Two leopards casually wandering the Camel’s Back Road in Mussoorie late one night were captured on CCTV cameras last week – a remarkable reminder that we live close to nature in this beautiful mountain environment. Of course, these are very shy creatures and most unlikely to appear when people are...
Self-help Groups (SHGs) are self-governed, peer controlled, informal groups of people with the same socio-economic background and have a desire to collectively perform a common goal. Through Woodstock’s Community Engagement program, a group of our students are working alongside a group of 54 women who share the desire to micro-bank....
Taking to two wheels and braving the elements and thin air, 14 Grade 12 students set out on the cycling adventure of a lifetime this activity week. Covering 140 km of some of the toughest terrain and most challenging roads in India, they cycled through the stunning scenery of the Spiti Valley in Himachal Pradesh...
This Activity Week Woodstock’s entire Grade 8 class ventured to Rishikesh for a rafting expedition on the Ganges, coordinated by the Himalayan River Runners. For our first two days we were based at the Himalayan Hideaway Lodge. At the nearby beach some students kayaked and swam in the river and...
Two weeks ago, I came across a fascinating concept I hadn’t heard of before. I discovered it through an article kindly sent to me by a Woodstock parent. The article was a summary of Dr Susan David’s new book, 'Emotional Agility'. This concept of emotional agility has helped me to...
Our Grade 6 students experienced a whole raft of excitement this activity week at their camp facilitated by Snow Leopard Adventures. From their base in Shivpuri village on the banks of the river Ganges they participated in a range of activities including cycling, rock climbing, hiking, and rafting down to...
This week, the entire school will be out on Activity Week - one of the most unique and formative aspects of a Woodstock education. With activities carefully selected to be appropriate to the age-group concerned and accompanied by experienced staff, students will have a remarkable opportunity to explore our stunning Himalayan...
Several times recently different people have forwarded me the following TED Talk by Julie Lythcott-Haims - academic, author and the former Dean of Freshmen at Stanford: [embed width="600" height="480"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Nd2ORQOSfw[/embed] It’s a great talk – and I recommend it. Her latest book, “How to Raise an Adult”. Lythcott-Haines makes a powerful case against parents...
The great outdoors and the educational opportunities it provides has always been a key part of life at Woodstock School. Given our incredible location in the Himalayas, you could say that it comes with the territory. But there's always more we can do to make the outdoor experience at Woodstock...
Our students demonstrated just what an exceedingly talented bunch they are in our Upper Years Talent Show on Friday, which showcased the best of Woodstock's stars of tomorrow. The acts included a singing duet, three solos and a girl band, traditional African dance and a K-Pop group, as well as...
At the far end of Mussoorie lies Sippancoat, a slum community of roughly 50 families. On Wednesday of this week the Woodstock student team that works in Sippancoat had their weekly visit. This time however they were accompanied by three members of our Liter of Light student team. Liter of light...
Our largest college fair of the year saw 31 higher education institutions visiting from a diverse range of countries including the UK, Canada, Ireland, India, Switzerland and the USA. In addition we were joined by a number of international educational institutions with campuses ranging from Sydney to Singapore and Shanghai. Access...
Fascinating research published by the American Medical Association reports the results of a survey on over 90,000 teenagers – one of the largest ever carried out. The research concluded that ‘emotional connectedness’ was the single most significant factor in protecting young people from emotional distress, violent behaviour, substance abuse and...
At school you make some of the best, most important friends of your life. And that's even more true with boarding schools, where you share every part of growing up with your peers around you. On friendship day we celebrate the bonds which have blossomed at Woodstock - after all,...
Muscle memory Going to the gym everyday has been a ritual of mine for more than 30 years. 25 years ago, when one of our daughters was still very young, I set up a small gym in the basement of our house. Every evening I’d make my way down the stairs to...
