UWC South East Asia
COMMUNITY REPORT 2022/2023
Contents
01
MESSAGE FROM SULIAN TAY, CHAIR OF BOARD OF GOVERNORS
02
MESSAGE FROM NICK ALCHIN, INTERIM HEAD OF COLLEGE
03
UWCSEA GUIDING STATEMENTS, GOVERNANCE AND LEADERSHIP 05 UWCSEA Guiding Statements 07 UWC Movement 09 UWCSEA Governance and Leadership
13
UWCSEA STRATEGY 2018–2023 15 UWCSEA Strategy 19 UWCSEA Community Agreements
21
53
67
25 Academics
57 Students and families
69 Human Resources
35 Activities
59 Boarders and scholars
71 UWCSEA Foundation
41 Outdoor Education
61 Staff
73 Finance
45 Personal and Social Education
63 Alumni
75 Admissions
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT
49 Service
OUR COMMUNITY
65 Parent Community
BUSINESS REPORT
1 | UWCSEA Community Report 2022/2023
MESSAGE FROM
CHAIR OF BOARD OF GOVERNORS On behalf of the Board of Governors, I am pleased to present the UWCSEA 2022/2023 Community Report, which provides an overview and reflection of the College’s achievements over the last school year and tells the story of our community, united in purpose and committed to our Mission. The 2022/2023 year was the last year of the UWCSEA 2018– 2023 strategy. Over the course of those five years, the College made significant progress to embed ten strategic priorities, which supported our vision to equip UWCSEA students with the skills and qualities to become compassionate, engaged global citizens who seek to make positive differences towards peace and a sustainable future. In 2023, we continued this work by embarking on a process to develop the UWCSEA Strategy to 2030. Students, staff, parents and alumni participated in generative and decision-making sessions, and leadership teams engaged in ‘horizon-scanning’ to understand what the future may hold in key areas of learning, schools, technology and work. It was a year of collecting and synthesising information, which culminated with the Board approving the Strategy to 2030 in June 2023. We are confident that this Strategy will be "more like a river than a rock" in that it can adapt to circumstance and that the shared thinking that generated it will help us to be the best school we can be. During 2023, it was possible for conversations regarding the expiry of the lease on the Dover land in 2030 to continue in earnest. Governors and leadership engaged in dialogue with the Singapore Government, which is likely to result in a decision within the current calendar year that can then be shared with our community. Whatever the outcome, we know that we have the support of the Singapore authorities and are proud that they consider us partners in their current and future success. The 2022/2023 school year saw significant change in leadership as Nick Alchin took up his position, first as interim and then as confirmed Head of College. We also welcomed three new members to the College Leadership Team. By the end of the year Madan Menon had completed his term as Chair of our Board of Governors. We are most grateful to him for his service over the difficult years of the pandemic. The role of the Board of Governors is to ensure that the College
is run in line with our Mission, values and strategy. Governors have a fiduciary responsibility and must also ensure that the College has appropriate systems and processes in place to both further its objectives today and safeguard what we value for the future. As part of this responsibility, last year we undertook a review of our governance practices resulting in a revised philosophy of governance, Board Charter, Board Code of Conduct, and Committee Terms of Reference. This work, though behind the scenes, is essential for our College and its ongoing success. Volunteering is a feature of life at UWCSEA and the parent community dedicates countless hours to support the College in fulfilling our Mission. Thank you to all our parent and community volunteers, to our Governors and Advisers to the Board who work tirelessly to ensure that the College is operating at the highest standards of governance, and to the leadership, teachers, staff, parents and above all our students, in whose service we all stand. Sincerely, Sulian Tay
2 | UWCSEA Community Report 2022/2023
MESSAGE FROM
HEAD OF COLLEGE Welcome to the Community Report for the 2022/2023 school year. Each year the Community Report tells a story of community success and achievement, and last year was no exception. The 2022/2023 school year was my first as interim and then confirmed Head of College. Over the years, as teacher, Head of Department, Principal and Head of Campus, I learned about our community in different ways. As Head of College, I have now added the Board and Governors lens to my view and now have an even deeper appreciation of our College. Happily, at UWCSEA the views from our different lenses are shared collaboratively and constructively, as we all come to a better understanding of where our school is now, its proud 50-year history and its possible futures. We are helped enormously in this collaboration by our agreement on what should be on the other side of the lens, regardless of which one we are looking through: our students and our Mission. I have never worked in a community where there is so much care for students, alongside commitment to purpose. There are few greater opportunities as a new Head than to work with Governors to lead a strategic planning process, and the process allowed me to meet with a wide range of stakeholders and hear their aspirations for the College. Dozens of consultative sessions and surveys generated thousands of pieces of data to inform our thinking, and the Strategy approved by Governors at the end of year contains four Strategic Commitments: • Exceptional People and Teams: We will attract, retain and grow outstanding people and teams, and build our organisational strength and capacity • Immersive Learning: We will ensure that our students’ learning is rich in experiences, relationships, and connections to people, places, organisations and ideas • A Sense of Belonging: We will create and sustain a sense of belonging for all members of our community, past, present and future • Curiosity and Exploration: We will leverage our sense of curiosity and pioneering spirit to drive incremental and disruptive innovation, and sustainable change
These Commitments will inform our strategic priorities each year and ensure a whole College approach to our progress. This progress will take place in a context where our starting point will continue to be providing a world-class education for our students and the fulfilment of our inspirational mission to make education a force to unite people, nations and cultures for peace and a sustainable future. With that, much of what you read here will be familiar from previous years—and that’s a good thing. The College continues to operate at full capacity (we remain oversubscribed in changing times); the IB results remain very strong (and our students’ university placements are typically impressive and diverse); and we continue to offer an amazing number of trips, activities and service projects (probably more than any other school in the world). In this report, you will, therefore, see these details alongside stories of student achievement and success, as well as a review of our Strategic Plan 2018–2023. We hope these will give you confidence that the College and our community continue to flourish under our great mission. Nick Alchin
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"As a proud member of the UWC movement, what endures most of all is being part of something bigger than us as individuals, bigger than an institution, bigger even than education: the chance to contribute to a more peaceful and sustainable future for our children, and our children's children. This endures." NICK ALCHIN, HEAD OF COLLEGE, UWCSEA
UWCSEA GUIDING STATEMENTS, GOVERNANCE AND LEADERSHIP
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UWCSEA GUIDING STATEMENTS Because UWCSEA is driven by its mission, values and educational goal, we create an environment that is underpinned by wellbeing and learning principles, and provide a holistic Learning Programme through a K–12 concept-based curriculum. The UWCSEA Learning Programme thoughtfully and deliberately provides all students with age-appropriate opportunities to develop the knowledge, skills, qualities and mission competencies that will enable them to live the mission throughout their lives. UWCSEA Ambition: Our ambition is to be a leader in international education, with a worldwide reputation for providing a challenging, holistic, values-based education with an emphasis upon academic achievement, service to others, environmental stewardship, teamwork and leadership.
UWCSEA Guiding Statements Because UWCSEA is driven by its Mission, Values and Educational Goal, we create an environment that is underpinned by Wellbeing and Learning Principles, and provide a holistic Learning Programme that develops the Qualities, Skills and Mission Competencies that enable students to live the Mission throughout their lives.
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UWCSEA WELLBEING PRINCIPLES
UWCSEA LEARNING PROGRAMME
Our culture of care creates a shared commitment to cultivate wellbeing for all members of our community. While we know that feelings of wellbeing are personal and vary between individuals, the College is responsible for providing the conditions for community wellbeing to flourish. This includes opportunities to feel connected, autonomous, and competent—for students, staff and parents alike—as described here:
Our Learning Programme consists of five interlinking elements: Academics, Activities, Outdoor Education, Personal and Social Education and Service. Delivered through a carefully crafted K–12 concept-based curriculum, the elements are combined to provide our students with a holistic education that develops them as individuals and as members of a global society.
Connected: we feel connected when we feel known, heard and cared for by others
UWCSEA PROFILE
Autonomous: we want to feel we can self-regulate our actions, where possible, and make our own meaning of events Competent: a sense of competence arises when we feel effective and that we can continually develop craftsmanship around our work
UWCSEA LEARNING PRINCIPLES Our Learning Principles are based on the understanding that learning is a life-long process in which the learner engages with and reflects upon information and experiences to construct new or modify existing understanding as well as develop and apply Qualities and Skills.
Students are given multiple, age-appropriate opportunities to develop the following Qualities and Skills we have identified as required to help to fulfil our Mission:
Qualities Commitment to care
Critical thinker
Principled
Creative
Resilience
Collaborative
Self awareness
Communicator Self manager
We know that learning is effective when learners: • construct new understanding by activating prior knowledge and experience • use timely and goal directed feedback • collaborate • are challenged • feel secure and supported • construct meaning by seeing patterns and making connections
Skills
UWCSEA MISSION COMPETENCIES Ultimately, we hope that when they leave the College our students will be equipped with these competencies so that they are able to enact our shared Mission to unite people, nations and cultures for peace and a sustainable future throughout their lives: • Essential Literacies
• actively process and reflect
• Interpersonal and Intercultural Understanding
• apply meta-cognitve skills
• Peacebuilding
• understand the purpose of the learning
• Sustainable Development
• have ownership of their learning
• Self and Community Wellbeing
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UWC MOVEMENT UWCSEA is a member of the UWC movement, a group of 18 schools and colleges around the world supported by a network of National Committees, made up of volunteers in around 150 countries. The College was opened on 15 December 1971 by then Prime Minister Mr Lee Kuan Yew and is the largest UWC in the movement.
All information correct as at 31 July 2023 | UWC student population source uwc.org
UWC South East Asia
UWC Adriatic
UWC Atlantic
Dover Campus, Singapore
East Campus, Singapore
Duino, Italy
Vale of Glamorgan, United Kingdom
Opened in
Opened in
Opened in
Opened in
1971
2008
1982
1962
Student population
Student population
Student population
Student population
3,119
2,808
182
350
Age group
Age group
Age group
Age group
4–18
4–18
16–19
15–19
UWC Changshu China
UWC Costa Rica
UWC Dilijan
UWC East Africa
UWC ISAK Japan
Changshu, Jiangsu Province, China
San José, Costa Rica
Dilijan, Armenia
Moshi and Arusha, Tanzania
Karuizawa, Japan
Opened in
Opened in
Opened in
Opened in
Opened in
2015
2006
2014
1969
2014
Student population
Student population
Student population
Student population
Student population
570
192
220
500
200
Age group
Age group
Age group
Age group
Age group
15–18
16–19
16–18
3–20
15–19
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Li Po Chun UWC
UWC Maastricht
UWC Mahindra
UWC in Mostar
Pearson College UWC
New Territories, Hong Kong SAR, China
Maastricht, Netherlands
Pune, Maharashtra, India
Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Opened in
Opened in
Opened in
Opened in
Opened in
1992
2009
1997
2006
1974
Student population
Student population
Student population
Student population
Student population
256
900
240
200
200
Age group
Age group
Age group
Age group
Age group
16–18
4–19
16–18
16–19
16–19
UWC Red Cross Nordic
UWC Robert Bosch College
UWC Thailand
UWC-USA
Waterford Kamhlaba UWC
Flekke, Norway
Freiburg, Germany
Phuket, Thailand
Montezuma, New Mexico, USA
Mbabane, Eswatini
Opened in
Opened in
Opened in
Opened in
Opened in
1995
2014
2008
1982
1963
Student population
Student population
Student population
Student population
Student population
205
200
380
235
600
Age group
Age group
Age group
Age group
Age group
16–20
16–19
2–18
17–19
11–20
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UWCSEA GOVERNANCE AND LEADERSHIP OVERVIEW
UWCSEA BOARD OF GOVERNORS
UWCSEA is committed to the highest standards of corporate governance. The UWCSEA Board of Governors recognises good governance as critical in supporting the school in achieving its mission and educational goal. Good governance begins with the Board of Governors and requires that they set the tone for the organisation.
At the end of the financial year, the UWCSEA Board of Governors comprised 15 members. The Board includes respected business and industry leaders, academics, educators, entrepreneurs and professionals. All members serve on a voluntary basis.
