Welham Boys School : A Complete Guide

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Established in 1937, by Ms Oliphant, the Welham Boys School, one of the top residential schools in India, is a child friendly school, combining the best of traditions with a modern approach to learning. Welham Boys School strongly flaunts its motto “From Strength to Strength” as a reminder of their humble yet courageous beginnings.

Now recognized as a preparatory school with several buildings & students, the school is a full-fledged institution that prepares boys for examinations under CBSE. The school ensures that children acquire a sound foundation in English. They offer a variety of scope for self expression based on the individual requirements of the students through drawing, painting, clay modelling, carpentry & craft.

History of Welham Boys School

Initially, the school was located in a rented building known as the White House on the basis of Ms. Oliphant’s savings. Further financial assistance was offered by Ms. Oliphant’s mother, from Welham, Ms. Oliphant’s childhood village. This stands as the inspiration behind the name of the school. The school admitted its first student on the 15th of January, 1937. With 30 boarders & 20 day scholars, the school introduced class V to its students, in 1941. The strength of the students increased  post the outbreak of the Second World War, and the school has been on a strong footing ever since. In 1985, the school was further elevated to +2 stage of secondary school education. Welham Boys School owes its strong foundation to the vision & donations of Ms. Oliphant towards the Welham Boys’ School Society, administered by the Board of Trustees.

Infrastructure

Located in Dehradun, a quiet town, at the foothills of the Himalayas, the Welham Boys School has a pleasant climate and idyllic surroundings, making it an ideal place for children to grow up. Spread over 30 acres, the Welham Boys School is home to 60 recorded species of birds, attracted to the flowering trees & shrubs on campus. Over the years, the school has upgraded its infrastructure to provide students with state of the art facilities. Today, the  school is an epitome of modernity and advancements in the education sector; as the results speak for itself.

The Learning Resource Center is a unique initiative, taken towards the enhancement of skill and development among students. The Learning Resource Center includes the reading rooms, the AV room, the gallery, the reference sections, English language lab, Art department & a design technology workshop. Students are trained to inculcate the habit of thinking at this particular wing of the campus.

The classrooms, staff rooms, laboratories, offices & stationery store are located at the senior & middle school areas of the campus. Junior school classes are carried out in the “White House” owing to its historical importance and significance to the school.

Facilities & Activities at Welham

A pioneer in the provision of adequate physical development facilities for its students, the Welham Boys School ensures proper training & encouragement for students interested in sports. Various fields and courts have been established to keep the spirit of sports burning.  The fields are split into two segments, the main field & the lower field, the latter being the center for most sports events. The prime structure of the campus is derived from the Orchard field, the Tennis Court, two outdoor Basketball courts, one indoor Basketball court & a skating rink.

The Squash court & the Volleyball court at the school attract a large number of students towards sports. Welham Boys School Soccer & Basketball teams are one of the best in the district with various achievements in the IPSC tournaments as well as the Under-17 teams. The school brought home the IPSC Athletics Marching Trophy, 8 times in a row.

All events, ceremonies, dramas, quizzes etc. take place in a huge multipurpose hall, known as the Activity Center. The center includes a shooting range, a tuck shop & a gym.

The students are offered nutritionally balanced meals from a variety of cuisines from a modern & well equipped kitchen. The Bethany dining hall is the common area where the school takes its meals. Cleanliness & hygiene are top priority for the staff at the Welham Boys School.

The Welham Boys School Hospital is well equipped with various equipment, a minor operation theatre with a Defibrillator, Pulse Oximeter, Cardiac Monitor, 18 bed general ward, a 5 bed isolation ward, a medical store, a visitors lounge, along with a Physiotherapy Centre. This ensures that students suffering from illnesses and injuries are well cared for while they are away from their homes.

Boarding Facilities at Welham Boys School

Life at the Welham Boys hostel is a great place to be and the bonds formed here are lifelong. The authorities ensure proper care and security for the students residing on campus and go an extra mile to make the hostel premises home-like. The hostel faculty comprises the House master, House mothers and the Tutor. These are the people who go a long way to ensure that the children are safe, get the required academic assistance and have a grown-up to talk to when growing up.

The hostel is divided into three different boarding facilities according to the various classes. The Prefect body forms the link between the students and the faculty and ensures that ideas, suggestions and various issues are put across in an orderly manner.

The hostel rooms are well-spaced and equipped with the essentials that the students require during their stay at Welham Boys. Proper facilities of sanitation, hygiene and self grooming are provided here. The students are offered space and privacy along with facilities like the reading room for their academic requirements.

