Welham Boys' School (India)
INDIA: WELHAM BOY’S SCHOOL, DEHRADUN
Welham Boys' School is a residential school for boys, in Dehra Dun, affiliated to the C.B.S.E., India. Nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas over an area of 30 acres, the school lies amidst the hills and rivers of the Doon valley. Students from varying backgrounds, and from many different parts of the sub-continent and beyond, attend the school.
Our students will live in the boarding houses along with other students under the supervision of the Housemaster. They will have their meals in the school dining hall with their Tutor. They will also be expected to participate in academic and co-curricular activities.
The academic curriculum encourages students to develop an understanding of key concepts and ideas. In this way, a sound base is built to equip student with the appropriate attitudes and skills. A unique learning program will be established for each visiting student so that they can engage in the wide variety and unique learning experiences that the school has to offer.
This is a school that has an ethos and spirit of a complete, well rounded education. The co-curricular activities are as important a part of their curriculum as academics. The school has a vibrant program. Visiting boys can opt for a variety of choices while on exchange.
A number of excursions are organized by the school for the visiting student. The costs of these extras is covered by the school. A trek through the foothills of the Himalayas is one of the main attractions of this exchange. The exchange will involve 3 boys and be for a period of 4-6 weeks. The students will visit us between May and June while the St Alban’s boys will travel to India between September and October. It will be required from outgoing exchange students from St Alban's College to attend Hindi communication classes as part of the exchange program and to prepare them to be able to communicate at a reasonable level with the students of Welham Boy's School.
Feedback from previous years
Welham
On 28th of August we arrived at the OR Tambo International Airport ready to start our journey to India, once through the gates we instantly set out to do some shopping before our plane left. Once we were up in the air time seemed to fly by and we arrived in Doha Airport we had three hours to spend before we left for Delhi. Once we arrived in Delhi we realized just how hot and humid this trip would be and we were not very impressed, later we hopped onto a domestic flight to Dehradun. As we arrived we noticed just how beautiful the area was with vast mountain ranges and lush forests surrounding the city, apart from the view we noticed that our exchange counterparts were waiting for us as we arrived along with the exchange co-coordinator from Welham. When we arrived at the school it was not what we expected but we settled in quite nicely, but at first we were shocked that they separated us into different houses with two of the boys staying close to each other and another on the other side of the school. The living conditions were completely different to that of our school with the boys staying in open dorm rooms and having to shower in cold water, but the boys at the school really made up for that by how kind and hospitable they were as if we have all known each other for years. School life was different to St.Albans but not completely foreign, we would have to attend two classes before breakfast and then another five before lunch, but with this we had the opportunity to attend classes that are not offered in St.Albans such as Psychology.
While we were in India our host school was very enthusiastic on letting us explore there country. The exchange coordinator arranged a 7 day tour around the country were we would visit some of India’s most iconic location. The most beautiful location for us was the Qutub Minar in Delhi. The Qutub Minar is a UNESCO World Heritage Site surrounded by many other ancient historical monuments, collectively known as Qutub complex monuments. We also visited, the white marble monument, the Taj Mahal in the city of agra. In total we visited 12 different historical monuments on our 7 day tour. We also thoroughly enjoyed shopping in the various local markets buying fabrics, clothing and other souvenirs.
During the half term at their school they do not go home and relax they have to choose between a hike up the Himalayas or community service. We decided to go on the hike. It was a five day trek up one of the mountains in the Himalayas. The summit was 4500 meters high and we really enjoyed the beautiful views and some cold weather. We really enjoyed the trip and thank you for everyone who made this trip possible