Choosing the right school in East Africa is a complicated matter for all parents; setting the standard internationally is one leading school in Nairobi.
Round Square is an odd phrase to the uninitiated, but is is the name given to a group of 80 like-minded schools worldwide that share a common educational philosophy based on developing leadership skills in young people through service to others. In the leafy suburb of Langata, Nairobi’s Brookhouse School is one such Round Square member school, devoted to the development of each child as a responsible contributor to society.
With outstanding academic results each year and a vast range of extra-curricular activities, Brookhouse prides itself on nurturing the unique talents and aspirations of each pupil, sending graduates every year to the finest universities around the globe, including the UK and Canada’s leading institutions of higher learning, Ivy League colleges in the USA and the Group of 8 foremost universities in Australia.
"In Nairobi Brookhouse School is leading the way in international education for children from forty nations"
The Brookhouse Boarding House is home to children from across Africa and beyond, with forty different nationalities represented amongst the student body. This focus on internationalism is a key element of the Round Square philosophy and part of what makes the school a very special place. The boarding facilities at Brookhouse are extensive, leading many parents to choose this option for their children.
Brookhouse standards are maintained through full accreditation with the Council of International Schools and IAPS, organisations that provide the most stringent benchmarks against which the school is judged in terms of academic delivery and good governance. Indeed, Brookhouse has the distinction of being the only international school in East Africa to hold both CIS and IAPS accreditations, providing parents with the security of knowing they are investing in quality education provided by a secure and stable institution.
At Brookhouse one can see the signs of constant reinvestment to meet the academic and extra-curricular demands of a 21st Century education: flat screen Mac computers, all fully networked with e-mail and internet access in several computer laboratories; a gymnasium and indoor sports centre that would not be out of place in a 5 star hotel; well equipped specialist science laboratories; Art & Design and Music studios; and a theatre that can lay claim to being the finest performance venue in the region. Of course, the most well known facility at Brookhouse would have to be the “castle style” primary school, already a landmark along Langata Road, which has set new standards in innovative school design for East Africa.
A strict code of conduct to ensure high standards of manners, behaviour and respect, plus an ongoing focus on serious academic achievement are key features of a Brookhouse education, and the students also seem to always be busy extending themselves: whether it is in the choir or orchestra, Model United Nations or the President’s Award Scheme, sporting teams or school plays, as all such activities are an integral part of what makes for a full and rounded education at the school.
So then, for parents choosing the international school environment for the education of their children there is much to consider in the standards set by Brookhouse, and although there is no denying that it is a signficant financial undertaking for any parent, it is also true that a first-class education is the greatest investment a parent can make in the future for their children. A visit to Brookhouse only reaffirms this.
