Redefining the role of school in a child’s journey through life

Alexander Shkuratov is the Founder and CEO of the Island Private School, a learner-driven institution that embraces three alternative educational philosophies.

Here, he delves into the inadequacies of the traditional educational model, explains how the school’s curricula are designed to better prepare students for the real world, and suggests that its unconventional approach is definitely worth parents’ consideration.

Nestled comfortably in the rugged embrace of Limassol’s mountainsides, the Island Private School is bursting with life as preparations for the new academic year are in full swing. September stubbornly clings to the sultry grip of summer, although a breeze cools the beads of perspiration on every brow. In the reception area, parents converse with school staff in Russian, even though this is an exclusively English-speaking institution. The Island Private School is perhaps unique in the world in that it embraces three distinct educational philosophies under the same roof: The Waldorf School, the International Baccalaureate (IB) and, from this academic year, the Montessori approach. The steward of this unusual institution, its founder and CEO Alexander Shkuratov, sits in his modest office, the door seemingly perpetually ajar, an open invitation to the dynamic discourse that the school represents.

Shkuratov is a man of business who has traversed multiple domains in his life, from real estate to finance to education. His first interaction with Cyprus was in 2007 when he set up the corporate structure and governance for the Russia-based Etalon Group, a real estate development and construction company. In his office, there is a gemstone award (in the shape of a building) for his excellent service to the company, while on the wall, a plaque hangs, created for the company’s listing on the London Stock Exchange in 2011; the IPO raised US$575 million. It was Shkuratov’s idea and plan to transform the Etalon Group from a family-owned business into a listed international corporation, engaging Cyprus advisors, like Deloitte Cyprus, to create a holding company on the island, with proper governance systems and an office, demonstrating not only his business acumen but also a forward-thinking mindset, qualities that would later become the foundations of the Island Private School. Indeed, selling the shares he acquired from the deal allowed him to fund his other activities, from ventures in the tech industry to the school.

Having fallen in love with the island, Shkuratov moved with his family to Cyprus in 2015. Back in Russia, his eldest daughter was schooled at a Waldorf School, an institution characterised by a profound philosophy rooted in the holistic development of the child – an ethos that reverberates not only in service of the individual but also of society. At its heart, the Waldorf pedagogy fosters a symbiotic relationship between educators and students, integrating academic subjects, the arts and practical skills into the curriculum. The school describes its learning process as engaging the “head, heart and hands.” Nonetheless, it became immediately apparent that the island was bereft of alternative educational models. “This was an ‘A-Ha!’ moment,” Shkuratov says. “Now, I’m willing to make concessions, but my wife was a lot more determined. And she said that we either set up a Waldorf School or we relocate.” With Cyprus being the best place for him in both business terms and lifestyle, there was only one way forward. The first iteration of the school was essentially a Waldorf School daycare centre with only eight pupils.

There is good evidence to suggest that Cyprus’ school system has taken some of its characteristics from the centuries-old Prussian system. The motivation behind this system was to create a cadre of factory workers to fuel the industrial revolution. Classrooms operated as assembly lines with desks stacked in rows, the teacher assuming a managerial role, and the most important knowledge that students gained was factual and descriptive, predicated on memorisation. Indeed, Shkuratov himself was educated in such a system. He shares a story from his primary school days (in what was still the Soviet Union), where the teacher, in Tsar-like fashion, kept the classroom in a state of constant stress, employing punitive measures to keep students in line. “I still have nightmares from this terrible experience,” he says with a blend of gravity and wry humour. For Shkuratov, while the mainstream model has served the world well over the centuries, we are amid a paradigm shift propelled by the exponential advancement of technology that necessitates a different approach to education. While being a repository of knowledge was an unnegotiable asset in the past, in a world where AI co-pilots can provide comprehensive answers at the click of a button, what matters most, he argues, are soft skills like communication, collaboration, creativity and critical thinking. On top of that, there is a great body of research that suggests new generations will change more than one career in their lifetime; being life-long learners, then, will be critical to success in the job market. “We prepare our students for a world of uncertainty, where they need to come up with ideas, plans and solutions for their problems,” Shkuratov stresses.

