About Us

Helen O’Grady International was founded by Helen O’Grady, Executive Director, a qualified teacher in Perth, Australia in 1979. The company works in the sector of education across 40 countries of the world in the spheres of speech and drama, teacher training, drama in education, Trinity courses and many others.

The rich experience gained through implementation of these programs across several countries has culminated in the development of the Helen O’Grady International Early Learning solutions curriculum for our preschools.

In India Helen O’Grady International was launched in India by Harsh Seksaria, Director of Govind Knowledge Ventures Pvt. Ltd. The ‘Seksaria Brothers’ is a 100-year-old industrial house, which has actively worked in the field of education through their many trusts and have set up several schools and colleges in the states of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan. Helen O’Grady International is the world’s largest after-school developmental drama programme. Over one million children are enrolled in this programme globally. In India alone, the programme has won the prestigious Best Innovative After-School Programme Award by the Indian Education Congress for three consecutive Years (2014, 2015 and 2016). It all began in Australia in 1979, when Helen O'Grady, a trained drama teacher and actress, hired a hall and commenced affordable after school drama classes for students from 3 to 18 years of age.

There are over 50 franchisees of Helen O’Grady International spread across India operating centers in 60 towns and cities in its Edu-Drama Academies since last 20 years in India. Helen O’Grady International, a well-established brand in the field of Education and developmental drama has long been associated with pre-school education through its Early Childhood Care and Education Course (ECCE) for pre-school teachers. In addition, Helen O’Grady International has also been delivering courses of Kindy Drama, focusing on a sound grounding in early childhood language to pre-school learners across the world. Being so well versed in the franchise system and being experienced in servicing the preschool industry, Helen O’Grady is proud to launch its preschools with its assurance of quality.

Launching the Helen O’Grady International Preschool

While our parent company is celebrating 5 decades of existence and a spread of over 40 countries in the world, the Helen O’Grady International Preschool is the brainchild of the India Office. It was launched in India, In Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu in April, 2018 by Mrs. Arpita Mittal, CEO, Helen O’Grady Operations for India and the Middle East and Mr. Duncan Rice, Director, CrEd International, South Africa.
The Helen O’Grady International Preschool – Our Curriculum
The Helen O’Grady International Preschool uses a unique curriculum designed with the best practices for early learning used in different approaches, philosophies and countries across the world. It uses the emotional development aspect of the Waldorf approach, uses the sensory development approach of the Montessori method, it keeps in mind the Head, the Hand and the Heart approach to education proposed by Mahatma Gandhi, it includes elements of integral education propounded by the Aurobindo Philosophy and is mainly inspired by the Reggio Emilia Approach.

What does Reggio Inspired mean?

The curriculum is influenced by the Reggio Emilia approach to teaching and learning and believes that children have a hundred languages (ways) to express themselves. Therefore art, music, drama and dance are integrated into the curriculum.

Our image of the child is rich in potential, strong, powerful, competent and most of all, connected to adults and children.

Are we compliant with India’s National Educational policy and the Global Curriculum Framework of the OECD?

India has recently adopted the National Educational Policy 2020 (https://www.education.gov.in/sites/upload_files/mhrd/files/NEP_Final_English_0.pdf) and the Helen O’Grady International preschool curriculum is aligned to the same. Our curriculum is developed keeping in mind the National Curricular Framework and the Learning Outcomes defined thereof (https://ncert.nic.in/dee/pdf/Combined_Pre_school_curriculumEng.pdf) . Our curriculum also keeps in mind the perspectives of inclusion and environmental and sustainable development as defined by the OECD (https://www.oecd.org/education/2030-project/teaching-and-learning/learning/ ) and keeping in mind the higher order thinking skills that need to be developed. The Assessment at the Helen O’Grady International Preschool is observation based and focuses on skill development and competency achieved.