Higher Secondary Schools in Gaighata
Higher secondary schools play a pivotal role in the education of students by preparing them for college and careers. Higher secondary schools include classes 11th and 12th.
Since the quality of higher secondary schools impacts the education trajectory of a student significantly, it becomes relevant to choose schools that support career aspirations in various fields while also balancing the extracurricular activities for the well-rounded personal development of students.
Education Boards
The curriculum of higher secondary school is designed with a core purpose in mind. It is to shape the future of students by providing a host of career options to choose from while also balancing the extra-curricular and co-curricular activities.
CBSE: The Central Board of Secondary Education
The CBSE is a central educational board for public and private schools. The Govt. of India controls and manages it.
The focus of CBSE is to help students excel in academics by expanding their knowledge and skills. CBSE provides many subjects to choose from.
They offer electives, core subjects and practical work to ensure a well-rounded development of students.
NIOS: National Institute of Open Schooling
While CBSE provides a structured program for students, NIOS is more geared towards students who are unable to attend normal classes.
The syllabus in NIOS is also brief compared to CBSE. NIOS provides flexibility and accessibility by not requiring students to attend classes.
State Boards
While CBSE has a uniform structure across India, the state boards have autonomy in designing the curriculum based on their regional needs and significance.
State boards also conduct exams independently, which might be a better option for students who are not planning to relocate out of their state. On the other hand, CBSE provides a more standard curriculum that is widely accepted in India.
While the structure of different boards varies depending on who is designing it, the core purpose of all the boards is the same. They want to shape students’ future by providing high-quality education, preparing them to enter the workforce, and building the country’s economy
The Admission System in Higher Secondary Schools
To stay updated with the latest developments in the admission process, parents can keep in touch with the school by regularly visiting their website or reading the school’s brochure.
Application
The first step in starting the admission process is to learn about the school through its website or brochure. There, you can get all the information about the facilities, courses, school timings, tests, and the eligibility criteria for admissions.
Many schools maintain their website to communicate essential information about ongoing developments like their coverage in the news, students’ achievements and a sneak peek of their premises.
The application stage is where the parents know about the documents required for a successful registration before moving on to the next step.
To stay updated with the latest developments in the admission process, parents can keep in touch with the school by regularly visiting their website or reading the school’s brochure.
Exam
To select the right students for admission, the entrance exam is a crucial step for schools and students.
The entrance exams are a way to prioritise the admission of interested and eligible students.
Entrance exams require serious preparation because the competition takes work. The purpose of exams is to evaluate students' aptitude and carefully judge which students satisfy the merit criteria.
Interviews and Counselling
Some schools ask parents to visit the school with their kids to ask a few questions to understand the knowledge and attitude of students to judge whether they’ll be a good fit for school or not.
These interviews form an integral part of elite schools that vet their students thoroughly to understand their communication skills, career aspirations and overall personality.
To ace all the stages of admissions, you have to be ready with the proper documents, clear the entrance exams and prepare the student for the interview process to improve their chances of securing admission.
Facilities in Higher Secondary Schools
The facilities in the school premises decide the kind of experience the student will get and the kind of person they embark to become after finishing school.
The common facilities in higher secondary schools are:
Classrooms and Labs
The classrooms are an integral part of the school because they are the foundational method of education.
Apart from regular classrooms, there are also laboratories where students get a chance to learn the concepts from books and apply them in a real-life situation to gain first-hand experience.
With lab technicians and careful guidance from the teacher, students enjoy a supportive atmosphere where they understand the core belief of science: showing proof to support their statement.
Library
Libraries are like a knowledge bank for students looking to enhance their understanding of a specific field. They even have news digests and comics to expand the imagination of students.
With a library card and access to a world of books, the learning opportunities for students are endless.
Students can either study in the library during the permitted hours or take the book home and study at their own pace.
Sports
Promoting physical fitness is something more schools are practising nowadays by including recreational activities that promote the well-being of students and also make them better learners.
