Singapore - Dulwich vs Tanglin for secondary?

[backatschool]

Any insights on either Dulwich or Tanglin for secondary? Have visited both schools and liked both. Dulwich clearly has amazing facilities due to being newer and purpose built, but Tanglin has the heritage. Results look like Dulwich marginally better for iGCSE, Tanglin better at IBDP level and obviously has the A level option as well.

We thought there were no places at Dulwich for our youngest - told this at look-see - but went through the motions of the kids doing the assessments anyway. Up until last week we thought we would need to go down the debenture route for Tanglin. We are extremely lucky that given we are going over for a 4 year ++ stint and the kids are going in years 6 and 8 (currently aged 10 and 12), - company have been very supportive in understanding we want the kids in our top choice schools. Now just found out both kids offered a place for August at Dulwich.

Any thoughts on less tangible reasons to choose one over the other? Both kids are all rounders. One boy one girl. Not stand out sporty, but they enjoy sport. Like drama but don't want the big lead part. Play instruments. Have moved 5-6 times already so want this to be an easy transition to a happy welcoming school for them. Both are bright, one particularly so.

My unknowns are: Dulwich location - does it feel far out even with school bus? Is it a pain to get to for school events? Does one have better morning traffic than the other!? Is it equally easy to make friends as a parent at both? Is either one of them more stuffy or cliquey for kids or for parents? (I ask that without judgment!) Does one have better ECAs than the other? I know Tanglin to Duke of Edinburgh which both kids keen to do in a couple of years. I think both have scouts or guides as well. We have a (lively!) dog so most likely going to try to find cluster house to get blend of condo/house - looks like most of these are Bukit Timah/Holland type areas in which case sort of equal distance to both anyway? We will likely be on local package so Dulwich is slightly more $$ - is bus up there significantly more expensive? I guess more possibility of kids being able to go on MRT to Tanglin depending where we live.

Any help greatly appreciated. Sorry for long post. We know this is a very nice decision to make, but somehow that's making it very difficult!!

Tanglin, but I'm biased!

I did really like Tanglin and visited it with the view that that was where they would be going. They both seem great! :-)

At the end of the day I'll just be delighted if the kids are happy, the dog gets to have a romp around somewhere without offending too many people, and to escape the endless cold here in Amsterdam!

I would go for Tanglin. It's very established and has had a good reputation for a very long time.
Dulwich is a good school but a lot newer. It's also a much worse location , depending on where your job/jobs are you will probably have a long commute to school. Tanglin is a much better location.

Tanglin! But I'm biased as I went there :)

Thanks both for your insights. I suspect even though initial discussions with work supported a TTS debenture they may now sway towards Dulwich from a budgetary perspective given both kids have firm offers. We will be massively happy with either now we've had some time to think about it, both great schools, huge step up from where they are currently so in many ways I'd quite like them to take the choice away from us so we can stop dithering about it and just get on with moving. Now just to get that pesky virus to calm down before we move!

I think it's less about your choice than which school makes an offer!
Tanglin is awesome but it is also HUGE. Dulwich newer, but has quickly established a good reputation.
You're hardly going to find either a disappointment, so good luck...especially if they will actually be open for physical attendance in the current climate...

@Schmedz thank you! We are going for Dulwich, they've given the kids offers for August. We'll see if we manage to get into the country before then! Looking less and less likely...

@backatschool Let's hope your username proves to be true. Enjoy Singapore - I'm very jealous you're getting to go soon (being positive!)

@Schmedz I'm getting quite disheartened that we won't get there for ages yet! DH starts role remotely 1 July, can't apply for EP/DPs until 1 June then presume there will be a backlog, dog vaccinations run out early August and quarantine fully booked way in advance so bumping our early August flights is going to be problematic, can't see kids making it into school on Day 1 - they will still be in quarantine, sigh. I know I'm not the only one, but this is one seriously difficult relocation!!!

I have friends whose children go to Dulwich and they absolutely love it.

I am jealous as I absolutely love Singapore and wish I could move back there. Enjoy!

*@backatschool it will absolutely be worth all the hassles once you're there. Crossing fingers for you and your family

Ooh I am moving to SP on Monday with kids starting Dulwich so is say dulwich

@Binkybix congratulations on getting approval to enter SG! We are applying this week - fingers crossed!

How did it go @backatschool

@Binkybix We are here! Did the two weeks quarantine, out of there now, currently househunting, kids start school next week, dog arrives next week. It's all coming together finally

@Binkybix How did your trip go? Hope you are settled also. PM me!

Hi Singaporean mumsnetters - waves at @backatschool and @Binkybix! I was just thinking back to this thread when I was busy preparing to move to Singapore back in the summer and wondered how you are doing? Plus anyone else who has moved to Singapore recently.