The Board of Governors is one of the principal bodies with the fiduciary obligation to ensure that the College and Foundation act to further their stated objectives, and that the College and Foundation have appropriate systems in place to properly account for and safeguard the funds and assets of the College and Foundation The Board of Governors works closely with the management and stakeholders of the College to shape the vision, chart the major directions, and oversee the programmes and initiatives to produce a strong and enduring impact for the College in Singapore and beyond.
Size, Committees and Meetings The maximum number of Governors is 21. The Board has six committees: • Audit and Risk: which oversees audit and risk matters • Education and Talent: which sets and oversees education and talent management strategies • Engagement and Foundation: which is responsible for improving the engagement and outreach of the College locally and globally, including the UWCSEA Foundation (This committee also oversees the investment and disbursement of the funds of The UWCSEA Foundation and thus has a minimum of one [and a maximum of four] Independent Directors of The UWCSEA Foundation sitting on this committee) • Finance and Infrastructure: which oversees the College’s finances and its physical and digital infrastructure • Governance: which is responsible for nominations and governance matters • Committee of Chairs: which functions as a coordinating and management committee among the Chairs of the Board and Committees There are also Board approved ad-hoc working groups set up to address specific issues; each with its own Terms of Reference and scope of works. These ad-hoc working groups either report to a committee or to the Board directly. Once their work is complete, the ad-hoc working group is dissolved. Governors periodically re-evaluate the committee structure to ensure it is effective, strategic and forward-looking. The Board meets a minimum of four times each year. Each Governor is usually a member of one committee, which also meets a minimum of four times per year.
Board Effectiveness Review Following the completion of the constitutional review and the outcomes and deliverables of the various working groups which were set up to support this work, the Charity Sector Administrator, approved the changes to the Constitution and the revised Constitutions for UWCSEA and UWCSEA-East were duly lodged with the regulators in April 2023. A Philosophy of Governance Statement, Board Charter and Code of Conduct have been duly introduced and launched. Terms of reference for all Board committees were also renewed. This work underpins the strong foundations of governance that will support the strategic work of the Board going forward. These principles support the Board to govern with confidence, charting a path of continuous improvement for the College, managing risk effectively and taking thoughtful and reasoned action based on evidence and shared expertise. They are strengthened by the Board’s willingness to review and reflect on its own progress and effectiveness. The Board continues to carry out formal Board effectiveness reviews (per the relevant policy), externally every five years and internally every year. This information is used
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to assist in the planning and strategising for the following year’s agenda contributing to the continued commitment to increased transparency and accountability.
Composition The Board consists of three groups of Governors: • Board Elected Governors and Members – The majority of Governors are appointed by the Board itself through a rigorous selection process. Many Board Elected Governors are parents of current students of the College. To ensure the Board benefits from independent thinking, there may also be non-parent Governors • Ex Officio Governor and Member – the Head of College • Community Elected Governors and Members – These Governors and Members are elected directly by their constituencies and include two parent-elects and two academic staff-elects, one from each campus
Governor Recruitment, Selection and Induction Board Elected Governors are recruited through a robust process that responds to clearly defined skill requirements necessary for the Board. Most candidates are first appointed as Advisers to Board Committees, following the relevant policy guideline in place; New Board Elected Governors are usually only selected from that pool of Advisers who have previously served on a Committee. Appointments are based on an assessment of the following factors: • Professional skills and fit with Board requirements
• Connections to Communities
• UWCSEA Competencies
• Behavioural Competencies
• Technical Competencies
• Impact on Diversity
• Governance Competencies
• Nexus with UWCSEA; Conflicts
• Board Effectiveness and Capacity
There is a comprehensive and thorough induction programme for all Advisers and Governors that includes information about the College and the Board, an induction session with the Board Secretary, and meetings with the Chair of the Board and other Governors.
Term Limits and Reviews Governors serve a maximum of two, three-year terms. Only the Chair may serve up to one additional year of service, should they be appointed as Chair during their tenure (a maximum of 7 years in total). The College and the Board holds the Governors and Advisers to a high standard. A self evaluation and 360 peer review is conducted at the end of each term (three years for Governors and two years for Advisers). Governors and Advisers complete a self evaluation which is then shared for 360 feedback with fellow Governors, Advisers and members of the College Leadership Team, against the following criteria: • Contributions to Strategic Board initiatives • Board Effectiveness and Capacity • Behavioural Competencies • Impact on Diversity
Whistle Blowing Policy The College has a Whistle Blowing policy through which members of the UWCSEA community may, in confidence, raise concerns about possible wrong-doing or improprieties in financial or other matters within the organisation. The Board thoroughly and appropriately investigates matters brought to its attention through the policy and takes appropriate follow-up action.
Conflict of Interest The College policy requires Board and staff members to make an annual declaration to disclose any conflict of interest in the performance of their duties. In the case of the Board, the policy requires Governors and Advisers to report potential conflicts to the Governance Committee, which may impose remedies specific to the situation.
Policies on corporate and individual behaviour The Board also adheres to the College’s policies on corporate and individual behaviour, including the Code of Conduct (which Governors are required to sign), responsibilities set out in the Board Charter and Confidentiality Agreements.
Commissioner of Charities Oversight In applying good governance practices as corporate entities, the Board of Governors has adopted best practices in key areas of governance that are closely aligned to the principles outlined in the Code of Governance for Charities and Institutions of a Public Character (the “Code”). The Charity Council requires that charities disclose the extent of their compliance with the Code and has rigorous annual reporting requirements. UWCSEA’s Governance Evaluation Checklist Financial Statements and Annual Reports can be found via the Charity Portal website.
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UWCSEA/UWCSEA-EAST/UWCSEA FOUNDATION BOARD MEMBERS
Yukiko Izumi
Jeff Plein
Seng Chee Ho
Community Elected (Parent, East) Governor and Member Audit and Risk Committee
Board Elected Governor and Member Education and Talent Committee
Board Elected Governor and Member Chair, Audit and Risk Committee Committee of Chairs
Dimple Sanghi
Gayathri Nair
Board Elected Governor and Member Chair of Finance and Infrastructure Committee Committee of Chairs
Community Elected Governor (Academic Staff, Dover) and Member Engagement and Foundation Committee
Pamela Kelly Wetzell Community Elected (Academic Staff, East) Governor and Member Governance Committee
Sajjad Akhtar Board Elected Governor and Member Vice Chair and Acting Chair from 1 June 2023 Chair of Governance Committee Committee of Chairs
Heather Carmichael Board Elected Governor and Member Chair of Education and Talent Committee Committee of Chairs
Kim Teo ’76
Sulian Tay
Board Elected Governor and MemberEngagement and Foundation Committee Governance Committee
Board Elected Governor and Member Education and Talent Committee Finance and Infrastructure Committee
Daire Dunne
Angel Wu
Board Elected Governor and Member Engagement and Foundation Committee
Community Elected (Parent, Dover) Governor and Member Audit and Risk Committee
Nick Alchin Priti Devi Board Elected Governor and MemberChair of Engagement and Foundation Committee Committee of Chairs
All information correct as at 31 July 2023.
Sharon Heller Board Elected Governor and Member Education and Talent Committee
Ex-Officio Governor – Head of College Education and Talent Committee Engagement and Foundation Committee Finance and Infrastructure Committee Governance Committee
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INDEPENDENT DIRECTORS: THE UWCSEA FOUNDATION LIMITED Kirtida Mekani Jean Sung (appointed 10 February 2023)
Board resignations during the year Leon Toh (resigned 11 August 2022)
Mark Porter (retired at AGM on 19 January 2023)
Stefanie Green (resigned 18 November 2022)
Jonathan Forth (resigned 19 May 2023)
Benjamin Detenber (retired at AGM on 19 January 2023)
Madan Menon (Chair) (resigned 31 May 2023)
UWCSEA BOARD ADVISERS Rahul Raj (resigned 2 March 2023)
Don Stokes
Chas Pope
Luke Furler (appointed 6 October 2022)
Anthony Hodge
Betty Yang (appointed 16 March 2023)
Brian Arcese
Varun Dutt (appointed 6 October 2022)
Penny Shone (appointed 9 December 2021)
Charmaine Chin (appointed 21 June 2023)
Mara McAdams
Neeti Jain (appointed 16 March 2023)
Ijlal Naqvi
UWCSEA/UWCSEA-EAST/UWCSEA FOUNDATION COMMITTEES Audit and Risk Committee
Governance Committee
Yukiko Izumi, Chair
Engagement and Foundation Committee
Jeff Plein
Priti Devi, Chair
Nick Alchin
Anthony Hodge (Adviser)
Gayathri Nair
Pamela Kelly Wetzell
Luke Furler (Adviser)
Nick Alchin
Kim Teo ’76
Betty Yang (Adviser)
Daire Dunne
Don Stokes (Adviser)
Kim Teo
Neeti Jain (Adviser)
Education and Talent Committee
Kirtida Mekani (Independent Director)
Sajjad Akhtar, Chair
Heather Carmichael, Chair
Jean Sung (Independent Director)
Committee of Chairs
Seng Chee Ho
Penny Shone (Adviser)
Sajjad Akhtar, Acting Chair
Nick Alchin
Varun Dutt (Adviser)
Heather Carmichael
Sharon Heller
Finance and Infrastructure Committee
Sulian Tay Ijlal Naqvi (Adviser) Mara McAdams (Adviser)
Dimple Sanghi, Chair
Priti Devi Dimple Sanghi Yukiko Izumi
Nick Alchin Sulian Tay Brian Arcese (Adviser) Charmaine Chin (Adviser)
The audited Financial Statements and full Corporate Governance reports for each campus and the Foundation are available on the Charity Portal: charities.gov.sg. All information correct as at 31 July 2023.
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"We are facing unprecedented challenges driven by accelerating globalisation and technological developments … Education needs to aim to do more than prepare young people for the world of work; it needs to equip students with the skills they need to become active, responsible and engaged citizens." FROM EDUCATION 2030: THE FUTURE OF EDUCATION AND SKILLS
UWCSEA STRATEGY 2018–2023
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UWCSEA STRATEGY 2018–2023 During the 2022/2023 year, the College and campuses concluded the final year of the five-year strategy which was based on four areas of focus. Each campus continued with the projects that brought the areas of focus to life through different strategic projects. Some projects were in their final year whilst others will continue and fall into the next strategic plan beginning 2023 - 2030. The Board of Governors oversees progress through a report on specific strategic areas of focus at each of the four meetings during the year, while the senior leadership teams monitor the detailed projects. The following pages highlight the 2022/2023 outcomes of the campuses’ progress at the conclusion of the UWCSEA Strategy 2018–2023 in each of the four areas of focus.
UWCSEA STRATEGIC VISION (2018–2023) Students will be equipped with the qualities and skills to become compassionate, engaged global citizens who seek to make a positive contribution towards peace and a sustainable future. To achieve this, a diverse, united and caring College community will focus creatively on students learning through a dynamic, holistic programme that supports individuals, their wellbeing and their readiness for the future of political, economic and environmental uncertainty. Effective operational practices provide for the College’s long-term future in Singapore.
