Heritage Xperiential Learning School tops a recent Indian Schools rankings survey

Heritage Xperiential Learning School (HXLS), Gurugram, has recently been ranked the country’s number 1 Co-ed Day School in EWISR 2019-20. The other Delhi NCR schools ranked in the top 10 in this category are Vasant Valley School, Delhi at number 2; Step by Step, Noida at 3; Shri Ram School, Vasant Vihar/Moulsari, Delhi at 4; Sanskriti School, Chanakyapuri, Delhi and The Mothers International School, Delhi tied at 6; and Springdales School, Dhaula Kuan, Delhi at 8.HXLS itself has consistently been in the top 10 rankings over the last few years -- it was ranked 7 in 2015, 6 in 2016, 5 in 2017 and 2 in 2018.
What makes a top ranking in EWISR meaningful is that it is the largest, most independent and comprehensive primary-secondary schools survey in the world. It ranks India's top 1,000 schools nationally, and in states and cities, divided into three main (day, boarding and international) on the basis of 14 parameters of excellence in school education. For the 2019-20 EWISR survey, a sample respondent database of 12,223 individuals including school principals, teachers, educationists, fees-paying parents and senior school students in 28 major cities and education hubs across India was constituted.
Of the 14 rating parameters of excellence in education, HXLS topped in eight: teacher welfare and development; competence of the faculty; sports education; life-skills education; parental involvement; infrastructure provision; special needs education; and value for money, in the 2019-20 EWISR.

The school founders are an alumnus of the Harvard Graduate School of Education. The leadership has several experts and experienced principals from the US, Australia and UK. This formidable team has put together a unique project-based learning curriculum that challenges all conventions of traditional education in the country. HXLS’ top ranking is closely tied to its commitment to an experiential pedagogy and integrated curriculum currently being followed by some of the most progressive, innovative schools across the world. Students do not give examinations until Grade 8, yet HXLS has consistently produced amongst the top results in the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) across the country in terms of average score. Students do not wear uniforms; instead HXLS provides every child with the freedom to be herself. They thrive in a liberal, plural culture in which they lead and question rather than conform. They also forge an authentic relationship with learning and become self-motivated, lifelong learners so that they are eventually able to access personal and professional opportunities for a better future.
The aim is the overall growth of every student. Equal focus is placed on learning through multidisciplinary projects, 21st-century skills of digital literacy, maker-centred learning, design and computational thinking as well as socio-emotional development, active citizenship, service and mindfulness. Concomitantly, HXLS has one of the best visual and performing arts programmes as well as a physical education-based multi-disciplinary curriculum.
Complementing its curricular and extra-curricular programmes is one of the best school infrastructures in the NCR. The school also offers International Primary Programme (IPP) from Nursery to Grade 1 (to be extended year on year to grade 5), and Grades 6 to 10 (IGCSE) and the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme in Grades 11 and 12. The international primary school will be located in DLF Phase 5 in a state of the art building designed for primary years learning from the start of the academic session 2020-21.

In the last 16 years, the school has worked with some of the best organisations, mentors, experts, scholars and practitioners from around the globe. The principles on which it is founded are inspired by several schools of thought – the Waldorfs, Montessori, Krishnamurthy and Sri Aurobindo. These influences have served to refine the school’s teacher development strategy, which is underpinned by a continuous commitment to professional development and improvement. The school set up with I Am A Teacher (IAAT), a not-for-profit organisation, aimed at building a relevant and rigorous practice-based model of excellence for teacher education in the country. The IAAT programme is currently running in HXLS and American School of Bombay.

With a fee structure similar to other day schools in the NCR, HXLS stands out not merely in terms of infrastructure but, most importantly, through the quality of teaching and learning. The school is continuously evolving its approaches to ensure that it provides truly transformative education to its students --- an education that touches their heads, hearts, bodies and spirit.
Disclaimer: This article has been produced on behalf of Heritage Xperiential Learning School, by Times Internet’s Spotlight team.