“Through wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches.” (King Solomon)
Common Grounds International Academy (CGIA) is Calicut’s truly child-centered school, offering small, inclusive classes that provide personalized attention and a nurturing environment. Our curriculum focuses on transferable skills, with lessons rooted in real-world applications, ensuring students develop both academically and personally.
At CGIA, we believe in educating the whole child. Learning is experiential, hands-on, and meaningful, helping children build confidence, curiosity, and critical thinking skills. We welcome and support learners with diverse abilities, ensuring that every child feels valued and capable of reaching their fullest potential.
Our dedicated teachers are more than instructors—they are mentors and role models, guiding students in kindness, patience, respect, and resilience. With a strong emphasis on moral growth, cultural understanding, and linguistic confidence, we prepare students with the skills and values they need to thrive in an ever-changing world.
CGIA is more than just a school; it is a place where children discover their potential, learn the importance of integrity and empathy, and grow into compassionate, responsible, globally-minded individuals ready to make a positive impact on society.
History
We at CGIA would like to give you some background surrounding how our school came to be:
Three sets of parents from Britain and America , here doing business in beautiful Kerala, sought to provide a school that would embody the educational approach of “teaching the whole child,” as well as one that would transition their children well into British, American or Indian systems equally. They spent their first year (2013-2014) selecting curriculum, hiring and training staff and testing their approaches on their own children. It worked! The kids loved it as they did.
After that initial year of visionary setup, Common Grounds International Academy became an initiative of Common Grounds Foundation, a local trust. Then in the spirit of expanding carefully to ensure quality, we opened up the opportunity for a few select families to join CGIA. That 2014-2015 school year included only a small number of primary and preschool-aged children and quickly became a place where others wanted to join!
Since then, CGIA has grown beautifully year after year, always maintaining our commitment to small class sizes and individualized instruction for students from play class through Seventh grade.
Our Mission
CGIA is dedicated to nurturing the whole child—mind, body, heart, and character. Through inclusive, hands-on learning in a caring and professional environment, we inspire confidence, curiosity, and integrity. Our mission is to equip each student to apply their knowledge and character to lead a successful, balanced, and purposeful life for the benefit of themselves and their community.
Our Vision
We are committed to being a values-driven, future-ready institution that nurtures the whole child through inclusive and innovative education. We strive to create a vibrant learning environment where wisdom shapes knowledge, skills align with purpose, and every student develops life competence, digital fluency, and moral clarity, empowering them to lead with excellence, empathy, and global awareness.
Our Philosophy
At Common Grounds International Academy (CGIA), we believe education is a transformative journey that nurtures the body, mind, heart, and character of every learner. Guided by the conviction that each child is unique and full of potential, our philosophy blends academic excellence, moral integrity, and social responsibility—preparing students not only for success but for meaningful contribution to the world.
Inclusive Education at CGIA
At Common Grounds International Academy (CGIA), we are committed to the belief that every individual can learn and thrive when supported with the right approach. In alignment with our inclusive education philosophy, we reserve up to 20% of seats in each classroom for students with mild to moderate special educational needs. Admission to this program is based on a pre-admission assessment, which helps us understand the learner’s profile and plan appropriate support.
Based on this assessment, an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) may be developed. All learning plans are overseen by the Special Educational Needs (SEN) Department Coordinator, who ensures regular evaluations and guides adjustments as needed. Our trained staff, guided by a spirit of teamwork and empathy, works collectively to support the holistic growth and success of every learner.