PEACE AND A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
EDUCATION AS A FORCE
UWCSEA STRATEGY AREAS OF FOCUS
OUR STRENGTH AND CAPACITY
A UNITED COMMUNITY
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Education as a Force At UWCSEA, we educate our students to impact EDUCATION AS A FORCE on individuals and society in accordance with the UWC Mission. Educational excellence infuses student learning across all five elements of our Learning Programme and balanced with a serious commitment to wellbeing, helps to inspire our community to rich experiences and high achievement. Our innovation aligns with our values. We will take scalable, safe-to-fail approaches to probe and test the boundaries of our strategies and practices. In our Learning Programme, we will seek to be inclusive and diverse, in accordance with our definitions of these concepts, and will recognise the importance of intercultural competence. Key developments during 2022/2023 school year: Strategy E1: Extending Excellence • significant preparation for Learning Support review to follow in school year 2023/2024 • Review of the K–5 curriculum College-wide and in line with review cycles to ensure it continues to meet the changing needs of our youngest learners • deep-dive into the Middle School (MS) curriculum with a view to understanding and increasing interdisciplinarity and making more connections between subjects Strategy E2: Deliberate Innovation • decision to retire IGCSE in August 2025 and focus on continued expansion of the UWCSEA 9/10 Programme • decision to partner with the International Baccalaureate to develop an innovative new course • comprehensive review and formalisation of the assessment and feedback policy • implemented an OEd ‘hub system’ giving students more choice over their OEd adventure Strategy E3: Diversity and Inclusion • launched teaching for DEIJ with a culturally responsive pedagogy • created more opportunities for students to engage in ‘Positive Education’ practices • opened a High School wellness and support centre on Dover Campus • appointed the College Senior DEIJ Lead and a team of nine Designated DEI Leads • completed extensive research into PSE curriculum in preparation for PSE review (2022/2023)
PEACE AND A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
Peace and a Sustainable Future
Our community is strengthened by diversity and united in common purpose. On local, national and global platforms, we will seek to engage with and impact positively on individuals and communities who hold similar, disparate and diverse ideas. All members of our community should understand Peace to include concepts such as justice, equality and human rights and to be more than the absence of conflict. We aspire to promote Peace in all of its contexts—for the individual, our communities and our global societies. We will embed structures to support learning for Peace and develop meaningful links with like-minded organisations that are in pursuit of the same goals. Sustainability as a systemic response means aligning ourselves to the UN Sustainable Development Goals to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all within the means of nature. We will engage with these challenges by deepening our intellectual and moral capacities, and building our collective wisdom. We will develop our curriculum to ensure that sustainability is woven into all five elements of our Learning Programme from K–12. We will also develop our community’s capability in systems thinking. Key developments during 2022/2023 school year: Strategy P1: Working for Peace • finalised a review of the concept of Peace across the curriculum and early stage preparations for writing an updated curriculum began Strategy P2: Sustainability as a Systemic Response • conducted early stage reviews of service and sustainability curriculum, to be continued into the next school year (2023/2024) • opened an experiential learning space on East Campus where students can learn about environmental stewardship, animal care, urban farming and permaculture • overseas trips resumed and were planned in accordance with the new sustainability and feasibility framework • created sustainability guidelines for Activities with a framework for reviewing practices, partners and supply chains • UWCSEA East received a certificate from the NEA for its participation in a pilot food waste for recycling project (January 2017 to September 2023) in which more than 126 tonnes of food waste was recycled
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A United Community A strong College community, based on shared values, is fundamental to our success. Our community members will demonstrate respectful attention to diverse needs and perspectives, and compassionate engagement with others. A UNITED COMMUNITY
We seek to promote the educational significance of UWC residential life and will seek to harmonise the best of the day and residential experiences. We will strengthen relationships with one another, between campuses and with those outside our immediate community of students, staff and parents. We will build strategic relationships that extend our reach and deepen our impact. We will intensify the focus of the UWCSEA Foundation, enhance Alumni engagement, and continue to dedicate an agreed percentage of our annual turnover to scholarships. Our fundamental responsibility to our community members is to keep them safe, well and secure at all times and in all situations. We will continue to develop robust safeguarding practices, and empower our community to identify and respond to safeguarding situations. We will implement policies, practices and programmes to support staff and student wellness and safeguard everyone in our community.
Our Strength and Capacity UWCSEA puts people, not systems, first. Our plan for OUR STRENGTH AND CAPACITY sustainable growth will be transparent and support our community, while reflecting and responding to current realities and future possibilities. We will guarantee the financial security of the College while balancing present and future educational, environmental and organisational needs. We recognise the necessity of humane, sustainable and effective systems. We will develop operational systems that set a positive, data-informed culture around rigorous practices, adhering to all external regulatory requirements. We will establish decision-making processes and leadership structures that enhance operational effectiveness while retaining flexibility to adapt to changing circumstances. Key developments during 2022/2023 school year: Strategy S1: Ensuring Long-term Financial Sustainability • accounting policies and procedures systematically reviewed. External and internal audit systems fully implemented
Strategy C1: Strengthening our Community
• moved towards coherent, integrated systems. Restructured, consolidated teams, streamlined functions. Implemented a full-fledged investment strategy
• delivery of community focussed events including the Family Festival and CultuRama on East Campus and the Community Fair and UN Night on Dover Campus
• new budget reporting process aligning to long term financial goals and giving budget holders full accountability
• launched the Community Agreements and translated them into 11 languages in support of the diverse College community
• standardised reporting, launched monthly budget reports
Key developments during 2022/2023 school year:
• new strategy planning sessions were conducted and included more than 20 community consultations with parents, staff, students and alumni to form the key areas of focus for the College in the 7–10 years ahead • launched the Careers Programme, incorporating alumni mentorship, internships and company visits, to give High School students and young alumni access to experiences in the world of work before graduation. Strategy C2: Keeping People Safe and Well • staff Wellbeing Working Group launched Staff Wellbeing Principles in preparation for continuing this work in 2023/2024 • new head of Risk Management was appointed and began in role
Strategy S2: Embedding Effective Systems • planning for the new inquiry and application system • all regulatory materials submitted on time and in accordance with applicable regulations. UWCSEA was awarded a Charity Transparency Award at the 2023 Award ceremony held in November 2023 Strategy S3: Establishing Effective Decision-Making Structures • new Heads of College, Dover and East Campus, and CHRO began in role • reviewed the Governance practices, established Charter and Governance framework • increasingly aligned roles across campuses e.g: Learning Systems, Facilities • invested in a policy platform, created a group of Policy Administrators overseen by a Policy Leader; clear and time-bound approach to policy management
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UWCSEA COMMUNITY AGREEMENTS BY THE COMMUNITY, FOR THE COMMUNITY Anyone involved in the development of our Community Agreements from the beginning, undoubtedly had moments of wondering if they would ever be finished. From the start of the Values in Action process to the announcement of the Community Agreements in October 2022 was two full school cycles. Viewed today, with their few simple words and visuals, it is hard to believe that they required so much time to produce. In a community with such a strong bias for action, why did it take so long for us to come up with these statements? Well, the answer is in their name. Agreements emerge from a consensus-driven process to identify what every person in the group needs from each other. Other schools have codes of conduct, ‘norms of behaviour’ or contracts for parents. We wanted agreements. Not just because ‘norms’ makes assumptions about what is appropriate or acceptable and begs the question of whose ‘normal’ we are referring to, but because the process of constructing the agreements was as important as the outcome. We wanted it to be consensus-driven, collaborative and values-based, and we wanted the outcome to be relevant to everyone in our community—staff, students and parents alike. Nick Alchin, Head of College, in his letter to the community launching the agreements said, “It is a fundamental belief of mine, borne from experience in many schools, that the way we interact with each other as adults will be how we interact with our students”. Building agreement on the link between our values (what we expect from ourselves and each other) and the behaviours (actions) that demonstrate them needed to be thoughtful and driven by our belief in the importance of how we are in relationship with one another. The many consultations with stakeholder groups, synthesis, testing with groups, further feedback, adjustments, final versions (which took three attempts to really be final!), design, translations and the launch needed a whole community of stakeholders. In this the Parents’ Associations on both campuses were invaluable partners and champions. They challenged assumptions, helped to test concepts and language
20 | UWCSEA Community Report 2022/2023
across cultures and guided us in our process and our communication. They were quickly onboard with the idea that belonging for everyone in our community would be an outcome of our individual and collective behaviours, and, along with the wider parent and staff community, drove us to examine each word carefully and through various cultural lenses. The translations were a wonderful project in themselves, as we understood that it was less about translation and more about interpretation, as our language experts translated the words not just for their meaning but for their cultural value. We worked through the complexity to reach simplicity, and everyone involved is justifiably proud of the results. There are inevitably challenges when imperfect people with diverse backgrounds build community together. These Community Agreements help us to navigate those challenges. They are living statements, and we expect them to evolve and change alongside our community. They help to build our community culture and our community culture is the basic root that not only gives our students, staff and parents their daily experience at school, but is an important determining factor for how our community grows. With our UWCSEA Community Agreements as a basis, the future looks bright.
Scan the QR code to view these agreements in multiple languages:
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“It is time for you to choose how you want to fill your container. As your container fills up, you will not only experience a myriad of achievements but you will also face your fair share of obstacles. How we all choose to react to these obstacles is what our defining quality as UWC students will be.” KAREN BORGLUND ’23 AND VANSHIKA ANAND ’23 STUDENT SPEAKERS, GRADUATION 2023
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT
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STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT The ultimate aim of our guiding statements is to equip all our students with the skills, qualities and knowledge they will need in order to enact the mission and bring our values to their lives beyond UWCSEA through the UWCSEA Mission Competencies. In order to prepare our students to meet this ambitious goal, our holistic Learning Programme is delivered in an environment that is scaffolded with our Wellbeing and Learning Principles. Through the five elements of the UWCSEA Learning Programme—Academics, Activities, Outdoor Education, Personal and Social Education and Service—students develop disciplinary knowledge, skills and understandings alongside the skills and qualities of the UWCSEA Learner Profile. Opportunities to develop the skills and qualities identified in the UWCSEA Learner Profile are embedded in all five elements of the programme. Where a meaningful connection is made, intentional development of a specific aspect of the UWCSEA Learner Profile is explicitly linked to the associated benchmark, indicating the profile skill or quality that is being developed. These are used in our communication to teachers, students and parents.
LEARNING IN ACTION The five elements of our Learning Programme complement each other to create a whole that is greater than the sum of the parts. This is a carefully planned and purposeful process, where students develop understanding in disciplinary and interdisciplinary ways. For example, students gain deep disciplinary understanding in our Academic Programme, which may be applied in outdoor education or service when students encounter and grapple with real world situations.
UWCSEA
STORIES
The case studies included in this section of the report were selected to illustrate the learning taking place across the College, highlighting both the concept-based nature of the curriculum and the intentionally interconnected nature of the five elements of our Learning Programme.
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25 | UWCSEA Community Report 2022/2023
LEARNING PROGRAMME: ACADEMICS Through the Academics element of the UWCSEA Learning Programme, all students develop intellectual habits and passions that stay with them for life. Learning goals in languages, mathematics, sciences, the Arts, humanities, technology and physical education build progressively through each grade, preparing students for the next academic challenge and for life beyond school. The conceptual nature of our curriculum, which focuses on ideas that can transfer supports students who are joining us from different countries, educational systems and backgrounds. The power of a concept based curriculum is that conceptual understandings are big transferable ideas that are not locked in by time or place and as such, can be applied by students in new places and contexts when they move on from UWCSEA. Innovation in education has always been a focus for UWCSEA and this year in review was no different. The focus on preparing our students for a future world where political, economic and environmental factors will be vastly different was a key driver behind two significant decisions announced in 2022/2023. These were; the decision to retire the IGCSE’s from the Grade 9 and 10 Programme across the College; and a decision to partner with the International Baccalaureate on an exciting pilot programme for the IBDP.
STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT: RETIRING IGCSE AND EXPANDING UWCSEA GRADE 9 AND 10 PROGRAMME ACROSS THE COLLEGE In the 2021/2022 school year UWCSEA announced the development of bespoke UWCSEA courses as an alternative pathway to the IGCSE. This multi-year endeavour saw teachers on both campuses prepare to roll out the new UWCSEA-designed courses in year 2021/2022, and in 2022/2023 the development of these Grade 9 and 10 courses was stepped-up significantly. The new Grade 9 and 10 Programme provides valuable learning and excellent preparation for Grades 11 and 12. The distinctive features are: • More flexibility and choice: students now have more ownership over their learning, with more options. This allows for greater depth of study in areas of particular interest to students. • More complex, real-world problem solving: students have opportunities to explore theoretical knowledge in the context of Singapore case studies, with Singapore experts, as well as other cultural contexts, making the learning culturally responsive and able to be applied to real life contexts. • More interdisciplinary thinking: intentional consideration of interdisciplinarity at the course design level means that students are encouraged to make authentic connections between disciplines, considering the concepts that might enrich learning across seemingly disparate disciplines. • More authentic assessment: in line with the IBDP assessment model, the UWCSEA 9 and 10 Programme assesses knowledge, skills and understanding through a variety of tasks—including examinations, where appropriate. Authentic assessment is designed around real-world contexts and audiences. In August 2022 students starting Grade 9 students on East Campus were able to choose between a full IGCSE Programme or a full UWCSEA Programme; approximately 50% of students elected to take the UWCSEA pathway. Students starting in Grade 9 on Dover Campus were able to choose between a full IGCSE Programme or a programme that included a combination of IGCSE and UWCSEA courses such as History: Peace and Conflict; The Universal Filmmaker and a range of UWCSEA First Language Courses. In December 2022 UWCSEA Head of College, Nick Alchin, announced that from the 2025/2026 school year onwards, the College will no longer be offering the IGCSE Programme on either campus to students entering Grade 9. Instead, both campuses will offer the UWCSEA Grade 9 and 10 Programme. This decision was a strategic step in preparing UWCSEA students for the future with course options offering for more flexibility and choice, more complex real-world problem solving, more interdisciplinary thinking, and more authentic assessment options in line with the IB Diploma assessment model.
