For many of us, selecting the right international schools for our children is, after choosing where to live, the most important decision we have to make when moving to a new country. There’s a wide choice of international schools in Singapore, most of which offer a multicultural environment, with students from a diverse range of backgrounds and countries. Add to this a wide variety of curriculums, from single-country programmes to the International Baccalaureate and International Primary Curriculum, and there’s not much more that a parent could wish for.
While a visit to a school is often the best way to make an instinctive decision based on the individual needs of your children, hearing the opinions of other families about their experiences can be invaluable. The following guide is not just a list of international schools in Singapore, it features a multitude of referrals from Expat Living readers to help you decide on a school, or slim down the list of schools you will visit.
Stamford American International School
Anand and Sheetal Pawa, Thai/Indian; Sasha (8) and Azael (5)
“Sasha started SAIS at age two and a half in Nursery while our son Azael started in August last year. We chose SAIS due to the AP and IB programmes that are offered; my husband completed the AP programme in Japan and I achieved the IB certificate from an international school here in Singapore. We felt that the school was the best fit for our family.
When we first visited the school, we were very impressed with the facilities and those that were in the future plans – the innovation centre, theatre and sports arena. We were pleased that within a year, all promised upgrades of the school were completed. Intrigued by the bilingual programme that was in the pipeline, we enrolled our daughter in it as soon as it was offered; it’s been an amazing experience for us to see the growth of her language skills. Azael has also flourished since beginning school, both socially and academically; the PYP programme has had positive effects on both our children and we continue to see the benefits of it.
The school is humble, welcoming and always improving. It’s a relatively new school, which has allowed us the opportunity to grow together with it; and we foresee even more positive developments in the future. The teachers and senior-level staff are very approachable and have open communication with us about our children’s well-being. They’ve always been able to meet our requests that were within their capabilities.”
Stamford American International School
1 Woodleigh Lane
6602 7247 | sais.edu.sg
Australian International School
Meg and Neville Miles, Australian; Lillah (11), Xavier (9), Hunter (6) and Alexander (1)
“Our three older children attend AIS – Lillah just started secondary, Xavier is in Year 4 (Upper Elementary) and Hunter is Year 1 (Lower Elementary). They’ve been there for the four years we have been in Singapore. After looking at a few schools when we came here, we felt that AIS was the best fit for our children, with truly a global approach, yet a local feel. We also found the community of AIS to be welcoming; we loved that it had all the advantages of a large school and campus but with a community approach.
The teaching staff are truly amazing and really take each child’s needs into consideration. The two heads of school even stand by the pedestrian crossing each morning – for both the safety aspect and to greet the children. A highlight of Hunter’s day is getting a high five from the principal, putting a big smile on his face. Another thing we love about the school is that they are always looking to improve and build on what they have. They take parent feedback on board and are always open for suggestions.
We like the way AIS approaches learning and its PYP programme in the younger years. This allows the children to become inquirers and gain skills for life. The school also has Australian assessments such as Naplan, which allow the children an opportunity to measure their success and learning based on schools in Australia. The school offers the best of both worlds and a rounded education. The kids have the chance to try many new things through the CCA programme; Lillah is loving her cake-decorating course and representing the school for netball, while Xavier is honing skills in parkour and guitar. The school offers CCAs both after school and during lunchtime.”
Australian International School
1 Lorong Chuan
6653 2958 | ais.com.sg
Canadian International School
Karni and Uri Tomer, Israeli; Yotam (16), Libby (13) and Shai-li (8)
“We’ve been living in Singapore for nine years and our youngest daughter Shai-li has been studying at CIS since Grade 1. She attended a bilingual kindergarten previously and developed a good Mandarin foundation. We heard about the bilingual Chinese-English classes at CIS from other kindergarten graduates and went to check it out. We liked the campus and the Grade 1 section, which is very warm and friendly.
I think this programme is a very big thing in Singapore and it’s unique. The school has loads of experience running the programme and has made improvements over the years. When my daughter started, they changed it to a full day of studying in the two languages instead of dividing the classes into hourly sessions. It was a natural transition for Shai-li as she already had a bilingual background.