Academics & Admissions

The Welham Boys School follows the CBSE board of education & has a well structured curriculum that maintains the individual interests of the students.

The various subjects taught on campus are:

English	Information Technology
Hindi	Art
Science	Music
Social Science	Physical Education
Mathematics	Financial studies

The school follows the method of Concept Teaching, where the students are encouraged to understand the basic concepts. Project based teaching, Content Centric teaching & Activity Oriented teaching form the base of the teaching method at Welham Boys School.

The Research Lab & Learning Resource Center forms a key aspect of the experience at the school along with experimentation based learning. The school ensures that students are guided to be independent learners, who can grasp concepts from their environment.

Various streams & subjects offered at the Welham Boys School are as follows:

SCIENCE STREAM	COMMERCE STREAM	HUMANITIES STREAM
English core	English core	English Core
Physics	Accounts
Chemistry	Business Studies
Maths/Biology	Economics
Options:	Options:	Options (Any 4):
Computer Science Physical Education Painting Music Economics Hindi Core Geography	Mathematics Informatics Practices Physical Education Painting Music Hindi Core Geography	History Political Science Economics Psychology Mathematics Informatics Physical Education Painting Music Geography Hindi Core

Age Specifications for Admission:

Class	Age
Class IV	8-9 Years
Class VII	11-12 Years
Class XI	15-16 Years

Admission Process:

• Admission for classes IV, V, VI, VII : Students need to appear for an Entrance Test.
• The registration for all classes (Except X & XII) is processed on receiving the application.
• The process of  registration closes 15 days before the Entrance Test.
• English, Hindi, Mathematics & Life Skills are the subjects covered in the Entrance Test.
• The shortlisted students are further called for an interview along with their parents.
• Final List of selected students is displayed a week after the interviews.

Facilitation at Welham Boys School:

The school has a dedicated Careers Department, that has been affiliated with various universities in Canada and the UK, and organizes visits to various countries for the students. In order to provide better opportunities abroad, the school focuses on offering the following trainings & courses:

• IELTS
• TOEFL
• CLAT
• Scholastic Aptitude Test -Maths and English
• Scholastic Aptitude test- Physics, Maths, Chemistry
• Developing skills in Essay writing, Statement of Purpose (SOP), Curriculum Vitae (CV)

Foreign Language Study

Although the Welham Boys School follows the CBSE curriculum, it is mandatory for the students to follow the 3 language formula. The languages include, French, German & Sanskrit. Implemented from Class IV onwards, the foreign language study ensures that the students are well versed with the language chosen by the time they graduate.

The International Award for Young People

Established in the United Kingdom, in 1956, the IAYP is a part of the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme. The main purpose of the award is to assist the youth in finding their ‘foothold’ in life. This scheme also enhances the moral, intellectual and social well being of the students and ways to embrace their culture and traditions. The program includes four mandatory sections that participants are required to complete in order to win the Award.

The 4 mandatory sections of the IAYP are Service, Adventurous Journey, Skills & Physical Recreation. As the Welham Boys School has had a long association with this program, a Youth Engagement Program has been set up at the institute. This allows the young students aged 14 to 25 years from different schools to participate in the IYAP. This encourages involvement of young people from various different schools, sectors, backgrounds to become a part of an innovative system.

Co-Curricular Activities at Welham Boys

The Welham Boys School has been a pioneer in ensuring that students explore the multi faceted aspect of society & culture. To encourage this, the institute is a brimming ground of fun, talent and activities. There are various ‘societies’ involved in engaging the students in activities like creative writing, Electronics, AeroModelling, Carpentry, Calligraphy, Kite making, English and Hindi Debates, Dramatics, Bird Watching, Photoshop etc. Various quiz and elocution competitions are organized in the school to allow students to test their General Knowledge and work on their confidence. The Welham Boys Schools has the Dance Club & the Film Society for the music and dance enthusiasts on campus.

The MUN Club

Also known as the Model United Nations, the MUN club at the school is an all exclusive educational simulation where the students of the concerned fields are given exposure to the workings in diplomacy and International Relations. The club focuses on building confidence, public speaking, research and debates. It also helps enhance the leadership abilities, teamwork and critical thinking skills of the students.

Bringing about change in the society can only occur through the medium of education and the Welham Boys School has been a shining example. The school strongly believes that while education might equip you with a good work profile and livelihood, it is only the ethics that model you into ideal human beings and citizens of the world. Welham Boys has been a pioneer of an innovative education system and has come a long way in paving the way for the society of tomorrow.