“ I love how safe it is to travel at any time of day and in any area. The accessibility to places like Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and Australia is a major advantage.” MANGLA SACHDEV, EXPAT BUSINESS IN A BAG
The super-premium sector, including schools like
Chatsworth International School, Tanglin Trust, XCL American Academy, XCL World Academy, United World College (UWC) and North London Collegiate School Singapore (NLCS) are highly sought after and often come with lengthy waiting lists. “As long as the supply and demand doesn’t change significantly that situation is likely to persist,” says Goel. “Many schools, particularly those charging premium
fees, are reporting an increase in student numbers,” says Janelle Torres, research manager for South-East Asia at ISC Research. The EDB has recently launched an RFI on two
pieces of land slated for schools, one of which is likely to be another super-premium offering. “Singapore is different to some other expat markets
such as Dubai where people tend to stay for seven or eight years,” says L.E.K’s Goel. “In Singapore, most stay for three and four years, which means schools constantly have to replenish their student numbers.” Parents are looking for increasingly sophisticated
offerings. “Schools need to innovate to stay competitive,” says ISC Research’s Torres. “Outdoor spaces are increasingly popular and the addition of Mandarin is a trend due to the influx of expatriates coming from Chinese-speaking countries. There is also a growing emphasis on specialised extracurricular activities.”
HOW DO I CHOOSE A SCHOOL? With 50 to choose from there’s a huge range of learning experiences and curricula on offer. Which school parents choose often depends on where their children are likely to attend university: Asian students favour Australia, but the United States and the UK are also popular. Recent years have seen a flurry of activity in the
international school landscape, particularly among British schools. According to L.E.K’s Goel, around 40% of Singapore’s schools offer some form of British curriculum. The popular and well-respected Tanglin Trust is
the oldest British school in Southeast Asia. Opened in 1925, it will celebrate its centenary. It educates 2,800 students and offers the English National Curriculum
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Students from Tanglin Trust
developed to reflect its international context. At sixth form, students are offered a dual pathway of A levels or the IB diploma. Tanglin is unique among international schools in Singapore in offering a choice of A levels or the IB Diploma in sixth form. The new Tanglin Centenary Building opened in
2023, housing impressive new facilities, which include a 50-metre swimming pool, physio and fitness facilities, a gymnastic centre, music room and a personal learning and development centre. In 2025, it will also open a learning centre in Gippsland, Australia, introducing the Highlands Programme where year 9 pupils attend a five- week learning experience. Dulwich College was the first British school brand
to open in 2014. It now operates a popular and highly rated through-train school educating 2,600 children aged 2–18. Students follow an enhanced version of the English National Curriculum and take IGCSE exams followed by the IB Diploma or IB Career Related Pathway in the sixth form. Four years ago a second highly academic British brand
– North London Collegiate School (NLCS) – opened. NLCS already has schools in Dubai and South Korea and follows an inquiry-based curriculum leading to IB in the sixth form. The purpose-built campus in Queenstown has impressive facilities, including a 50-metre swimming pool, performing arts centre, gym, two libraries, roof gardens and new science and tech facilities. Brighton College also opened in 2020 and delivers
a British pre-prep and prep-school education from pre- nursery to year 9. From this year, 2024, it has added a secondary school offering IGCSE and A levels. The school is situated on a sprawling campus, which also houses the Australian International School and the Stamford American International School (SAIS). Two other British brands are also opening shortly:
Wellington College and the Perse School, which opens in January 2025 on a new campus in Bukit Timah. Wellington College International already has eight international schools including in China, Thailand and India and will enrol 2000 students and offer an English curriculum followed by the IB Diploma.
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