Teacher Graeme Massey and learner Jack Foo have been at Nexus since 2011! Here they share their evolving journeys at the school and why they mean so much.
A lot can happen in 10 years — just ask phase leader and Physical and Health Education (PHE) teacher Graeme Massey and year 12 learner Jack Foo, who’ve both been at Nexus International School (Singapore) since its humble beginnings at Ulu Pandan. On 2nd June 2011, the school was rebranded to Nexus International School (Singapore).
While we’ve always known the school to be ahead of the curve for its approach to innovative learning, it leaped several steps forward with its awesome campus at Aljunied which they moved into early last year. Just how awesome you say? We’re talking about a FIFA and World Rugby-specified field, a two-storey treehouse that doubles as a classroom, an Olympic-sized pool, two gymnasiums, open-plan collaborative classrooms…need we say more? Seeing Nexus evolve into this world-class modern campus and more than triple its learner population is an experience that both Graeme and Jack are proud to be part of. Here’s what else we learned from our chat with them.
1. It’s always had a great sense of community
Graeme: I love the sense of community we have at Nexus – from the learners, to the staff and the parents. While there were physical barriers due to Covid-19 restrictions, the school worked hard to find various ways to continue developing and maintaining genuine connections. Quality relationships are one of the school’s driving elements and I love the amount of time that goes into building those relationships, creating a more positive and successful learning environment for all.
Jack: At Nexus, you’re always able to tell how much the teachers care about their learners and their learning progress. The small class sizes make learning more personal and allows teachers to adapt their teaching approach to suit our individual learning needs. This means we can get the best learning experience possible! I’ve been here since I was six, so this is my 10th year here! I’ve learned so much and made so many lifelong friends – it’s been a great 10 years!
2. The school has been through a lot of changes
Graeme: The biggest changes I have seen in the last 10 years would have to be the growth in learner numbers and of course, the new campus. When we opened 10 years ago, there were approximately 300 learners across the whole school (Nursery to Year 13) – now we have over 1,000 learners! There was a lot of work that went into the planning and set-up of the new campus and it’s fair to say it has not disappointed at all. It really is a dream come true for both learners and teachers.
Jack: Some of the biggest changes I’ve seen is the change in campus and teachers. But I’ve also seen Nexus grow so much and they have really found their own unique teaching style.
3. It’s given them the opportunity to pursue their passions
Jack: A big part of my time here at Nexus has been discovering my passion for music. Mr Andrew Fordham, my music teacher, provided me with lots of guidance and opportunities for learning music. He’s helped shape who I am as a musician and learner today.
Other teachers that have made an impact on my educational journey include Mr Matthew Tipton, Mr Steve Hardy and Mr Rohit Kishor. They helped ignite my interests in my IGCSE and IB subjects, like Computer Science, Maths and Physics. Plus, they made the subjects fun, approachable and interesting.
Graeme: I’m most proud of being part of the founding team. Being able to drive and lead the school’s adoption and development of a restorative approach across the whole school was an amazing experience.
I’m proud to have worked with both the PHE Department and our Sport Faculty over the years to develop an outstanding sport programme that started with just 11 representative teams in our first academic year. This has now grown to 90 representative teams. It’s so rewarding to see participation levels far higher than those of many of the other international schools on the island. I believe this is such an important part of our learners’ holistic education.
4. Why they’re loving the new Aljunied campus
Graeme: I absolutely love the flexibility the new campus gives both our learners and teachers. There are endless adaptable learning environments which allow us to personalise teaching even more than we did before. The wide exhibition spaces let learners present their work, while the new Design & Technology rooms allow us to integrate STEAM into lessons. The state-of-the-art facilities, particularly for PHE and sports, have been a game changer for our learners. Last but not least, I love the interconnectedness and ‘connectivity’ that the tech-based campus brings for learners and teachers alike.
Jack: As a learner, it’s very nice to see how much Nexus has grown as a school and as a community. Although I do miss the smallness of the old campus, I think it’s because I’ve spent eight years of my life there!
The Nexus Way
There’s no doubt that Nexus’ Aljunied campus has more than met its mission, reinforcing the school’s innovative ethos in its state-of-the-art design and architecture. However, the innovation does not stop there. It also rings true in the learning-focused relationships that teachers spend time creating, maintaining and sustaining a love of lifelong learning for Nexus’ learners. “I’ve never been involved with a group of teachers that are so eager to continue to develop and evolve their teaching techniques in line with our ever-changing society,” intimates Graeme.
Love Nexus’s ethos and its dedication to developing 21st century learners? Visit the school’s website or book a school tour to see it IRL!
This post is in partnership with Nexus International School (Singapore)