Katie Wilcox School

You’ll find us at 19 R N Mukherjee Road, right on the third floor. This part of Burrabazar is always crowded and noisy, but once you get up the stairs, it settles down a bit. We’ve been running this school here for a long time now. It isn’t a massive place with a big field or anything like that. It’s just a set of rooms where the kids sit and learn. The walk up to the third floor gets tiring, especially in the heat, but we all do it every morning. Teachers come in, put their bags down, and get the chalk ready. The fans hum all day long to keep the air moving. We don't have a fancy reception or glossy brochures to hand out. People usually hear about us from their neighbors or relatives who live nearby. Most of the children come from the local families working in the area. We focus on the books and making sure everyone understands the lessons. Sometimes the traffic outside is so loud we have to shout a bit to be heard. It’s a very practical sort of place. We have old wooden desks that have been around forever. When the final bell rings at the end of the day, there is a big rush for the stairs. It is just a regular school day for us, nothing more and nothing less. We just keep doing what we do.