Formed in 1966 and based on the educational concepts of Kurt Hahn, Round Square is an international network of around 200 schools across 50 countries in 6 continents that connect and collaborate to offer world-class programmes and experiences, developing global competence, character and confidence in their students.
The aim of Round Square is to inspire and draw out every child’s capacity for self-discovery, personal development, achievement and excellence, with an approach that is practical, cross-cultural and collaborative.
Round Square schools share a commitment to character education and experiential learning and are built around six ideals: international understanding, democracy, environmental stewardship, adventure, leadership and service. These ideals are underpinned by twelve discoveries that the students explore on their learning journey: inquisitiveness, tenacity, courage, compassion, inventiveness, ability to solve problems, self-awareness, sense of responsibility, appreciation of diversity, commitment to sustainability, communication and team-working skills. These discoveries support schools in developing and structuring holistic programmes that build character, competencies and life-skills among their students.
Round Square schools encourage and guide their students to discover and embrace similarities and differences among various cultures and nationalities in a way that promotes meaningful and lasting understanding and respect, to develop a sense of equality, fairness, justice and a desire to do what is right, to understand the significance of mankind’s place in the universe, the forces that shape our surroundings and the impact that they have on those surroundings, to recognise that great leaders are driven by a desire to be of service to others and to nurture, guide, develop and help them to improve and succeed and to celebrate personal development through practical experience that brings sustainable support and benefit to others.
The students and teachers of a Round Square school can take part in global conferences that bring them together with peers from different countries to share their perspectives, debate on topical issues, forge friendships, support local communities and develop international understanding. Round Square coordinates around 15 to 20 global conferences each year, each hosted by a Round Square school. During these conferences, there are between 50 and 150 students from upto 30 schools at a time involved in presentations, question and answer sessions, games, quizzes and many more.
Round Square helps the students acquire important transferable skills such as communication, problem solving, tenacity, responsibility, team work, inquiry and a range of leadership skills that go hand in hand with a genuine passion for learning and academic achievement.
– Neilay Krishna Agarwal – 10D