As a parent, all you want is the best for your child and that includes the best school. In order to find the ideal school for your child, you need to evaluate and understand your school needs. The good news is that there are many different schools in Singapore that offer numerous options in education. There is an option for each child that will facilitate their best learning experience. Before interacting with the various schools we suggest that you evaluate your child’s school needs.
Singapore School Need 1: Curriculum
Within the international schools in Singapore you have an option to enroll your child into one of eleven types of curriculum (for various grade levels). Here is a list of the 11 curriculum options:
- Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Curriculum
- Montessori Curriculum
- AERO (American Education Reaches Out Standards) Curriculum
- Australian curriculum
- CBSE Curriculum
- French Curriculum
- German Curriculum
- GCSE Curriculum
- IGCSE
- IB (International Baccalaureate Curriculum) The curriculum is divided into the Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP) and International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) according to student age.
- IPC (International Primary Curriculum) Curriculum
Singapore School Need 2: Facilities
Teaching should not be confined to four walls! It is essential that a school has a wide range of spaces to engage a student when learning. However a 3 year old does not need an Olympic standard swimming pool and a grade 12 does not need a state of art jungle gym. Your child’s ideal school should accommodate your child’s talents, abilities, interests and hobbies. If your child is interested in drama, then it is essential that the school has an auditorium. For academics – a library, scientist – a laboratory, artist – the canvas, athlete – the track field and more. Identify your child’s interests and what is needed to foster their interests.
Singapore School Need 3: Budget
It is not all about image, status or how much school fees cost, it is about knowing that your child’s needs are met. However at the end of the day we aren’t all Elon Musk with a net worth of $255.8 Billion. Together with moving costs, transport, insurance, food and more we need to be realistic with our school budget. The school costs per annum vary according to school, school level, extra support, uniform cost etc. However the average yearly school fees range from SG $18,000 and go up to SG $46,350 *Subject to change. Within the first year of school fees, you will need to factor in application fees, enrolment fees, assessment fees, tuition fees and general annual fees. An extra fact to keep in mind is that as your child progresses through the grades the annual school fee may increase respectively.
Singapore School Need 4: Extracurricular (Hobbies and interests)
From a teacher’s perspective, I know the importance of a holistic education. The classroom is not the only place where learning takes place. A child’s interests, hobbies and extra curricular extend your child’s education and skill base. Sit your child down and chat about their own interests and what may interests them in the future. Now if they are only 15 months old, that conversation will not go very far, so make sure to discuss with your partner the activities that you would like to expose your child to in the next few years.
Singapore School Need 5: Child’s learning style
School is all about learning but we all learn differently. Identify your child’s learning style and see how the teachers can support them in class. The four core learning styles are: visual, auditory, reading and writing, and kinesthetic. Lets say your child is a visual learner. Then it is essential that the classroom teacher ensures that the student is exposed to visual stimuli and learning in the form of spatial awareness, photographic memory, color/tone, brightness/contrast, and other visual information.
Singapore School Need 6: Student Support
Student support is a must! If your child has a learning disability is there a dedicated team to assist at the school? Is your child in the later years of their schooling and in need of career counseling? Not a first language english speaker in an English school, does your child need assistance? Identify the help that your child may need from an external source.
Singapore School Need 7: Culture and Values
‘School culture’ can be used to encompass all the attitudes, expected behaviors and values that impact how the school operates as well as what is taught to the students. Values are very important in parenting since they deeply influence all behaviors and attitudes. Every school going child spends half of the day at school and the other at home. Therefore it is important that the school you pick mimics the values you instill at home. If you are a religious family, it may be of great importance that the school has religious studies and respective forms of worship. Find a school whose ethos matches yours. Think along the lines of learning, diversity, integration, spirituality, leadership and community.
Singapore School Need 8: Transportation Time
In the hustle and bustle of life convenience is key. Therefore take the time to identify the various school locations to see if they are viable options. Is the school a quick drive for drop off and pick up, or on the bus route or near the train station? Identify the mode of transport your child will be using and factor it into school choices. The good news is that Singapore has a very comprehensive public transportation system available for you and your family to use.
Singapore School Need 9: Language Preference
All classrooms are a hub for conversations and communication, therefore it is important that the conversation is happening in your desired language. Do you want your child to learn in their mother tongue or another language? Does your child need some extra help with their language development? Does the school have good Bilingual and Multilingual Language (BML) Specialists/programmes?
Singapore School Need 10: Vibrant Parent – Teacher Association
A school community and teacher-parent relationship is essential for effective learning. The Parent-Teacher Association is formed with the intention to facilitate parental participation in the school. Studies have shown that when a child’s parents invest in the school community (with other parents, teachers etc) the child is more likely to perform better. What forms of communication and involvement suit your needs?
Use the 10 factors to find your Singapore School Needs. Find a school that is going to enrich your child’s strengths and offer them opportunities that will encourage them to achieve their full potential. Our team knows that every family has a unique set of needs and goals – which means that we need a new approach to each client’s search for the best international school for their child. We take your unique needs – from language preferences to extra-curricular activities – into consideration when we curate your tailored list of potential schools. Contact us today to help identify your child’s new International Singapore School Needs.
