The school believes that a personalised holistic education is the way forward to providing the best learning experience for children.
Meet our Editor’s Choice for International School of the Year in this year’s Singapore Education Awards: GESS – International School! This is one school that pledges to be a family’s partner in their child’s education, creating unlimited learning opportunities through hardware, software, and ‘heartware’. Read on for all the details on why GESS deserves this win.
21st century education means more than just using the latest technology
While the necessary hardware like high-tech facilities and learning tools are important, a truly 21st century education goes beyond just that. This is why GESS incorporates software and ‘heartware’ into their students’ learning journey, making teaching and learning personal. Experienced and committed educators deliver deeply-personalised high quality teaching and learning by fully understanding each student’s abilities and potential, which is made possible by data-driven approaches. These lead to better learning outcomes for students, which is the core of the school’s five-year Limitless Learning Plan.
Another critical component is the focus on teachers partnering and building strong relationships with parents, collaborating on the children’s education. An example of this is the Grade 6 and 7 homeroom teachers teaching at least two subjects to reinforce daily contact time and in-class interaction. These homeroom teachers are supported by other specialists, in turn serving as a bridge between the school and GESS students and parents.
Learning pathways that prepare students for the jobs of tomorrow
At the rate that our world is changing, schools have to prepare students for jobs that may not even exist now. GESS does this through a skills-based education that helps students develop crucial lifelong skills that will make them future-ready. As learning shouldn’t be limited to the confines of the classroom, the school also equips students with real-world and industry experiences through its BeyondClassrooms programme. This is a programme that empowers graduates to make better choices in life. Integrated into the curriculum, BeyondClassrooms creates almost 300 internship placements and at least 50 industry activities annually. This includes industry talks, site visits, career guidance, and more; all made possible by GESS’ partners and affiliates.
The ‘heart’ in ‘heartware’
Student wellbeing is the ‘heart’ of GESS’ ‘heartware’. Extending beyond counselling to include social-emotional learning and safeguarding, it also adopts international standards and best practices, such as from the International School Counselling Association, to be integrated into school policies. Adding on to that, GESS demonstrates its commitment to this through a restructured Student Wellbeing department and a new Student Wellbeing Centre. Some of the new initiatives include a counselling programme on enhancing social-emotional skills, as well as a child protection curriculum that focuses on respectful relationships and how to recognise and report abuse.
A school that is student and parent-first
GESS prides itself for being a student-first campus, where building and facilities enhancements are done with its students’ interests in mind. It also involves the GESS parent community intimately in the formulation of the school’s direction, an initiative that’s in ine with GESS’ strategic five-year Limitless Learning Plan. Families can expect to see even more investments in new resources and facilities for students and faculty.
Why we love GESS
With such dedication to student wellbeing and ensuring that children are future-ready, it’s not hard to see why GESS won Editor’s Choice for International School of the Year. What’s more, the school is continuously reviewing and improving itself to stay attuned to its community’s needs.
A well deserved win for GESS!
This post is in partnership with GESS – International School.