The mind and body connection can not be ignored. Students who enjoy sports are also better at studying because movement also energises the brain.
The purpose of sports is two-fold. It provides an outlet for students to relax. It also provides a launchpad for students who aspire to pursue a career in sports.
Smart Class
While blackboards (or greenboards) will ultimately be the standard teaching method, many schools are adopting whiteboards to accommodate interactive learning, which builds student curiosity.
When students find new, exciting and innovative ways to learn, their adherence to the studies increases because it becomes more interesting with the help of audio-visual cues that promote memory building and help them understand concepts faster.
Co-Curricular Activities
Co-curricular activities outside the classroom also significantly affect a student’s development.
Some common co-curricular activities that many schools promote are:
- Sports: Besides improving students’ physical fitness, sports provide an opportunity for students to learn the value of teamwork, discipline and composure. Sports offer a well-rounded development of students because performance in sports is directly proportional to improved cognitive function in studies.
- Community Service: Some schools organise clothes donation drives in winter, cleanliness drives in the school locality or volunteering for an NGO to give back to the community. Community services build gratitude and teach students the values of generosity. It also builds responsibility and awareness towards society.
- Debates: Public speaking opportunities in school events give students the chance to deal with stage fright. It also helps them become an effective and persuasive communicator. Early experience with public speaking in schools prepares students for leadership roles in their careers.
- Arts: Students are happier when they get a chance to unleash their creativity in a safe space. Through painting, creative writing and music, students get the opportunity to train and flex their creative muscles, helping them find a healthy way to relieve stress while building a community of like-minded students.
Parents Involvement
Schools stay in regular touch with parents to update them about the progress of students. With the help of transparent communication, parents are able to understand the impact of school education on their kids.
To improve transparency by bringing all relevant people together, schools also organise parent-teacher meetings to inform the parents about the student’s academic performance.
Not only in academics, parents also get to understand the overall development of their kids, including co-curricular activities and extra-curricular activities, and how their kids interact with other students at the school.
Intimating parents about students’ progress bridges the communication gap between the parents and their kids by bringing them closer to discuss important matters and address any hidden concerns.
Cost of Education
Depending on your budget, schools can be broadly classified as economical and high-budget.
To ensure the best quality of education for your kids without exceeding your budget, here is a list of prices in higher secondary schools based on the budget type:
Budget Type | Annual Fees in INR |
---|---|
Low-Budget Schools | 20,000 - 50,000 |
Medium-Budget Schools | 50,000 - 1,50,000 |
High-Budget Schools | 1,50,000 above |
Boarding Schools | 2,00,000 - 5,00,000 |
Note: These are general estimates, and the prices are subject to change, depending on the location, reputation and facilities available in the higher secondary school.
Key Takeaways
- Higher secondary schools play a pivotal part in student’s development by building a foundation for their career.
- Sports contribute to the well-rounded development of students as they also improve cognitive function in their studies.
- Schools stay in touch with parents by organising parent-teacher meetings regularly to share the performance and address any serious concerns.
- Sports, public speaking, arts and community services are co-curricular activities that build the overall personality of students and help them explore alternative career options.
- The facilities in higher secondary schools are classrooms, labs, sports, libraries, and technology-driven smart classes.
Frequently asked questions on Higher secondary schools in Gaighata
Can a student join a school mid-semester?
Generally, schools don’t allow admission mid-semester. However, the application might be considered if there is a serious concern.
Do schools charge board exam fees separately?
Generally, the board exam fees are included in the school fees. But some schools may collect it separately.
Do higher secondary schools accept fees in installments or only in one go?
Schools allow fee payment in both methods. Depending on the parents’ budget and spending capacity, the better option is to contact the school for optimum financial planning.
What are the age criteria for higher secondary schools?
The age requirement for admission to classes 11th and 12th is between 16-18. However, some state boards have a wider range.