Oberoi International School

Core Philosophy

Oberoi International School's educational identity is defined by a single powerful motto: 'Freedom to Think, Empower to Be.' This is not merely a tagline — it frames every dimension of the school's curriculum, pastoral care, and community culture.

At OIS, the philosophy begins with the belief that genuine learning emerges when students are free to question, explore, and form their own understanding of the world. The IB Continuum — spanning the Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP), and Diploma Programme (DP) — provides the structural backbone for this approach, with inquiry positioned at the centre of all learning from Nursery through Grade 12.

Holistic Development

The school's mission states clearly: 'We nurture the holistic development of all learners in a safe, caring environment, inspiring a joy for lifelong learning and empowering them to contribute as responsible global citizens who make positive change locally and globally.' This encompasses academic rigour alongside emotional intelligence, creative expression, physical wellbeing, and social responsibility.

In practice, this means students are not just exam-prepared — they are coached to think critically, communicate across cultures, and act ethically. The CAS (Creativity, Activity, Service) component of the IB Diploma is a prime vehicle for this, requiring students to engage meaningfully beyond the classroom.

Inquiry as Pedagogy

Teachers at OIS act as facilitators of inquiry rather than transmitters of knowledge. The school's approach draws directly from IB pedagogy: open-ended questioning, concept-driven learning, and transdisciplinary connections. This is supported by a student–teacher ratio of 9:1 and average class sizes of 18, enabling genuinely individualised engagement.

Values in Action

OIS values include freedom, empowerment, responsibility, diversity, and lifelong curiosity. With 29+ nationalities represented across 3,100+ students, the school community itself becomes a living laboratory for intercultural understanding. The school's safeguarding and child protection policies reinforce a culture of care and trust, ensuring students feel secure to take intellectual and creative risks.

This philosophy makes OIS distinctive among Mumbai's international schools: it is not a school that simply delivers a curriculum, but one that cultivates the character and agency of each learner.

Origins in Goregaon

Oberoi International School was established in 2008 as part of the Oberoi Garden City (OGC) mixed-use development in Goregaon East, western Mumbai. The founding vision was to create a world-class, English-medium IB school to serve Mumbai's growing expatriate and internationally mobile population.

From its opening year, OIS was designed around the full IB Continuum — offering the Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP), and Diploma Programme (DP) under one roof. This made it one of the few schools in India at the time to offer the complete IB pathway from early childhood through pre-university.

Authorisation and Recognition

The school was formally authorised by the International Baccalaureate (IB) Board as an IB Continuum school, a recognition that affirms not just curriculum delivery but also the quality of teaching, leadership, and community engagement. It subsequently earned accreditation from the Council of International Schools (CIS) and the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), situating it within a global network of quality-assured international institutions.

The JVLR Campus (2017)

By the mid-2010s, demand for OIS places had grown substantially. In 2017, the school opened its second campus on the Jogeshwari Vikhroli Link Road (JVLR) in Jogeshwari East, Mumbai 400060. The JVLR campus was purpose-built to a high environmental standard, achieving LEED Gold certification — marking it as one of India's greenest school buildings.

The JVLR campus hosts over 200 teachers and serves students from Nursery through Grade 12, mirroring the full programme offering of the OGC campus. Together, the two campuses serve over 3,100 students — approximately 1,619 at OGC and 1,485 at JVLR.

Milestone: 1,402 Graduates

By 2025, OIS had produced 1,402 graduates, a significant milestone reflecting the school's nearly two-decade track record of IB Diploma outcomes. The Class of 2025 received over USD 8.1 million in university scholarship awards, underscoring the school's growing reputation for university placement success.

From a single campus school in 2008 to a dual-campus institution with 3,100+ students today, OIS has established itself as one of the most significant international school communities in India.

Who Studies at OIS?

Oberoi International School draws students from more than 29 nationalities, making it one of Mumbai's most internationally diverse schools. This diversity is not incidental — it is actively cultivated as part of the school's educational philosophy. When students learn alongside peers from India, Europe, the Americas, Asia, and beyond, the classroom itself becomes a forum for intercultural understanding.

The school primarily serves expatriate families relocating to Mumbai for professional assignments, alongside internationally mobile Indian families and returnee students. This mix creates a community that is simultaneously rooted in India and connected to the world.

Two Campuses, One School

With campuses in Goregaon East (OGC) and Jogeshwari East (JVLR), OIS operates as a single school community across two sites. Despite the geographic separation, both campuses follow identical curricula, share the same values, and are integrated through shared events, governance, and school-wide initiatives.

The OGC campus, the original site, is set within the Oberoi Garden City development — a large, planned urban environment that provides a secure and well-serviced setting for school life. The JVLR campus, opened in 2017, is a newer, LEED Gold-certified green building that reflects the school's commitment to environmental responsibility.