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STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT: INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE PILOT COURSE In December 2022 it was also announced that UWCSEA would partner with the International Baccalaureate (IB) on a pilot course that will be offered to Grade 11 students from August 2024. This is an innovative 300-hour pilot course co-developed by the IB and the United World College of Southeast Asia (UWCSEA). It seeks to equip students with the skills and mindsets needed to take initiative, build community, and lead change. This additional option for students taking the IB Diploma qualification, opens up different combinations and opportunities for students, and includes project-based assessment. The table below outlines the IB Diploma options from the August 2024 Grade 11 entry.
THE IB DIPLOMA PROGRAMMES (available from August 2024)
EXISTING 6 SUBJECT IB DIPLOMA
IB DIPLOMA NEW COURSE OPTION
Subject 1 HL
Subject 1 HL
Subject 2 HL
Subject 2 HL
Subject 3 HL
Subject 3 HL
Subject 4 SL
Subject 4 SL
Subject 5 SL Subject 6 SL
Systems Transformation: Leadership for Change SL
Core elements: TOK/EE/CAS
Core elements: TOK/EE/CAS
45 points
45 points
The IB has offered this flexible programme to UWCSEA and UWC Atlantic as part of their strategic development of the IB Diploma and its future. The IB’s confidence in choosing UWCSEA to partner with them on this programme, and award the full IB Diploma qualification for it, is recognised a mark of their trust in our teachers, leaders and students, and in our ability to develop and deliver high-quality programmes to create outstanding student experiences. Through this ongoing partnership, we are informing and influencing the future of the IB Diploma. In addition to the above significant developments, school year 2022/2023 saw many other strategically aligned projects across the curriculum including: • Significant planning and preparation for a College-wide review of the shared curriculum for Service, Sustainability and Peace • The launch of teaching for DEIJ which includes a culturally responsive pedagogy and practical strategies for teachers on how to plan learning that is more accessible for all • Identify and embed opportunities for more project-based learning across K–12 with a specific focus on Middle School and the 9/10 Programme • A comprehensive review of the assessment and feedback policy to align and formalise our pedagogy with what we understand to be best practice in assessment • Review of the K–5 curriculum College-wide and in line with review cycles to ensure it continues to meet the changing needs of our youngest learners.
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IB DIPLOMA RESULTS In May 2023, 578 UWCSEA students were awarded the IB Diploma. The College achieved a pass rate of 99%, and this section outlines the examination results and university destinations of the Class of 2023.
College IB Diploma students
Average IB Diploma score
578
36.7 UWCSEA
Pass rate
Percentage receiving 40+ points
99.0% 80.0%
32.0%
Worldwide
UWCSEA
127
Students awarded a Bilingual Diploma
UWCSEA
22
<24
19.8% 19.4%
2023 578 (Dover: 333 | East: 245)
99.0%
80.0%
36.7
30.2
2022 570 (Dover: 329 | East: 241)
99.0%
85.9%
38.4
32.0
2021 574 (Dover: 318 | East: 256)
99.5%
89.0%
39.4
33.0
2020 570 (Dover: 329 | East: 241)
100%
79.1%
38.0
29.9
2019 561 (Dover: 319 | East: 242)
98.8%
77.8%
36.8
29.7
27.0% 9.0% 28.3% 0.5% 16.1% UWCSEA
Worldwide
UWCSEA Worldwide Worldwide UWCSEA average average Year Number of candidates average pass rate diploma diploma pass rate score score
39.1%
24–29
UWCSEA
IB Diploma five-year comparison
32.0%
30–34
22.0% 26.8%
8.9%
Worldwide
Belarusian; Burmese; Chinese; Danish; Dutch; English; French; German; Greek; Hindi; Italian; Japanese; Khmer; Kiswahili; Korean; Malay; Portugal; Serbian; Slovene; Spanish; Thai; Turkish
8.9%
35–39
Percentage receiving Bilingual Diploma
Languages in which Bilingual Diploma was awarded
IB Diploma score comparison 40–45
30.2
Worldwide
Worldwide
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CLASS OF 2023 DESTINATIONS 99.5% of graduates in the Class of 2023 will go on to university; 81.8% directly after graduation, with the rest first taking a Gap Year or completing National Service.
Other 0.2% National Service 11.3%
Gap Year 6.7% Asia/Middle East 5%
34.2% United States
578
UWCSEA High School Diploma Graduates
20.6% United Kingdom
Europe 6.1% Australia/New Zealand 7.8%
24
8.3% Canada
Countries where graduates enrolled in university Australia; Austria; Belgium; Canada; China; France; Germany; Hong Kong; Ireland; Isreal; Italy; Japan; Netherlands; New Zealand; Philippines; Qatar; Singapore; South Korea; Spain; Sweden; Switzerland; United Arab Emirates; United Kingdom; United States
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University Destinations Below is a list of universities that UWCSEA students were accepted to between 2021 and 2023. Australia Flinders University Monash University Southern Cross University The Australian National University The University of Queensland The University of Sydney University of Melbourne University of New South Wales Canada Dalhousie University Emily Carr University of Art and Design Huron University College at Western King’s University College Western University McGill University McMaster University OCAD University Seneca College Simon Fraser University St. Francis Xavier University The University of British Columbia The University of British Columbia, Okanagan University of Calgary University of Guelph University of Toronto University of Victoria University of Waterloo Vancouver Film School Vancouver Island University Western University Wilfrid Laurier University York University France College Universitaire de Sciences Po Ecole Ducasse ESCP Europe - Paris ESSEC Business School INSA - Lyon Instituto Marangoni, Paris
Hong Kong Hong Kong Polytechnic University The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology The University of Hong Kong Ireland National University of Ireland-Galway Royal College of Surgeons Trinity College Dublin University College Cork University College Dublin Italy Politecnico di Milano Universita Bocconi Universitå Vita-Salute San Raffaele Japan Hiroshima University Hitotsubashi University International Christian University Keio University Keio University, Shonan Fujisawa Campus Ritsumeikan University Osaka Sophia University Tohoku University Middle East Georgetown University Qatar New York University Abu Dhabi (UAE) Northwestern University Qatar Tel Aviv University (Isreal) Netherlands Amsterdam University College Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences Delft University of Technology Eindhoven University of Technology Erasmus University College Erasmus University Rotterdam Leiden University Leiden University College The Hague Maastricht University
Nyenrode Business University Royal Academy of Art Tilburg University University College Utrecht University of Amsterdam University of Groningen University of Twente Utrecht University UV University Amsterdam New Zealand The University of Waikato University of Otago Victoria University of Wellington Rest of Asia Ateneo de Manila University Quezon City (Philippines) Beijing Academy of Creative Arts (BACA) (China) Peking University (China) Silliman University (Philippines) Rest of Europe Artevelde University of Applied Sciences (Belgium) European Business School Munich (Germany) Jönköping University (Sweden) Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (Germany) Lund University (Sweden) University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna (Austria) Singapore ESSEC, Singapore Campus Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts Nanyang Technological University National University of Singapore SIM Global Singapore Management University Singapore University of Technology and Design Yale-NUS College
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South Korea Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology Yonsei University Spain CEU San Pablo University ESADE Business School IE University IE University - Madrid Campus University of Navarra Switzerland Culinary Arts Academy École hôtelière de Lausanne Glion Institute of Higher Education University of St. Gallen United Kingdom Arts University Bournemouth Arts University Plymouth Bath Spa University Bristol, University of the West of England Cardiff University City, University of London Courtauld Institute of Art, University of London Coventry University Durham University Hartpury University Imperial College London Italia Conti Academy King’s College London, University of London Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London Loughborough University MetFilm School Newcastle University Northeastern University - London Nottingham Trent University Queen Mary, University of London Queen’s University Belfast Royal Holloway, University of London Royal Veterinary College, University of London Sheffield Hallam University
SOAS University of London St George’s, University of London Swansea University The University of Edinburgh University College London University of Bath University of Birmingham University of Brighton University of Bristol University of Buckingham University of Cambridge University of Central Lancashire University of Chester University of Dundee University of East Anglia University of Essex University of Exeter University of Glasgow University of Gloucestershire University of Hull University of Kent University of Leeds University of Leicester University of Lincoln University of Liverpool University of Manchester University of Nottingham University of Oxford University of Reading University of Sheffield University of Southampton University of St Andrews University of Stirling University of Sussex University of the Arts, London University of Warwick University of York United States American Musical and Dramatic Academy Babson College Barnard College Bates College Bentley University Berklee College of Music Boston Conservatory Boston University
Bowdoin College Brandeis University Brown University Bryn Mawr College Bucknell University California Institute of Technology California Institute of the Arts Carnegie Mellon University Case Western Reserve University Chapman University Claremont McKenna College Clark University Colby College Colorado College Colorado State University Columbia University in the City of New York Connecticut College Cornell University Dartmouth College Davidson College DePaul University Drexel University Duke University Emerson College Emory University Fordham University Franklin and Marshall College Furman University George Washington University Georgetown University Georgia Institute of Technology Gettysburg College Hamilton College Harvey Mudd College Haverford College Indiana University-Bloomington Ithaca College Johns Hopkins University Lake Forest College Lewis & Clark College Loyola Marymount University Macalester College Maryland Institute College of Art Massachusetts Institute of Technology Methodist University Middlebury College
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Minerva University New York University Northeastern University Northwestern University Oberlin College Occidental College Parsons School of Design Parsons School of Design, The New School Pennsylvania State University Pepperdine University Pitzer College Pomona College Pratt Institute Princeton University Purdue University Reed College Rhode Island School of Design Rice University Ringling College of Art and Design San Diego State University Santa Clara University Sarah Lawrence College School of the Art Institute of Chicago Scripps College Skidmore College Smith College Southern California Institute of Architecture
St Lawrence University St Olaf College Stanford University Stony Brook University Swarthmore College Syracuse University The College of Idaho The New School The University of Texas at Austin Trinity College Tufts University University of Arizona University of California-Berkeley University of California-Davis University of California-Irvine University of California-Los Angeles University of California-Riverside University of California-San Diego University of California-Santa Barbara University of Chicago University of Colorado Boulder University of Hawaii at Manoa University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign University of La Verne University of Massachusetts-Amherst University of Michigan-Ann Arbor University of Nevada-Reno University of New Hampshire
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University of Notre Dame University of Oklahoma University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus University of Oregon University of Pennsylvania University of Richmond University of Rochester University of San Francisco University of Southern California University of Virginia University of Washington-Seattle University of Wisconsin-Madison Vanderbilt University Vassar College Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Wellesley College Wesleyan University Wheaton College Whitman College Williams College Worcester Polytechnic Institute Yale University
UWCSEA
STORIES
Academics in action A LOOK AT THE DESIGN THINKING BEHIND THE NEW UWCSEA DOVER HIGH SCHOOL MATHEMATICS PROGRAMME Adapted from Dunia article Adding up the benefits of Mathematics by Robert DeAbreu, Teacher of High School Mathematics, UWCSEA Dover The focus of the UWCSEA 9 and 10 Programme is to develop an entirely bespoke concept-based programme which speaks to the ambition and urgency of the UWC Mission, preparing our students to tackle complex challenges in the world today and for the future. Applying design principles when shaping these new courses is a critical part of the process and here we explore how design principles have been applied when shaping the High School Mathematics programme at UWCSEA Dover.
