EtonHouse Orchard International School parents, Mikkel and Mette, tell HoneyKids why they chose it for their three daughters...
When it comes to choosing the right school for our children, it’s got to tick all the boxes on our checklist. But with all the choices out there, getting started on that search for the perfect school can feel more than a little daunting. But here’s a little tip: getting the lowdown from the people who know it best, the parents of the students, will help you narrow things down. We had a chat with Mikkel and Mette Rasmussen about why they chose EtonHouse International School Orchard for their children, and how its central location, boutique environment and innovative teaching methods have helped their daughters thrive.
Tell us about the children you have attending the school.
We have Sophia in Year 5, Olivia in Year 3 and Emma in Year 2.
What were the most important factors for you in selecting a school?
We just recently moved to Singapore from Denmark so it was important for us to find a school that followed the creative and explorative approach we were used to back home. Since we wanted to live in the city centre, the school needed to be within a short distance, because we wanted our kids to be able to walk to school everyday, just like they did back home.
What was the ultimate deciding factor that led you to choosing the school?
From the very first e-mail we received, we feel that EtonHouse Orchard has been very straightforward, which gave us a very positive first impression of the school. We then flew out to meet the principal and the parent liaison executive and after that, we were sold! We loved the small class sizes and its learning approach. We felt that through these, our daughters would get the attention they needed.
How has the school lived up to your expectations?
The school is a great learning environment for our children, giving them a solid headstart in learning a new language and adapting to a new culture. EtonHouse Orchard also regularly invites parents to student presentations, culture cafés and larger student-led conferences, which helps build the tight-knit community we’ve grown to love. It gives parents a feeling of inclusion and involvement in our children’s school life and academic development. EtonHouse Orchard has fully lived up to our expectations.
What do your children like most about attending the school?
They love making friends with classmates from many countries as well as the explorative and project-based nature of their school work.
What sort of curriculum does this school offer?
EtonHouse Orchard campus offers the IB Primary Years Programme as well as iGCSE for Secondary Students.
What advice would you give other parents trying to choose a school?
We recommend setting up a meeting with the parents liaison executive and the principal, and asking them about the school’s approach to different learning styles, parent-teacher relations and how they make new students feel welcome. This helps expectations to be aligned from the beginning.
Are you satisfied with the level of communication you receive from the school and how they engage parents?
Yes, we are. The most important thing is that all administrative staff, teachers and management are so easily accessible, so if we need more information on certain topics or if there are messages we need to pass on to the school, we can always reach out to them.
How have the school’s facilities benefitted your child?
The school has a fully equipped arts and crafts room, a laboratory, as well as a music room. The smaller and centrally located campus naturally limits the outdoor facilities, but the school has made an effort to create an outdoor play-area, indoor facilities for playing and sports (which is a nice escape from the Singaporean heat), as well as a piazza for hanging out and reading. The school also takes advantage of the facilities of its other EtonHouse campuses as well as other external facilities for swimming and sports, all of which are close to the school. All in all, the school’s facilities have been more than enough to challenge our children both academically as well as physically.
How did the school make your child feel welcome?
We visited the school with our children a few weeks before the semester started, and our children got to meet their class teacher as well as the principal and administrative staff. They also toured the school, which helped set them up for a great first day of school.
This post is sponsored by EtonHouse International School Orchard.