Pastoral and Wellbeing Culture

OIS places significant emphasis on student wellbeing. The school operates a Student Services team that includes Social-Emotional Learning (SEL), English as an Additional Language (EAL) support, a Student Support Programme (SSP), and College Counselling. A dedicated health clinic and school nursing provision ensure physical wellbeing is attended to.

The school's Child Safeguarding Policy — aligned with Indian child protection legislation — creates a formal framework for student safety, while the culture of small class sizes and high teacher presence ensures students feel known and supported.

Parent and Community Engagement

OIS maintains an active parent community, with family engagement considered a pillar of school life. The school's 'all-round admissions' philosophy — welcoming applications year-round — reflects an open and inclusive approach to community building, rather than a gatekeeping model. With 1,402 graduates to date, the school is building a growing alumni network across the world's leading universities.

The Full IB Pathway

Oberoi International School is one of India's premier IB Continuum schools, offering the International Baccalaureate's three programmes in sequence:

• PYP (Primary Years Programme): For students from Nursery through Grade 5, building inquiry habits and transdisciplinary understanding from an early age.
• MYP (Middle Years Programme): For students in Grades 6–10, deepening subject knowledge while maintaining an inquiry and concept-driven approach. MYP also includes language acquisition in French, Spanish, and Hindi.
• DP (Diploma Programme): For Grades 11–12, offering a rigorous two-year curriculum culminating in internationally recognised examinations.

This seamless pathway means students develop a consistent academic identity and set of learning dispositions from early childhood through pre-university.

IB Diploma Subject Offering

The IB Diploma at OIS is comprehensive, spanning all six subject groups:

• Group 1 (Studies in Language & Literature): English A Language & Literature, English A Literature, Hindi A Literature
• Group 2 (Language Acquisition): French Ab Initio, Spanish Ab Initio, French B, Spanish B, Hindi B
• Group 3 (Individuals & Societies): Business Management, Economics, History, Psychology, Global Politics, Environmental Systems & Societies
• Group 4 (Sciences): Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Design Technology, Computer Science, Sport Exercise & Health Science
• Group 5 (Mathematics): Mathematics: Analysis & Approaches (HL/SL), Mathematics: Applications & Interpretations (HL/SL)
• Group 6 (The Arts): Visual Arts, Theatre, Music

Most subjects are available at both Higher Level (HL) and Standard Level (SL), and the school also partners with Pamoja for online language courses, expanding language acquisition options.

Academic Results

OIS students consistently outperform the global IB average. In 2025, the school achieved an average IB Diploma score of 35.5, compared to the worldwide average of 30.58. The Class of 2025 collectively earned over USD 8.1 million in university scholarship awards, reflecting both academic quality and the strength of the school's college counselling programme.

Small Classes, High Engagement

With an average class size of 18 students and a student–teacher ratio of 9:1, OIS maintains the conditions for deep academic engagement. Teachers are able to provide individualised feedback, and students are known by name across the school community. This small-group culture is a deliberate structural choice that reinforces the IB philosophy of student-centred learning.

LEED Gold Campus: Environmental Leadership

The OIS JVLR campus — opened in 2017 — is a LEED Gold-certified green building, a designation that recognises high standards in energy efficiency, water conservation, indoor air quality, and sustainable construction. This makes OIS one of very few Indian schools to operate a purpose-built, internationally certified sustainable campus. For families who value environmental stewardship as part of a school's identity, this is a meaningful differentiator.

The green building ethos extends to the school's educational programmes, where sustainability and environmental responsibility are integrated into the IB curriculum — most directly through the Environmental Systems & Societies DP subject and through CAS (Creativity, Activity, Service) projects focused on community and environmental impact.

Apple Distinguished School

OIS holds the status of Apple Distinguished School, a recognition awarded by Apple to educational institutions that demonstrate innovation in learning and teaching with Apple technology. This reflects the school's investment in digital tools as facilitators of inquiry and creativity, not just productivity. Students and teachers have access to integrated Apple ecosystems that support project-based, collaborative, and multimedia-rich learning.

TEDxYouth@OIS

The school hosts TEDxYouth@OIS, an independently organised TED event that gives students a platform to develop and present ideas worth spreading. This is a relatively rare feature among Mumbai's international schools and reflects OIS's commitment to student voice, public communication, and intellectual confidence. Student presenters research original topics, craft compelling narratives, and deliver talks to their school community — skills that directly complement the IB's Theory of Knowledge and Extended Essay requirements.

Beyond the Classroom

OIS offers a rich extracurricular landscape spanning sport (swimming, basketball, football, cricket, squash, gymnastics, taekwondo), performing arts (theatre, music, jazz band, dance), visual arts (pottery, painting), academic competitions (Model UN), and science enrichment (Nutty Scientist). The Community Outreach Programme embeds service learning as a structural element of school life, not an optional add-on.

Taken together, these features — sustainable campus design, technology recognition, student-led intellectual events, and diverse co-curricular offerings — give OIS a distinctive profile that goes well beyond curriculum delivery.