Design principle: Flexibility and Choice We want to ensure that students can personalise their learning experience. In our first Grade 9 unit, Structure and Connection, we challenge students to take their skills in number, algebra and indices further, to make conjectures and generalise patterns. For their summative assessment, students are asked to complete three tasks from a choice of ten, enabling them to dive deeper into a problem of interest, while achieving key learning goals. The result is much more inspired work, and deeper engagement in the processes of problem solving and mathematical communication. In our third Grade 9 unit, Sustainable Relationships, students choose which data sets to analyse on assignments. This allows them to grapple with the challenges of establishing relationships while working within a context that is meaningful to them, whether they are investigating the impact of sprinter height on a 100m Olympic race time, or exploring the cost difference between cooking fuels in Guatemala.
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This also means that we can be more flexible with what students produce on assessment tasks. Ray, a current Grade 9 Dover student explains, “You can create whatever you want to express your knowledge of mathematics and that allows you to really understand what mathematics is; that’s what I love about this course.”
Design Principle: Problem Solving for Complex and Real-World problems In our design of the UWCSEA Mathematics course, we created learning engagements for students in real-world contexts. This challenges students to determine the degree to which their findings make sense; to question the relevance and reliability of processes; and to understand more fully the significance and validity of their solutions. It is important to note here that the rigorous and complex mathematical work in the course is not exclusively connected to the real world. Theoretical mathematics, where students solve problems or prove theorems using a myriad of algebraic and geometric axioms, are also legitimate and important contexts. The key is that their work in mathematics is purposeful.
Design Principle: Interdisciplinary Thinking When designing the course, it was important to provide opportunities for students to make connections - to prior learning, to related topics in the course, and to their learning in other subjects. As such, we grouped mathematical topics together in each of our units of study based on their intrinsic connection. Establishing conceptual interconnection, while learning mathematics in authentic, complex, real-life contexts, enables students to leverage knowledge from their other subjects, such as science, languages, and the humanities. “I think the course helps in a lot of other subjects in terms of projects and collaborative skills. It doesn’t teach you to memorise facts but more to understand them conceptually,” observed Grade 10 student, Julia. Grade 9 student Sid agrees, “I’m a lot more excited to come to maths class because we get to approach it like we do science, by truly exploring maths rather than just answering questions.” At its core, the course also develops interdisciplinary thinking by helping students hone their Approaches to Learning (AtL), a hallmark of an IB Diploma education which includes the following cross-subject skills: communication, research, thinking, self-management, and social skills. The complementary independent tasks encourage students to cite sources effectively; make prudent and ethical data analysis decisions; structure their written work appropriately; and plan project work into manageable parts. These AtL skills, along with deep subject knowledge, help our students prepare for all the challenges they will face in their final years of High School and beyond.
Design Principle: Alignment with the IB Diploma and the UWCSEA Mission A key design principle was to ensure the course’s alignment with the UWCSEA Mission. In our Mind the Gap unit, students are challenged to use statistical analysis to create an awareness-raising video on a diversity, equity, inclusion, and/or justice issue that is important to them. This task naturally compels them to ask themselves, ‘how ethical is our persuasive narrative?’ and to identify and reduce their own biases as they tell the story their data shows. The responsible use of mathematical data and analysis is a powerful way to address ethical questions.
Looking ahead One of the best features of a bespoke programme is that the course can be adjusted to meet the needs of students year-on-year and will continually evolve to meet the ever changing demands of an uncertain future. Our course also has the goal of ensuring students’ readiness for the IB Diploma and the pilot IBDP currently being developed for introduction in August 2024.
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LEARNING PROGRAMME: ACTIVITIES UWCSEA’s multifaceted Activities Programme provides students with opportunities to explore new interests, develop their strengths and pursue their passions. It is a vital part of student learning and provides a creative and highly individualised outlet for the personal development of each student. Importantly, the programme provides opportunities for students to interact with peers, both in their grade and from other school sections, as well as with students from outside of UWCSEA. Founded on the notion of breadth of opportunity, our intentionally diverse programme provides students with opportunities to develop and to enjoy success beyond the classroom. Choice is a key principle of the programme. Organised around four ‘seasons’ students have opportunities to sign-up for individual seasons or make year-long commitments, depending on their interests. Many students participate in the array of offerings made available via the existing Activities Programme. Led by both UWCSEA staff and experienced external coaches. The extensive activities available to students supports their development and provides opportunities to extend their classroom passions, connecting their special interests with their learning. Like-minded students with a specific interest are also able to propose activities the Activities Department, with a view to formalising the offering and adding it to the seasonal sign-up. One of the benefits of the scale of UWCSEA is the sheer number of options we are able to offer students. The chart below shows the average number of activities that students in each grade take throughout the year. It indicates that students in all grades are taking full advantage of the offerings from the Activities Programme.
Programme offerings by the numbers DOVER CAMPUS
Season 1
Season 2
Season 3
Season 4
Number of activities
730
792
753
1,087
Number of students
2,681
2,669
2,573
2,523
Average number of activities by student
2.7
2.7
2.8
2.8
Hours per student per week
4hrs
3.9hrs
3.8hrs
3.4hrs
EAST CAMPUS
Season 1
Season 2
Season 3
Season 4
Number of activities
541
534
611
815
Number of students
2,393
2,387
2,272
2,213
Average number of activities by student
2.8
2.7
2.8
2.9
Hours per student per week
4.2hrs
4.1hrs
4hrs
3.7hrs
3,362
Activities offered at Dover Campus
2,501
Activities offered at East Campus
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Student participation by the numbers Dover Campus 336 297 245 171 123 83
K1
194
217
283
270 239
212
144
K2
G1
146
G2
G3
G4
G5
G6
G7
G8
G9
G10
34 FIB
G11
G12
Average number of activities per student
Average hours per student per week
9.7
4hrs
Average number of activities per student
Average hours per student per week
288
171
172
191
190
201
219
215
220
220 185
103 40
K1
3.8hrs
85
East Campus
84
9.9
K2
G1
G2
G3
G4
G5
G6
G7
G8
G9
G10
FIB
G11
G12
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STRATEGIC FOCUS ON SUSTAINABILITY In 2022/2023 the UWCSEA Activities Departments implemented significant measures to reduce our ecological footprint, such as eliminating single-use plastics, sourcing sustainable food, and using energy-efficient lighting and air conditioning only when necessary. The departments created a shared framework for reviewing activities partners and suppliers through a sustainability lens and adopted simple but effective changes such as: • opting for sustainable medals and trophies made from wood instead of traditional materials • a conscious decision not to offer shirts at our events, recognising the significant water consumption and environmental impact of manufacturing cotton t-shirts • working with our service partners to produce eco-friendly merchandise, such as bags crafted from repurposed plastic sourced from discarded bottles and car seats • working with partner New Balance to ensure 100% recycled fabrics are used and that international ethical manufacture and labour practices are followed in the production and delivery of sports uniforms
UWCSEA
STORIES
Activities in action BRINGING LEARNING TO LIFE THROUGH DANCE Adapted from Dunia article Evolving Beyond Dance by Lauren Hickson, Head of Dance, High School, East Campus In 2022/2023 the UWCSEA East annual dance showcase ‘ Evolve’, so named to reflect the growth of the Dance Department in recent years, took on a new format with three unique shows, combining different aspects of the dance programme with three important pillars of the Learning Programme: Academics, Activities and Service. ‘Academics’ came to life through a showcase of contemporary dance titled 'Natura'. This piece was inspired by the Grade 9/10 UWCSEA curriculum design which examines using dance to advocate for social change. 'Natura' explored the current climate crisis and
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explored the topics of drought, wildfire, melting polar ice caps, rain, and deluge. The piece included High School Dance Companies and Curriculum classes as well as soloists from High School and Middle School portraying wind, a fire spark, tumbleweed and smoke. ‘Activities’ was represented in a 'mini ballet’ offering students who are extending beyond the Grade 5 Royal Academy of Dance Syllabus an opportunity to flex their talent. This led to the creation of a 40-minute version of the traditional ballet 'The Nutcracker', featuring 73 students from Kindergarten to Grade 12. The ballet was choreographed by Lauren Hickson, Head of Dance, High School, East Campus, and Ballet Tutor, Steph Lee, and Peter Wright who was responsible for the repertory choreography of the Sugar Plum Fairy Solo. The ballet was a huge success and provided an extraordinary opportunity for students from across the College to come together and showcase their talent. The Middle School and High School Dance Activities Showcase also featured student-choreographed pieces that considered the stimulus of 'evolve' in their creation. Lastly the ‘Service’ inspired showcase allowed students to engage with the UWC Mission and to consider the world around them. The Dance Production partnered with Tiger Watch to raise awareness and funds for the endangered Sumatran tigers. The piece also allowed students to draw on their own understanding of the climate crisis and foster an empathetic response to real-world issues. Engaging students in this way allows for deep understanding of the issues and to develop the transferable skill of showcasing this knowledge and understanding via non-verbal art form, in this case, dance. The 'Evolve' showcase series demonstrated the Dance Department's commitment to adapting and evolving in response to challenges and to provide opportunities for students of all ages and abilities. It showcased the creativity and talent of students and provided a platform to engage with real-world issues in a meaningful way. The showcase was a huge success and a testament to the hard work and dedication of the Dance Department and its students. The Dance Department will continue to evolve and provide outstanding opportunities for our students. It will continue to focus on inclusion of all dancers of all ages and adapt to meet the changing needs of our students. We are excited to be on this journey together using Dance to share the message of peace and a sustainable future for all.
"It was an experience that allowed me to utilise skills learnt in IB HL Dance and implement them in an authentic real-world dance experience. This has allowed me to develop transferable skills beyond dance, such a problem solving, organisation and leadership. Partnering with Tiger Watch also enabled me to engage and support Services beyond my own." JULIA GRABOW, Grade 11, East Campus
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LEARNING PROGRAMME: OUTDOOR EDUCATION The Outdoor Education (OEd) Programme is a powerful part of the UWCSEA experience, providing students across the school with opportunities to develop the UWCSEA Learner Profile qualities of resilience, commitment to care, self management, communication and collaboration. The four standards of our Outdoor Education Curriculum are: • Personal identity
• Healthy relationships
• Connectedness to nature
• Expedition skills
STRATEGIC RESPONSE: STAGED RETURN TO OVERSEAS ADVENTURES In the 2022/2023 with most of the regional COVID-19 restrictions lifted, many aspects of the OEd returned to normalcy, but rather than a complete return to ‘business as usual’, the programme combined the best pre-pandemic practices with lessons learned from operating through two years of restrictions to offer a diverse programme of adventures locally in Singapore and overseas. The Outdoor Education Department’s approach for this school year was to re-introduce international elements incrementally throughout the year, so that all members involved were prepared and ready to embrace the adventures to come. As one of the core elements of our holistic learning programme, the OEd is always striving to create a rigorous, experiential and more sustainable programme. A balance of local and international trips can help to achieve this, combining the lower impact of local experiences with the full expeditionary experience that only international travel can provide. Preparation began with an overnight stay at Sarimbun Scout camp in Singapore in Term 1 for Grades 3–8. This gave the students the opportunity to stay overnight away from home, some for the first time and for many, the first time in 2–3 years. It gave parents the opportunity to practise handing over the care of their children to the school overnight, again for some families for the first time. It also gave the teaching staff and Outdoor Education Specialists the opportunity to take care of students in a pastoral role overnight in preparation for overseas trips later in the year. Term 1 was all about preparation and laying the foundations for the year. Term 2 saw the return to overseas expeditions with Grades 3, 5 and 6. OEd specifically chose to work with Nomad Adventures to deliver these programmes, and by doing so in the volume that was required, meant that we were able to support a brilliant organisation to get back on its feet. Nomad Adventures has great alignment with UWCSEA’s Mission and values, a track record in working to international safety standards and an innovative approach to programme development. In terms of learning experience, the opportunities both Gopeng and Desaru offer are perfect. Term 3 saw us return to Pulau Sibu with Grade 4 and Pulau Tioman with Grades 7 and 8. We worked with Sea Gypsy Resort and Our Little Planet respectively to deliver an action-packed multi-activity week for Grades 4 and 7 and a Journey-based programme for Grade 8. We have a long standing relationship with Juara Bay on Pulau Tioman, Our Little Planet and Juara Turtle Project of over 20 years. We’re excited to be returning and are incredibly privileged to have the opportunity to work and play in such a beautiful location. The rainforest, mangroves, beach and ocean can now continue to be our playground and the classroom. In 2022/2023 all OEd trips were rated under the new sustainability framework: Carbon Footprint and Educational Impact and Trip Behaviours. This sustainable planning assessment tool includes a review of policy and practice that recognises both the educational and operational impact of each trip. The framework provides the College an opportunity to balance decisions that ensure student safety, wellbeing and learning outcomes with an approach that minimises the environmental and social footprint of each trip wherever possible, including factoring in the impact of all the transport elements of a trip. Another significant development in the OEd Programme during 2022/2023 was the implementation of an outdoor adventure ‘hub system’ whereby students could choose a theme to their OEd adventure expedition which determined the level of physical and mental challenge for each experience. All of the themes had the four elements of the OEd Programme woven in, for example: conservation, culture or technical skills. This approach offers students a more bespoke and personalised adventure experience.
