College Guide
College Guide
About UWCSEA UWC movement
UWCSEA provides a challenging, holistic education with an emphasis on academic achievement, service to others, teamwork, environmental stewardship and leadership. Our goal is to educate individuals to embrace challenge and take responsibility for shaping a better world.
“The striking thing about the United World Colleges is that they embrace the entire world across all divides of race, history, culture, wealth, religion, economic status and political belief.” – Nelson Mandela, Honorary President, UWC International
Dover Campus was opened by the then Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew, in 1971 under the name Singapore International School. Originally a secondary-only school with one campus, UWCSEA today has two campuses, the original on Dover Road and our new campus in Tampines, both enrolling students from four years of age. In line with the UWC philosophy, UWCSEA also has scholars from around the world. The 42 UWC national committee scholars studying the IB Diploma were awarded their scholarships on criteria including such factors as ‘constructive energy.’ There are also several students on a UWCSEA-supported scholarship, some of whom start in Grade 8. The presence of scholars and other boarders helps the College to achieve our goal of a truly international education. Over 60 nationalities are represented, and each class is genuinely diverse. Students are encouraged to celebrate and respect other cultures with the goal of promoting international understanding. Supported by excellent facilities, students excel in a variety of activities. The College is represented by over 200 different sporting teams, while self-expression is promoted through the arts and other programmes. An extensive programme of activities supplements the curriculum, as does the structured outdoor education programme for students from Grade 2 onward. One vital aspect of a UWCSEA education is Service. All students are expected to participate as part of their commitment to UWCSEA values. The College supports more than 60 local Service programmes in Singapore; over 40 Global Concerns programmes; the Initiative for Peace; a growing number of Gap Year options and eight SEALinks projects, which allow parents to participate in the Service programme. Amidst all this activity, UWCSEA students also gain excellent academic results. In 2011, UWCSEA students who sat for the IB Diploma achieved an average points’ score of 36.75 with a 100% pass rate; 32% achieved more
than 40 points and there were 80 Bilingual Diploma’s awarded within the class of 300 students. The vast majority were accepted into their first choice university. Similarly, (I)GCSE candidates are regularly acknowledged by the Cambridge (I)GCSE board as being not just the best in Singapore, but in some cases, the best in the world.
The UWC movement arose from the work of visionary educationalist Kurt Hahn, a key figure in the development of experiential education. Hahn hoped to use education to promote international understanding, and his philosophy was that each of us has more courage, more strength and more compassion than we could imagine. His work was also instrumental in the founding of Outward Bound International, the Round Square Movement and the International Award for Young People.
While we combine challenging experiences with academic rigor and creative opportunities in the personal education of every student, underpinning this are the values of the College. At the core is our mission to educate individuals to take responsibility for shaping a better world.
Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan is the President of the UWC movement, and Nelson Mandela its Honorary President. UWCSEA is one of 13 colleges; others are located in the UK, Canada, Swaziland, the USA, Italy, Venezuela, Hong Kong, Norway, India, Costa Rica, Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Netherlands. Each College has its own distinctive character but all share a common mission: UWC makes education a force to unite people, nations and cultures for peace and a sustainable future.
All community members are expected to commit to our values:
More information can be found at: www.uwc.org
Values-led education
• be honest and act with integrity in all • that they do • avoid prejudice by developing views based on evidence and reasoning • be compassionate and morally responsible • embrace challenge in order to maximise their potential • offer help to other people • take an interest in and enjoy friendships with people of all cultures and backgrounds • minimise their harmful impact on the environment UWCSEA prepares its students to be: • sensitive and compassionate • educated for a changing world • high achievers • free from prejudice • constructively energetic • creative in action • self-confident and engaging • prepared for responsibility and service
Round Square membership UWCSEA Dover is a full member of Round Square, an association of more than 60 schools in over 20 countries. Round Square students make a strong commitment, beyond academic excellence, to personal development and responsibility. East Campus plans to apply for membership once the student body reaches . Students in Junior, Middle and High School participate in Round Square programmes including exchanges, conferences and service initiatives. More information can be found at: www.uwcsea.edu.sg/roundsquare and www.roundsquare.org.
College Guide
College structure Both campuses are overseen by the Head of College and have the same Board of Governors. However, each campus has its own academic and administrative staff to support the delivery of UWCSEA’s worldclass education, led by a Head of Campus. The Dover Campus offers a programme catering for students from Kindergarten through IB Diploma. The East Campus currently offers Kindergarten 1 to Grade 10. In August of 2012 the East Campus will expand to offer up to Grade 11, enrolling students into the IB Diploma for the first time. The first cohort will complete the IB Diploma at the East Campus in August 2013. Within each campus, our students are grouped into a number of schools, based on the curriculum and age of the students. These schools are each headed by a Principal, who is in turn supported by Vice Principals and Heads of Grade for each grade level.
