International Schools in Singapore: Choosing the Right School for Your Child

Dependant on the age of your child, it is important that the curriculum fit’s their character and educational needs. For those 12 years and older, deciding what curriculum to follow is an important choice for future opportunities.

International schools often have a higher price tag than expats may be accustomed to in their home countries. It is noteworthy that school fees tend to increase year on year between 3-8% and there are often significant supplementary costs for development levy / infrastructure fees, application and enrolment fees as well as payments for school excursions, exams, insurance, learning support, extracurricular activities, books, school buses, uniform and lunches.

Discounts are sometimes offered to families who have more than one child attending the school, although this usually applies when there is a third or fourth child. 

Every school will have its own fee structure, some schools will allow payments to be made in instalments, whilst others require payment upfront.

Getting a sense of the school’s ethos and values system is very important. It often can come down to personal preference and so understanding what values will be instilled into your child is key.

Each school will have its own applications process, detailed in the school brochure and on each schools website. Many applications are submitted online and each vary in what is required. There is often a pre-requisite for the child to be proficient in English by a certain age, many request previous school reports to be submitted and some may request entrance assessments.

The application process usually opens 1 year prior to the start of the academic year, however, those transferring during the school year can also be accommodated.  

In the circumstance that the school has reached capacity and cannot offer a placement, the school may offer an option to join a waiting list.

The standard of facilities offered by many of the international schools are world class, Olympic sized swimming pools, climbing walls, innovation centres, 600 seater auditoriums and technology tools. It is key to understand how much exposure students typically have with these facilities and how they are incorporated to benefit your child’s learning.

Extracurricular may or may not be included in school fees and offer children a balance to the academic experience. It is helpful to be aware of the activities available to your child, most schools offer a wide range of sports, music and visual arts.

It is important to be aware of what subjects and language options are offered at each school, especially if the child is at the critical stage of deciding what field they intend to forge a career in and require certain facilities and support to do so. 

The standard of education is generally high across all curriculums, with exam results published annually. Many schools opt for annual inspections to ensure the highest standard is maintained. 

School holidays and term dates vary from school to school. It is useful to be aware of the two different academic year start dates. Those mirroring the Southern Hemisphere nationalities tend to be January to December, whilst the Northern Hemisphere nationalities and international schools tend to be August to July.

Please refer to our school brochure, detailing the location and closest transport options for each school. Most international schools offer school bus options at an additional cost with information on what areas pick up and drop off are offered to around the island. 

It is also advisable to be aware of how long the lease of land is or any plans the school has to relocate. 

Class sizes and teacher – to-child ratios are markedly varied from school to school and for each academic year.