Overseas Family School doesn’t restrict its inclusive approach solely to its IB Diploma Programme, but applies it to the school’s Sports Program as well.
When talking about inclusive international schools, Overseas Family School (OFS) is one that immediately comes to mind. Academically, the school is one of the few in Singapore and around the world that doesn’t preselect its students into the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB DP). Sports-wise, OFS welcomes both elite student-athletes and recreational players to participate in their Sports Program.
So how does OFS’ inclusive Sports Program work, and what kind of results does it yield for both the students and the school? Read on to find out…
OFS’ Sports Program has different developmental pathways for its students
The program is deliberately designed to encourage maximum participation among its students. As such, the school has put in place different developmental pathways to cater to every student’s interests and skill levels.
For example, students who are interested in playing recreationally are provided with a variety of sports and enrichment programs to choose from. Choices range from martial arts to tennis, soccer, golf, gymnastics, and many more. On the other hand, the OFS Tigers – the school’s competitive sports teams – offers talented and high-performing student athletes the opportunity to participate in tournaments at national and international levels. The school assigns highly qualified and experienced coaches to support these student-athletes, many of whom are world and Olympic-class athletes in their own right.
The best part in all this? OFS doesn’t charge any of its students additional fees for their participation in competitive sports. Plus, the school has state-of-the-art sports facilities to allow its students to pursue their passion to their full potential. This includes a competition-ready Olympic standard indoor swimming pool equipped with Omega Timing System and Touch Pads, dedicated basketball and netball courts, synthetic grass sports fields, a bespoke Gymnastics Centre, and even Pico training sailboats!
The result: More skilled student-athletes who qualify for national-level competitions
So what does having an inclusive Sports Program do for OFS and its student body? The development of more capable and talented student-athletes! Compared to last season, the school has doubled its number of swimmers, with over 50 swimmers competing at the upcoming Major Games Swimming Qualifiers. Some of them have even qualified for and competed at the National Olympic Qualifiers, and made the finals in the June Singapore National Swimming Championships. Besides that, OFS’ cricketers from various age groups have been selected to join the Singapore National Team; and world-ranked tennis players are amongst the current student body.
It provides a fulfilling schooling experience for its students
School achievements aside, we were also curious about how OFS’ students feel about the Sports Program. We had the chance to find out from two students – Jill Meines and Naya Verma – both swimmers in the OFS Tigers swim team. One thing that both students agree is that the Sports Program develops more than just their sports abilities.
Jill said that the program helped her build confidence not just in sports but in her studies too. “My coach and the Head of Competitive Sport are integral in designing my program and training, whilst my teammates and I are practically siblings – essentially a family working together and striving toward our common goal of being better every day. My confidence is building, as is my self-belief and self-esteem both in sitting my school exams as well as in competing. After only two years with the Sports Program, I recently qualified to compete at the Singapore National Swimming Championships and the National Olympic Qualifiers, and am hoping to qualify for the FINA Swimming World Cup when it arrives in Singapore next season,” she shared.
Naya also had nothing but praise for the program, “It has brought out the best in me. I earned a Taekwondo blackbelt through the OFS Enrichment Program, and through the OFS Tigers, I have had the opportunity to compete in multiple National finals. At OFS, we have some of the most supportive coaches, and I am grateful to the school for providing me with a platform for developing high academic standards alongside high-level competitive sports skills.”
An inclusive school for all families
If inclusiveness, academic excellence, and healthy practices are what you’re looking for in a school for your child, then OFS may be the one for you! You can learn more about its Sports Program here or check out the school’s website for more details on its offerings.
This post is in partnership with Overseas Family School.
