7 Questions You Need to Answer Before Choosing an International School in Singapore

Upon moving to a different country, your choice of school will prove to be a critical aspect of ensuring that your children will be able to adjust well to the changes in their environment and activities. Singapore presents a long list of options to expatriate families who are looking for academic communities that provide international education. While this ensures that you’ll have plenty of options, having the best international schools in Singapore in your shortlist of academic institutions can also make it a challenge for you to choose the right school for your children.

Every expatriate family has different circumstances. As such, you’ll need to go with an international school that is well equipped to provide the support and structure that your family needs. When checking out international schools in the Lion City, consider asking these questions so that you can evaluate each option properly:

What Accreditations Does the School Have?

It’s difficult to determine the standard of education that an academic institution provides at first glance, but checking a school’s accreditations simplifies this task. Having the right accreditations indicates that the school upholds a level of academic standard that is recognized by educational organizations and other accredited schools. Choosing an accredited school also helps you ensure that other schools will recognize the academic achievements and levels that your children have earned, just in case you have to move to another location again in the future. Such accreditations may also impact your children’s chances of getting into the universities of their choice later in their lives.

How Does the School Help Students Develop Character?

Schools play a very important role in ensuring that students become well-adjusted individuals and productive members of society, so it’s a good idea to pay attention to the character-building strategies that the international school employs. What values does the school hope to impart to its students? Are there specific activities and programs that the school hosts in order to promote integrity, honesty, and the joy of learning to its student body, for example?

What Courses and Academic Programs Does the School Offer?

International schools often offer programs that are widely used in their home countries. For example, Stamford American International School follows the typical academic setup in the US where there’s an elementary school, middle school, and high school. At the same time, it offers high school students the option to take Advanced Placement (AP), the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB DP), or Business and Technical Education Council (BTEC) Diploma courses. In comparison, school grades in Singapore are divided between primary school for students aged 7 to 12 and secondary school for those ages 13 to 17.

What Type Of Co-Curricular Activities Can Students Join?

Co-curricular activities (CCA) are a big part of Student life in Singapore. Joining CCAs helps students in high school or secondary school develop values and skills that they’ll find very useful later in life. What co-curricular activities does the international school offer, and does it complement your children’s interests? Ideally, the school should have clubs and societies, sports, and visual and performing arts groups. Joining CCAs lets students interact with each other and develop a sense of community in their new school.

Does the School Offer the Use of World-Class Learning Facilities?

In addition to using educational tools like smartboards and laptops, schools should also have open spaces that encourage collaboration and provide easy access to learning resources. The availability of modern gyms, theaters, libraries, playgrounds, and other facilities also helps students develop more holistically. These spaces can be used to conduct classes, encourage interaction among members of the academic community, as well as carry out CCAs.

Does the School Maintain a Connection with Other Academic and Community Organizations?

Maintaining relationships with other educational institutions and organizations not only benefits the international school; it also offers plenty of advantages to the school’s students. Membership to educational networks provides educators with plenty of opportunities to grow their skills and acquire more effective teaching strategies, which ultimately benefits their students. At the same time, if the school has a great relationship with the local community, then they can host events and activities, like sports festivals and volunteer work, which can provide students with a more enriching environment.

Are There Programs in Place to Help New Students Adjust to Their New Environment?

Finally, a good international school should have a program in place to ensure that their new students are able to hit the road running. Language assessment and classes should be available to students who are still in the process of becoming more comfortable with the school’s language of instruction, for example. The school should also maintain constant communication with the parents to ensure that their new students are adjusting well to the recent changes in their environment and activities.

While academic excellence is certainly a significant factor when choosing an international school in Singapore, it’s also important to pay equal attention to the kind of environment that the school will provide your children. If possible, visit each academic institution on your list to get a glimpse of how they conduct their day-to-day activities. Deciding where to enroll your kids can also be a family affair. If you feel that their opinion can help you arrive at a decision, discuss your options with your kids. Doing so can help your children feel less apprehensive and more open to the new challenges and experiences that they’ll face once you’re in your new home.