In the International Baccalaureate framework, recognised by leading universities across the globe, academic success is not the sole barometer of achievement. Instead, the framework describes success through a mosaic delineating a spectrum of human capacities and responsibilities, known as the IB’s learner profile. Among these are qualities like open-mindedness, the daring spirit of risk-taking and the tender grace of caring. In parallel, in the nurturing confines of the Montessori school, which starts from early childhood (ages 2-6), classrooms are underpinned by respect for the child and a focus on developing critical thinking, collaboration and creativity. While the three frameworks have their differences, they all follow the same principle: students are active participants in the learning process and in their holistic vision, success is the embodiment of a well-rounded, engaged and compassionate human being, poised to navigate the complexities of the world. It’s important to mention that the school is not a melting pot of different systems – the three schools operate separately. Students can enrol in preschool and primary programmes in all three systems, while secondary education filters into the IB programme.

The Island Private School has come a long way since its inception. It now boasts more than 700 students, employing 180 staff, of whom 150 are teachers from 30 different countries, including Cyprus – representing a 1:5 teacher-to-student ratio – and, after just seven years, the school finds itself in the top 1% of employers in Cyprus (by number of employees). However, Shkuratov emphasises with a contemplative nod that the journey they embarked upon has not been without challenges. Predictably, housing different educational systems within the same walls, coupled with the organisation of their corresponding teachers, brought confusion at times. To provide cohesion, in May 2023, the school devised a common framework; a modus operandi for all three programmes. It describes eight common values, of which Shkuratov considers love and respect as the most important.

“I believe that school should be a harmonious and welcoming environment for everyone. When a teacher enters the classroom, if he or she does not love children, then it’s not the right job for them,” he says, adding that they have already parted ways with teachers who did not abide by the school’s values. The revelation that most students came from Russian-speaking families was another challenge, as this did not align with Shkuratov’s original blueprint for the school. It was an unforeseen twist, due to the influx of families from Ukraine, Belarus and Russia escaping their embattled countries. With the country’s state school system operating in the Greek language and English-speaking private schools at full capacity, they naturally gravitated toward the Island Private School. This has prompted Shkuratov to introduce a programme that offers a number of full scholarships. Last year, these were given to 15 students from Ukraine, while this year, in an effort to diversify the student mix, they will be extended to 20 students, including local youngsters from the surrounding villages. Somewhat unexpectedly, Shkuratov did not experience bureaucratic resistance. “We have received unbelievable support from the Government and, from the Ministry of Education to the Electricity Authority and the Town Planning Department, they have all supported our efforts, and we obtained the necessary papers on time,” he avows. In yet another example of the spirit of collaboration surrounding the school, in 2022 (when the school officially adopted the Island Private School name) local construction company Cyfield delivered half the existing school buildings in a matter of weeks.

Shkuratov dismisses comparisons between the school’s higher tuition fees and those of its counterparts; it is like comparing apples with oranges, he insists. The school’s fee structure is based on a full-day model and funds extracurricular activities, all in the pursuit of a holistic education journey. Such activities include science labs and sports clubs while external providers like Engino and Wood Wizards have been invited to set up shop in the school. Indicatively, for pre-primary grades (3-5 years old) the full-day fee stands at €8,400, for primary grades 1-5 at €10,920, while grade 6 is at €11,760; the fee goes up for secondary grades. While there is no official data to calculate the average cost incurred by families per child-student per academic year, including extracurricular activities and travel costs, parents might find that the school’s full-day model is worth the price. “We have been well-received by working parents,” Shkuratov explains, “since they can bring their kids in the morning and pick them up in the evening. In the afternoon, we also allocate time for their homework, so they can enjoy quality family time together.”

By all accounts, the school is a labour of love for Shkuratov. Despite the stress involved in steering an organisation with such complexities and intricacies, he radiates with profound contentment. With a smile etched across his face, he mentions that, these days, he is a lot happier than ever before. As a testament to this, by 2025, he plans to expand the school into an education hub with a capacity for 2,000 students. He describes it as a ‘school village’, where the three programmes will have their dedicated space while sharing common facilities. It will also pave the way for new educational systems, with the Italian Regio Emilia already being under consideration. “We had a parents’ meeting last week, and there was one family who said that they had one kid at the Waldorf, one in IB and another in Montessori. How often do you hear people from different education systems sit in one room and discuss things together? This doesn’t only apply to parents but also to the children and teachers. We are conducting a sort of educational experiment on a global scale by hosting different systems that share similar values,” he says. Shkuratov hypothesises that, eventually, synergies will emerge via diffusion. And, who knows, in the not-so-distant future, the Island School’s unique model might produce evidence-based research that will redefine the role of school in shaping a child’s journey through life. “Hopefully,” he says, “with our innovative approach, we will do some good for the people of Cyprus.”

(Photo by Michael Kyprianou)

This interview first appeared in the September edition of GOLD magazine. Click here to view it.