I also went on the Open Minds (the school’s outdoor learning programme) field trip to Gardens by the Bay. I was amazed by the creative and hands-on way of learning; the most outstanding part was that the first half of the day was conducted in English and, after lunch, the whole session was in Mandarin and taught by the class’s Mandarin teacher. It was great; the kids learnt about the flowers in Mandarin, discussing, playing, exploring, and having a whole conversation with the teacher. They sounded so fluent and confident. I was really impressed, and it was a fantastic experience for my daughter.”
Canadian International School
• Tanjong Katong Campus: 371 Tanjong Katong Road | 6245 1573
• Lakeside Campus: 7 Jurong West Street | 6467 1732
cis.edu.sg
Chatsworth International School
Nicole Wong and Robert Lyons, Malaysian and British; James (10) and George (6)
“James and George have been attending Chatsworth International School since August 2018. The most important aspect of schooling for us is a sense of belonging. At Chatsworth, the children thrive in an atmosphere of community and have the opportunity to play and work together, nurturing a true family environment. We were apprehensive of the first day as any parent would be, but it turned out that both boys gave Chatsworth a big thumbs up from the first morning! I asked George what he thought of his first day and he said, “I love it!” We’ve never looked back.
The teaching staff are very approachable, encouraging parents’ participation at every turn. They also arrange open days for parents to observe learning methods. It’s also fun working on the school plays, United Nations Day costumes, decorations, volunteering for field trips and more. The school also provides extracurricular activities and the boys participate actively, from building race cars and playing sport to clay-modelling classes.
We were looking for a school closer to home, and one which offered the IB curriculum. We went for a tour of the Chatsworth Orchard campus and during that visit we discovered that Chatsworth was moving its East campus to Bukit Timah. This was perfect for us as we live in Tanglin. We visited the new campus and liked that the school wasn’t so spread out; it means that the children can see each other during the day – George was more comfortable on his first few days at school knowing that older brother was close by. Another great aspect of the Bukit Timah campus is its green surroundings.
The biggest recommendation you can get is from your own children! Through their school years, they’ll spend a third of their life outside the home. Chatsworth is a place that feels like home for our kids.”
Chatsworth International School
Orchard Campus: 37 Emerald Hill Road | 6737 5955
Bukit Timah Campus: 72 Bukit Tinggi Road | 6463 3201
chatsworth.com.sg
Dover Court International School
Aisling and Kevin O’Leary, Irish; Grace (17) and Oscar (14)
“We are Singapore rookies – we’ve been here for less than a year! Since arriving in September 2018, Grace and Oscar have been attending Dover Court, and we’ve found the school to be welcoming, open and educationally well-rounded.
Kevin came to Singapore during the summer last year and went on a school tour but we went through the application process while we were still living in Ireland. The school was very responsive despite the time zone differences. Grace has dyslexia, so a school that has a supportive framework for that was our top priority. The best thing about Dover Court, from our point of view, is its inclusive ethos. The teachers are very responsive to any queries and concerns and we really appreciate their effort to be available for us and our children. It’s the first time for our teenagers to enter a new school, and Oscar’s and Grace’s classmates have really made them feel included and settled. The parents at the school have also been a superb support network for us; we couldn’t have met a nicer bunch of people!
A friend of Kevin’s recommended the school to us. We decided on Dover Court because of its iGCSE and IB programmes and the school’s support for dyslexia. The school is both inclusive and academically strong and this has made a real difference for our children during this critical point in their education and lives.”
Dover Court International School
301 Dover Road | 6775 7664
nordangliaeducation.com
Dulwich College (Singapore)
Jane and Andy Donnelly, British; James (15), Mia (14) and Isabella (7)
“All three of our children are attending Dulwich College (Singapore); Isabella is in the Early Years programme, DUCKS, while James and Mia are in the Senior School. The College community is special to be part of; we’ve made some great friends amongst the other parents. Dulwich is able to nurture the best out of each child; being confident speaking in front of others is second nature to children as it’s promoted throughout the school from DUCKS onwards. Isabella has benefitted from learning Mandarin from the age of four with her much-loved laoshi supporting her in class. The teaching staff are hugely generous with their time for all students. In the Senior School, the students are treated as young adults and our children respond well to this open, fun and nurturing style.
Friends in Singapore highly recommended the school. We did our own review of the other schooling options available but came to the conclusion that Dulwich would be great for our children. The school has excellent facilities and a wide range of after school co-curricular activities, from sports and academic clubs to life skills and social responsibility opportunities. How amazing to be able to do parkour one evening followed by fixing wheelchairs for the elderly the next!
