The seed of the Apostolic Carmel was sown in the heart of a woman who little realised the greatness of the mission God was entrusting to her. Born as Sophie Leeves, the daughter of an Anglican Minister, she was led by God first to the Catholic faith in 1850 and then to the religious life as a sister of St. Joseph of the Apparition in the following year, where she took the name of Sister Mary Veronica of the Passion. Being sent to India in 1861, she felt an interior call to Carmel, not understanding where it would lead her.

At this time, the Carmelite bishops of the West Coast of India were experiencing the need for a teaching Order of Carmelite Sisters to further the work of the missions. Mother Veronica’s call to Carmel seemed to be a providential response to this need. Under the guidance of Father Marie Ephrem, she came to accept her mission to found this new congregation. After much struggle and many difficulties, Mother Veronica found admission into the novitiate of the Carmel of Pau where she imbibed the spirit of Carmel as one born to it.

The Apostolic Carmel was founded by Mother Veronica at Bayonne in 1868, and established at Mangalore, India, in 1870, by Bishop Marie Ephrem OCD.

The work begun by Mother Veronica was not to die, for it was the work of Divine Providence. It was kept alive through the instrumentality of Mother Marie des Agnes, the first Superior General, who was one of the pioneers from Bayonne. In course of time, the little congregation grew in numbers and in stability as a teaching Institute of active Carmelites, and was subsequently aggregated to the order of Discalced Carmelites. Under Mother Aloysia, who succeeded Mother Marie des Agnes, the congregation further stabilized and became one of pontifical right in 1925. During Mother Aloysia’s tenure of office, the Apostolic Carmel took root in Sri Lanka in response to the earnest request of the Bishop of Trincomalee who recognized the educational competence of the sisters and eagerly sought for their services in his diocese. In 1949, the Constitutions were granted pontifical approval.

The little seed sown in the heart of Mother Veronica over a hundred and thirty two years ago has now grown into a mighty tree, its branches spreading over the length and breadth of India and Sri Lanka, and reaching even to Pakistan, Kuwait, Rome and Kenya. Rooted in the contemplative spirit of Carmel, and nourished by its life of prayer and missionary zeal, the Apostolic Carmel expresses the vitality of the Church through its fruitfulness in the active apostolate of education and other works of mercy.

On 27 March 1969, a pioneering band of four sisters of the Apostolic Carmel - Srs. Fridolin, Irmina, Amelle and Felicita, landed in Kuwait at the invitation of the Indian expatriates and the former Bishop in Kuwait - Msgr. Victor Sanmiguel OCD.

On 8 April 1969, the school made its debut on the educational platform with just four students on roll, in a little apartment at Shamiyeh, sponsored by Mr. Abdulaziz Saleh Al Mutawa, a prominent Kuwaiti businessman. As the roll of students began increasing, the school was shifted to a larger apartment in Dasman on 19 September 1969. Since the strength of the school had touched 350 students, three more sisters arrived from India and on 10 October, of the same year, the school had begun functioning as a regular Primary School, with lower and upper kindergarten classes as well as classes I - IV. Besides this a separate English class was held for the Czech community until their own school was opened.

With the efforts of the sponsor, Mr. Abdulaziz Al Mutawa, the Carmel School obtained the recognition from the Ministry of Education on 15 September 1970, to run the school. It was now in a position to open its doors to students of all creed who were ready to follow the Indian curriculum. As a result of this the student strength increased and the school was shifted to a more spacious building across the road.

In 1972, class VIII was opened and a new syllabus of CBSE, Delhi was introduced. After preliminary inspections, the school was recognized by the Delhi board and in 1977, it was affiliated to the CBSE. The school continued developing and in 1973, the Annual Prize distribution celebration was presided over by H.E. Sheikh Abdulla Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Special Councilor to H.H. The Amir. In 1974, the Kuwait Ministry of Education sanctioned the opening of Class X. Class XI was formally opened in September 1975. The first batch of boys and girls of class XI who appeared for the AIHSE did wonderfully well in their exams. In March 1977, the boys section was closed down and nearly 200 boys were transferred to the New Indian School.

On 10 April 1979, a formal contract was signed to build a large school building and finally Carmel School was proud to have a permanent school building with the required facilities for about 2500 students. During the ensuing period, the school was proud to receive visits from the Chairman of the CBSE and the Indian Ambassador to Kuwait. Carmel School was also considered to be one of the 5 best schools in Kuwait by the Ministry of Education in Kuwait and a trophy and certificate of Merit to this effect was awarded to the school.

In 1979, Mr. Hamad Al-Ateeqy took over the sponsorship of the school at the request of the school management and he is still the sponsor of the school to this day.

The Iraqi invasion of Kuwait took a heavy toll on the school because the school building was occupied by the Iraqi troops and all the belongings, equipment and materials were either looted or destroyed by them. After the liberation of Kuwait, the Sisters were invited back to restart the school and with the encouragement of the sponsor Mr. Hamad Al-Ateeqy, the Indian Chargeacute d’Affairs and the Bishop in Kuwait, Msgr. Francis Micallef as well as many well-wishers, the school was repaired and reopened its doors in August 1991 with just 250 students on its roll.

Today the school has come back to its original state and it has over 2500 students studying in the kindergarten, primary, secondary and higher secondary sections of its co-educational instution. After the liberation of Kuwait, the school was obliged to admit boys once again since Carmel School was the first school to reopen in the whole of Kuwait. In March 1993, the first batch of students appeared for XII CBSE Board Examinations and they achieved 100% success with one student topping the Gulf Schools securing 90.2% in the aggregate.

With the assistance of a dedicated teaching and clerical staff, the school has been able to maintain high standards in academics and all round development. The school offers students adequate facilities, a well equipped library, computer, physics, chemistry, biology laboratories and a sports room with ample sports equipment for the physical development of the students. Neither is the moral and spiritual development neglected. Through regular moral science classes, occasional orientation counseling sessions and other talks, the school tries to instill in the students a respect for all religions and a love for lasting values and a service-oriented life. The all round development of the student is the main aim of the school.