Academic year 2007
See ‘For Parents’ link under ‘School Policies’ for more details.
English Language
At I.S.P.S. we use English as the medium of instruction in every sphere of school life. It is therefore desirable that children come to the school with at least a basic knowledge of English. Though extra training in English-as-a-Foreign-Language can be provided, parents should be aware that children entering the Senior Section with a poor knowledge of English will face difficulties academically.
Hygiene
Small children coming to I.S.P.S. should be trained by their parents to be autonomous in matters of hygiene. The most important thing that they need to learn is how to wash themselves with water, using a jug, after going to the toilet. This is the Indian custom, and is recommended by Shri Mataji. Small children sometimes find it hard if it is not their habit at home. Please introduce them to this system before they come to the school, so that they find it neither difficult nor strange.
Pastoral Care
To help new pupils adapt to the world of ISPS we have a mentoring system where all new children are assigned an adult and a senior pupil to keep an eye on them. Their responsibility in the first few weeks of the year is to introduce their charge to the habits and customs of the school and to give them any advice and help they need.
In addition to this, every child in the school is under the care of their class teacher and dorm-in-charge. They monitor the academic, emotional, social, spiritual and individual progress of each child, do what they can to help and report to the parents every month.
What Parents Can Do
Here is some advice to help parents soften the impact on first-time pupils to I.S.P.S.
1. Accompany your child up to the school yourself.
2. Help your child find their dorm and locate the bed and cupboard assigned to them.
3. Introduce your child to the dorm-in-charge. Do what you can to make this first meeting a positive one because the relationship with the dorm in-charge is central, especially for the smaller children.
4. Do not worry if your child has not yet been assigned a class or a class teacher. It may take a few days.
5. Find out who will be mentoring your child, introduce them and make sure that the initial meeting is a positive one.
6. Deposit your child’s passport and other documents with the school office.
7. Speak to the school nurse about any health problems your child may have.
8. Make it clear to your child how long you will be staying at the school and keep to your timetable. Lingering makes it more difficult for your child to settle down. We recommend that parents remain in the school vicinity for no longer than two days.
9. Do not immediately phone your child. It is much easier for them to settle down if they do not receive phone-calls from parents and relations for three weeks after they arrive. However, it is essential that this is explained to children in a way that they understand. Parents should be prepared to counter attempts by their children to extract promises to phone earlier.
10. Try to free your attention from your children. Surrendering them to the care of the school, which is so much in Shri Mataji’s attention, is the best way to help them flourish and absorb the Divine Vibrations that ISPS is blessed with.