Press Release Overview

On 21 July 2026, Sagebrook International School announced its launch in Hyderabad’s Financial District. The school is an International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IB PYP) candidate and will admit its first cohort, ranging from the Beginnings parent‑toddler programme through Grade 2, in July 2026. Admissions are currently open via www.sagebrook.in.

Founder and Academic Credentials

Co‑founder Eshita Kalidindi holds a Master’s in Human Development and Education from Harvard University and a B.A. in Psychology (summa cum laude) from New York University. At NYU she served as a research assistant in a Social Psychology laboratory focused on child and adolescent mental health. Her subsequent academic work has centred on early childhood development, learning science, and the relational foundations of learning.

Curriculum Design and Research Foundations

The school’s early‑years curriculum is structured around two flagship programmes:

  • Beginnings: a parent‑toddler programme for children aged 18‑36 months. It draws on neuroscience evidence that over a million neural connections form each second during the first three years of life, prioritising warm, responsive exchanges rather than formal instruction. Parents remain on campus for a three‑week transition period to support secure attachment, while teachers integrate songs, gestures, and stories throughout the day.
  • Block Building Programme: scaffolded across the early years, this programme leverages decades of play‑based learning research demonstrating that open‑ended construction activities enhance spatial reasoning, mathematical thinking, language development, and executive function.

The school’s Social‑Emotional Learning (SEL) framework blends identity, empathy, social awareness, and meaningful action into daily routines, positioning SEL as a core component of the curriculum rather than an add‑on.

Campus Architecture and Environment

The campus, described as biophilic, was designed by internationally recognised school architect Prakash Nair. Key environmental features include sunlit classrooms, natural materials, reflective nooks for self‑regulation, and a school‑wide filtered‑air system. These design choices are grounded in research linking physical environment to children’s attention, mood, and learning outcomes.

Partnerships and Advisory Board

Sagebrook has formed a partnership with Whitgift School in the United Kingdom to strengthen its global learning ecosystem. An International Advisory Board provides ongoing evidence‑based guidance and comprises:

  • Dr. Elizabeth City (Harvard University)
  • Dr. Swati Popat Vats (Early Childhood Association of India)
  • Dr. Varudhini Kankipati (counselling psychologist)

The board ensures that research‑based practices permeate every level of the school’s operation.

Disclaimer

The press release is distributed under an arrangement with NRDPL. PTI assumes no editorial responsibility for the content.