Interestingly, it wasn’t just parent Winston Mandrawa’s decision to enrol his daughter at North London Collegiate School (Singapore) – she chose to study in the school as well.
The international school scene in Singapore can seem quite complex for families who are new to the country. This was exactly how Winston Mandrawa felt when he was looking for a school for his daughter.
Over the years, he and his family visited a number of schools to find one that’s a good fit for his child. “We wanted a school where our daughter will be engaged, challenged, discover new horizons and perspectives, form new habits, explore new approaches, and maybe even unearth previously unknown areas of passion. We also wanted her to learn in an environment where deep friendships can be forged. It’s not so much the curriculum that we’re looking at, but the delivery of it – where technology and screens are used as tools rather than the solution in her learning journey,” he explained.
Winston eventually found North London Collegiate School (Singapore) and – impressed with its offerings – decided to enrol his child there in the 2024/2025 academic year. “My daughter is extremely happy here,” Winston shared.
Why did NLCS (Singapore) stand out for this parent?
In an interview, Winston shared that it was how passionate and engaged its teachers are. “What the teachers do, how they sound, and how they interact – that energy is one of the core differences that sets NLCS (Singapore) apart,” Winston said.
He went on to share what he observed through his daughter’s experience at the school, “My daughter would speak about her Junior School teacher consistently, who was the teacher-in-charge for a couple of subjects. From how she found new ways to write and communicate, to various things which her teacher taught that resonated with her. Though she now has 14 teachers across different subjects in Senior School, all her teachers whom I’ve spoken to are truly in love with their subjects. I can see how my daughter is inspired to learn at NLCS (Singapore).”
Did NLCS (Singapore) meet his expectations? You bet.
Part of the NLCS group of schools’ values is the belief that education is more than just test scores, and that curiosity as well as critical thinking are key to a person’s success. As such, the school strives to nurture these qualities in its students, which Winston has noticed in his daughter.
“We noticed how quickly lessons are put into practice for our daughter. It’s a reflection of the delivery of lessons at NLCS (Singapore), where it’s not mere repetition and drilling,” he shared. Adding on to that, Winston is pleasantly surprised to find himself learning from her too. “I look at the work she’s doing, I listen to the topics she’s discussing, and I’m getting interested. It’s an education which doesn’t just permeate through my daughter, but also flows through the rest of us at home.”
Top tips for finding a school: ask yourself three important questions
When asked if he has any advice to share with parents who are still looking for an international school for their children, Winston says it boils down to three important questions.
“I think the best way to go about it is to first ask ‘What do you want?’ The other question would be ‘What do you want for your child?’ And finally, ‘What does your child need?’ Define what is it that you want, and what is it that your child needs and wants in a school,” he explained.
Surprisingly, Winston also shared that it was actually his daughter who decided the school is a good fit. “It wasn’t us parents; it was her. My father called me up one day to share that my daughter had spoken to him and mentioned that she wanted to attend NLCS (Singapore),” he mentioned. With that, it’s pretty clear to Winston and his family that they have found a school that fits their daughter best.
You can learn more about NLCS (Singapore)’s offerings through its website, or drop the school an enquiry to speak to its admissions team.
This post is in partnership with North London Collegiate School (Singapore).