207
adventure trips in school year
3,304
students participated in adventure trips
Grades 3–8 began their OEd experience with a two-day adventure to Sarimbun Scout Camp in Singapore, before progressing an overseas adventure in Malaysia.
K1–2
Weekly outdoor experiences on campus
G1
Overnight stay in their classroom
G2
Overnight camp at Singapore Zoo
G3
Three-day in Desaru in Malaysia
G4
Four-day trip to Pulau Sibu in Malaysia
G5
Five-day adventure camp in Gopeng, Malaysia
G6
Five-day adventure camp in Gopeng, Malaysia
G7
Five-day trip to Tioman Island in Malaysia
G8
Five-day trip to Tioman Island in Malaysia
G9
Five-day adventure camp in Gopeng, Malaysia (Dover) Five-day trip to Tioman Island in Malaysia (East)
FIB
Five-day trip to Sarimbun Scout Camp in Singapore (local adventure)
G11
Project Week—independently planned trips by small groups of students
UWCSEA
STORIES
Outdoor Education in action
STEPPING STONES TO THE GREAT OUTDOORS: UWCSEA’S OUTDOOR EDUCATION PROGRAMME GETS BACK ON TRACK Adapted from a Dunia Article written by Jules Wainwright Camilla grabs the rope firmly with both hands. She closes her eyes, takes a deep breath and launches herself off the platform. Swinging forward, she just misses the landing pad, and quickly starts spinning backwards. Just in time, a flurry of hands reach out and halt her momentum, helping her balance and stay on target. Camilla launches off the platform alone, but she lands with the help of five classmates. Camilla is an East Campus Grade 6 student participating in the Sarimbun Scout Camp overnight, part of the first set of overnight trips run by the UWCSEA Outdoor Education Department since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. After having missed out on overnight trips the past few years, she says she felt anxious about overnighting, but she was embracing the challenge.
44 | UWCSEA Community Report 2022/2023
“It’s a really good experience to get back in camp,” she says. “You get closer to your classmates. It’s a fun experience. If you’ve never gone camping, I think it’s just a great experience for everyone to get outside and do a bunch of fun activities together.” The overnight trips at Sarimbun represent a new way forward, combining best pre-pandemic practices with lessons learned from operating through two years of circuit breaker lockdowns and other restrictions. When the pandemic disrupted travel from February 2020, the OEd quickly pivoted, creating a ‘hyperlocal’ programme. This saw students engaged in specially-designed on campus itineraries that created learning opportunities while respecting COVID-19 health advisories. By pivoting in this way, UWCSEA was the only school programme in Singapore able to operate OEd consistently throughout the pandemic. “The COVID-era undoubtedly posed a significant challenge, however it has also been an opportunity to adapt by utilising the best of what we could control and access, on the campuses and in Singapore,” says East Campus Head of OEd, Chris Newman. “This was only possible due to the emphasis placed on the holistic whole child development view that exists at UWCSEA,” Newman says. “The grounding and resources were already in place to get creative and problem solve an existing OEd Programme from 80% overseas overnight expeditions to an initially 100% campus based and then to a hybrid campus and local programme.” With a new found focus on keeping things local, the OEd was able to turn the inability to travel from a daunting challenge into a real opportunity. Dover Campus Head of OEd, Oli Sampson says, “Singapore’s got a lot to offer and the students can learn a lot just by being here. Having that local experience, extending it a bit further with the overnight component, gives classes an opportunity to come together at the beginning of the year. Then they are more prepared for later in the year when that extends to a longer trip, further afield.” For students like Camilla—as well as parents and teachers—overnight trips like Sarimbun are an important stage in their OEd journey. “These overnight trips are a really big stepping stone for several reasons,” says Sampson. “First, the students are having an experience they haven’t had for the past two years. For many of them that’s quite a big deal. And it’s a fundamental warm up to the next trip, which is going overseas. It’s a big step for parents as well. Parents haven’t let their children go for a few years, and that’s a really big deal so giving the opportunity for them to practise that, that’s an important step for them as well. Finally, it’s important for our instructors and teachers, who haven’t had the opportunity to really engage with that pastoral care in the way that a residential experience allows.” OEd is always striving to create a rigorous, experiential and more sustainable programme. A balance of local and international trips can help to achieve this, combining the lower impact of local experiences with the full expeditionary experience that only international travel can provide. “The College has undertaken a review of the sustainability of our expeditions and trips,” says Newman. “This is to ensure that trips are filtered through a sustainability lens. Each trip and expedition is planned with sustainability built into the process, reducing our impact on the environment and building in decisions and habits to support sustainable practice. Aligned with this we will continue to ensure that the connection to nature further fosters environmental stewardship and support students to be ambassadors for a sustainable future.” For Camilla and her classmates, that experience on the Sarimbun scout camp may have just seemed like a fun experience shared with friends. But for UWCSEA, it represents a vital step towards rebuilding, and reshaping our OEd Programme for a more sustainable future.
45 | UWCSEA Community Report 2022/2023
LEARNING PROGRAMME: PERSONAL AND SOCIAL EDUCATION The Personal and Social Education at UWCSEA that intentionally builds the skills and qualities to prepare students not just for university, but for life. The skills and qualities students develop, as much as the knowledge and understanding they gain in other areas of the programme, are identified so that students can become active, self directed learners and individuals that contribute to their community and society. This part of the Learning Programme is the foundation on which the other four elements are successfully delivered. The PSE curriculum content is classified in three overarching concepts: 1. individual wellbeing (self awareness and management) 2. Interpersonal wellbeing (social awareness and relationship skills) 3. citizenship and global wellbeing (privacy and safety, ethical communication, access and ownership) Time is dedicated each week for the intentional delivery of this important part of the student experience. However, student welfare is not limited to the allocated PSE time with their classroom teacher/mentor. Student welfare is also encompassed by safeguarding, learning support, wellness centre and counselling support, university advising, Heads of Grade, Vice Principals and Principals in supporting social and emotional needs of students. While all members of staff have a responsibility for the wellbeing of students, the learning support and wellness and counselling teams are central and work closely with teachers to ensure that students are supported both within and outside of the classroom.
STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT: APPOINTMENT OF DEIJ LEAD FOR THE COLLEGE
”Wherever you are in your DEIJ journey, I hope to help co-create frameworks, a knowledge-base and tools that we can build on, adapt, and personalise, to achieve DEIJ outcomes, not just intentions.” KIM CHEAH, SENIOR DESIGNATED DEIJ LEAD, UWCSEA As part of the College’s continued commitment to creating a safe and inclusive environment for all, Kin Cheah joined in January 2023 as the College leader for DEIJ. UWCSEA is committed to taking intentional actions, creating inquiry-driven spaces and valuing diverse voices in the ongoing evolution of the DEIJ journey. The appointment of a DEIJ lead for the College is an important step in moving to embed and stitch DEIJ values into the fabric of the school culture. Kim leads a team of nine Designated DEIJ Leads (DDLs) across both campuses who are available to students and staff as a first point of contact for individual concerns and escalations so they can be identified and managed in a timely manager. Appointment of DEIJ lead and establishing nine Designated DEIJ Leads (DDLs) fulfilling two key DEIJ domains specifically around addressing and escalating individual concerns within the College. In addition to the appointment of a DEIJ lead and team of DDLs there were other significant developments in PSE across the College, including: • significant preparation work in readiness for a cyclical curriculum review of PSE across K–12 • investment in student wellbeing initiatives including the opening of a wellness and support centre for High School students • the launch of teaching for DEIJ with culturally responsive pedagogy and practical strategies for how to plan for learning that is much more accessible for all
UWCSEA
STORIES
Personal and Social Education
in action
As we have moved to further integrate our mission into our daily lives at school, we have a deepening appreciation for the diversity we see around us in our classrooms and community. As a school we have a deep commitment to purposefully considering our words and actions to help all children feel seen, supported and heard. At UWCSEA, we value inclusion and we foster interpersonal and intercultural understanding. The community’s cultural and linguistic diversity continues to motivate and inspire every one of us. With a focus on supporting our ongoing work in DEIJ, a project was designed to continue to strengthen connections with children, families, and staff by sharing stories, experiences, and traditions to cultivate empathy towards those from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
FOSTERING POSITIVE IDENTITIES Adapted from Dunia article A story coming to life through languages: The Gruffalo Project written by Barbara Begg, Primary School EAL Teacher and Ana Palencia Sarmiento, EAL Coordinator, UWCSEA Dover Primary School Every year, the UWCSEA Dover Primary School celebrates Mother Tongue Day and Character Dress-up Day. These celebratory days promote multilingual reading and inspire students to express their creativity by dressing up as their favourite book characters. East Campus also celebrates Multilingual Week in the Primary School where members of our community including staff and parents participate by sharing stories, poems and songs in their home languages for our students to enjoy. Both campuses engage the rich linguistic diversity within our community, recognising it as a strength and acknowledging that all our languages form a part of who we are and our identity.
48 | UWCSEA Community Report 2022/2023
Storytelling is at the core for evoking emotions, creating connections and bonding in inclusive environments. In fact, it contributes to strengthening as well as preserving individual and collective identities for a sense of belonging. As part of our efforts to encourage active reading among our students, the Primary School team transformed a well loved storybook amongst our students, ‘The Gruffalo’ by Julia Donaldson, into a project that celebrates and honours the Home Languages in the school. The Gruffalo project had two main parts: a read-aloud video and a library display. The story's themes of empathy and understanding for others were highlighted by its translation into several languages that our students were familiar with.
Storytelling in Home Languages Through recorded videos that served as read-a-loud guides, many of our teachers were invited to participate in the project by reading a page of The Gruffalo in a language other than English. Thanks to their enthusiastic responses, we were able to capture the story’s retelling in over 18 languages. Each page had a teacher or two reading in a different language and with the help of Primary School teacher, Clare Willis, the videos were compiled to showcase the multilingual diversity of our teachers. 18 Languages read by teachers • Mandarin
• English
• Dutch
• Irish
• Korean • Spanish (speakers from Mexico, • Japanese Spain, Panama and Peru) • Scots • Afrikaans • Welsh • Tamil
• French (speakers from France, Canada and Mauritius) • German
• Hindi • Bahasa Indonesia • Polish • Italian • Portuguese
A multilingual showcase The set up of the multilingual library display of The Gruffalo complimented the read-aloud segment by providing a unique experience to engage with our diverse community. Students could write down the characters’ names in their Home Language, take constructive action to write down other suggested translations for The Gruffalo as an opportunity to feel represented when seeing the book in their own languages.
