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Kenya, Nairobi
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The Banda traces its origins from Kaptagat near Eldoret, where Mr Jim Chitty ran Kaptagat Preparatory School with 170 children from 1956. In 1966, the Dutch Government offered to purchase the school's property to build a farmer's training center; Chitty relocated the school to the current site, which was previously occupied by the British Army in 1942 and later The Banda Hotel. The Banda Hotel was built of mud and thatch; in Swahili, banda refers to a simple thatched building. Enormous effort went into putting up the school's infrastructure while coexisting with wildlife, with giraffes, warthogs and lions nearby. The Banda School officially opened its doors in September 1966 with 24 children, eight teaching staff and a Headmaster, and over the years came to be regarded as one of the leading international schools in Kenya and one of the largest IAPS schools outside the United Kingdom.
The Banda cannot ignore the needs within Kenya and aims to equip children with the skills and vision to make a difference in their local community. The school supports a range of local charities each year focusing on the needs of people, wildlife and the local environment, with charity days, House events and fundraising as part of the termly calendar. Pupils, parents and teachers help propose the charities to be supported over the academic year and examples include The Olooluwa Forest Sanctuary, IAfrika, Bluebell's School Watamu, Ghetto Classics and Kibera Mpira Mtaani (KIMMTA). Visits by charity representatives and talks help children see the impact of their contributions.
The Banda School is an international school in Kenya offering the British Curriculum for ages 1–13, with EYFS. In Lower School (Years 1–4) the National Curriculum of England & Wales is taught by class teachers, with daily Phonics and specialist instruction in French (Year 2), Kiswahili, Music, Computing, PE and Art. Classes are small, and Years 3–4 are grouped by ability for Mathematics and spelling to tailor pace. Upper School (Years 5–8) combines the British National Curriculum with an independent curriculum aligned to the ISEB 13+ Common Entrance; pupils sit the Common Entrance at the end of Year 8. The timetable covers English, Mathematics, Science, languages, Geography, History, Art, Drama, Music, Computing, Design & Technology, PE and PSHE, with Religion/Philosophy & Ethics in Years 7–8. The 35-acre campus includes science laboratories, Arts Centre, Performing Arts space, a library complex, pool and a hockey pitch. Flight enrichment programme underpins holistic development.
