Kondhwa's RIMS International School offers Cambridge path from early years to A Level

For parents in south-east Pune looking for an international education for their child, RIMS International School and Junior College is a name worth a close look. The school is on NIBM Post Office Road, Kondhwa, Pune 411048. It can fairly be described as a school in NIBM or Kondhwa, but "NIBM International School" is not its official name.

The school's structure rests on the Cambridge pathway. According to the school, the sequence is Cambridge Cubes, Cambridge Primary, Cambridge Lower Secondary, Cambridge IGCSE and finally Cambridge A Level. A child therefore does not have to enter an international board only at the secondary stage; one continuous track runs from start to finish. The real question for parents is not whether the school is international, but whether the Cambridge route suits their child.

Cubes is a programme for young children, roughly ages 2 to 5. It covers literacy, numeracy and mathematical understanding, art and craft, general knowledge, and fine-motor and whole-body activities. The school says children work individually, in small groups and in large groups. It states a student-teacher ratio of 15:1 in Cubes. Cambridge Primary follows for Grades 1 to 5, building the foundations of English, mathematics and science. Lower Secondary covers Grades 6 to 8 and teaches English, Hindi or French, Marathi, mathematics, science, commerce studies, PSHE, ICT, social studies and physical education. The Cambridge Checkpoint is held here in English, mathematics and science, giving an idea of a child's strengths, weaknesses and readiness for the next stage.

IGCSE is taught in Grades 9 and 10. The school also prepares students for the Cambridge International Certificate of Education (ICE) award. Two IGCSE tracks are listed. The science track has English, French/Hindi/EVM, mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology and optional ICT. The commerce track has English, French/Hindi/EVM, mathematics, accounting, economics, business studies and optional ICT. Physical training, PSHE and learning enhancement are also included. Subjects offered can change with batch size and staffing, so parents should ask the school directly about the 2026-27 subjects and minimum admission requirements.

Grades 11 and 12 follow the two-year Cambridge A Level. The first option combines English language, physics, chemistry, biology/mathematics/AICT and psychology. The second combines English language, business studies, accounting, mathematics/economics/AICT and psychology. According to the school, students usually concentrate on three full-credit subjects. The school claims that after A Level, students can sit Indian competitive examinations such as IIT-JEE, NEET and CET, and apply to universities in India and abroad. Parents considering medicine or engineering should nonetheless ask the school for current information on eligibility for JEE, NEET and MHT-CET, equivalence documents, subject requirements and the varying demands of different universities, because rules keep changing.

Assessment includes weekly tests, two summative assessments a year and two formative cycles. Cambridge stages also include Checkpoint and external IGCSE and A Level examinations. The campus has smart classrooms and interactive smart boards, and the school lists science labs, a library, study halls, creative arts, sports, meditation and field trips. It also holds public-speaking workshops linked to DTMUN, spelling competitions, a student council, a science exhibition, mathematics activities and a university fair. The school says it provides a canteen, meals planned with the help of an in-school dietitian/nutritionist, and a multi-route bus service.

On fees, the school wants parents to take a campus tour and ask the admissions team directly. An official grade-wise fee schedule for 2026-27 was not found in public information, so no figure is given here. Parents should ask for registration, admission fee, tuition, annual charges, Cambridge examination fees, books, uniform, transport, meals, activities and trips to be counted separately. At IGCSE and A Level, Cambridge examination fees can form a substantial part of the cost.

The admission process has six steps: admission enquiry, registration and campus tour, school visit and meeting with the principal, form submission, fee payment and a parent orientation programme. The current enquiry form reads "Academic Year 2026-27". Documents sought include proof of completion of the previous class, photographs of the child and parents, a transfer certificate if needed, proof of residence, certificates of achievement, a passport copy for foreign students and signed admission papers.

According to the school, students coming after Grade 8 from SSC, ICSE, CBSE, NIOS or an equivalent board are eligible for IGCSE after a skills assessment or interview. Students who have passed Class 10 from SSC, ICSE, IGCSE, NIOS or an equivalent board are eligible for A Level, subject to the school's conditions. According to the FAQ, children from other boards seeking entry to Classes 1 to 8 may be considered after an interview or entrance test. The school has also published its 2026-27 academic calendar, with a planner from Grade 1 to A2.

Some matters should be confirmed with the school directly: current student numbers, number of teachers, the overall student-teacher ratio, counsellor and special educator arrangements, sports facilities and competitive teams, robotics, coding and grade-wise AI programmes, financial literacy, recent results, details of students placed in universities, scholarships, and transport routes and costs. Parents can also ask how much sport, art and public speaking a child gets, how many experiments are done in the labs, and how the syllabus gap is bridged for children coming from CBSE or ICSE. Overall, RIMS offers a direct Cambridge path from the early years to A Level, and the decision rests on whether the child fits Cambridge's methods of learning and assessment. This information is based on a check made in October 2026.