A DAY IN THE LIFE

OF A GOENKAN

While all students at GDGWS enjoy a core educational experience that essentially sets us apart, making us one of the most prestigious schools in the country, we do offer children the choice of being day-boarders, weekly-boarders or full-time boarders.

So, what is a day in the life of a Goenkan like?

06:00 AM

For students who reside outside the school, a weekday would start with a pick-up from their residences in our comfortable Yellow Buses. These luxury buses are fully air-conditioned and come equipped with water-dispensers. Our transportation team ensures that the buses arrive on time with experienced personnel on board: a designated care-taker or Nanny and a security guard.

In the meantime, the boarders at GDGWS wake up at 6:00 am with the option of going for a morning jog on any of the many playing-fields that surround the boarding facilities. They also have the option of walking down to the Fitness Centre for a little aerobic exercise or yoga, while still others head off for special sports training before they get dressed, make their beds and meet up with their day-boarding friends at The Refectorio (Dining-hall) for a wholesome breakfast at 08:05 am.

08:05 AM

In The Refectorio with the capacity to accommodate more than 1000 students at a time, the children get the chance to catch up on the news, watch some sport on the various Plasma TVs around the dining-hall or simply catch up with friends and faculty, while enjoying a spread of healthy organic food, with menus drawn up by expert dieticians. The food is cooked on campus, subject to stringent quality controls.

08:20 AM – 3:05 PM

Classes for all start at 8:20 am and go on to 3:05 pm, with a break for lunch. Protected from noise and pollution, the school is fully air-conditioned. Ranked number 1 for its infrastructure nation-wide (Education World) the children are given fertile ground to experiment, grow and learn.

The creation of free access and space ensures that the children are not tethered to one classroom, but instead move between classes to the rooms and laboratories of their subject teachers. The international curriculum is designed to ignite inquiry, encourage interaction, discussion and analysis, developing a strong bond of mentorship between teachers and students. Children enjoy well-designed, well-lit classrooms equipped with the latest technology, including AV facilities in each classroom. The well-equipped laboratories, well-stocked libraries and resource centres ensure students have every resource available to them with extensive high-speed internet one click away on this Wi-Fi enabled campus.

The academic curriculum strikes a balance with activities and sport. With dedicated Studios for activities in the Fine Arts, the children enjoy a wide variety of activities in the performing and visual arts. Nationally ranked as the very best, our sports programme allows children team-building and leadership skills at every stage of learning. Committed to the Leapstart programme, the children take a break from academic rigours with a game of basketball or football, before returning to classroom instruction. GDGWS ensures that every child enjoys a holistic education, integral to building confidence and self-worth.

But most of all, it is the multi-cultured diversity of the student-body that equips children for life. With children from over 30 countries, with differences between cultures, religions and beliefs are discovered, understood and valued. Lifelong friendships are made as children leave with the enviable advantage of understanding what it is to be a truly global citizen.

03:05 PM

As the day-boarders depart, the full-time boarders head off for a snack, followed by a short rest, an hour of study and the much-awaited ‘games time’ where boarders enjoy an hour of specialised coaching from well-qualified instructors. By this time, the day-boarders have been dropped off at their residences.

5:30 PM TO LIGHTS OUT

The evening on the GDGWS campus begins with a healthy snack of fruit or juice after games at 6:30, followed by a shower and change at 6:45 and a sumptuous dinner at 7:30 pm. There is always a little time for recreation before they settle down for private study till 8:45 pm.

The day ends with lights out for the primary section at 9:15, 10:00 pm for grades 6-8 and 10:30 pm for the senior children of graders 9 to 11. In keeping with our educational vision grade 12 students are allowed to self-regulate to instill in them independence, personal accountability and sound judgment.

THE WEEKENDS

While weekly-boarders head home, the full-time boarders are left with the happy thought of no second prep on Friday, the luxury of late rising on Saturday and Sunday and two days filled with relaxation, leisure, sports and, for those who feel the need, self-regulated study. While some children enjoy a game of football, others spend time ‘catching up’.

There is something for everyone at GDGWS!