Blue Bells Group of Schools: Redefining contemporary schooling in Delhi-NCR

Promoted by educationist-edupreneur Dr. Saroj Suman Gulati to make progressive K-12 education accessible to the burgeoning middle-class of Delhi’s hitherto educationally underserved satellite city, the Blue Bells Group of Schools (BBG, estb.1980) is a group of five world-class institutions in Gurugram that offer student-centred learning aligned with Indian ethos and globally acclaimed pedagogical practices, to enable students to think independently and reflect critically on societal, national, and global issues.

For the last two decades, the vice-chairman of the group, Ashish Gulati, has been revamping the group through several organisational enablers, innovations in curriculum and investments in technology and infrastructure to ensure provision of contemporary education that equips students for the digital economy. 

“The biggest paradigm shift in education has been to teach students through ways and means that are in alignment with the ways in which they learn. The traditional approach to teaching has been an instructional one. Advances and insights into behavioural sciences have revealed that learning happens not through instructional teaching only, but with other means as well. At Blue Bells, we searched far and wide and discovered many new approaches to learning. Our curriculum development experts have leveraged multiple approaches to create a singular learning approach that combines western science with insights from Indian philosophy,” says Ashish Gulati. With a first class degree in engineering topped with a postgraduate qualification in management from the top-ranked Management Development Institute (MDI, Gurugram), he acquired a decade-long experience in the corporate sector prior to becoming a member of the board of governors of BBG in 2001. A visionary leader, Ashish Gulati has been featured among EducationWorld’s ’25 Leaders reinventing K-12 education’ (August 2020). 

Blue Bells Model School, Sector 4 (BBMS) – the eponymous group’s flagship K-12 institution — has earned an excellent reputation in the national capital region for providing contemporary child-centred education to over 1,500 students mentored by 78 teachers. In the latest EducationWorld India School Rankings 2021-22, BBMS is ranked #5 in Gurugram in the co-ed day schools category. Moreover, the school was also ranked #1 countrywide for STEAM Education Excellence in the EducationWorld Grand Jury India School Rankings 2020-21.

BBMS apart, Blue Bells Preparatory School, Sector 4 (estb. 1980), Blue Bells Public School, Sector 10 (BBPS, 2003), Beansprouts Preschool and The Blue Bells School for Integrated Learning (both promoted in 2020) are well reputed for providing internationally benchmarked pedagogies to prepare students for an increasingly globalised world. The five BBG schools together have an enrollment of 3,700 students and staff strength of 350.

Generous investment in curriculum, technology, health and wellness

Committed to its continuous quest for excellence, the BBG management has invested generously in research covering curriculum development, health and wellness, and information technology. Moreover, BBG’s curriculum development experts draw from multiple educational approaches to combine the best of western science with Indian philosophy. 

The pedagogy promotes constructivism, experiential learning, and theme based transdisciplinary approach to ensure excellence in scholastic, co-scholastic and life-skills education.

The BBMS curriculum focuses on ‘learning by doing’ by connecting learning with ‘real life experiences’ through a wide range of innovative teaching-learning practices such as blended learning, flipped classrooms and project based learning. Design thinking, STEAM education and UN sustainable development goals are also integrated in the curriculum. Moreover, the school leverages art integration as an indispensable tool to bring curriculum to life. 

Likewise, Blue Bells Public School, Sector 10 has invested in an in-house Learning & Development Centre to provide a well-defined progressive curriculum which offers an enriching learning experience to the students that enables them to become curious and adaptable learners. The school also offers a comprehensive health and wellness programme and a resource centre for developmental work, and policy design, counselling & guidance, parent empowerment, advanced teacher training, value education & life skills education programmes and social initiatives.

“Blue Bells Group has devised a two-pronged approach to improve teaching-learning in our schools. Started a decade ago, our in-house curriculum development and teacher training centre enables us to continuously upgrade curricular content and pedagogies. The second initiative focuses on organisation-wide behavioural interventions to develop a compassionate culture conducive to child-centric learning and emotional well-being of our students,” says Ashish Gulati.

