OWIS Frequently Asked Questions

You will find answers to common queries on international school education in Singapore.

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Are you able to accept or issue Student Visas?

We have been certified under the EduTrust Certification scheme from February 2020. Our EduTrust certification is valid from 12 February 2020 to 11 February 2024 and this allows us to support students who require a Student Visa in Singapore.

When does your academic year start?

Our academic year starts in August and concludes at the end of June. We divide the academic year in to 4 terms of approximately 10 weeks.

We will be relocating to Singapore mid-way through the academic year, is my child still eligible for admission at OWIS?

We accept students throughout the academic year as long as there are places available in their respective grades and they meet the admissions criteria.

Where are your teachers from?

Our teachers come from all over the world and we are proud of the diversity of our teaching staff. We have teachers from Australia, Canada, China, India, Ireland, Philippines, New Zealand, Scotland, Singapore, Spain, South Africa, South Korea, Srilanka, United Kingdom and United States of America to name a few places. Our teachers are also a reflection of our diverse student body.

Our Head of School is originally from the UK but has been in Asia for almost 20 years. All our teachers in Primary School are PYP IBO accredited and our Secondary Teachers are authorised to teach CIE IGCSEs and the IB DP.

What makes IBPYP unique?

IB PYP has a reputation for being an internationally-recognised transdisciplinary programme that allows students to make connections across different subject areas. The IB programmes encourage international-mindedness and citizenship skills in IB students. To do this, we believe that students must first develop an understanding of their own cultural and national identity. IB encourages a positive attitude to learning by encouraging students to ask challenging questions, critically reflect, develop research skills, learn how to learn and participate in community service.

What is IB authorisation and how does it impact the curriculum?

Authorisation is the process of having IB representatives visit the school for an evaluation. During this time they go through the school’s curriculum, assessment, planning, professional development and reporting procedures. They also discuss with administration, teachers, parents and students about what is going on in the school. OWIS is an IB World school and is authorised to offer the IB PYP and IB DP.

IB authorised schools participate in a range of professional development courses, workshops and events to strengthen their implementation of the IB programmes.

Are students assessed before they enter OWIS?

During the admission process, we check for the age appropriateness of a student for their grade, based on their date of birth. We also review a minimum of two years’ previous reports (not applicable for Grade 1 students and below) to assess the student’s academic ability and behaviour. An assessment or interview may be required should the reports not provide a clear understanding. There may also be an assessment for students who speak English as an additional language.

What language programmes are offered at OWIS?

English is the language of instruction. For students who are new to English, OWIS offers specialised English as an Additional Language (EAL) lessons with an EAL teacher. The number and frequency of EAL lessons required for each student are determined by the EAL teachers based on a pre-assessment. Each student’s progress is closely monitored throughout the EAL programme with a final assessment at the end of the programme.

In IB PYP there is a requirement for all schools to offer additional language tuition. At OWIS, our chosen language is Mandarin. Students are taught Mandarin using the same inquiry-based model and making as many links as possible with the Units of Inquiry.

In secondary school, students continue to learn Mandarin. Students can opt for French or Spanish at Grade 8 but will need to undergo an assessment for the same. In our IGCSE (Grades 9-10) and IB DP (Grades 11-12) programmes, we offer Mandarin, French and Spanish as foreign or second language options for our students.

How do I know what my child is learning?

Grade outlines consisting of our school routines, timetables, curriculum and learning objectives for each grade level are given to parents at the beginning of the academic year.

Our Early Childhood and Primary teachers regularly update parents and post weekly updates on our parent communication app for Early Childhood and Primary students.

Information regarding Secondary learning-at-home arrangements, timetables, assignments and exam schedules are posted on the Secondary school communication app. Parents of Secondary students also receive regular updates from teachers on each subject and our Pastoral care programme every month.

Our teachers are always available to share information regarding your child’s education and will happily answer any questions you have about current learning.

Does my child need to learn at home everyday?

In Primary school, as our Units of Inquiry are inquiry based, most work is completed during the school day. We have noticed that many children will continue to research topics at home and will ask parents questions as they seek to deepen their understanding of material explored during class time. Each class teacher provides learning at home opportunities each week that is available on our communication app for students and parents to access.

In Secondary school, students have learning expectations at home on a regular basis based on their grade level. Subject-specific learning at home responsibilities increase as students progress through their secondary school years.

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Frequently asked questions

You will find answers to common queries on international school education in Singapore.

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