Is school size something you consider when searching for international schools for your children? As a small school, International Community School (Singapore) believes that size is its strength, and that it can deliver big benefits.
Big schools and small schools – does size matter when it comes to choosing a suitable international school for your children?
Some parents prefer big schools for the variety of facilities and co-curricular activities that the campus can accommodate, as well as the large teaching faculty that usually comes with the size. On the other hand, parents who go for small schools prioritise having a tight knit community, as well as having the assurance that their children will receive more personalised attention from their teachers.
As a small international school with less than 500 students, International Community School (Singapore) believes that size is its ‘superpower’. The school has produced students who achieve stellar results, with some of its alumni making positive contributions on the global stage – and it believes that its boutique size played a central role in this.
The small school difference starts from kindergarten
With 25 different nationalities, ICS (Singapore) focuses on creating a ‘home away from home’ for its youngest students, who start elementary school at age four in Pre-Kindergarten. Each class has only 15 students or less, so teachers get to know each student beyond surface level. Due to its small class sizes, teachers can personalise every child’s learning according to their pace, and provide social emotional guidance at a deeper level. You’ll find that every child can name all their schoolmates in their age group, and teachers know all their students’ names and learning styles by heart.
Now, what about facilities? Having a small campus doesn’t mean that ICS (Singapore) compromises on its facilities. The school bridges this gap by maximising campus spaces to offer a diverse lineup of over 30 inclusive extra-curricular activities, sports, and arts programme – all these on top of its signature personalised care.
Students continue to enjoy learning in a safe space in middle school
Parents of teens would know that the adolescent years are challenging, but crucial nonetheless. The teachers at ICS (Singapore) understand this, and strive to continue creating that ‘home away from home’ feel in school while giving students a safe space to discover their unique voices. This is again possible with the small school and class sizes, where students aged 11-13 enjoy a low student-teacher ratio of seven-to-one. Similar to elementary school, this allows teachers to not just personalise their learning goals, but also connect with them as a supportive figure.
Middle school is also where students get to take their pick from an array of exciting electives, ranging from drama to video games design. While ICS (Singapore)’s service learning programme takes root early on in elementary school, the impact deepens in middle school. Middle schoolers collaborate directly with their high school seniors on service projects through the school’s immersive Week Without Walls initiative —whether it’s working on sustainable community initiatives locally or embarking on life-changing overseas trips. This programme is designed for character development among tweens, building the emotional resilience and confidence that will come in handy when they transition to high school.
The high school years are when students ‘give back’ to their school community
As the ‘big kids’ in school, ICS (Singapore)’s high school students play a big part in shaping the school culture. Students often look up to them as role models, and this is where you’ll see the service learning programme start to ‘pay off’. At high school, students play the role of compassionate student leaders, helping teachers create the warm and welcoming environment that ICS (Singapore) is known for and looking out for their peers and younger students. Service learning continues in high school, where students design and run initiatives for disadvantaged youths locally and overseas.
Teachers continue to provide guidance and support for the high schoolers, including providing them with one-to-one sessions with a school counsellor. The counsellor will advise and help students plan their Advanced Placement (AP) route, ensuring their self-designed academic pathway gets students to the courses and universities they are aiming for. The result? A school average AP score of 4.21 out of 5!
This small international school might have what your children need
If small international schools are what you’re looking for, you’ll want to check out what ICS (Singapore) has to offer. This school is the winner for Best Small School in Singapore category in our Singapore Education Awards for four consecutive years, and a three-time winner for The Curriculum Awards (American). Book a tour or check out its website to learn more about what ICS (Singapore) has to offer.
This post is in partnership with International Community School (Singapore).
