Vivek High School is affiliated with the Central Board of Secondary Education, CBSE, New Delhi. At Vivek, we try to stimulate and nurture through experiential learning, where each child’s uniqueness is recognised and developed. Our highly qualified and dedicated staff ensure that each student's strengths are acknowledged and they are allowed to blossom in the area of their strength.

The classrooms are equipped with modern teaching aids, like smart boards, and educational software packages. Students work in a congenial environment to maximise their learning in climate-controlled classrooms.

A continuing programme on staff professional development ensures that our teaching faculty receive regular training to promote diversity and innovation in the school's academic curriculum. We have embraced the Critical Thinking Pedagogy, and this annual programme ensures that current and relevant methods of imparting instruction and knowledge are shared with our staff to benefit our students.

Our foremost goal as an educational institute is to meet the students' academic needs in a practical manner using experiential learning methods and an innovative curriculum. This includes teaching aids incorporating modern technology and a comprehensive, cumulative evaluation that seeks to synergise subjects to provide a holistic global worldview to our students.

MONTESSORI TODDLERS

Age - 18 months to 3 years.

The Montessori Toddlers programme forms the foundation of the school’s academic journey. Dr. Maria Montessori emphasised that the first three years of a child’s life are critical for the development of personality and intellect as children during this stage are naturally curious and are eager to explore and learn from their environment.

To optimise learning, carefully prepared environments have been designed under the guidance of Mrs. Meenu Sahi (Director), where each classroom is led by two certified Montessori Directresses, who nurture the development of gross and fine motor skills, independence, language, and creative expression of each child.

Activities such as care of the environment, self-care, food preparation, and table setting are deliberately planned to support age-appropriate development. Montessori education fosters independence, freedom within limits, and deep respect for each child’s natural psychological, physical, and social growth. One of its key strengths lies in recognising and nurturing the child’s inner drives and natural traits, revealed through independent choice of work. This approach allows curiosity to transform into meaningful engagement, leading to enjoyment, fulfilment, and the attainment of each child’s full potential.

At Vivek High, Montessori learning occurs through discovery, fostering concentration, self-discipline, and a lifelong love for learning. Children develop a strong sense of conscience, appropriate behavior, and resilience. They view mistakes as opportunities for improvement, take pride in their efforts, and express ideas confidently without fear of rejection. Creativity, collaboration, and self-expression are consistently encouraged, building confidence and respect for individual and collective contributions.

In today’s changing lifestyle and environment, the inculcation of grace and courtesy is regarded essential and children are gently guided towards refined, respectful, and considerate behaviour, shaping them into sensitive and gracious adults. Healthy eating is an integral part of the curriculum. A balanced weekly menu ensures nutritious meals, while children are encouraged to eat independently at the time they choose, rather than at a fixed hour. This practice supports the development of decision-making, independence, and self-sufficiency, marking the first steps towards becoming responsible individuals.

Each classroom operates with a weekly plan introducing new skills in language, mathematics, geography, zoology, and other areas through small group or individual activities allowing for focused attention, deep concentration, and meaningful individual work. The outcome is the development of confidence, self-discipline, intrinsic motivation and a love for independent learning.

MONTESSORI ENVIRONMENTS (Nursery to UKG)

Age - 2.5 years to 6 years

The key areas of learning within the Montessori Environments, thoughtfully harmonised under the guidance of Mrs. Meenu Sahi (Director), are meticulously designed to nurture the holistic development of the first plane child. These encompass practical life, sensorial activities, language, mathematics and culture, each considered an essential pillar in the child’s intellectual, emotional and social growth.

Each classroom is nurtured by two AMI certified Montessori Directresses who observe each child closely to introduce activities suited to individual needs, fostering independence, concentration and self-discipline. The mixed-age group environment, central to Montessori learning, helps children acquire skills and habits by observing and interacting with older peers. They give children ample opportunities to share, care and help each other. Children are observed taking decisions and resolving conflicts with ease.

The education environment encourages camaraderie across age groups, nurtures respect with mutual exchange and interactions, while ensuring that concepts get permanent as they learn from each other and with each other, under the experienced and able guidance of trained educators. Children in the age group of 2.5 + years are visual learners, who imbibe everything through sight and by seeing others in action.

Children in the age group of 3.5 + years practice skills they had learnt in the previous year. This reinforces previously taught concepts. They also learn from children older to them (4.5+ age group) and benefit in the same manner.

Children in the 4.5 + years age group are visual mentors in the environment. Apart from teaching them new skills, the programme also teaches life lessons, conditions good social habits and crucial life skills from an early age.

Practical Life activities foster independence and responsibility by enabling children to refine control of movement, concentration and self-discipline, while simultaneously cultivating the capacity to complete a cycle of activity with confidence and autonomy.

Sensorial activities engage the child’s faculties in purposeful exploration. Working with carefully designed materials, children learn to distinguish, categorise and appreciate the physical properties of matter such as dimension, colour, texture, and form.

Language is introduced with precision and logical progression; beginning with phonetics and gradually unfolding into reading, writing and expression. Regular parent workshops offer valuable insights into the intricate journey of language development to the parent community.

Mathematics is approached through concrete, hands-on materials. The child moves from tangible exploration to abstract reasoning, encouraging curiosity, discovery and analytical thinking.

Cultural studies, seamlessly interwoven with sensorial and linguistic experiences, encompass geography, history, botany, zoology, art and music. Children develop reverence for creation and cultivate an appreciation of cultural diversity and the shared human experience. This integrated approach enriches their knowledge and nurtures a sense of harmony, interconnectedness and respect for the world around them.