Each child is different, but Dulwich has something for everyone and actively celebrates the different strengths of each child. We feel that the values of the school mirror our own, and our children will one day leave the school as thoughtful, generous and educated young adults.”
Dulwich College (Singapore)
71 Bukit Batok West Avenue 8
6890 1003 | singapore.dulwich.org
GEMS WORLD ACADEMY (Singapore)
Valerie and Ian McDonald, British; Jodie (10) and Kirsty (9)
“We’ve been living in Singapore for over two years now, and Jodie and Kirsty have attended GEMS (Singapore) since November 2017. Our experience, and that of our children, has been excellent. Our kids have great teachers and they settled down quickly. There’s a great diversity of activities available including sports, music, drama, art and science. Our children currently do music, art, Taekwondo and drama as part of their extracurricular activities. There’s an active parent community that regularly organises events. Our children are learning Mandarin as part of their normal curriculum and we are amazed by the progress they have made. They’re developing to be confident and active participants in their education journey.
We originally created a shortlist of schools based on research from the internet and recommendations from friends. Under our selection criteria, we focussed on academic performance, teaching format, class sizes, facilities and the general vibe of the school. We wanted a school offering the IB programme to give us the flexibility should we decide to leave Singapore. That’s why we decided on GEMS (Singapore). Our children are exceedingly happy and settled at the school and this, more than any other single factor, is why we are still there.
International schools in Singapore perform well academically, have great facilities, many have excellent student-to-teacher ratios and all are within decent travelling distance. Our advice is to focus on the environment. Visit the school with your children and see how they respond to the people, classes, facilities, activities and curriculum available.”
GEMS WORLD ACADEMY (Singapore)
2 Yishun Street 42
6808 7321 | gwa.edu.sg
GESS
Latha Ganapathy and Ganapathy Swamy, German; Aniish (13) and Ananya (10)
“Moving to Singapore after a decade in Germany, GESS was an obvious choice for us. We moved here in 2012; Aniish began attending the school from Second Grade, while Ananya started from First Grade.
GESS is unique in the sense that it offers both the German curriculum and the IB programme. Our children are in the IB system. German as a second language is offered at GESS, and other European languages are also available in the mother tongue programme or as an additional subject. For both of us parents, IB is an unknown territory, having experienced a very different schooling style growing up. But the teachers at GESS have made understanding IB so easy for us. Our kids are very independent and motivated as far as their studies are concerned. Our experience with the school started at the cosy Jalan Jurong Kechil campus. Now our son is in Middle School and we have seen him grow into a responsible individual.
The school has a warm and closeknit community. Many fun activities are organised, including the Christmas bazaar, field trips, the international languages day and special festival celebrations, all of which involve parents. I’m happy to be a member of the parent committee and it’s a role I have cherished for the last three years. The teachers are very approachable and we appreciate the celebration of every child’s achievement.”
GESS
2 Dairy Farm Lane
6469 1131 | gess.sg
Hillside World Academy
Norman and Ruth Li, American; Jasper Li (10), Winifred (6)
“We’ve been living in Singapore for 11 years now. Jasper has been attending HWA since First Grade, while Winifred recently joined First Grade in January this year.
Our children have really enjoyed their time at HWA, and so have we as parents. The things that drew us to the school were the high level of Chinese content in the curriculum and the small community atmosphere. Three years on, I still love that when you come to school, you hear kids speaking Chinese everywhere, along the halls and even at the playground! The school is strongly bicultural, representing the best of both worlds through celebrations and holidays. The students also have the opportunity to spend a few weeks each year in total Chinese immersion at HWA’s sister school, Huijia Private School in Beijing. My son is looking forward to that trip! The school also has typical after-school sports such as soccer and badminton, in addition to other offerings like wushu and Chinese calligraphy, which our kids participate in.
We heard about HWA from other parents when Jasper was in kindergarten, so we checked out online reviews. He was attending a Chinese kindergarten and we wanted a primary school that would continue to support his Mandarin learning. The school used to be known as Chinese International School before it changed its name to Hillside World Academy. It always had a great reputation of achieving a very high level of Mandarin fluency and cultural awareness. This is why we decided to send our children there. We’d definitely recommend HWA to families looking for a bicultural and bilingual school that has a closely-knit community!”