Encouraging positive affirmation The Gruffalo project goes beyond storytelling in multiple languages; it also fosters cultural mindfulness and positive awareness of identity. For some children, having a well-known book written in their own language can be a positive affirmation of their identity and a source of pride in their cultural background. For others, simply hearing their teachers speak different languages enabled them to recognise the diversity of their learning environment. Over half of our students (54%) speak languages other than English at home. Hearing these languages used to tell a familiar story can provide a strong sense of belonging, and instil pride for their Home Languages; a positive step towards linguistic inclusion. Storytelling has the power to bring together diverse communities and recognise their heritage. As part of the UWCSEA community, we want to continue to strengthen connections with children, families, and staff by sharing stories, experiences, and traditions to cultivate empathy towards those from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
49 | UWCSEA Community Report 2022/2023
LEARNING PROGRAMME: SERVICE The Service Programme at the Charity enables students to actively contribute to resolving social and environmental problems, both locally and globally. Aligned to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, students deepen their understanding of why these problems exist and come to realise that everyone can play a part in taking informed, purposeful action. By having a sense of purpose and forming an emotional connection to issues, Service learning enables students to develop their sense of identity and agency and students can view themselves as changemakers. While the context of each service interaction is different across our campuses, regardless of campus, grade, classroom or activity, all students are striving for learning in each of the three identified Service curriculum standards: 1. Awareness: by developing, skills and qualities individuals can become determined global citizens who recognise their ability to enact positive change 2. Systems Thinking – Being Able: individuals and groups can plan to engage effectively in the sustainable development of local and global communities 3. Taking Action – Being Changemakers: by taking informed, purposeful action, individuals and groups can act as changemakers, contributing to the sustainable development of local and global communities
Average weekly student hours of participation in service programme
1.6hrs
1.4hrs
2hrs
1.2hrs
K1–Grade 5
Grades 6–8
Grades 9–11
Grades 12
FUNDRAISING FOR SERVICE All money raised at the College is independently audited annually. With a lift of the pandemic restrictions, many of the College fundraising events were able to resume with relative normalcy. The commitment of our student body and services teams to our service partners and programmes was clearly visible in the collections made throughout the year. Total S$ collected by College for Service Programme $700,000 $630
$600,000 $500,000 $400,000
$455 $362
$300,000 $200,000 $100,000 0
2020/2021
2021/2022
2022/2023
SERVICE BY THE NUMBERS These numbers reflect the service activities offered at lunchtime, after school and on the weekends for all students K–12. In addition to this, all Infant, Junior and Middle School students take part in service learning in the timetable throughout the school year.
2,190
1,359
Dover students participated in Service Programme
Average hours volunteered weekly
Average number of service programmes per Dover student each year (lunchtime, after school, weekend)
East students participated in Service Programme
1.6hrs
Average hours volunteered weekly
4.5 4.5
1.8hrs
Average number of service programmes per East student each year (lunchtime, after school, weekend)
UWCSEA
STORIES
Service in action ALL HENS ON DECK: AN INNOVATIVE APPROACH TO SUSTAINABILITY Written by Valentina Zuin and Jacyl Ware, Environmental Sustainability and Stewardship, UWCSEA East UWCSEA East buzzed with excitement when Chicken-based Learning was introduced at the start of the 2022/2023 school year. The brainchild of East Campus’ Environmental Sustainability and Stewardship team, this programme offers numerous learning opportunities that relate to Sustainable Development Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, and that engage students around sustainability, urban farming, and permaculture while connecting them to the natural world and animals. By learning how to care for a brood of happy, healthy chickens, students can make informed food choices and develop a greater understanding of where their food comes from. Through Chickenbased Learning, we aim to inspire a lifelong passion for environmental stewardship and sustainable living, empowering our students to become agents of change in their own communities and beyond. Our gentle and easygoing Singaporean Buff Orpingtons have been hand-raised since hatching in September 2022. Soon after their arrival on campus in October, our feathered friends answered several questions from curious students who wrote to a dedicated email address asking them everything from “What is your favourite vegetable?” to “How did you learn how to type?”
52 | UWCSEA Community Report 2022/2023
The design and implementation of Chicken-based Learning was a labour of love spanning five years, reflecting the dedication and commitment of our educators, students, and the broader community. This ambitious initiative required careful consideration and planning to ensure seamless integration into the existing curriculum and effectiveness in serving the educational needs of our diverse student body. Through engaging students across various age groups and interests, we promote environmental stewardship and a deeper understanding of sustainable practices. Students of all ages learn valuable life skills, such as cooperation, responsibility, and problem-solving, as they collaborate to care for the chickens and maintain the permaculture systems in place. It’s all hands (or hens!) on deck. Grade 5 students play a crucial role in the daily care, feeding, and health management of the chickens. They are responsible for ensuring the chickens have access to clean water, food, and a safe and comfortable living environment. Kindergarten 2 students explore the adaptive features of chickens and learn about the composting benefits they provide. Through this experience, young learners are introduced to the concept of permaculture, which emphasises the importance of closed-loop, sustainable systems. The Primary School Leaders of Environmental Initiatives oversee the entire programme, ensuring that all student interactions are well-coordinated and effective. They lead student sessions and provide opportunities for other students to engage with the chickens, fostering a school-wide culture of environmental responsibility. High School Urban Gardeners contribute to the programme by designing and constructing a customised, moveable chicken tractor. This innovative tool allows the chickens to help dig over the raised garden beds in the Rooftop NEST, providing valuable compost and pest management. This collaboration between the chickens and students showcases the practical applications of permaculture principles in action. This hands-on approach provides real-world application of Personal, Social, and Emotional (PSE) Curriculum Units that are currently being planned for the next academic year in both the Middle and High School. The success of Chicken-based Learning at UWCSEA East serves as a testament to the power of hands-on, experiential learning and the importance of incorporating sustainability and permaculture into education. As our students become more connected to the natural world and the food they consume, they will be better equipped to address the challenges of sustainable living in cities in the 21st century.
"We invite our community members to witness the transformative impact of Chicken-based Learning on our students and the environment. We believe that the programme's success will not only benefit our campus but also inspire other educational institutions to adopt similar initiatives, creating a ripple effect that extends far beyond our school gates. Together, we can shape a greener, more sustainable future for generations to come." VALENTINA ZUIN
53 | UWCSEA Community Report 2022/2023
"… It is a fundamental belief of mine, borne from experience in many schools, that the way we interact with each other as adults will be how we interact with our students, your children …" NICK ALCHIN, HEAD OF COLLEGE, UWCSEA
OUR COMMUNITY
55 | UWCSEA Community Report 2022/2023
OUR COMMUNITY The UWCSEA community is a vibrant, truly international group of students, boarders, scholars, staff, alumni and parents who are united in a common purpose. This section of the report provides some statistics and information about our community.
STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT: COMMUNITY AGREEMENTS In October 2022 the UWCSEA Community Agreements were launched after multiple workshops with parents, students, colleagues and alumni over recent years that explored the link between our values (what we expect from ourselves and each other) and the behaviours (actions) that demonstrate them. The Community Agreements is a series of ‘We…’ statements of behaviour that describe what our values look like in action. The Community Agreements are not a contract or a policy to follow but are instead more like a compact; specific behaviours that set the tone and inform the intangible, subjective, emotional aspects that make any school successful. They should guide our interactions as we come together in our daily lives at school. The process of developing these Community Agreements was just as important as the Agreements themselves and were consensus driven, collaborative and values-based in their development. They are relevant to all in our community–staff, students and parents alike. The Community Agreements have been made available in 12 languages on the UWCSEA website. In addition to the development of the Community Agreements, 2022/2023 saw the much anticipated return of our community events such as the Community Fair (Dover) and Family Festival (East). These flagship events which are run by the Parent’s Associations are a coming together of all in our community in a day of celebration, fun and fundraising. The return of these events saw more than 5,000 attendees across both campuses and more than 100 Global Concerns stalls.
56 | UWCSEA Community Report 2022/2023
57 | UWCSEA Community Report 2022/2023
STUDENTS AND FAMILIES In keeping with our mission and values, our diverse student community bring a variety of backgrounds and experiences to our campuses. Our students’ learning, their interactions, and growth through the five elements of our Learning Programme is all the more exciting and enriching because they interact with peers who bring a diversity of cultures, life experiences, and perspectives to the campus and classroom.
TRANSITION Dover Campus Students: 3,085; Families: 2,213 352 266
88 K1
89 K2
119
144
168
190
215
285
313
336
264
220
18.1% Dover Campus leavers*
36 G1
G2
G3
G4
G5
G6
G7
G8
G9
G10
FIB
G11
G12
Average length of stay of leavers
5.7
years
East Campus Students: 2,706; Families: 1,971 288
142 86
K1
166
168
190
190
201
223
221
253
233 196
East Campus leavers*
110 39 K2
G1
G2
G3
G4
G5
G6
G7
G8
G9
G10
FIB
15.6%
G11
G12
Average length of stay of leavers
5.6 years
College Students: 5,791; Families: 4,184 640 589 546 489
380 310
405
506
17.0%
460
421
College leavers*
336
261 174
199
Average length of stay of leavers
5.6 years
75 K1
K2
G1
G2
G3
G4
G5
G6
G7
G8
G9
G10
FIB
G11
G12
* leavers figures includes Grade 12 graduates
58 | UWCSEA Community Report 2022/2023
India 12.6% United Kingdom 10.10% China 9.8% United States 8.2% Australia 7.5% Korea 7.0% Japan 6.7% Singapore 6.0% Canada 3.0% Hong Kong 2.8% Others (73 nationalities) 26.20%
83 Dover Campus
3.2%
101
77 East Campus
Nationalities across College
25.9% India 11.7% China 9.8% United Kingdom 7.5% United States 7.3% Singapore 6.8% Australia 4.9% Japan 3.5% Hong Kong 3.4% Canada 2.7% Korea 16.5% Others (67 nationalities)
10.0%
Canada
5.0%
UK
Korea
10.7% China
7.9% USA
5.9% Japan
3.1%
18.8%
Hong Kong
India
6.6%
Singapore
7.2%
Australia
101
Countries represented by UWCSEA students Argentina; Australia; Austria; Bahamas; Bangladesh; Belarus; Belgium; Benin; Bolivia; Botswana; Brazil; Bulgaria; Burkina Faso; Cambodia; Canada; Chile; China; Colombia; Costa Rica; Côte d'Ivoire; Croatia; Cyprus; Czech Republic; Denmark; Dominican Republic; Ecuador; El Salvador; Estonia; Eswatini; Ethiopia; Finland; France; Georgia; Germany; Greece; Guatemala; Haiti; Honduras; Hong Kong; Hungary; India; Indonesia; Ireland; Israel; Italy; Jamaica; Japan; Kazakhstan; Kenya; Lebanon; Lithuania; Macao; Macedonia; Madagascar; Malawi; Malaysia; Maldives; Mauritius; Mexico; Monaco; Mongolia; Myanmar; Namibia; Nepal; Netherlands; New Zealand; Norway; Pakistan; Paraguay; Philippines; Poland; Portugal; Romania; Russian Federation; Saint Kitts and Nevis; Senegal; Serbia; Sierra Leone; Singapore; Slovakia; Slovenia; South Africa; South Korea; Spain; Sri Lanka; Sweden; Switzerland; Taiwan; Tanzania; Thailand; Togo; Trinidad and Tobago; Turkey; Uganda; Ukraine; United Kingdom; United States; Uruguay; Vanuatu; Viet Nam; Zambia
69
Dover Campus
79
Languages spoken across College
65
East Campus
59 | UWCSEA Community Report 2022/2023
BOARDERS AND SCHOLARS The founder of the UWC movement, Kurt Hahn, believed the experience of living and learning with other young people from around the world should be at the heart of UWC’s philosophy. The College community benefits tremendously from the presence of scholarship students who make up around one third of our boarding community. The diversity of background, culture, socioeconomic status and life experience of our scholars enriches the everyday life of our whole community, and this is particularly true of the UWCSEA boarding experience. In the same way as all other UWCSEA High School students, scholarship recipients are selected on the basis of their potential to have a positive impact on their local and global community, and must have the academic ability to meet the demands of the UWCSEA Learning Programme. Some scholars are selected by the College directly with consultation through the UWC National Committee, but most are selected through their country's UWC National Committee. In 2022/2023, the UWCSEA community welcomed 100 scholars from 100 countries to our boarding community in Singapore, and supported another 9 to attend our sister UWC schools and colleges around the world. In 2022/2023, also saw the naming of one of the houses Dover Campus to be the Maya Angelou Boarding House, honouring Maya Angelou, an American poet, actress, and civil rights activist. This tribute aligns with UWCSEA values and celebrates her achievements as an inspiration to others. Dover Campus has Kurt Hahn, Maya Angelou and Nelson Mandela residential boarding houses, and Tampines House is on East Campus.