UWCSEA Dover
UWCSEA East
Dover Campus has over 2,900 students from around 60 nationalities. It is made up of five schools: the Infant and Junior Schools form the Primary School; the Middle School; and the High School, which is comprised of the Upper and Senior Schools.
The East Campus opened in September 2008 in a transitional campus in Ang Mo Kio, moving in the newly constructed Tampines location fully in August 2011 while expanding to accommodate over 1,500 children from Kindergarten 1 to Grade 10.
There are over 180 boarders on Dover Campus, including around 45 scholars, in Grades 7 to 12.
By 2015, UWCSEA East at Tampines will offer places to over 2,500 Kindergarten 1 to Grade 12 students, including 120 boarders.
School (Grades)
Ages*
Dover # of students
East # of students**
Infant (K1–G1)
4–7
286
350
Junior (G2–G5)
7–11
660
660
Middle (G6–G8)
11–14
770
595
Upper (G9–G10)
14–16
615
475
Senior (G11–G12)
16–18
615
460***
Boarding (G7–G12)
12–18
190
120
* ‘Age’ indicates the minimum age of a student by 1 September. ** Available places when the East Campus is offering full capacity in 2015/2016 academic year. *** Grade 11 offered from 2012/2013 academic year, Grade 12 from 2013/2014.
College Guide
College facilities UWCSEA Dover The Dover Campus occupies 11 hectares in a central area of Singapore. Modern and well-equipped, the College offers specialist facilities allowing a wide range of educational activities, including: • multi-purpose main hall, which seats over 400 and several smaller performance spaces including two theatre halls seating 200 and 300 • specifically-designed, fully-equipped rooms for art, drama, and home economics • two libraries • fully-equipped laboratories for sciences and languages • technology suites to support IT and design curriculum demands • dedicated, well equipped play areas and equipment for students in the Infant, Junior and Middle Schools • music facilities include recording studios, practice rooms, a well-developed Instrumental Teaching Programme and instrument hire, as well as opportunity to learn and perform on a Javanese gamelan orchestra
UWCSEA East Set on 5.5 hectares (13.5 acres) in the northeast part of Singapore, the Tampines site is an L-shaped parcel of land, with excellent access from Central, East and Northern areas of Singapore.
• sporting facilities available for the 200 plus sports teams include one full-sized grass football pitch with covered stand for spectators; three additional grass junior pitches and training areas; floodlit 10-lane 50m swimming pool with diving pit and 1m, 2m and 3m boards plus a learn-to-swim pool; nine floodlit acrylic tennis courts that incorporate four netball courts; floodlit artificial turf football or hockey fields; two indoor air-conditioned sports halls including a 20x8m climbing wall. There is also a conditioning gym with a range of resistance, cardio and functional fitness equipment, a multi-purpose sports room and a gymnastic training centre incorporating full sprung floor area, vault, bars, beam and foam pits will open in 2012.
A purpose-built facility, the campus provides is a global benchmark in design and innovation in international schools. We have challenged traditional notions of school design and created a distinctive concept entirely suited to the unique UWCSEA ethos and educational style.
• two boarding houses for students aged 12–18 (Grades 7–12)
Specialist facilities in the Infant School include:
The design provides shared learning and social spaces, enabling all students to interact. The campus is layered in order to maximise the use of available space, with car and bus transit areas, parking and indoor sport spaces located below ground. The boarding house is a multi-storey building overlooking the campus, while the Infant School is a self contained building with links to the rest of the campus.
• integrated IT facilities including campuswide wireless network and classrooms all fitted with interactive whiteboards, with access to iPod Touches, iPads and Macbook computers • learn-to-swim pool
• age-appropriate, dedicated playground • multi-purpose hall • specialist teaching facilities for Chinese Language, music and cooking • dedicated Learning Support specialists The remaining facilities, opened in August 2011, include: • theatres (tiered and black box) • multi-purpose halls • sports facilities: Olympic-size pool, full-size soccer pitch, three sports halls, full equipped conditioning gym • dedicated, age-appropriate playground for Junior and Middle School students • specialist music studios and teaching facilities • art rooms, dark room, ceramics studio • fully equipped design technology workshops • drama and performing arts spaces • home economics facilities • two libraries equipped as state-of-the-art resource centres • IT and computer, language and science labs • purpose built boarding house for students aged 12–18 (Grades 7–12) • The campus has achieved the highest ‘green building’ standard in Singapore—BCA’s GreenMark Platinum and the environmental aspects of the buildings are integrated into the learning programme wherever possible.
College Guide
Curriculum vision Primary School (Infant and Junior)— Kindergarten 1 to Grade 5
A defining characteristic of the UWCSEA curriculum is the way we actively integrate our mission and values into every aspect of College programmes. The educational programme integrates the five core elements of Academics, Activities, Outdoor Education, and Pastoral and Service programmes into a curriculum that provides opportunities for students to develop all their intelligences: analytical, practical, creative and emotional. These then strengthen each other, leading to well-balanced, perceptive individuals who have the confidence to take action to improve the lives of others. Experiences in sports, on expeditions, using technology, through service to others, in the art studio, and in musical and dramatic performances, are integrated with classroom learning. The ability to communicate in more than one language is a key goal. A curriculum of this ambitious nature cannot be confined to the classroom, and we place equal importance on the worth of curricular and extra-curricular components.
