The Sheiling House School, Kanpur was originally known as the U. K. C. A. (United Kingdom Citizen's Association) School. It was founded by Mrs. R. L. Powell, the wife of one of the Directors of the British India Corporation. It was mainly meant for British children, although a small number of Indian children were also always admitted to the school. With English families leaving Kanpur in 1958, it was found necessary to close the school.

It was at this time that some enterprising Indian parents decided to keep the school going and registered the school under Societies Registration Act, 1860, thus forming the Sheiling House School Society. The management of the U.K.C.A. School very generously came forward with the offer of the school premises, its equipment, furniture, books and goodwill to the new management. So in January, 1959, Sheiling House School got its name and began with 39 children in five classes. Later, in July 1959, the school opened the Nursery classes too, and changed the syllabus to suit Indian children, with a view to prepare them for boarding schools in India with English as the  medium of  instruction.