It takes a special kind of school to have a lasting impact on students, especially one that continues to inspire generations of students from the same family.
When Lydia Elder graduated from Tanglin Trust School in 2007, little did she know that that wouldn’t be the end of her Tanglin journey. The mum-of-two (and soon to be three!) and popular family content creator didn’t think twice about enrolling her sons at her alma mater when they relocated to Singapore.
“It was always Tanglin!” Lydia said in an interview with the school. “I spent my entire childhood growing up at the school, and I’m just so happy that my kids will be able to have the same amazing schooling and cultural experiences that I did.”
Keep reading as Lydia shares her Tanglin experience with us from her unique position as an alumna who is now a parent of students in the school.
Hey Lydia, what was it about your experience as a Tanglin student that led you to choose the same school for your sons?
I had an amazingly positive experience at Tanglin, where I attended from Reception till Year 13. There are so many beautiful memories, from being House Captain for Cameron to school trips and summer fetes in school – all these made me really want my own children to have the same wonderful experience I had.
As a parent, my husband and I really want a school that follows the British curriculum with a high standard of teaching. We also want a school that has good facilities. From my personal experience as an alumna, Tanglin ticks all these boxes. Plus, my mum has been working at Tanglin for 15 years. So, to have the boys go to the same school where their grandma works is another added bonus.
Photography: Tanglin Trust School
And now you’re a Tanglin parent! How has it been so far?
Tanglin exceeded our expectations and my boys are thriving there! They joined the school about four years ago, currently attending Years 3 and 5. I have a little boy on the way and I’m already planning on enrolling him in Tanglin Infant School in a few years time.
I remember Tanglin as a school with a strong community spirit, and was happy to see that this is still the case when my sons joined the school. The community, especially the mum who was the class representative for my youngest son, welcomed us to Singapore even before school started. She and her son did a video call with us to help my kids feel more at ease when they attended Tanglin for the first time. It was such a lovely gesture, and our boys are best friends till this day!
Academic-wise, Tanglin has provided us with tremendous support, especially for my oldest son. He had some difficulty with phonics and reading as he missed a lot of his early years education due to the lockdowns. But Tanglin has supported him amazingly – now he no longer needs learning support and is an avid reader. Thanks to Tanglin, both my boys have grown so much in their confidence and look forward to school every day.
What do they like about Tanglin?
They love that their teachers trust them with responsibilities, which they get to carry out in a safe space. The boys are also heavily involved in Tanglin’s gymnastics co-curricular activity (CCA), and they enjoy training in the Centenary Building’s state-of-the-art gymnastics centre. They’re also part of the school’s Merlions swim team and love training in the building’s new aquatics centre.
Photography: Tanglin Trust School
Tell us more about the Tanglin community.
The school has a community group called Friends of Tanglin that organises events for Tanglin families throughout the year. This can be in the form of cultural celebrations, quiz and movie nights, and other parent-child activities.
Tanglin highly encourages parents to be involved in various aspects of their kids’ school life, so we’re always welcomed on campus. From learning mornings to the school’s Parentwise talks, as well as sports events and storytelling sessions by parents – there are so many ways that we’re allowed to volunteer and contribute. There’s even a parent co-working space in the Centenary Building – I’ve used the communal desks before, and there are private offices we can book too.
Last but not least, what do you value most about Tanglin?
We appreciate that Tanglin encourages children to pursue their interests in all areas, not limited to just academics. It’s also a school that gives children the confidence, drive, and resources to be what they want to be.
I also want to highlight the open channels of communication Tanglin has between teachers and parents. We’ve always received timely responses whenever we email the boys’ teachers. This extends to the CCA coordinators and admin staff as well. For example, whenever there’s a big event coming up, such as exams and overnight school trips, Tanglin will always host an in-person parent presentation with Q&A sessions.
Thanks for sharing with us, Lydia!
This post is in partnership with Tanglin Trust School.
