Now that junior genius has risen to become the Prince of the Kindergarten Posse, set your sights higher up the education ladder. The first factor to consider: public, private, or an international school.
For Singaporeans, State schools may be your best option (head straight down to Factor Five), however there are opportunities to enroll into private international schools with the Ministry of Education’s nod.
Factor One: Private School Curriculum – International Baccalaureate (IB)/PYP/MYP
Canadian International School – Diverse international school offering the IB diploma. A special feature of CIS is the Educational Technology program to enhance its students’ digital age skills. Campuses are spread at opposite corners of the island.
Lakeside Campus, 7 Jurong West Street 41, Singapore 649414, p. 6467 1732. Tanjong Katong Campus, 371 Tanjong Katong Road, Singapore 437128, p. 6345 1573.
ISS International School – An Elementary through High School IB World School with membership through the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). ISS also boasts a great teacher to student ratio of 1:12 for individualized attention.
Elementary and Middle Schools: 25 Paterson Road, Singapore 238510, p. 6235 5844, admissions@iss.edu.sg; High School: 21 Preston Road, Singapore 109355, p. 6475 4188, admissions@iss.edu.sg.
Stamford American International School – Newly reconstructed campus offering state-of-the art facilities and programs for children up to Year 12. Bonus: Current Middle and High Schools have lower enrollment numbers, so your child receives individualized instruction.
1 Woodleigh Lane, Singapore 347691, p. 6602 7247.
UWCSEA – Ranked one of the most prestigious and most expensive schools in the world, United World College South East Asia offers outstanding educational experience with classes that extract innovative and critical thinking skills among its students.
Locations at Dover and East Coast, e. info@uwcsea.edu.sg.
Australian International School – A Cognita school embracing the Reggio Emilia philosophy for its younger students, AIS is comprised of a truly international student body.
1 Lorong Chuan, Singapore 556818, p. 6883 5515.
Hwa Chong International – Co-ed secondary and Pre-University school, HCIS is an extension of the prestigious family of Hwa Chong schools. HCIS is the private, international school arm located next to Hwa Chong Institution, where they share boarding facilities.
663 Bukit Timah Road, Singapore 269783, p. 6464 7077.
Anglo Chinese School International (ACS International) – Mixed gender, Methodist private school offering both the IGCSE and IB curriculums, ACS International allows direct admission for Singaporean students due to its alignment with MOE bilingual policies and reciting Singapore’s National Anthem. For students from Years 1 to 6 (the equivalent of Sec 1-JC 2).
61 Jalan Hitam Manis, Singapore 278475, p. 6472 1477.
Factor Two: Private School Curriculum – International Schools – English
Singapore American School – The world’s largest international school, this massive school boasts enough sports facilities to keep your kids entertained all day. A WASC member ensuring students are schooled in the American tradition, students will also find world-class facilities like ten indoor gyms, six football fields, eight swimming pools, thirteen tennis courts, and so much more.
40 Woodlands Street 41, Singapore 738547, p. 6363 3403.
Tanglin Trust School – Promising education with philosophy in line with British-based learning with an international perspective, TTS provides The English National Curriculum as well as the opportunity for GCSE/IGCSE. Promising upper form students can opt to take the A-Levels. For students aged 3-18 years.
95 Portsdown Road, Singapore 139299, p. 6778 0771.
Overseas Family School – Pre-Nursery to Grade 12. Accredited as a WASC, IB, and IGCSE school, OFS caters to expatriate families with at its huge campus of just under 4000 students aged Pre-K through Grade 12.
5F Paterson Road, Singapore, p.6738 0211.
Factor Four: Run for the Border – Private Schools in Johor
As EduCity, Iskandar Malaysia’s 600 Nusajaya dream town comes to fruition, first-class education opportunities lay across the border.
Marlborough College Malaysia – Sister school to Kate Middleton’s alma mater Marlborough College England, Asia’s version is beautifully sprawled over 90 acres of gorgeous environs. Not shabby in the academics department either, it offers premiere instruction to students aged 5 to 18, and boarding facilities for those over 11.
Jalan Marlborough, 79250 Nusajaya, 79250 Malaysia, Johor, Malaysia, p. +60 7560 2200.
Raffles American School – Currently enrolling grades 1 to 9 with future enrollment to High School, RAS offers an American education with the global Advanced Placement International Diploma for students who wish to continue their studies away from the US. Boarding facilities open in August 2014 for those in Grade 8 and above. Mountain, marshland, green spaces, nature trails galore, just hop on the RAS shuttle at Jurong East for your daily commute.
Lot No. 1, Anjung Neighborhood Center, 5 Persiaran Ledang Heights, 79250 Nusajaya, Johor, Malaysia, p. +60 7510 2668.
Factor Three: Private School Curriculum – Specialty Schools – Language
DPS International School Singapore – Modeled on the Delhi Public School, DPS offers the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education and Indian School Certificates. Extra bonus: classes have a low teacher to student ratio of 1:19.
36 Aroozoo Avenue, Singapore 539842, p. 6285 6300.
Lycee Francais du Singapour – Immersion in French language and culture are the cornerstone of LFS. Recognized as an Agency for French Education Abroad school, enabling students to follow educational standards set by the French Ministry of Education.
