HELP! Dulwich College Singapore vs UWCSEA

[anhembi]

We are moving this coming summer to Singapore from London. We are a family of 4. Two kids age 3yo and 6yo. My kids attend a selective private school here and we are very happy with the results. To carry on this path we thought to applied to Dulwich college Singapore (first option) and UWCSEA.

Today we received a letter from Dulwich saying my youngest was accepted for Reception and my eldest as well but he is on the waiting list as Y3 is full and we should wait until April when there is usual movement.
Also, today a letter from UWCSEA arrived saying both of my kids are accepted to start this August 2019 and we need to reply by tomorrow Tuesday! It seems a bit pushy? Considering they know we have an appointment with the head of Admission this Saturday in London!

I feel that we should wait for Dulwich as we are planning to come to the UK in probably 4 years (who knows! that is the idea) so the kids can carry on with the British curriculum, mainly my eldest which will be in high school by that time. Would be really IB very much different?? Would IB curriculum put him below the level required to pass an entrance test in a selective UK private school ?

I heard very good reviews about UWCSEA, but it is very uncertain of what the entrance criteria is? We just sent the school reports. Dulwich based their decision on school reports and also on my sons test, which was done remotely.

Please can I have some points of views or experience? I am really panicking ..... Anything that could help us would very much appreciate it.

UWCSEA don't actually teach PYP anymore in primary. They are doing their own version of it. I know this because my dh also teaches at a UWC. Why didn't you apply to Tanglin?

@mmgirish thanks for your answer.
The Tanglin normal waiting list was until 2021. No chance we could pay extra to go up, so we decided for Dulwich and UWCSEA
Could you tell me more about the PYP?. do you think this will put my children in disadvantage when we return to the UK. It seems that it will.... if it is not managed by IB? Does that PYP own version work???

The have written their own inquiry based curricula. I'm an international school teacher and I prefer the British style system. But, how long do you intend to stay in Singers? It's it's only a few years then another style won't matter too much. I personally would choose Dulwich over UWCSEA but there is no doubt that UWCSEA is an outstanding school.

*If it's

I used to teach at uwc. I think it's pretty amazing tbh! I have friends working at dulwich who love it - I don't think there's much in it. Your children are very young - they will slot back into the British system in a few years with no major drama.

Both my DC attended UWC East. I do not have many positive things to say about the place at all. I regret not sending my DC to the Tanglin School or one which followed a British curriculum.

My eldest DS came back to the UK at the beginning of year 4. I was told by one private school that he was very bright, but wouldn't pass the entrance exams as he had massive holes in his foundation. I ended up sending him to a non selective private school. He was the oldest in the year and at the very bottom of it. I was told he wouldn't pass the 11+.

It took him 1 year to catch up. Last year he was accepted into a top private secondary school in the UK with a scholarship and won an outstanding academic achievement award at the end of last year. I wasn't a slack parent at all in Singapore. His reading age was always way ahead and his mental maths was excellent, all things we taught him ourselves. I don't know why UWC failed my son but they did. The foundation they lay is pretty thin. My eldest was so far behind that I thought at one point he was going to be put back a year. The difference between then and now is massive, he is a different student.

When I raised these concerns with UWC they didn't want to know. When I questioned the basics that a 5 and 6 year old should be learning I was told "we are not that kind of school". What, not the kind of school to teach basic reading, writing and maths? If you go to any Kumon Centre in Singapore you will see that half of the pupils are from UWC because they do not go into any depth with anything.

@tomhazard hello again! thanks for taking the time and answer all my questions!
We will be travelling next week for open days so I guess that will make our decision easier.
Please if you have more suggestions or comments feel free to let me know. Everything is useful at this stage.

Hello @TryingToBeCheery Thanks for your comments. I read several reviews mentioning the gaps in the curriculum as you said. Maybe it is because they made their own version of PYP?
now with your message, I am even more concern about my youngest who will start reception! .
I will go next week and see with my eyes. Always follow yours instincts. Please feel free to pm if you have more comments. Thanks again.

My nephews and niece attended a top IB school and did the PYP. I was able to compare their education with the education our DC received and, tbh, I think inquiry based programmes in primary school are ridiculous. DC need solid foundations and they and their parents need to know what they know.

I am not against the IB diploma programme but inquiry based education is IMO not a good foundation.

Hi,
I'm wondering how you liked Dulwich? I have an appointment to meet with them in 2 weeks, but as it wont be term time there won't be any teachers/students there to see/talk too.

Personally, I would choose UWC if you're going to stay in DG for the duration of their education - the IB DP and university / careers side is excellent.

If you're planning on moving back to the UK, certainly within their primary school education, then definitely go to Dulwich.
I think it comes down to whether you're resolutely British, or going to 'global citizens' (dreadful expression, but...)
Enjoy!