HWA
11 Hillside Drive
6254 0200 | hwa.edu.sg
Integrated International School
Yanely Gonzalez Millan and Andres Carlos Luco, Cuban and American; Flavia (17), Esteban (1) and Noah (1)
“Flavia has attended IIS for 9th and 10th Grade so far. The teachers at the school are extraordinarily affirming presences in our daughter’s life. They have supported all aspects of her development – academic, social and emotional. IIS’s low student teacher ratio allows her to get plenty of help and attention during the school day.
We appreciate how the school’s curriculum can be tailored to suit the needs and learning styles of individual students. The counselling service offers our daughter the chance to share what’s on her mind and gives us great insight into how she’s feeling. The students get along very well and the positive relationships are well-facilitated by the school staff. Our daughter’s teachers, in particular, have the wisdom to know when to provide her with constructive feedback on how she interacts with others and when to let her cultivate her relationships on her own. In the time she’s been at the school, we’ve noticed significant improvements in her social skills, confidence and academic performance. We’re very grateful!
We were looking for a school where our daughter could receive more individual attention and found out about IIS through an online search of international schools in Singapore. The school has a nurturing environment for children who can cope in a mainstream curriculum, but require some degree of special support. We’d recommend IIS to any family; the school’s holistic and flexible approach offers a quality and enriching education.”
Integrated International School
#01-01 Clementi Arcade, 41 Sunset Way
6466 4475 | iis.edu.sg
International Community School
John and Kathleen Ash, American; Jacob (10) and Matthew (8)
“Our family has been in Singapore since October 2016 and will be heading back to the US this year. Both boys started ICS in November 2016. The memories of our experience in the ICS family are fond and lasting. We’ll surely look back and recall what a great decision it was to send our boys there. The hearts of the teachers and staff have been the real stand out for us; they are loving, caring and fully invest themselves in the lives of every student. We know that our children are safe, cared for, listened to, instructed well and will return home with smiles and positive experiences to share. We’ve seen the boys grow so much academically and in godly character these past few years. ICS has played a major role in that development.
Before coming to Singapore, we scoured the internet, exploring options for our boys’ education. We were instantly drawn to ICS because it’s a Christian school promoting Christian values and seeking to bring glory to Christ. We also really appreciated the school’s posture as “partner” in the children’s education, recognising that parents are ultimately responsible for the education of their children. We were equally impressed with the diversity of the student body and were pleased the school followed an American curriculum so our boys wouldn’t miss anything while away from Texas.
We would recommend ICS to anyone seeking a good education. The school offers strong academics, adherence to Christian values, multiple extracurricular activities and student performances to showcase their work through music, Mandarin, play and individual classroom presentations in a loving and caring environment.”
International Community School
27A Jubilee Road
6776 7435 | ics.edu.sg
ISS International School
Lisa Mulligan and Arran Pearson, Australian; Aiden (9) and Charlie (7)
“Both children are at ISS International School (ISS). When we moved here from Australia in 2014, Aiden started straight there; Charlie joined later on. When we were looking for a school for the children, it was important to us that they got exposure to an international education. So, the ISS focus on IB through all grades was very attractive. It’s a true international school experience instead of following a country-based curriculum.
The school is small (relative to other large international schools) but the trade-off is that all the kids and teachers know each other, which creates a nice “village school” atmosphere. We really like that there are just one or two classes per grade, giving it a real sense of community. Aiden has been with some of the same kids for his entire time at ISS! Given the school’s size, the boys continue to see and interact with their favourite teachers even as they progress. There is a real continuity of care and you feel the school is also invested in your child’s outcome.
Aiden has albinism so we wanted a school that could work with us to ensure that he will have a normal school experience. The school’s team really listened to us and did their best to see how they could accommodate him. The school has been a pleasure to communicate with and both boys are thriving there.”
ISS International School
Elementary and Middle School: 25 Paterson Road | 6475 4188
High School: 21 Preston Road | 6475 4188
iss.edu.sg
Marlborough College Malaysia
Caroline and Toby Codrington, British; Charlie (14), Harry (13) and Jack (9)
“We arrived in Singapore in August 2015 from London. Harry and Jack both attend MCM. The stunning 90-acre campus is the first thing that strikes one about the school. It provides a beautiful, spacious and inspiring place to learn, both inside and outside the classroom. The school has incredible sports facilities, the class and year sizes are small and the teachers are inspiring and genuinely care about your child’s progress. There’s a fabulous Art and DT building, plus great opportunities for drama, music and languages – the list is endless. In fact, the school has even opened its own farm! It’s a happy and friendly place and there’s a strong feeling of belonging to a community for students, staff and parents alike. The “three Cs” – compassion, conversation and companionship – are at the heart of everything that happens at MCM.
