Singapore schools

[LorelaiVictoriaGilmore]

I'm looking for some advice on schools in Singapore and wait lists.

My dh and I are trying to decide whether we want to move out to Singapore with our jobs. One of the biggest factors in the decision is our ds (3) who is due to start school this September. We wouldn't be moving to Singapore until January 2020. I am really hesitant to put him in school in the UK for one term, especially since he will only just have turned 4 at the end of the summer. I am also worried about getting him into a school in Singapore for January 2020 as I have read about the long wait-lists. I don't really want to just put him into whichever school has a space first. One idea I had was to start him in school in September 2020 when he will have just turned 5, but the Singapore schools seem to have policies of keeping children in year other than in exceptional circumstances.

Has anyone else been in a similar situation? Does anyone have any advice about the wait-lists for the British curriculum schools in Singapore?

I think I'd really like to go out to Singapore, but I am hesitant to do so if the person paying the price is my ds!

would you consider taking him to an education center like this for a term, so he could be up to standard for english and maths, but not have to cope with settling into a new school etc? i think it would be worth contacting several schools such as nexus school and asking how long their waitlist is, and what is the chance of acceptance into the school by january 2020. all the best x

That link didn’t work but yes, I would consider that option or a few months if private tutoring if I had to.

Your son won't suffer at that age - there are tons of good schools in Singapore.

The wait lists for Dover Court, Tanglin and Dulwich are always long for the younger years- these are the 'British curriculum only' schools. Turnover is high though so you might be lucky.

There are a number of other schools that combine elements of the British curriculum with other things and have a good reputation, for example UWC (it's so massive though!) .

There are a handful of good schools in Singapore which actually have a Jan-Dec start date. We are about to move to Singapore in July- my son is the same age as yours. He's going to go to a local kindergarten for a few months and then join one of the international school that begins in January for their reception equivalent. This school has wait lists but I believe there is still space for Jan 2020. You could leave your DS in nursery till Xmas then look to enrol him for a jan start school?

If you'd like to PM me i have a wealth of recent knowledge on this very subject so I'd be happy to chat!

Watching with interest.weve also been looking at this, and heard that the local schools were good too, though quite intense with education?

@YouJustDoYou they are excellent but very hard for expats to get into- verging on impossible tbh

Other countries don't start school until later anyway and kids do well. Is there a reason you feel he needs to get into formal education asap? I only ask because he could continue going to playschool etc until a spot opened at one of the schools you wanted. You could do some sort of home schooling to supplement if you felt the need but honestly, I haven't seen kids miss out all that much in the case you describe. Seems a workable situation and not one to turn down an exciting move over. Good luck.