Hebron School, Ooty- An international boarding experience

A private international boarding, Hebron School Ooty was founded in the year 1899. The school is located in the scenic hilly terrain of Ooty, Tamil Nadu. The school is a well renowned boarding school managed by a Protestant/Christian trust. The aim of the school is to impart education to the children of Christian workers and business families living predominantly in India, but also in other parts of the world.

History 

Hebron was envisaged by a group of Protestant missionaries, who visited the hills on vacation and were staying at Brooklands Christian Guest Home in nearby Coonoor. They felt that it would be perfect for their children to live throughout the year in the ambient temperature and clean surroundings of the Nilgiri hills. Due to the high altitude — Ooty being at 2300 m (7500 ft) above sea level — these hills enjoy year-round favourable pleasant cool weather which is often compared to Europe. Initially the international boarding school operated as a type of boarding house where children would stay, and either be home-educated in house or sent to one of the local schools. It was named Hebron School in 1902.

Academics

The Academic Programmes at Hebron are in place to provide a structured opportunity to train students’ minds and their senses.This helps students in assimilating and processing data, so as to increase in knowledge and understanding of both themselves and the world around them. 

Students learn in a unique and advanced style with the International British school system. The students study for IGCSE’s and eventually A and AS levels. These examinations are assessed by the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES) board and by Edexcel, London.

Infrastructure

The prestigious international boarding school is designed skill-fully in 20 acres of land around the former stately home of Lushington Hall. The Ooty Government Botanical Gardens and the school share a common entry.There are 15 dorms bifurcated and allocated according to age and gender. All dorms are single-gender and all boys’ dorms are on the Lushington campus along with the youngest girls’ dorms (Stds. 5/6, around 9/10 years of age). The girls’ dorms (Std.7 upwards) are on the Selborne campus (about 1 km from Lushington), and older girls go to school by availing the bus facility or walking.

Activities 

• Music

Each year students contest for the Associated Board of the Royal School of Music (ABRSM) grade exams. Examiners from the United Kingdom conduct the exams at the school. 

• Sports 

There are different sports activities offered at the campus are Athletics (track and field), swimming, cross-country running, football (soccer), field and indoor hockey, cricket, volleyball, basketball, badminton, table tennis, tennis, squash, softball and touch rugby.

• Drama

The school’s annual Drama Festival enrolls students participating in the activity of theatre. Often, inter-school competitions within the Nilgiris are held where the students of Hebron participate.

Key features 

Hebron School conducts an International Guest (IG) system. The program includes an in-take of young learners across the globe, primarily recently graduated students, and provides them with lodging in exchange for their service. Usually IGs are responsible for support in a particular dormitory and are given other subject related responsibilities. IGs commit to atleast single semester (6 months) in the school.

Students are encouraged to take up leadership roles that will not only serve as a means to benefit themselves but also to act as the role models of the students. There are two major student-run events during the academic year. There are also a significant amount of fund-raising activities during the year.

Alumni

The international boarding school has a decorated alumni namely –

Kalki Koechlin

Aamir Khan 

Ranbir Kapoor

Pranav Mohanlal