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German European School Singapore: Celebration Spotlight On Its Silver Win For Preschool Of The Year 2026!
Why Experts Named This School Preschool Of The Year In Singapore 2026 (Silver)?
Updated
German European School Singapore has taken Silver in the Little Steps Asia Preschool of the Year award for 2026, an Experts’ Vote. Families can start exploring this school at the GESS site.
The school is not-for-profit, founded in 1971, and takes children from 18 months to 18 years. Preschool runs to age 5. The sections below answer the questions families ask before they book a visit.
For families touring now, the practical questions are English or German stream, five full days or the Pre-Kindergarten mix of 3 half days and 2 full days, and whether the door-to-door bus fits the route.
Preschool Of The Year Singapore (Silver)
“Since 1971, we’ve believed that the earliest years of a child’s life deserve just as much care, expertise and intention as any other stage of school, not less.”
“This is a place where their child will be known, cared for, and given the freedom to grow.”
At A Glance: German European School Singapore
- Award: Silver, Preschool of the Year, Experts’ Vote, Little Steps Asia Awards 2026.
- Ages: 18 months to 18 years. Preschool is 18 months to 5.
- Community: Over 70 nationalities, on the school Facebook page. Primary page lists more than 70 mother-tongue languages. Headcount not published here.
- Notable: Pre-Kindergarten classes of 15 with 3 educators. Kindergarten 18 with 2. Pre-Primary 20 with 2. No preschool exam table.
- Location: 2 Dairy Farm Lane, Singapore 677621, beside Dairy Farm Nature Park. Hillview MRT.
- Admissions: Preschool is non-selective. Year-round; start any Friday. German stream requires a minimum level of German.
What award did German European School Singapore win in 2026?
German European School Singapore won Silver in Preschool of the Year, Experts’ Vote, and Gold in Bilingual Programme of the Year, Reader’s Choice, at the Little Steps Asia Education Awards 2026. Silver recognises the early years programme. Gold reflects parent votes for its language pathways.
Is GESS a bilingual school?
Yes. From 18 months, families can choose an English stream with 30 minutes of daily Mandarin or daily German, or a German stream with English in specialist lessons. Older students follow the German curriculum or an English IB pathway.
How much are GESS fees for 2026/2027?
Published 2026/27 tuition is about SG$28,855 to SG$43,990, depending on the German or IB pathway and year group. A first-year development levy and entrance fee sit on top. Ask admissions for your child’s exact year before you budget.
Where is GESS and what ages does it take?
GESS is at 2 Dairy Farm Lane, beside Dairy Farm Nature Reserve, for ages 18 months to 18. Preschool uses a certified Forest School programme, with weekly swimming and specialist music, sport, and art. The school has taught in Singapore for more than 55 years.
Does GESS offer the IB or the German curriculum?
Both. GESS offers the IB continuum in English and the German national curriculum, so families are not locked into one leaving qualification. Preschool is play and inquiry based, with low student-to-teacher ratios. On a tour, ask which language stream fits your child.
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Getting To Know This Award Winning School?
The Vibe And Stats At GESS (German European School Singapore)What type of school is it, and who is it for?
GESS is a not-for-profit international school, founded in 1971, for ages 18 months to 18. Preschool runs from 18 months to 5, in English or German, and is guided by the IB Primary Years Programme. Daily Mandarin starts at 18 months.
From primary, families choose the IB pathway or the German curriculum.
Where is it, and what does the community feel like?
One campus is at 2 Dairy Farm Lane, beside Dairy Farm Nature Park, a short walk from Hillview MRT. The school says it is home to students from over 70 nationalities. The primary page lists more than 70 mother-tongue languages.
Preschool classes stay small. Pre-Kindergarten is 15 children with 3 educators. Kindergarten is 18 with 2. Pre-Primary is 20 with 2.
What's the philosophy, in a nutshell?
The purpose line is "We empower our students to discover and own their future." The values named are Respect, Openness, and Diversity. Because it is not-for-profit, the school says decisions follow what is best for students, not shareholder returns.
Admissions for preschool are non-selective and year-round. Children can start on any Friday. All English levels are welcome. The German stream requires a minimum level of German.
Key points for parents
- Ages from 18 months to 18, preschool to Grade 12
- Not-for-profit, founded in 1971
- Preschool: IB PYP, English or German, daily Mandarin
- Over 70 nationalities on the school's Facebook page
- 2026/27 preschool tuition SG$29,375 to SG$33,860, GST included
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What Makes This Award-Winning School Stand Out?
Why GESS Was Voted A Top School?What do they wish more families knew?
From 18 months, a child is in a play and inquiry programme guided by the IB PYP, with specialist lessons in music, art, sport and Forest School. It is not just childcare...it's truly special.
In the English stream, families choose 30 minutes of Mandarin or German a day. In the German stream, English comes through those specialist classes. The preschool page describes the approach as Reggio Emilia-inspired.
What tipped the scales for the judges?
The school says it treats the earliest years as the most important, not the easiest. The practical signs are small classes, specialist teachers, daily time outdoors, and a relationship with the adults in the room.
Forest School is certified and uses Dairy Farm Nature Park. The campus has an award-winning playground and a heated indoor pool. Swim lessons are listed for Kindergarten 2 and Pre-Primary.
Key points for parents
- IB PYP from 18 months, play and inquiry, Reggio Emilia-inspired
- Class sizes 15, 18 and 20, with 3 educators in Pre-Kindergarten
- Certified Forest School in Dairy Farm Nature Park
- English or German stream, daily Mandarin from 18 months
- Non-selective preschool entry, with a start day on any Friday
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What's Next For German European School Singapore?
What's on the horizon?
The form left a blank on new programmes. The school says the award does not change direction. Preschool will keep growing through specialist teachers, daily language immersion, and a curriculum that treats young children as curious learners from the start.
How will the award shape what comes next?
The school calls the recognition a responsibility, not a finish line. More families will look to GESS to keep setting a standard for early childhood education in Singapore. The stated plan is to keep investing as the community grows.
What did the recognition mean to the community?
The school says it belongs to the teachers who settle a child on a hard morning, and to families who moved countries and trusted GESS with the earliest years. It reads the Silver as confirmation that a not-for-profit school, 55 years in, is still building in the right direction.
Where To Find It:
- German European School Singapore (GESS)
- 2 Dairy Farm Lane Singapore 677621
- Phone: +65 6461 0801 (school). Admissions: +65 6461 0881
- [email protected]
- https://www.gess.edu.sg
Additional Info:
Instagram: @gess_internationalschool
Facebook: GESSSingapore
Getting there: Hillview MRT on the Downtown Line, about 5 to 10 minutes on foot, or bus 973 from stop 42991 (Exit B), which the school says stops in front of the campus.
Door-to-door bus and a shuttle are listed for preschool.
Shea Stanley
Originally from Texas, Shea’s travel and lifestyle media career has taken her around the globe to over 50 countries where she has worked on a variety of TV, print, and digital projects. When she was pregnant with her first child, Shea longed for a resource offering fun finds and insider tips for parents in Asia. In 2008, she founded Little Steps Asia! Mom of 2 active teens + 4 steps kids, Shea lives in Clearwater Bay and enjoys hiking, yoga, travel, photography, and of course – exploring the city with her clan!
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