GESS – International School

Extending Opportunities Beyond The Classroom

To extend the possibilities for students beyond their academic learning, GESS officially launched BeyondClassrooms programme in end 2021, partnering companies and partners, bringing about internships, career counselling, industry talks, site visits and more. Partners include Daimler Commercial Vehicles, Danfoss, Evonik, TUM Asia, BluCurrent, BMW Group Asia, Evonik, TÜV SÜD, Avodaq, Borussia Mönchengladbach and Volocopter, and more.

Staying Connected to Mother Tongue Languages

In recognition of the value of learning one’s mother tongue, GESS offers a Dutch and Danish Mother Tongue Language Programme from Grade 1 to Grade 12. For all other languages, there is the option for students to subscribe to the Mother Tongue Support Programme that allows them to learn their mother tongue with the support of an external tutor coordinated by GESS. Primary School students also have the Language Enrichment Programme as an additional avenue for them to gain fluency in their mother tongue languages through authentic language-focused activities.

Creating an Avenue for All Talents

GESS students also have the option to cultivate interests and talents outside the classroom in sports, music, arts, technology and more through over 100 after-school programmes and 90 CCAs and a Vocal and Instrumental Programme (VIP). Creating opportunities for our students in and out of Singapore, GESS not only collaborates with renowned sporting partners to organise events (such as the GESS Volkswagen Cup for football enthusiasts), but also bring sport talents to make waves overseas.

GESS has moved to a brand new, purpose-built campus on Dairy Farm Lane which can accommodate up to 2,000 students. The new campus comes equipped with contemporary facilities that were designed with the student population’s many diverse talents and interests in mind. The range of facilities which includes an Olympic-sized swimming pool, cooking lab, black box theatre, design and technology studio, visual arts studios and more give students the space to dream bigger and go further in their education journey and also provides a space for the school’s many initiatives including over 90 CCA programmes, Vocal and Instrumental Programme and Junior Engineer Academy.

What truly makes GESS a home away from home for students is an unrelenting adherence to the European values of respect, openness and inclusiveness. GESS upholds these values in everything they do - from hiring staff who have strong multicultural sensibilities to creating a safe space for students to display and celebrate their diversity and promoting intercultural dialogues. Our students’ wellbeing is of utmost priority, with substantial resources dedicated to the development of social-emotional learning (SEL) curricula, robust mentoring and coaching initiatives, proactive programmes and enhanced student support. In end 2023, a new Student Wellbeing Centre was launched, not only housing School Counsellors’ offices but also a dedicated, soothing environment for students in need to feel at ease and enable emotional regulation.

In the spirit of inclusivity, GESS prides itself in being an academically non-selective school that accepts students of differing abilities and makes them feel valued and respected. As a partner of choice in education for families, GESS works hard to get to know every student within the community, discover their personal strengths and interests and guide them towards the right avenues for growth.

As a community school, GESS welcomes and encourages parents’ involvement in what matters to their children. Participation is created through Parents’ Committee, Events Team, Buddies Committee and more. As a result, the GESS community spirit is something built collaboratively by actively engaged parents, teachers, staff and students.