Hollandse School Singapore
“Our three children have been attending the Hollandse School for three years. Thomas is in Group 8, Maartje in Group 4 and Charlotte is in Group 2. The school offers a fabulous learning environment, focusing not only on academic achievements, but also social-emotional development. There are usually about 20 students in one class but the teaching approach is individual, with personal learning objectives for each module.
The English programme is outstanding. When Maartje and Charlotte were starting to read and write their first letters simultaneously in Dutch and English, we were a bit worried that it would be confusing. It’s wonderful to see how well it has progressed. Thomas’s English has also progressed very well. The school offers a large variety of after-school activities, including sports, music and art, and special activities are held around local, Dutch and international festivals.
We were anxious about our children’s acquisition of Dutch as we wanted them to be exposed to Dutch culture and heritage. We heard about the school when we were living in Nigeria and Indonesia; we knew that it provided high-quality education and excellent academic results.
We believe that choosing the best school for your children is one of the most important decisions you need to make when you become an expat, or embark on a new posting. It’s important to visit the schools, and speak to some of the faculty and parents (or students) already attending these schools. We would highly recommend all Dutch (and Belgian) parents with children in the elementary school ages to consider the school. The teachers are extremely dedicated and visibly love their work, which obviously has a very positive impact on the learning of our children.”
Choosing the best school for your children is one of the most important decisions you’ll make when you become an expat.
“Nathan has been attending the Integrated International School (IIS) since July 2016. IIS is a small school in the Clementi area that, in addition to a mainstream programme, specialises in teaching students with special needs such as Asperger’s, high functioning autism and Sensory Processing Disorder. Lessons at IIS are based on the New South Wales curriculum, a holistic approach whereby different disciplines are merged together in one experience.
An objective of the school is to prepare students to be successful in larger classroom environments in high school. There is a nurturing and affirmative approach to teaching, with a low student-teacher ratio and close parent-teacher communication. The school also teaches social interaction. At the end of the year there is also a school performance, a huge source of pride and camaraderie for the students.
Nathan has had continual difficulties learning in a large classroom setting. When we were transferred to Singapore, we began researching different educational possibilities and were quite intrigued. We definitely recommend this school to other families, particularly for children who find large classroom environments challenging.
For years, I would ask Nathan “How was school?” and the most I could get in response was “good”. Now Nathan will call me when I am away on business travels to tell me what happened in school that day – usually filled with laughter or joyful comments. Moreover, I can see the results of his learning as he has opinions about world events, an interest in science and enjoys playing basketball.
Ultimately, children learn differently and what works well for one might not work well for others. For children with social or learning difficulties, IIS is ideal – the staff are dedicated and have genuine concern and love for the children. We look forward to seeing Nathan’s continued growth with the school.”
The school is great for children who find large classroom environments challenging.