorium to conduct events and public exams etc.
– Most ICSE schools offer all these and additionally some offer classrooms with internet connected smartboards, dance and music studios etc.
– All ICSE schools are required to have emergency protocols and processes and to conduct frequent drills for the same
– They also have to enforce government policies for the safety of children such as POCSO
Faculty in ICSE schools
Well trained, professional faculty and staff are the backbone of a school.
The Council lays down qualifications required for each teaching role and adherence is mandatory to get affiliation.
The Council offers many training modules and also facilitates access to training modules provided by the Department of Education.
Bethany High also organizes professional development opportunities for its faculty and staff.
The Council has many awards to recognize and motivate excellence in teacher performance.
Bethany High recognizes the important role of teachers and cares for the welfare of their staff. We have a low attrition rate and many of our teachers have been with us for 10 to 35 years.