Our children are settling well into Tanglin, we're living in a really nice condo with good facilities, and starting to explore Singapore (especially as we can't travel anywhere!)

Hope you are all settled in too :) Are you working out here, or job hunting yet? I'm looking around for a job but no luck so far.

Hope you are having a good run up to Christmas.

Hello @mrsduff

How nice to hear from you! I’m glad that you made it over and that your kids are settling in - ours are loving school and looking forward to Christmas.

Glad that you found somewhere you like - I’ve heard it can be a bit of a mission. We’re settled into our place and like it although it’s not as central as would be ideal.

I did manage to find a job - was lucky something came up at the right time. Enjoying it but chasing my tail now with Xmas stuff and work :)

Hello @mrsduff sorry I've only just seen this! Glad you are settling in well. We are all ok, kids getting on well at Dulwich, made some friends, ramping up for a sunny Christmas and really rather giddy about moving to Phase 3 soon! Hope you are well and enjoying life here. What age are your kids?

Hi! sorry I have been rubbish at checking this thread, but it's lovely to hear from you @backatschool and @binkybix

My daughter is in Year 8 and son in Year 4 and they have settled in well, the school's been really good at helping them find their feet. We are trying to feel festive, having a real tree is helping even though it's getting a bit brown by now! And it does feel good to be going into Phase 3, so sad to hear about our relatives in the UK having an uncertain Christmas at the moment though.

Congratulations @binkybix on the job! Feels like the job market is a bit slow at the moment, but it could be as I have LOC rather than PR. will keep trying though :)

Hope you have lovely Christmases x

Hello all - so happy I found this thread! We are based in the UK and will be moving to Singapore towards the end of the year. Our work visas are now issued so everything is looking positive.
Moving is always stressful but nothing to do with choosing the right school for our kids. We have contacted several British international schools and, based on what we have been told, Tanglin is to be our first option. However, the chances of getting spots to both my Y3 and Y6 kids are slim. At the same time, we don't want our kids to start school in one school and 6 months down the line, moving schools again. Dulwich has confirmed they have spots available for both (yaaay) How far is this school, it seems far away from everything. Also, how strict is it? We want our kids to thrive but also to enjoy childhood.
Moving continents is already tough enough for our little ones, so we would like them not changing schools once they have settled. What would you recommend? To go for Dulwich and forget about Tanglin? Our company will be paying for the school fees but if we are registering our kids into several schools, those extra fees are on us (Dulwich is $4500/head... ouch) Any thoughts on Nexus? Thanks everyone!

@Yscavuzzo80

Hello all - so happy I found this thread! We are based in the UK and will be moving to Singapore towards the end of the year. Our work visas are now issued so everything is looking positive. Moving is always stressful but nothing to do with choosing the right school for our kids. We have contacted several British international schools and, based on what we have been told, Tanglin is to be our first option. However, the chances of getting spots to both my Y3 and Y6 kids are slim. At the same time, we don't want our kids to start school in one school and 6 months down the line, moving schools again. Dulwich has confirmed they have spots available for both (yaaay) How far is this school, it seems far away from everything. Also, how strict is it? We want our kids to thrive but also to enjoy childhood. Moving continents is already tough enough for our little ones, so we would like them not changing schools once they have settled. What would you recommend? To go for Dulwich and forget about Tanglin? Our company will be paying for the school fees but if we are registering our kids into several schools, those extra fees are on us (Dulwich is $4500/head... ouch) Any thoughts on Nexus? Thanks everyone!

Hi @Yscavuzzo80! Exciting times! Hope things go smoothly for you with the entry approvals, there are some mixed experiences being reported. As for schools, my two are at Dulwich and they love it. In terms of strictness, I think all schools are pretty similar, it's certainly no more or less so than any of the others. Not sure why this was a particular concern, have you heard something? It's not got the same "elite" reputation here as the Dulwich in the U.K. if perhaps that's where that's stemming from. It's just a really good solid school. As for distance, we live in Bukit Timah and it's a 15-20 min drive from us. The kids get picked up at 7.45 on the bus. We used to live in orchard and there it was a 7.30 pick up, same as for friends who are in Sentosa. My kids get the public bus home which is fine. I guess the main downside is it's not on an MRT which Tanglin is, but it would only take mine a few mins longer to get to school than if they were at Tanglin. They have different start times - the Dulwich school day is 8.30 start whereas most other schools including Tanglin are 7.30 start. Results this year were excellent from both schools but Tanglin does also offer A levels if that's a consideration. So really its more around the overall vibe. When we did our look see (the week before the world shut!) I looked at 7 schools and narrowed it down to Tanglin and Dulwich and hand on heart would have been happy with either. As for nexus, it has great facilities, probably viewed as a bit more Montessori type of approach. I liked it but it wasn't right for my kids. Happy to chat more if you PM me.