Nurturing future-ready global citizens

To promote intercultural intelligence, international collaboration and leadership skills, BBG schools offer a host of platforms for students to interact with their peers abroad and to stay abreast with global issues. Adoption of the UN sustainable development goals, AMFIN (A Magical Intercultural Friendship Network Programme), Global Youth Summit, ICT Seagulls Project, etc help add international dimensions to learning. 

Unsurprisingly, both BBMS and BBPS have been presented with the British Council’s International Dimension in Schools (IDS) Award twice since 2014 for nurturing global citizenship. 

Strong focus on building and enhancing digital competencies

BBG institutions have invested generously in ICT infrastructure, upskilling programmes, training and workshops to equip students, teachers and parents with the digital competencies required in the era of blended/hybrid learning. Their strong focus on integrating technology in teaching-learning has ensured provision of quality online learning to the students throughout the novel coronavirus pandemic. 

The schools leveraged several digital tools and platforms for a seamless and effective online teaching-learning experience during the pandemic such as Quizizz, Story board, Padlet, Kahoot,GeoGebra for mathematics, Quizizz, Canva, Adobe spark, Moodle,  e-labs, Vocaroo and Google SketchUp. 

Extensive use of flipped classrooms, project based learning, immersive learning, learning through pre-recorded videos and presentations and regular online assessments contributed to excellent students learning outcomes during the countrywide mass closure of schools. 

Pitching in to assist vulnerable communities in the Covid-19 era

Committed to giving back to society, the BBG community joined forces and mobilised resources to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on those worst affected by it. 

BBPS students made face shields using the 3D printing technology and distributed them to front line workers, contributed to the Haryana government’s Corona Relief Fund, donated books to NGOs, and donated funds to the Khushboo Welfare Society which works towards the welfare of people with mental and physical challenges. 

BBMS students designed the www.mycovidguide.info website for spreading awareness about Covid-19 and ensuring preparedness of the general public. The website offered crucial information on availability of hospital beds, oxygen supplies  and points of contact. It furnished all coronavirus related information and data with a single click. They also conducted ‘Interactive Sessions’ in neighborhood parks for senior citizens and to become their vaccination buddies. 

“As a leading education provider in Gurugram we want to keep or focus on contemporary learning methods in all our campuses and nurture strong mind-sets amongst our student learners. Today’s world has proven that adaptability, curiosity and a strong socio emotional health enable us to take on any challenges in the internal or external environment. We consciously invest and create programmes through our three key resource centres – Learning and Development, Health & Wellness and IT – to ensure global best practices customised with an Indian ethos and made readily available for our educators and learners. We will continue to strive on this journey of excellence,” says Ashish Gulati.

 

BBG Encomiums

Blue Bells Public School

Tanvi Jain topped Gurugram city with an aggregate score of 99.8 percent in the class X CBSE (AISSE) board exam 2021.

Tarushi Kalra of class XII bagged Gold in the 14+ Category in an international event on Importance of SDGs in My Life (June 2021) organised by International Talents for Global Cooperation. 

Prabhav Kalsi of class VI won first prize in the National Coding Olympiad Junior 2021 hosted by IIT Bhubaneswar and Super Teacher. 

Received Platinum Award for Innovative Use of Technology at the The School Edu Excellence Awards 2021.

Presented the Global School Award 2021 of Global Talk Education Foundation and MSME Development Institute, Government of India.

Blue Bells Model School

Conferred the Green Ambassador Certificate by Hindustan Scouts and Guides Association for active contribution in conserving the resources and environment for the future generations in 2021. 

Represented India in the first International SDG Conference hosted online in March 2021 as a Sustainable Development Goal Leader for demonstrating experience, knowledge and skill to achieve SDG Goals before 2030.

Received the prestigious Swami Vivekananda Changemaker Award 2021 of MENTORX for outstanding contribution towards nation building by empowering Gen Now with righteous knowledge and skills.

Presented the National School Leadership Award 2019 under the ‘Excellent School for Excellence in Senior Secondary Results’ category. 

Blue Bells Preparatory School

Blue Bells Preparatory School received the Best School Award at Zamit International School Awards 2019 hosted at New Delhi. 

– Bandana Brahmin

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Blue Bells Group of Schools, Gurugram: Continuous quest for excellence