Common Grounds International Academy

Common Grounds International Academy was born out of a need experienced by three western families living in Calicut in 2013 to find a school with high quality education and a positive approach to educate their children. When none was found, these families developed a home school co-op in which they educated their children together in one room of one of the homes for a year. Neighbors and local friends began to inquire and encourage these people to make their establishment into a full-fledged school. In June 2014, after a board of forward-thinking Malayalis established Common Grounds Foundation, this new school was born.
Common Grounds International Academy offers small class sizes- a maximum of 12 students to one teacher. These classes are multi-standard classrooms where two or more grade levels are taught in one classroom to encourage older and younger student mentoring and interaction. Students receive one-on-one teacher attention so that the student can master material for the attainment of the individual goals set for each student. In a multi-aged classroom, both children who are excelling and those who are struggling can be matched with other students whom have the same or similar ability in a subject. Take Asher for example, he is a second standard student and is an outstanding reader so he is able to join the 4th and 5th standard students for their reading activities.
Students work in cooperative groups where they learn to collaborate, form questions, listen to others, problem-solve, practice public-speaking and teach themselves to learn in small groups.
CGIA was developed through the Christian Ethos of its founders and fosters an environment that shapes, in its students, high character with a moral compass. Teachers embody peace, gentleness, kindness, patience, self-control, joy and love: the fruit of the Spirit that is guided by a gracious, just and good God. When the first Malayali family admitted their son into CGIA, the child’s family told the directors that he had noticed the way we train the whole child to be their best individual and he shared that value.
Furthermore, CGIA is diverse and mulit-cultural community. In its first year, there were staff and families from four different countries making it a great place for local children to gain fluency with the English language. The children, staff and their families learn to respect others and their varying culture and customs. What unique training and preparation for being a player in this global world in which we live!
At CGIA, we intend to remain a relatively small, focused school of high quality that pays great attention to each child. We believe deeply in community and family and we’ve developed our initiative with these two things in mind. It is important to us that the families involved in Common Grounds International Academy share community together. Thus it is not our aim to grow into another huge Calicut school. In its second year, we anticipate growing by over 100% yet we are willing to admit only 20-30 new students in our second year.
We are committed to growing our students in wisdom, by nurturing understanding and pursuing knowledge. At CGIA students are equipped to reach their highest potential academically, physically, morally and socially. For us, education is not a business or a money making scheme it is truly about providing the best possible education for our own kids and others; for this reason, CGIA was established as a trust.
- Native English speakers

- Cambridge International Primary Curriculum (CIPP)

- Kind, highly trained, and talented teachers

- Nursery, Play Group, LKG, UKG, & 1-6 standard

- Admission is now open