Life-defining experiences UWCSEA welcomes students from diverse educational and cultural backgrounds, with a range of levels of attainment and frequently as second language English speakers. We welcome the rich diversity of backgrounds and experiences of our students and facilitate sharing of different perspectives as one of our core values. The challenging range of experiences on offer provides all students an opportunity to learn the lessons that will mean the most to them as individuals. Our best evidence for the success of this approach is the level of our student achievement, motivation, involvement, personal confidence and genuine concern for others. Students discover their ‘passion’ at different times during their UWCSEA experience, but we sincerely believe a UWCSEA education is genuinely life-changing for the vast majority of our students and, in many cases, for their parents as well!
Education for the future UWCSEA has a commitment to integrate iLearn—a 21st century learning programme— across all levels of the College. A central element of the initiative is the development of a carefully structured and closely monitored programme to increase access to computers and other digital media devices for all students.
The Primary School curriculum is structured around a holistic, inquiry-based approach to learning. Guided by the UWCSEA profile and learning principles, students study Literacy, Mathematics, Languages, Science, Social Studies, the Arts and PE. They also have time dedicated to exploring concepts through transdisciplinary units. Communication, thinking, research, social and self-management skills are developed in a progressive order, recognising children’s differing learning styles and the varied paces at which they learn.
Middle School—Grades 6 to 8
Education outside the classroom The College offers a wealth of outdoor educational experiences, as we enhance and enrich classroom experiences with crosscurricular teaching and opportunities for learning outside of the classroom. Our philosophy applies to expeditions, residential trips, community programmes and after-school activities. From Grade 3 onward, all students participate in a class expedition outside of Singapore. From Taman Negara in Malaysia to trekking in Nepal, students gain new skills, develop confidence, resilience and independence while bonding with their classmates. These expeditions are also viewed as excellent hands-on learning experiences, and for many trips, students have the opportunity to relate their experiences to classroom activities.
Academic curriculum The academic curriculum is structured around a holistic approach to education, taking into account the five elements of our learning programme. The UWCSEA profile and learning principles guide the academic curriculum so that students gain the knowledge and understanding, as well as skills and qualities, that will support them in becoming global citizens and independent learners. Using a concepts-based approach, the academic curriculum recognises the integrity of individual subject areas and explores the connections between subjects.
As students progress to the Middle School, they refine the core interdisciplinary skills initiated in the Primary School and have more subject specialist teachers guiding them in fundamental subject-specific skills required for higher studies. Students take a broad and balanced range of subjects, with the opportunity to develop in all relevant areas; from physical, technical, creative, numerate and deductive, rational and experimental, to empathic and evaluative. Although the curriculum breaks away from the IBO, the learner profile remains a focus for student development and curriculum structure.
Upper School—Grades 9 and 10
In Grades 9 and 10, students study for seven or eight (I)GCSEs; while students joining the College in Grade 10 for the Foundation IB programme take 10 subjects. Both programmes prepare students with subjectspecific skills and knowledge as a foundation for the IB Diploma.
Senior School—Grades 11 and 12
The majority of students prepare for an IB Diploma. The academic breadth, rigour, and personal challenge of this pre-university qualification is recognised by schools and universities worldwide. The UWC movement was influential in the conception of the IB Diploma model and continues to be part of its development. A small number of students study for a reduced range of subject-specific IB certificates.
Campus locations
Admissions
Dover Campus 1207 Dover Road Singapore 139654 T + 65 6775 5344
Please contact the Admissions team to arrange an appointment to visit the campuses to view our facilities, see classrooms in action and discuss enrolment.
Offering K1–Grade 12 Boarding for Grades 7–12
Alternatively, complete the online inquiry form and the Admissions team will be able to assist your family.
East Campus 1 Tampines Street 73 Singapore 528704 T + 65 6305 5344 Offering K1–Grade 11 from August 2012 Boarding for Grades 7–11
Admissions T + 65 6774 2653 F + 65 6773 0203 E admissions@uwcsea.edu.sg
www.uwcsea.edu.sg
Printed on 100% recycled paper. Photography by Henry Chang, Q.Yang, Tom Soper and UWCSEA staff. UWCSEA Dover is registered by the CPE. CPE Registration No. 197000825H CPE Registration Period 18 July 2011–17 July 2017 | Charity Registration No. 00142 UWCSEA East is registered by the CPE. CPE Registration No. 200801795N CPE Registration Period 10 March 2011–9 March 2017 | Charity Registration No. 002104 Printed January 2011