Ah, the agony and the ecstasy of finding the right school for your children. We know it well! And we think we’ve found the key to making life a little bit easier.
You’re shopping for a school in Singapore and feeling bamboozled by the impressive facilities, the amazing resources, and the maze of fees, acronyms and curriculums (allow us to un-bamboozle you a little, if you will). You wish you could conjure up a genie to do all the research and make the decision for you. Or at least narrow the shortlist down to something that looks less like a copy of War and Peace and more like a stop sign. Did no one tell you about ITS Education Asia? Read on, you battle-weary soldier of schooling. We’re here to save the day.
ITS Education Asia is a ‘school advisory service’ that’s been doing its thing since 2008. And a handy thing it is indeed. When families from all around the world are moving to Singapore – and other major Asian cities, by the way – ITS Education Asia works hard to find the right school for each family. And by ‘the right school’ we’re not just talking about the basics such as which languages are spoken and whether the curriculum translates to schools back home. The consultants at ITS Education Asia actually care most about finding the right ‘fit’ for kids. They’re trained to look past the more superficial aspects of a school, like shiny sports facilities and science labs, flashy classrooms, or the school’s popularity, and instead focus on the school’s culture, atmosphere, values, and educational environment. After all, what’s the point of a fancy swimming pool for a child who’s dragging her feet to school because it just doesn’t feel right?
You might be yelping “I’m not on a fancy expat package, I can’t use this service!” but there’s no need to panic. ITS Education Asia places children for corporations who are relocating employees as well as individual families who just need some help. The team is also well placed to look after families with gifted children, kids with special needs, or really, any parents who want to make sure their child is in the right environment at school. The consultants are educational experts who have the backing of professional resources, research and quality control, so you can be confident you’re in the right hands and get on with all the other things you need to organise for your big move!
We’ve also discovered that the services at ITS Education Asia extend beyond doing the hard yards of school selection: they can help out with resolving issues with your current school (handy if you need a neutral third party), boarding school admissions, and even assistance with prepping for university. We think they probably stop short of actually doing exams for your kids, but it seems they do pretty much everything else! They’ve even written and published The Unique Asia Schools Guide, which offers comprehensive info and advice on schools in Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Johor, Bangkok, Beijing and Shanghai.
Seems like we’ve found you a school genie, doesn’t it?
This post is sponsored by ITS Education Asia.