Full Breakdown
British Public Schools Open New Campuses Across India
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Expansion of British Public Schools into India
A 473-year-old British public school has opened its first all-girls international campus on the outskirts of Chandigarh in Punjab’s Mohali district. The Bedford School, Mohali, joins at least six other elite, fee-paying British schools that have recently established satellite campuses in India, including Harrow in Bengaluru, Shrewsbury in Bhopal, and Wellington College in Pune. The Indian sites feature modern, purpose-built academic blocks, while retaining visual nods to their heritage, such as a red-brick clock tower at the Bedford campus.
Market Drivers and Context
The expansion occurs as British schools face tighter market conditions in China and as the United Kingdom implements a value-added tax on private school fees from 1 January 2025. In India, a growing class of newly wealthy families seeks global exposure for their children, prompting demand for curricula that are internationally recognised. The all-through Cambridge curriculum—offered from primary through A-levels by Harrow and Bedford—is cited as a major attraction for Indian parents.
Key Institutions and Campuses
- Bedford School, Mohali – first all-girls campus, modern facilities, heritage clock tower.
- Harrow School, Bengaluru – located in India’s tech hub, serves elite families.
- Shrewsbury School, Bhopal – central-India presence.
- Wellington College, Pune – western-India campus in a city dubbed the “Oxford of the East.”
Other schools such as Millfield, Queen Elizabeth’s School and several unnamed institutions are reported to be planning additional campuses.
Official Statements & Responses
Verbatim Quotes
- “Our international curriculum is quite a driver for many of them,” — Caroline Pascoe, head of school at Harrow in Bengaluru