The education scene in Singapore remains exciting and classed as one of the top educational cities in the world. There is plenty to brag about, lots of new openings, existing schools upgrading and expanding their campuses to accommodate the forever growing vibrancy and population. Singapore continues to celebrate diversity and opportunity. Get the scoop now in this Little Steps guide to school news and new school openings in Singapore.
Got some education news to share? Email editor@littlestepsasia.com
More handy guides to aid in your search for schools in Singapore:
Founder of White Lodge Preschools, Avondale Grammar School, Melbourne Specialist International School and The GUILD International College, Jayne Nadarajoo has launched the Think Equal Early Years, Australian primary, middle and high school programs for all students.
Offering quality, affordable Victorian Foundation to Year 10 Australian education, there are excellent learning opportunities and facilities for students in a small school with personalized support. Students can excel in academically focused and/or vocational oriented studies and pursue their passions.
What's more, Melbourne International School and the Guild International College will both be hosting open days on May 19 from 9am-12pm. Check their websites for details!
Melbourne International School, 75C Loewen Road, Singapore, +65 6634 8891, admissions@msis.edu.sg, www.msis.edu.sg
The GUILD International College, 318A Tanglin Road, Phoenix Park, Singapore, +65 6235 8240, admissions@theguild.edu.sg, www.theguild.edu.sg
Sir Manasseh Meyer International School (SMMIS) is a not-for-profit, child-centred school offering a rigorous international education in state-of-the-art facilities. A boutique school with big facilities, each child is nurtured and loved to enable your child to flourish and reach their full potential.
The intimate pre-school is inspired by the principles of Reggio Emilia and follows the Australian Early Years Learning Framework. In primary school, the IPC is blended with the Singapore Maths Curriculum and the UK National Curriculum for Literacy. In secondary school, students continue with the IMYC, which leads into the globally recognised iGCSE exams in Grade 10. Mandarin and Hebrew are taught as modern foreign languages. The SMMIS educational philosophy is one that teaches resilience, collaboration, independence and perseverance. Want to book a tour? Sign up here!
St. Joseph's Institution International happily announces record-breaking achievements in their International Baccalaureate® Diploma results for the class of 2021. On average, 198 of the SJI students scored an average of 39.3 points, with over half achieving 40 points or more, an impressive increase of 11.1 percent from the 2020 results, and a score only achieved by 15.6 percent of students globally. Brother Lawrence Humphrey, SJI International's Brother President, said, "We take pride in each student who completed the program and produced such outstanding results, despite having to manage two years of uncertainty and restrictions and sit their examinations in the most challenging of circumstances. These students have taken our mission to heart, using their God-given talents to excel on their learning journeys." Darryl David, CEO of SJI International, went on to say, "While we celebrate the results of the Class of 2021, academic achievements are only part of our holistic education that prepare our students to be people for others who contribute to the wider community. We are also especially proud of our students whose PSLE scores might not have qualified them for IB programs in other schools, but who nevertheless went on to achieve remarkable results."
St. Joseph’s Institution, 38 Malcolm Road, Singapore, +65 6250 0022, contact@sji.edu.sg, sji.edu.sg
NLCS (Singapore) community is responding to the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine by using non-mechanised methods to cover 1,263 km, the length of Ukraine, as many times as they can. For 40 days starting on March 21 2022, parents, guardians, teachers and staff are encouraged to run, cycle, swim and walk as often as possible, requesting adults to sponsor their efforts. The community will raise funds for the Singapore Red Cross Society by making a donation to the school's campaign here.
North London Collegiate School, 130 Depot Road, Singapore, +65 6989 3000, enquiries@nlcssingapore.sg, nlcssingapore.sg
Singapore is always placed as one of the top globally celebrated countries for educational outcomes. This placement allows the EdTech industry to continue evolving and growing to provide student learner data analysis, gamification, social learning, and personalized learning solutions. At the end of 2021, there were 442 EdTech startups in Singapore. The top ten included EMERITUS, LingoAce, XSEED, Geniebook, Adventus, Doyobi, Amdon, and Knowledge Platform. Whether students use apps like XSEED to help develop their thinking and problem-solving skills, Doyobi provides courses on science and coding, or Adventus, an SaaS-based platform connecting international students with universities, each app is guaranteed to aid students in a specific way and enhance their academic journey.
XCL (pronounced excel) World Academy, formerly known as GEMS World Academy, enrolls students across Singapore. Its community spirit, stringent curriculum, and exceptional IBDP results drive them to be the premier international IB school in Singapore. Each of the four International Baccalaureate programs stretches beyond traditional academic subjects to embrace music, the arts, drama, design, innovative technologies, and sport. They intend to increase their offerings and provide a university, career counseling center, science and coding labs, and next-gen technology-equipped classrooms to facilitate hybrid learning. In a little over a year, XCL has become the multicultural constitution of the community providing a global perspective into every child's learning.