MONTESSORI ELEMENTARY (Lower Elementary)

Age - 6 years to 9 years

The Montessori Elementary curriculum at Vivek High, designed by Mrs. Meenu Sahi (Director), seamlessly extends from the Kindergarten programme and addresses the developmental needs of the Elementary child aged 6 to 12 years in mixed-age environments. She is of the belief that the educational process should follow the child through their inherent flexibility and adaptability. The Directress role should be only to assess and challenge the child's natural curiosity. The programme therefore addresses the developmental needs of the second plane child who is an intellectual explorer equipped with imagination, reasoning mind and a strong desire to collaborate and form their own moral compass.

Children in this age group progress from being sensorial explorers to conceptual explorers. Concrete Montessori materials are still essential to support the learning, the focus also shifts toward abstraction and higher-order thinking. In the elementary classroom, intellectual and moral independence become central, as children seek intellectual stimulation and purpose.

The ‘Great Stories’ serve as the foundation of the curriculum. They stimulate imagination, inspire inquiry and connect children to a broad spectrum of knowledge. The five great stories are told in a dramatic fashion in order to create a framework of information to which students add detail and understanding throughout their elementary years: The story of the beginning of the universe, of life on the Earth, of human life and of the great human creations of language and of mathematics. They create a broad framework that invites students to explore all the traditional curriculums - sciences, history and geography, mathematics and language. Practical life remains integral, with children responsible for the care of their environment, reinforcing independence and responsibility.

A unique aspect of the Montessori programme is ‘Going Out’, which takes learning beyond the classroom. Children visit museums, exhibitions and experts in the wider community, nurturing independence, curiosity and social growth. This dual environment encourages them to expand intellectually and personally, moving beyond the boundaries of home and school.

While designing the Montessori Elementary curriculum, Mrs. Meenu Sahi was of the view that it should be presented to the child in a way that it opens the doors to the universe by engaging their intellect and imagination, cultivating curiosity, confidence and independence; thereby, preparing children to grow into thoughtful, responsible, and self-motivated individuals.

MONTESSORI ELEMENTARY (Upper Elementary)

Age - 9 years to 12 years

The Montessori Upper Elementary ‘cosmic curriculum’ is designed by Mrs. Meenu Sahi (Director) to include the evolving needs of the child, offering a stimulating environment that challenges and supports students in equal measure, giving them a sense of confidence and self-direction. She believes that content should not be presented in a "course subject" form to the child; instead, ideas and concepts should be explored across the breadth and to the depth demanded by the child.

During the ages of 9 to 12, children are on the cusp of adolescence. They begin to seek more independence, question the world around them, and develop a deeper sense of self. Dr. Maria Montessori emphasised the importance of fostering critical thinking, collaboration, and self-expression during these years. Freedom within developmentally appropriate boundaries is a hallmark of a true Montessori classroom, and the Elementary students are given the freedom to efficiently plan their time and independently direct their learning within the carefully curated curriculum.

As students move from Lower Elementary to Upper Elementary, they move toward greater abstraction. The framework of lessons and concepts students began in Lower Elementary are consolidated in Upper Elementary, as now, students reach a high level of abstraction of concepts and explore themes and topics in greater depth.

Language lessons fuel active and purposeful writing activities. Students usually work collaboratively, learning to organise increasingly complex ideas and information into original stories, reports, poems, letters, and essays. Reading fluency, analysis skills, and writing strategies stimulating cognitive development are focussed.

Students are given the big picture of the history of mathematics. Mastering math facts is a key to progressing with the operations, as well as multiples, divisibility, factors, fraction concepts and operations. Students move to an abstract understanding. New concepts are generally presented with materials.

Students are introduced to the parts of an atom and the periodic table of elements while learning about the origin of the universe. Upper Elementary students study rocks and minerals, work with geographical concepts such as the layers of the Earth, the naturally occurring ecological cycles, and the work of air and water as forces of erosion. They study the timelines of life and early humans, migration theories, and the concept of the nomadic, agricultural, and urban stages of human development. They also learn about the needs and characteristics of the 5 kingdoms of life.

We at Vivek High, believe that developing solid research skills is key to independent learning. These skills allow students to find information to satisfy their curiosity. Elementary children are encouraged to do mixed age research on topics using both books and online research.

MIDDLE AND SENIOR SCHOOL

As children move into middle school, preparation for the challenges of high school begins. Children in this age group have a growing, often unspoken need to shoulder responsibility and to be allowed independence. Opportunities are provided to address these needs regularly.

The focus is on both academic content and the development of essential skills like critical thinking, intellectual curiosity, and effective communication. Children are divided into four houses, which encourages co-operation and teamwork across different ages. It also teaches them to mentor one another. Children are also encouraged to take part in all co-curricular activities - competitive and non-competitive. Regular and individual counselling is provided by the counselling department. The students’ growing maturity is acknowledged through responsibilities, and they are guided to navigate everyday situations. Career counselling forms an integral part of the curriculum. Students are professionally guided to make informed choices on the subjects and streams to pursue their strengths and aptitude in mind. As students move into the final years of their schooling, we ensure they are guided, engaged, and motivated in a more adult-oriented manner. Teaching techniques become more comprehensive. Assignments demand more involvement and independent thinking. Critical thinking and analytical skills are honed, in preparation for the real-world environment.