3000 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3, Singapore 569928, p. 6488 1160.
Singapore Korean International School – Korean expatriates find a cultural haven as SKIS, where their little preschooler and high schooler alike can attend classes in Mandarin, Korean Speech & Drama, Korean dance, taekwondo, and more. Primary schoolers benefit from the Cambridge International Primary Program. The Ministry of Education oversees all curriculums.
71 Bukit Tinggi Road, Singapore 289759, p.6741 0778, admin@sgkis.org.
German European School – An IB World school for students from Preschool to Grade 12, GESS offers instruction in mainly German with an English as a Second Language Program. Dutch native speakers can follow the Dutch as a second language and literature program four times per week.
72 Bukit Tinggi Road, Singapore 289760, p.6469 1131, info@gess.sg.
The Japanese School, Singapore – Three campuses (Changi, Clementi, West Coast) comprise The Japanese School, Singapore, offering Primary and Secondary school education in Japanese. English Conversation Classes and English Immersion Programmes are available to enhance students’ English skills.
95 Clementi Road, Singapore 129782, p.6774 3366, otoiawase@sjscle.edu.sg.
Chinese International School – Home to many boarding students from Mainland China, CNIS offers Mandarin immersion studies that include Chinese Speech and Drama, Literature, Music, Culture and Language. Fully equipped Mandarin immersion with an IB curriculum, offering boarding for upper class students.
60 Dunearn Road, Singapore 309434, p. 6254 0200.
Factor Five: Top Singaporean Public Schools (Primary)
Primary Schools, ranked by factors such as performance on PSLE.
Nanyang Primary School – considered la crème de la crème of public schools, it’s where Lee Kuan Yew sent his children. Among locals it has a reputation for being a school where kids learn class differentiation really early on.
52 King’s Road, Singapore 268097, p. 6467 2677.
Rosyth School – For the North Easters, this local school consistently turns out top scoring students.
21 Serangoon North Avenue 4, Singapore 555855, p. 6481 2273.
Henry Park Primary School – an MOE School Distinction Award Winner which generally tops the lists year by year. This single-sex school is known for sending its boys to one of Singapore’s best local secondary schools, Raffles Institution.
Mount Sinai Road, Singapore, p. 6466 3600.
Tao Nan School
49 Marine Crescent, Singapore 449761, p. 6442 8307.
Raffles Girls’ Primary School – leading all-girls’ school offering the Gifted Education Programme. It’s not affiliated with Raffles Institution – although most of its students generally land there anyway.
21 Hillcrest Road, Singapore 289072, p. 6468 4377.
Anglo-Chinese School Primary & Junior School – Premiere institution for preparing students to take the PSLE and beyond. All-boys, Methodist education.
16 Winstedt Road, Singapore 227988, p. 6733 7911.
Singapore Chinese Girls’ School Primary – A proven school whose students emerge leaders in education. This single-sex school has a rigorous dance programme and a reputation for emphasizing “ladylike” virtues.
190 Dunearn Road, Singapore 309437, p. 6252 7966.
Factor Five: Top Singaporean Public Schools (Secondary)
Nanyang Girls’ High School – A top secondary school offering accelerated programs for art, leadership, and gifted students. Alma mater of former First Lady, Ong Siew May.
2 Lindon Drive, Singapore 288683, p. 6466 3275.
Raffles Girls’ Secondary School – Offers the six-year Integrated Program, enabling its young leaders to directly take their A-levels, bypassing O-Levels.
20 Anderson Road, Singapore 259978, p. 6737 1845.
Raffles Institution – The oldest school in Singapore, RI also boasts membership in G20 Schools and the Global Alliance of Leading-Edge Schools.
1 Raffles Institution Lane, Singapore 575954, p. 6353 8830.
Hwa Chong Institution – A leader among Singapore’s secondary schools, HCI became a think-tank partner with Scarsdale Public Schools (New York, USA) and Columbia University.
661 Bukit Timah Road, Singapore 269734, p. 6468 3955.
Cedar Girls’ Secondary School – A holistic programme that offers the O-levels as well as the Victoria-Cedar Alliance Integrated Programme where students bypass the O’s to take their A’s. Besides its academic excellence, Cedar is also known for its athletic achievements, sports facilities, and indomitable school spirit.
1 Cedar Avenue, Singapore 349692, p. 6288 4909, e. cedargirlss@moe.edu.sg.
St. Joseph’s Institution – All-boys Catholic school, also implementing O-Levels into the Integrated Programme track. From 2013 onward, SJI is able to offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma, in lieu of A-Levels awards. SJI also has a respected for international school arm.
38 Malcolm Road, Singapore 308274, p. 6250 0022, contact@sji.edu.sg.
Dunman High School – Offering the Integrated Programme and Gifted Program, Dunman High offers the distinction of Chinese first-language instruction.
10 Tanjong Rhu Road, Singapore 436895, p. 6345 0533.
River Valley High School – Students at River Valley High School benefit from the Integrated Programme, providing the possibility to bypass O-Levels by following the six-year path to A-Levels. Still using its original Chinese school song, RVHS is committed to its cultural past.
6 Boon Lay Avenue, Singapore 649961.
Image: SAIS