We heard about the school from a friend at Marlborough College UK and immediately did some research online. The spacious campus, small class sizes and sports facilities were the biggest pull factors for us. Also, the fact that it followed the British Curriculum and offered the opportunity for full, weekly or flexi boarding from Year 5 was important to us. We wouldn’t hesitate to recommend MCM, and have done so many times! Harry and Jack are both thriving at school, which to us as parents is the greatest testament to a good school. I’d recommend any prospective parents to visit the school and see it for themselves.”
Marlborough College Malaysia
Jalan Marlborough Iskandar Puteri, Johor, Malaysia
marlboroughcollege.my
Melbourne Specialist International School
Thomas and Darlene Way, British and Indonesian; Patrick (11)
“Patrick has been at MSIS since August 2018. We moved to Singapore from Indonesia in order to find a school that could support Patrick’s learning needs. We found the school through an online search.
After visiting a number of schools, MSIS really stood out; it’s located in a quiet part of town with leafy trees and green space and has a lovely family atmosphere that struck a chord with us. Wheelchair access was important and the ground-floor layout and pathways between learning areas meant Patrick wouldn’t need to struggle with stairways. The school also has a specially equipped gym that’s ideal for children with special needs. In-floor trampolines and padded equipment allow kids who have weaker motor skills to succeed in a safe environment.
Patrick has learning delays caused by his condition, Alternating Hemiplegia of Childhood, but he still oves learning. He responds well to gym, art, music and dance, and the MSIS curriculum places special emphasis on these along with life skills and essential numeracy and literacy. Class sizes are small and there is a low student-to-teacher ratio – about four students to one teacher in our son’s current class. The teachers are responsive to each student’s needs and we’ve been impressed by their readiness to adjust their strategies to best match Patrick’s learning needs.
We’ve not personally seen any other school in Singapore that offers truly international standards of education for children like our son. The facilities are excellent, and the teachers are well-trained, communicate well with parents and treat students as individuals.”
Melbourne Specialist International School
75C Loewen Road
6634 8891 | msis.edu.sg
Nexus International School
Claude Verly and Adell Loo, Swiss and Singaporean; Brandon (26), Nicholas (24) and Shanan (17)
“Our youngest son Shanan has been attending Nexus since 2012. He’s had many wonderful and inspiring teachers over the past six years that have helped him to become a confident learner. He’s in the Nexus Elite Squad for swimming, and coach Ivan’s “unique-style” training has helped him to build stamina, both physically and mentally. We love the swimming team parents; they’re caring, supportive and fun. They’re the best testimonial of this family-oriented school.
When we were looking around for an international school, we started at the one closest to our home in Clementi. Nexus was naturally the first option. When we visited for their Open Day, a student took us for a school tour; he was positive and sincere and spoke from the heart. We knew this is what we wanted for our children. The school is relatively small, and it met our objective of small class sizes, allowing individual attention to be provided to Shanan.
We have witnessed Shanan flourish to who he is today: self motivated, responsible, mature and respectful. We love the close-knit community feel of the school, and its wonderful leaders, teachers and fellow parents. At the top of our list of criteria we had when considering a school for our son was that the focus should be on the wellbeing of its students.”
Nexus International School
201 Ulu Pandan Road
6536 6566 | nexus.edu.sg
Overseas Family School
Jorunn Yttri and Espen Stenstad, Norwegian; Ida-Marie (13) and Hanna (10)
“Both Hanna and Ida-Marie are attending Overseas Family School (OFS) and started in August 2017. They are both in mainstream classes, but have started the Study Preparation Program (SPP) for non-native English-speaking children.
Our whole family likes the school very much; the IB and IPC concepts work very well for our girls. The staff and teachers are also always nice and very helpful whenever we need assistance – both for parents and children. It feels like home to us once we step through the doors. In addition, a variety of after school activities are offered that are fun and educating for the children. School uniforms and buses are two things that we’re not used to back in Norway, but we’ve come to appreciate both.