XCL World Academy, 2 Yishun Street 42, Singapore 768039, +65 6808 7300, www.xwa.edu.sg
Singapore has seen impressive results among the 22 International Baccalaureate schools with positive scores across various IB diploma programs. Despite COVID-19 causing severe upheaval and local restrictions hampering education efforts, 1,679 students attained the diploma compared to 1,663 in 2020. The global diploma pass rate is 88%, but Singapore students have increased it to 97.9%. Remarkably the IB scores have also increased from 34.52 to 37.69, which is an outstanding accomplishment considering the constant hardships the students and teachers have faced. What an impressive academic year. Singapore Schools will look forward to even better results in the 2021-22 academic year.
Singapore American School is having a significant facelift to the tune of SG$400m, which will include a campus upgrade with new, early learning, elementary and middle school buildings, renovations to the high school, a new dining hall, sports fields, and many more play spaces. The upgrade program is to reimagine the role of classrooms in the learning journey. Not only will the new learning environment benefit the students, but it will also allow the school to invest in and attract some of the world's finest educators. The new campus aims to bring students, faculty, and community members various benefits across different divisions. New modular spaces will allow teachers to quickly adjust classroom sizes and formats with moveable walls, flexible seating, and sliding glass doors. A state-of-the-art digital room will permit teachers to set lighting, temperature, and IT preferences while assessing real-time data about energy use. The high school's renovations have a forward-looking vision in mind, with renovated spaces enhancing the student experience in several ways. The new spaces will create strong links to nature, which will give students more opportunities to be more responsive and flexible to create, connect, and explore. The revamped facilities include the building of a 50-meter pool and expansion of the health and fitness facilities. The entire project is scheduled for completion by the autumn of 2026.
Singapore American School, 40 Woodlands Street 41, Singapore 738547, +65 6360 6360, https://www.sas.edu.sg
Despite the unprecedented challenges posed by a global pandemic, Stamford American students continued to achieve strong results in the IB, DP, and AP exams. Impressively, students surpassed the increased global IB exam pass rate with an average score of 35, three points higher than a year ago. The exam average was also higher than in any previous year. Stamford American is also one of the few schools in Singapore with onsite SAT and ACT test centers, offering college preparatory tests for secondary students from grade 10. They have a dedicated academic and college counseling team that is tuned in to the requirements of universities all over the world. To date, the Class of 2021 has received offers from Universities and Colleges in 18 different countries, with notable acceptances from Boston University, New York University, University of California Los Angeles, University of California Berkeley, Imperial College, University of Amsterdam, National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University amongst others.
Stamford American International School, 1 Woodleigh Lane, Singapore, +65 6653 2949, sais.edu.sg
Tanglin Trust School students from Year 5 to Year 13 were ranked remarkably in this year’s Education Perfect Languages Championships, continuing from the school’s success last year.
A total of 1,723 Tanglin students took part in the annual championships under the Federation of British Schools in Asia (FOBISIA) Chapter this year but Tanglin’s participation was also reflected in the World Competition which was taking place at the same time. In the FOBISIA category, Tanglin students competed against 29 schools in the Southern Hemisphere region while in the World section, 2,824 schools participated worldwide.
In the Core Languages category, Tanglin achieved:
• 12th best in the World Competition out of 1,668 Schools for French (2nd in the FOBISIA Competition)
• 15th best in the World Competition out of 785 Schools for Latin (1st in the FOBISIA Competition)
• 22nd best in the World Competition out of 1,476 Schools for Spanish (2nd in the FOBISIA Competition)
• 61st best in the World Competition out of 1,273 Schools for Chinese (3rd in the FOBISIA Competition)
Tanglin Trust School, 95 Portsdown Road, Singapore, +65 6778 0771, https://www.tts.edu.sg
Since the opening of One World International School (OWIS) at the new Suntec campus, the school has been inundated with numerous gold awards. In August 2021, the new school welcomed kindergarten and children up to grade 5. So far, they have enjoyed the inquiry-led and play-based learning approach. The well-balanced curriculum includes art, music, and physical education to ensure well-rounded development. The discovery zones have become hugely popular, and children have enjoyed exploring their creative sides and collaboratively interacting with their classroom friends. Mark Renie, the head of the school, brings almost two decades of experience to the campus. There are various virtual tours if you are interested in discovering this new, award-winning school for your children.
OWIS Suntec Campus Contact Information, 3 Temasek Boulevard, Level 3, Singapore 038983, +65 6914 6700, admissions@owis.org, www.owis.org
Look forward to new changes as White Lodge International Preschool & Childcare rebrands to Invictus International Preschool in April 2022! Discover an affordable international education that provides individualised learning for you child.
Invictus International Preschool, +65 6255 4230, enquiry@invictus.preschool.
GESS is well recognized for its languages and offers a choice between two primary curricula: the German Curriculum and the International Baccalaureate (IB) program in English. The students consistently score way above the world average in the International Schools' Assessment (ISA). In the most recent ISA, the Primary School students scored 10 percent above the world average in tests related to reading, writing, and mathematics; they scored 17 percent higher than the ISA reading test. Grade 5 students scored 13 percent higher than the world average for math literacy. For those interested in finding out more about GESS, applications are open for primary school. They have regular school tours, and there is an open house too.
