Most successful organisations are those that can stand up to the examination of others around them, fall under an independent microscope and emerge stronger. Under such barometers, Global Indian International School (GIIS) can feel justifiably proud. In just 13 years since the Global Schools Foundation (GSF) opened the first GIIS campus in Mount Sophia, and seven years after it applied for its first award in 2008, GIIS has been honoured with over 50 awards in categories as diverse as management innovation, global performance excellence, eco-innovation, and overall excellence in education.

The applications and recognitions help the school find out the best practices in the market through the awarding bodies, which scrutinise the processes. Some of the key areas that the awarding bodies focus upon are openness to learning and sharing, adoption of new initiatives, implementation of new practices and coping with the cycle of change.

Laying the Groundwork

The genesis of applying for awards can be traced to the school’s opening in 2002, when GSF opened the Global Centre for Educational Excellence (GCEE). Underneath the leadership of Mr BG Shenoy, Director (GCEE) and driven by his belief that ‘what cannot be measured cannot be improved’, GCEE spent the next two years identifying how and where it should apply for awards. The initiative was undertaken not just to win accolades per se, but to help the school understand how it performs in various aspects based on benchmarks set by independent awarding bodies.

It was a means to challenge themselves and to improve its academic and non-academic performances; a self-measurement tool to gauge their performance against other applicants and themselves over the years. Results of applications always come with feedback from the assessors of these awards and this has enabled the school to improve on what has already been established, and to help refine and adopt better practices over the years.

A System that Works

A quick look at the recent achievements backs up the efficacy of GIIS’ methods. All three GIIS campuses in Singapore have received awards from Asia Pacific Quality Organisation (APQO) for global excellence in education since 2011. In 2014 and 2015, the prestigious Golden Peacock awards from the Institute of Directors (IOD) were given to the school for its innovative product / service. And these are just the tip of the iceberg to the many accolades won over the years.

Another award that reflects well on the school is the Singapore Quality Class (SQC) Star from SPRING Singapore, where all campuses have won individually. This award is normally given to Singapore-based organisations such as the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) and Immigration and Checkpoint Authority (ICA) - strong contenders in areas such as leadership, strategy, processes, knowledge and results. This only proves that GIIS stands by its strong belief in educating the young, but also as a school that learns.

“The awards are a reassurance that the school is looking at its processes,” said Ms Melissa Maria, Principal of GIIS East Coast Campus. She also added that, “These awards are a reiteration of the focus and emphasis that all stakeholders within the school are working for the children.”

Path of Continual Improvement

The application processes most critically enable reflection, assessment, a push for efficiency and, in the end, a smarter, better product. The work that goes into the application of awards allows the school’s management to streamline and deliver with consistency. Various concerns are looked into to provide such feedback, such as communication channels, engaging with parents and how often feedback is received.

A lot is involved in the process of achieving such recognitions that may not be visible to parents, but they are definitely reflected in the results achieved by the school. GIIS has produced IB world toppers, world record holders in IGCSE for securing the highest grades, and is in the 98th percentile for CBSE. These are some of the achievements that stem from the streamlining of academic processes.

If there is one thing that is clear, GIIS has the best interests of its students in mind. The refining process through each award application is a continuous one and all involved with the school should be proud of what it has achieved so far.

  Related Links:

• Education Excellence Awards won by Global Indian International School

• GIIS student toppers over the years in IB Diploma, Cambridge IGCSE and CBSE