We heard about the school from friends before we moved to Singapore, and decided that it was one of the places we wanted to visit. We visited the campus in April before moving here; OFS stood out for us due to its IB and IPC programmes, Mother Tongue programme, syllabus and facilities. As we’re not native English speakers, another important reason why we chose the school was because of the SPP, where the girls can focus on learning English while following the normal syllabus.”
Overseas Family School
81 Pasir Ris Heights
6738 0211 | ofs.edu.sg
Singapore American School
Lindsay & Robb Fipp, American; Henry (12), Beck (9) and William (4)
“All three children have been attending SAS for the past five years. We wanted a not-for-profit school with a good reputation and a track record of successful learning outcomes. While we were partial to an American curriculum, we also desired an international perspective. After touring the campus, we felt SAS was a natural fit for our family.
From the classroom to extra-curriculars, the school has something for every child. In addition to stellar academics, our children have benefited from opportunities to participate in Little League Baseball, drama productions, the Math Olympiad, choir, First Lego League Robotics competitions, rock climbing and the National History Day programme.
The main draw is the teachers; a school can have all the bells and whistles, but it really comes down to the quality of the teachers. They are passionate, accessible and go above and beyond to meet the needs of our children, either with additional support or learning extension. We receive regular feedback about how our kids are doing and it’s clear that the teachers really know and understand them. We also appreciate the emphasis on counselling and pastoral care.
Although SAS is a relatively large school, the design and layout creates four separate “mini campuses” within the larger school. The Early Learning Center, Elementary School, Middle School and High School have their own offices, libraries, music, gym, language, art and performance facilities. This allows the children to have an intimate and age-appropriate experience within a larger learning community.”
Singapore American School
40 Woodlands Street 41
6363 3403 | sas.edu.sg
Sir Manasseh Meyer International School
Gregory Lewis and Penny Lo, South African and Singaporean; Asher (11), Shira (10) and Judah (6)
“All my kids are studying at SMMIS. Asher has been attending since 2010, Shira started in 2011 and Judah started this year. We enrolled our kids at kindergarten age to give them the benefit of a Jewish education. The school offers Jewish Education or students have the option to focus on World Religions instead. The school’s curriculum is well-rounded, balancing our need for Jewish studies with a full range of other subjects. It also integrates Singapore mathematics with the International Primary and Middle Years Curriculum.
The facilities are great; there’s a football field, a swimming pool, an indoor basketball court and gymnasium, an air-conditioned canteen and a playground – everything our kids need. Our older children learn Hebrew and Chinese and are progressing well in both languages. Mandarin is important and the school recognises this by having three one-hour classes each week. Our youngest will start Hebrew next year. The languages are taught well and according to the kids’ ability. Teachers are caring and know our kids well because class sizes allow individual attention.
We feel that the school provides good value and since it’s not for profit, the emphasis is on education. If you think of SMMIS as just being Singapore’s Jewish school, you’ll find that it’s so much more than that. It’s also a truly international school in terms of its curriculum, demographics and values.”
3 Jalan Ulu Sembawang
6331 4633 | smmis.edu.sg
St. Joseph’s Institution International
Sonali Munasinghe Withana and Kushan Withana, British; Rahul (13), Ayana (11) and Shahen (11)
“We’ve been living in Singapore since July 2017 and all three of our children have been attending SJI International since January of this year. We heard about the school through an expat friend who had very positive things to say about it, both academically and pastorally.
SJI International provides a safe and comfortable environment for our children to learn, develop and flourish. The diverse and well-balanced curriculum encourages independent as well as team learning experiences, allowing the children to develop skills that are critical in further education and the work environment. Since class sizes are relatively small, teachers go the extra mile to both stretch students’ talents and to address their individual needs.
The wide variety of activities and sports on offer was a really important feature to us all as a family.
Our children are involved in cricket, athletics, netball and chess, just to name a few. There aren’t enough days in the week for all the other activities they want to join!
The school ethos of participation and inclusion is also great, especially for us as newcomers to the SJI International community. We also appreciate the emphasis that the school places on the holistic wellbeing of students. Education at the school isn’t confined to book knowledge or traditional classrooms; for example, our children absolutely relish the frequent local and international trips to widen their horizons
St. Joseph’s Institution International
490 Thomson Road
6353 9383 | sji-international.com.sg
Tanglin Trust School
Dianne and Tim Scott-Young, Australian; Joshua (13), Lachlan and Chloe (10)
“Our three children have been attending Tanglin Trust School since September 2017; Joshua is in the Senior School, while the twins, Lachlan and Chloe, are in the Junior School. Our experience has been extremely positive and the teachers have helped our children settle in well. The school is highly academic, but successfully balances this with support for each child’s wellbeing.