GESS, 2 Dairy Farm Lane, Singapore 677621, +65 6469 1131, www.gess.sg
Looking for a great Kindergarten with top-notch facilities in Singapore? The Canadian International School has a new Kindergarten wing opening in January 2023 with a large outdoor discovery centre that is 2,600 sqm in size! Find out more here!
Canadian International School, 371 Tanjong Katong Road, Singapore, +65 6345 1573, www.cis.edu.sg
Bilingual learning is one very hot topic globally and in Singapore. Parents are keen to provide their children with an immersive experience beyond their learning. The Singapore American School recently introduced the Chinese Immersion Program, which will help the children towards fluency while excelling academically.
Singapore American School, 40 Woodlands Street 41, Singapore, +65 6360 6360, https://www.sas.edu.sg
Grange International Preschool encourages learning through play, imagination, and creativity and encourages connections through interactive experiences. The school has been steadily growing since its conception in 2018. The small, broadly British school describes itself as a small school with big aspirations. It offers a creative focus on the curriculum and is more relaxed compared to some of the more rigorous academia-focussed schools in the city. The school is located in a lush three-acre compound and surrounded by nature which lends itself perfectly to children spending time in the eco-garden or farm or learning about the life cycle of plants. The Grange is keen to educate its students about responsibility and environmental awareness. The director of the school, Ronald Stones, has been recognized by Queen Elizabeth II for services to education and has been awarded the honorary position of Fellow of the RSA. If you think that learning through play and creativity will inspire your child, you can book a tour with the school.
Grange International Preschool, 1 Grange Garden, Singapore 249631, +65 6884 8490, https://preschool.thegrange.edu.sg/
Exciting news! 15 Ministry of Education (MOE) Kindergartens will open across Singapore throughout 2022, 2024 and 2025. Each of the kindergartens will be located at existing primary schools and will offer between 100 and 120 spaces for children aged 5 and 6.
Opening in 2022
Opening in 2024
Opening in 2025
Note that registration for admission will start in February, the year before the opening dates.
Ministry of Education, https://www.moe.gov.sg/
The Plano App is the world's first science-based parental control app to keep your children safe online and maintain their eye health. Easily track and manage your child in this unpredictable digitalized world all from your own device. The parental control app features include a remote device lock, scheduling device-free timings, app, browser blocking, and safe zone creation. Not only does the app protect your child in terms of safety but also in terms of eye damage. This is made possible by features such as safe face-to-screen distance detection, eye break reminder, poor posture detection, low light detection, and lots more. Take a look at their website for their education and science-driven technological solutions.
Plano, https://plano.co
Leading parenting publications, year after year, vote Mulberry Learning’s curriculum as Singapore’s best holistic learning program. Mulberry Learning opened various new centers throughout 2021, making the new total count 14 bilingual preschools, with another in Dover due to open later in 2022. Mulberry Learning prides itself on making the preschool experience memorable and enjoyable while transforming a child into a competent explorer, an imaginative thinker, and a creative problem solver. Through their unique curriculum, Habits of Mind, and dedicated staff, Mulberry Learning promises to deliver a holistic education that nurtures your child to be future-ready. If you are interested in finding out more, register your interest in meeting their passionate, dedicated, well-qualified educators and exploring their beautiful learning facilities.
Mulberry Learning, various locations across Singapore,+65 6653 8082, enquiry@mulberrylearning.com, www.mulberrylearning.com
A moving child is a learning child, and nobody knows this better than the Infant School. Reception Sports Day took place this week and the children showcased all the skills they have been practising in PE this year; jumping, throwing, dodging and crawling - to name just a few! The children also raced around on balance bikes and demonstrated their super-sprinting speed while being cheered on by teachers and teammates. Everyone had a lot of fun and is looking forward to the next one.
Tanglin Trust School, 95 Portsdown Road, Singapore, +65 6778 0771, https://www.tts.edu.sg
Little Footprints is growing and now boasts 42 preschools and 10 infant care centers throughout Singapore. They understand that the early childhood education landscape is ever-changing; their focus is to provide affordable and quality childcare services to the community. Each center strives to nurture every child and make them confident communicators, problem solvers, and independent thinkers. Their educators inspire children with English and Chinese curriculums and capture magical moments of learning by stimulating their imagination. The centers are community-based, and children will often be exposed to various collaborations, which helps them understand the world around them and learn essential values from positive role models.
Little Footprints Preschool, various locations throughout Singapore, +65 6463 3465, info@littlefootprints.edu.sg, https://littlefootprints.edu.sg
Following the successful introduction of the Kindergarten class and Primary 3,4 and 5 classes, the Swiss School Singapore is expanding its French Stream with the opening of a new Primary 1/2 and Primary 6 class.
The school will also extend the German-speaking Kindergarten to two years. They will offer a Kindergarten 1 and Kindergarten 2 class in the German Stream similar to the setting in the French Stream. For the next school year, parents can decide whether they will send their children to the second Playgroup II or Kindergarten 1 of the German and French stream.
Swiss School In Singapore, 38 Swiss Club Road, Singapore 288140, +65 6468 2117, info@swiss-school.edu, www.swiss-school.edu.sg
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