Dhirubhai Ambani International School

Dhirubhai Ambani International School
"Dare to Dream, Learn to Excel"
Location
Bandra-Kurla Complex, Bandra (East), Mumbai-400098, India
Information
Type	Private School
Patron saint(s)	Dhirubhai Ambani
Established	2003
Chairperson	Nita Ambani
Faculty	190
Grades	K-12
Website	www.da-is.org

The Dhirubhai Ambani International School (DAIS) is a private co-educational LKG-12 day school in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, built by Reliance Industries, named after the late patriarch of the conglomerate, Dhirubhai Ambani. Dhirubhai Ambani International School was established in 2003 and has been an IB World School since January 2003. It is one of 37 in India that offers the International Baccalaureate Program in its Diploma form. Nita Ambani, wife of Mukesh Ambani is the chairperson of the school.

Dhirubhai Ambani International School prepares students for the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education, the IGCSE and the IB Diploma examinations. Considered one of the most prestigious schools in the country, admissions to the school are extremely competitive, especially for the international curriculum programs.

The school is known for a very high grade average in both the IB diploma program and IGCSE. IB results have been extremely strong right from the first graduating class, with several students achieving more than 40 IB points and gaining places at prestigious universities. Out of the 80 students achieving full 45 points in the IB program in India in 2009, 2 of them were from this school. Furthermore, recent IGCSE results have also proved excellence with 33 Indian subject toppers. Every year, at least 90% of the IBDP students choose to pursue higher studies at foreign institutions. The best universities of India have offered positions to students from this school including all eight Ivy League universities, all existing Seven Sisters, and Oxbridge. Despite this, students and parents often complain about the school's obsessive focus on academics, and the resulting pressure that is applied on students. However, students are very well rounded and have excelled in several fields outside of academics as well.

System of education

Primary School (CIPP): LKG to Class 4

The Primary School Programme at Dhirubhai Ambani International School comprises Lower and Upper Kindergarten (LKG and UKG) years and classes I to IV. In classes LKG to IV, the school follows an integrated curriculum by drawing on teaching programmes of the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations and international examination boards. The school is a member of the Cambridge International Primary Programme and is rewarded as one of the most successful IB schools in the city of Mumbai by the board of school and higher studies UK.^[1]

Middle School (CLSP): Class 5 to Class 7

The Middle School Programme i.e. classes 5 to 7, build on the foundations laid in previous years. The Cambridge Lower Secondary Programme is followed by the school.^[2]

Secondary School

The school offers the following programmes in class VIII, where students prepare for the programme that they will study in classes IX and X -

ICSE Programme

IGCSE Programme^[3]

Post Secondary School

Dhirubhai Ambani International School has been an IB World School since January 2003. It offers the IB Diploma Programme.^[4][5]

Facilities

School building

The school building is seven storied with lawns, landscaped gardens and playgrounds. The school premises house 130,000 square feet (12,000 m²) of teaching space containing classrooms and laboratories.^[6]

Every classroom has a public address system, display and writing boards, lockers for students, broadband Internet access and air conditioning. In addition to this, there is schoolwide wireless internet access for the school's 11th and 12th graders. There are laboratories for Physics, Chemistry and Biology and teaching rooms for Art, Music, Social Science, Languages, Computer Studies, and Mathematics.

The school has a Learning Centre with access to periodicals and audio-visual resources, the internet and photocopying/printing facilities. It shares a playground with the American School of Bombay with a grass pitch, tennis and basketball courts for outdoor sports. The Dhirubhai Ambani International School Study and Activity Centre situated in Matheran, 100 km from Mumbai, opened in 2008. It is used for cross-curricular, recreational activities as well as for weekend training camps and Physical Education activities.^[7]

Student Council

The school has four houses: Tigers, Panthers, Jaguars and Lions. Each house has two house captains, one sports captain, one house coordinator, two vice house captains, one vice sports captain and a cub captain.

The council also has core positions: Head Boy, Head Girl, Sports Coordinator and Student council coordinator. The council is semi democratic(members are selected by the teachers). The council is changed in October.

Activities and achievements

• The Dhirubhai Ambani International School Model United Nations (DAIMUN) is hosted by the school.
• The Paigaam Peace Conference works towards building harmonious cross border relationships
• Regional Membership of Round Square (2008)
• Member of the Council of International Schools (CIS) (2008)^[8]

Social Initiatives

• Socially Useful Productive Work Programme students work with Indian NGOs such as Advitya, Akanksha, CCDT, Muktangan, Pratham, Goonj and Ishara. The Dhirubhai Ambani International School Akanksha Centre has been set up as part of this programme.
• Across the Road is a service project supporting children in slum areas adjacent to the school in educational and developmental needs.^[8]

References

1. ^ "Dhirubhai Ambani International School". Da-is.org. http://da-is.org/html/academics_primary.html. Retrieved 2010-12-31. 
2. ^ "Dhirubhai Ambani International School". Da-is.org. http://da-is.org/html/academics_middle.html. Retrieved 2010-12-31. 
3. ^ "Dhirubhai Ambani International School". Da-is.org. http://da-is.org/html/academics_secondary.html. Retrieved 2010-12-31. 
4. ^ "Dhirubhai Ambani International School". Da-is.org. http://da-is.org/html/academics_postsecondary.html. Retrieved 2010-12-31. 
5. ^ "International Baccalaureate". Ibo.org. http://www.ibo.org/school/001425. Retrieved 2010-12-31. 
6. ^ "Dhirubhai Ambani International School". Da-is.org. http://da-is.org/html/campus_building.html. Retrieved 2010-12-31. 
7. ^ "Dhirubhai Ambani International School". Da-is.org. http://da-is.org/html/campus_facilities.html. Retrieved 2010-12-31. 
8. ^ ^{a b} "Dhirubhai Ambani International School". Da-is.org. http://da-is.org/html/glance.html. Retrieved 2010-12-31.