The environment encourages a love for learning and emphasises the growth of the whole child. Students can participate in a comprehensive cocurricular programme including the arts, public speaking and leadership programmes. There are also strong competitive sports opportunities, encompassing inter-school and international tournaments. These are supported by the impressive facilities for a range of activities, including music, drama, sports, art and design.
We’ve always known of Tanglin Trust School’s reputation as one of the best British international schools with an established academic record. We researched and toured various schools in Singapore and felt that it lived up to its reputation. We are extremely happy with the school and the community, and appreciate that it constantly strives to be better. It brings out the best in our children and is helping them develop into confident and independent individuals.
Tanglin Trust School runs efficiently and effectively with excellent communication. The Senior School is great as it offers both IB and A Levels, allowing students to select, with assistance and counselling, the path that best suits them and their future aspirations. This means all three of our children are catered to, even if they are different learners who want to pursue different paths.”
Tanglin Trust School
95 Portsdown Road
6778 0771 | tts.edu.sg
The Grange Institution
Kojiro and Kaori Tanaka, Japanese; Ayahi (11) and Haruhi (5)
“We moved to Singapore from Shanghai in July 2017. Our second daughter Haruhi has been attending The Grange Institution for over half a year. The new school is small in size, so the students, families and teachers know each other very well; there’s loads of individual attention and respect. Everyone has good relationships with one another despite being different nationalities across different grades. Students observe and discover nature every day at the sustainable garden designed by the dedicated teachers. Every morning, they play various sports and enjoy gardening. Our daughter takes Japanese lessons as a second language and English as an Additional Language lessons. She’s also had the chance to study Mandarin and Bahasa Malay during language class, along with music activities.
We visited many international schools after moving to Singapore. We chose The Grange Institution after going on a school tour and talking with the teachers; they have a wealth of experience and a clear educational vision. The school’s Cambridge curriculum was also attractive. In all, we felt that the school was unique.
Our daughter is bright and has an open mind but we can see improvements in her personality and confidence. She has grown in positivity, creativity and curiosity for the environment. All this comes from good guidance and coaching from teachers and good relationships with school mates. She is now very happy to perform in front of teachers and friends, especially playing the piano.”
The Grange Institution
449 Yio Chu Kang Road
68173630 | thegrange.edu.sg
UWC South East Asia
Chris Hoet & Suriana Sidik, Belgian and Malaysian; Sean (18), Sophie (17) and Sari (12)
“Sophie and Sari are currently at UWCSEA East Campus and have been attending the school since August 2011. Sean graduated in June 2018; he was at the East Campus for seven years. Suriana learnt UWC’s good reputation through her friends while we were in Shanghai (where we lived for almost 10 years). The school has a truly diverse and amazing community, and thrives on both academic and nonacademic fields. It places a high value on service and global concerns, fields in which all students are encouraged to be actively involved. There are plenty of initiatives, from collecting rubbish on a beach in Singapore, and visiting an orphanage or home for the elderly, to chopping vegetables at a soup kitchen and taking fresh fruit to migrant workers.
Coming from Shanghai, we wanted our children to be able to continue their Chinese language studies. The school provides excellent support for their learning. They also participate in cocurricular activities like learning the Malay language, MasterChef (cooking class), hip-hop dance, and Initiative For Peace (IFP). The school also offers a wide variety of sports; our children have represented the East Campus in football, touch rugby, gymnastics, volleyball and softball tournaments.
We believe that the school is giving our children a holistic education, not only in academics but also their social and environmental awareness. They’re exposed to a variety of sports and cultural events, which teach them the value of learning outside of the classroom. These myriad opportunities help prepare them for their future lives and careers.”
UWC South East Asia
Dover Campus: 1207 Dover Road | 6774 2653
East Campus: 1 Tampines Street 73 | 6305 5353
uwcsea.edu.sg
This article first appeared in the May 2019 edition of Expat Living. You can purchase a copy or subscribe so you never miss an issue!
