The Valley School

Interactions between teacher and student are informal and based on Jiddu Krishnamurti’s philosophy that "Learning cannot happen when there is fear". Freedom with responsibility is emphasized from an early age, and rewards and punishments are kept to a minimum. Students are encouraged to direct their own learning.

The ethos and culture of the school is based on the teachings of J. Krishnamurti and the attempt is to: Discover a way of living that is whole, sane and intelligent and not merely concerned with intellect, memory / skills Look beyond academic excellence – teacher and taught explore not only the outer world but also the inner – conditioning, ways of thinking and behaviour Understand the importance and limitations of knowledge To help one to think for oneself, and out of that feel immense confidence, to be a creative human being and not a slavish machine Nurture sensitivity and compassion Jiddu Krishnamurti, long acknowledged as one of the world's foremost teachers, dedicated his life to awakening people to their own conditioning and to the possibility of freedom. He maintained, "A school is a place where one learns both the importance of knowledge and its limitation. It is a place where one learns to observe the world without a particular point of view or conclusion. One learns to look at the whole of man's endeavor, his search for beauty, his search for truth and a way of living that is not a contradiction between conclusion and action.It is a place where both teacher and the taught learn a way of life in which conflict ends. It is the concern of these schools to bring about a new generation of human beings who are free from self-centered action, to bring about a mind that has no conflict within itself and so end the struggle and conflict in the world about us." - J. Krishnamurti A Krishnamurti School concerns itself with education of the total human being. Knowledge and intellectual capability alone are not sufficient to meet life’s challenges. Learning to enquire, to observe oneself, to relate with other people and the earth, is the core intention of the school. A Krishnamurti School is a constantly questioning, evolving institution, with the intention of creating an environment, a climate where one can bring about, if at all possible, a new human being. It is imperative therefore that parents and students understand and appreciate the intention of the school and actively participate in this movement. "The purpose, the aim and drive of these schools is to equip the child with the most excellent technological proficiency so that he may function with clarity and efficiency in the modern world, and far more important to create the right climate so that the child may develop fully as a complete human being.This means giving him the opportunity to flower in goodness so that he is rightly related to people, things and ideas, to the whole of life. To live is to be related. There is no relationship to anything if there is not the right feeling for beauty, a response to nature, to music and art, a highly developed aesthetic sense." – J. Krishnamurti The school sincerely attempts to translate this intent by adopting the following : Relationship between the student and the teacher- is human to human rather than position to position. Emphasis is on learning and facilitation and not teaching and absorbing. Recognize the fact that each child is unique and one size does not fit all ! Methodology and pedagogical techniques that ensure that there is no hierarchy of knowledge and suitable for differential learning capacities and learning speed Art, music, dance and sports form an integral part of the learning process Learning from nature is facilitated by the bounty all around.[1]

The lower school is run based on Jiddu Krishnamurti's philosophies, where teachers and students are given freedom and flexibility. At the lower schools, the students are encouraged to think and derive at answers through guidance and correction. Along with a standard curriculum of science and humanities, extra-curricular activities are encouraged. Tests and examinations are kept to a minimum where there are no official "annual exam" till Grade 9. When a student reaches Grade 9 it will be the first time the students writes an exam conducted by the school.

Higher classes follow a standard ICSE curriculum, where they appear for a nationwide public board examination at the end of class 10. Class 12 students appear for the ISC examinations conducted by the same board. The School has had a 100% Pass percentage in both 10th and 12th since the batch of 1999.

The school is set on a 120-acre (0.49 km²) campus with a lake and two artificial ponds, dams, three ancient Banyan trees (over 100 years old), and lightly wooded rolling hills. However, 17-acre (0.069 km²) of land was taken by the forest department of the government with clear notice and now the school campus is 103-acre (0.42 km²). Academic buildings are concentrated around the main school in the eastern section of the campus; the student dormitories, residential quarters, guesthouses and the old "Art Village" was located on the western side. The old Art Village was destroyed and taken by the Forest Department in the year 2008. The New "Art Village" is located and built around the school Amphitheater.

The school had three entrances initially, the first gate being the main entrance to the school building, the second gate gave access to the football field while the third gate gave access to the Study Centre and the residential houses, as well as the Art Village. A stylized Neem Tree - which rests the highest point on the land, is the logo of the school. The school is divided into three divisions- Junior School- classes 1-4, Middle school- classes 5-7, and senior school- classes 8-12.

Most students commute to school by bus. The buses are both privately owned and public BMTC contract buses. The school buses operate on routes in the city, picking up and dropping students off. Car pooling is encouraged. Boarding is optional and is available for classes 11 and higher. Student hostels are located on campus.

• School birthday on 17 July.
• J.Krishnamurti's birthday on 11 May.
• Sports day on 15 and 16 August.
• School Mela - first Saturday after reopening of school after Christmas vacation.

The school is a spot for regular outings of the Birdwatchers' Field Club of Bangalore. About 215 species of birds have been recorded on campus. Other creatures seen are fifteen species of mammals including deer, wild boar and elephants, a resident panthers, and twenty species of snakes, of which five are venomous. The students learn about the importance of nature and are taught to coexist with it.

India

• Bal-Anand
• Bhagirathi Valley School
• Rajghat Besant School
• Rishi Valley School
• Sahyadri School
• The School KFI

United Kingdom

• Brockwood Park

United States of America

• The Oak Grove School

• Jiddu Krishnamurti
• Jiddu Krishnamurti Schools
• Rishi Valley School
• Walden's Path, Hyderabad
• Vidyaranya High School
• List of schools in India

• https://thevalleyschool.info

Wikimedia Commons has media related to The Valley School.

• Official website
• Jiddu Krishnamurthy
• Krishnamurthy Foundation India