Boarders
174
Dover Campus
315
UWCSEA boarding students
141
79
56
East Campus
50
Nationalities in UWCSEA boarding
Dover Campus
East Campus
Boarding enrolment 118
College
105
Dover Campus
42
Dover Campus
51
Languages spoken in UWCSEA boarding
East Campus
58
32
East Campus
31
13 5 8
14 17
26 11 15
G8
G9
G10
22 11 11 FIB
42
60
63
G11
G12
60 | UWCSEA Community Report 2022/2023
Scholars
25.0% Europe
18.0% Asia
30.0% Americas
27.0% Africa
61
Countries represented by scholars Argentina; Austria; Bahamas; Belarus; Benin; Bolivia; Botswana; Brazil; Bulgaria; Burkina Faso; Cambodia; Chile; Colombia; Costa Rica; Côte d'Ivoire; Denmark; Dominican Republic; Ecuador; El Salvador; Estonia; Eswatini; Georgia; Germany; Greece; Guatemala; Haiti; Honduras; Hungary; Indonesia; Ireland; Italy; Jamaica; Kenya; Lithuania; Macedonia; Madagascar; Malawi; Malaysia; Mexico; Myanmar; Namibia; Paraguay; Philippines; Poland; Portugal; Senegal; Serbia; Sierra Leone; Slovenia; Spain; Tanzania; Thailand; Togo; Trinidad and Tobago; Turkey; Uganda; Ukraine; Uruguay; Vietnam; Zambia
100
57
43
UWCSEA scholars
Dover Campus
61
37
East Campus
109
Scholar enrolment College
47
Dover Campus East Campus
23
2 0 2
2 0 2
2 1 1
1 0 1
24
G8
G9
G10
FIB
G11
46
30
Nationalities of UWCSEA scholars
Dover Campus
East Campus
Scholars receiving a UWC education
100
2
2
scholars at UWCSEA
UWC Mahindra UWCSEA Staff Fund Scholarships (Grade 11 and Grade 12)
Waterford Kamhlaba UWC UWCSEA Staff Fund Scholarships (Grade 11 and Grade 12)
19
27
2
1
1
1
G12
UWC Dilijan Scholarships (Grade 12)
UWC Maastricht Scholarship (Grade 12)
UWC Adriatic UWCSEA Refugee Scholarship (Grade 12)
UWC Thailand (Grade 11)
61 | UWCSEA Community Report 2022/2023
STAFF UWCSEA’s vision is to be a leader in international education, with a worldwide reputation for providing a challenging, holistic, values-based education. The recruitment and retention of excellent staff who are aligned to the mission and values of the UWC Movement remains central to our vision. The College provides specialist teaching staff for students of all ages, recruiting fully qualified teachers who have experience teaching in international environments. Many have postgraduate qualifications, ensuring that we are able to offer the highestquality experience to our students. Our team of full time Outdoor Education staff is unique amongst schools in Singapore. In terms of Educational Support staff, this includes provision of teacher assistants in the Primary School; technical, PE, and laboratory assistants in science and other specialist classrooms in the Middle and High Schools, as well as professionally experienced support staff and coaches in the Physical Education, Drama, Design Technology and Music Departments.
Dover Campus Student teacher ratio Leavers
99
642
Dover Campus 10.6 students
1 teacher
163 Admin/support staff
262
Full-time teachers
307 Teaching staff
45
Part-time teachers
Foundation 4 Management 4 Boarding support 12
335
Administration and support staff 152 Educational support staff
Others 10.7% (19 nationalities)
42.3% United Kingdom
India 1.6% Spain 2.3% China 2.3% Ireland 3.9% New Zealand 4.9% Australia 5.9%
29
Teaching staff nationalities
Canada 7.5% Singapore 8.5%
10.1% United States
Others 4.6% (12 nationalities) United States 0.6% Indonesia 1.1% China 1.1% Australia 1.1% Canada 1.4% India 2.6% Philippines 3.7% United Kingdom 4.0% Malaysia 10.3%
22
Administration and support staff nationalities
69.5% Singapore
1,19
UWCSEA
92
A staff
62 | UWCSEA Community Report 2022/2023
The extensive business operations of the College are supported by similarly qualified and experienced staff. Our administrative and support staff provide our teaching staff with support that enables them to focus their energy on providing an outstanding educational experience for our students. The College is an equal opportunity employer, and our staff are an important part of our inclusive community, and which celebrates diversity. In much the same way as we consider diversity factors in applications from qualified students for the fresh perspectives they will bring to their cohort, we welcome staff who contribute to our community in the same way. Many of our administrative, educational support and operations staff are Singaporean, and provide unique connections with the community in which we live and learn.
East Campus Student teacher ratio
550
51
East Campus 10.2 students
Foundation 4 Management 3 Boarding support 12
273
1 teacher
153 Educational support staff
240
Full-time teachers
Administration and support staff
Leavers
277
37
Part-time teachers
Teaching staff
101 Admin/support staff
79.0% Singapore Others 3.1% (8 nationalities)
18
United States 0.4% South Africa 0.8% Administration China 0.8% and support staff Spain 1.2% nationalities Malaysia 1.6% Philippines 2.7% India 2.7% United Kingdom 3.1% Australia 4.7%
Others 11.2% (17 nationalities)
32.5% United Kingdom
France 1.8% Spain 2.2% India 2.2% China 2.9% New Zealand 4.3%
27
Teaching staff nationalities
Singapore 7.9% Australia 10.5%
13.0% United States 11.6% Canada
63 | UWCSEA Community Report 2022/2023
ALUMNI At the heart of the College’s alumni engagement programme is the opportunity for the UWCSEA community to remain connected—with each other, with the UWC movement and with the ideals of the mission—by encouraging life-long connections and mutually beneficial relationships. We have a network of almost 26,000 UWCSEA alumni across the globe. UWCSEA alumni are invited to get involved and give back in many ways. The Alumni Relations team continued to offer opportunities for our network of alumni around the world to stay connected with the College through events and communication services including e-newsletters, the website and the publication of a new look and feel One°North magazine in 2022/2023. A lifting of the COVID-19 safe management measures saw the welcome return of alumni reunion events in Singapore and across the world, including in Jakarta, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Melbourne and Sydney. Many alumni living in Singapore and those in Singapore for business or pleasure, also took the opportunity for in -person visits and came on to our campuses to visit old teachers and see the learning and social spaces that shaped their experiences here at UWCSEA.
25,966 159
Alumni
16,468
Contactable alumni
63.4%
of total alumni
Countries in which alumni are located Albania; Argentina; Armenia; Aruba; Australia; Austria; Bahamas; Bahrain; Bangladesh; Barbados; Belarus; Belgium; Belize; Benin; Bermuda; Bhutan; Bolivia; Botswana; Brazil; Brunei Darussalam; Bulgaria; Burkina Faso; Cambodia; Cameroon; Canada; Cayman Island; Chile; China; Colombia; Costa Rica; Croatia; Cyprus; Czech Republic; Denmark; Dutch Caribbean; East Timor; Egypt; El Salvador; Estonia; Ethiopia; Falkland Islands Malvinas; Faroe Islands; Fiji; Finland; France; Georgia; Germany; Ghana; Greece; Guatemala; Guyana; Honduras; Hong Kong; Hungary; Iceland; India; Indonesia; Ireland; Israel; Italy; Jamaica; Japan; Jersey; Jordan; Kazakhstan; Kenya; Kuwait; Laos; Lebanon; Lithuania; Luxembourg; Macao; Madagascar; Malawi; Malaysia; Maldives; Malta; Marshall Islands; Mauritius; Mexico; Moldova, Republic Of; Mongolia; Morocco; Myanmar; Namibia; Nepal; Netherlands; New Zealand; Nigeria; Norway; Oman; Pakistan; Panama; Papua New Guinea; Paraguay; Peru; Philippines; Poland; Portugal; Qatar; Romania; Russia; Rwanda; Samoa; Saudi Arabia; Senegal; Serbia And Montenegro; Sierra Leone; Singapore; Slovenia; South Africa; South Korea; South Sudan; Spain; Sri Lanka; Swaziland; Sweden; Switzerland; Taiwan; Tanzania; Thailand; Timor-Leste; Trinidad And Tobago; Turkey; Turks & Caicos Is.; Uganda; Ukraine; United Arab Emirates; United Kingdom; United States; Uruguay; Vanuatu; Venezuela; Vietnam; Virgin Islands; Zimbabwe
64 | UWCSEA Community Report 2022/2023
STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT: UWCSEA CAREERS PROGRAMME Each year, 500 young adults graduate from our IB Programme, with many continuing on to notable universities around the world to follow their dreams of becoming scientists, artists, writers, humanitarians, lawyers, entrepreneurs and more. As the professional landscape grows more challenging and competitive, there is greater emphasis on the value of hands-on work experience. The Alumni Relations team has been dedicated to encouraging the career development of our students and young graduates and this year, we harnessed the collective strength of our network, including parents, alumni, and partners, to create an engaged and enthusiastic community, focused on knowledge exchange and skill development. Key achievements include: • Careers and university talks: Over 50 alumni shared insights on career and university pathways, shaping the aspirations of our students • Company visits: We organised visits to Google, Amazon, Bytedance, Bloomberg, Visa, and the Asian Development Bank, offering students real-world industry exposure. • Summer internships: 100+ summer internships from 41 organisations equipped students with practical skills and industry knowledge. • Networking: 5000 alumni have registered onto the CONNECT platform • Mentorship: Our CONNECT platform attracted 1,100 alumni from 70+ countries offering valuable mentorship to our students Our community's support has made these initiatives possible. Together, we invest in empowering the next generation of leaders to realise their dreams in an increasingly competitive world.
PARENT COMMUNITY Our active and engaged parent community provided the College with an exceptional level of support through the activities of parent volunteers. This continued in the 2022/2023 year, and we are grateful to our parent community for their continued support and engagement. Whenever it became possible we were pleased to welcome parents to campus, and at individual moments across the year were able to hold in person parent-student-teacher conferences, information and welcome meetings and a number of parent workshops. 2022/2023 represented a wonderful year of reconnection for our parent community with the lifting of pandemic restrictions and the return of much-loved community events such as the Community Fair and Family Festival. Parents were also able to return to campus for student events such as Arts Festivals, concerts, drama performances, UN Night and CultuRama and learning updates such as parent/teacher conferences and student-led conferences.
Parents’ Associations On both campuses our hard-working Parents’ Associations (PA) were managed by an elected committee of enthusiastic volunteers, who offered their time to serve the school community. By helping parents connect with one another and to other important groups, our parent community and the PA contributed significantly to one of the College’s most important strategic goals: to build a united, diverse and strong community. Our dedicated PA teams organise an exciting and diverse array of events and activities which are designed to connect the parent community with the life of the school and with each other, from large, campus-wide events, to social coffees and lunches, to regular and one-off activities or outings. 2022/2023 represented reconnection and re-learning for all of these activites after COVID-19, and the PA approached them with their usual passion and commitment. Just some of the many event and achievements of our dedicated PAs in 2022/2023 include: • new Parent and Buddy Coffee Mornings were held in August 2022 to welcome new parents on both campuses • supported students in various community events including United Nations Day on East and the UN Primary School Food festival on Dover • supported students for the flagship High School events–UN Night on Dover and CultuRama on East • first (PA-organised) Community Fair (Dover) and Family Festival (East), after a three year hiatus due to COVID-19, more than 5,000 guests attended in total • organised graduation dinner after the NUS graduation ceremony for over 800 people—students and family members at the Shangri-La • regular coffee mornings for all school sections with Heads of Gradesand teachers in attendance • transition to Middle School/High School/Grade 11 events for parents • a range of activities and events for parents organised by the PA activities, sustainability and mental health and wellbeing groups e.g., FIKA mornings, No Idling campaigns, parenting workshops, exercise and language classes and activities and many more on Dover Campus. East Campus parents were also involved in many parent-led activities such as yoga, badminton, cooking and more • nationality groups organised events on both campuses for our campus communities including for Diwali, Lunar New Year and Hari Raya • Dover Primary School families enjoyed the PA organised Cinepicnic whilst on East Campus the PA held a successful movie night for families Classlist continues to be a valuable parent-to-parent communication tool for Dover PA both in community building and information sharing. Classlist allows Dover Parents to: • Join groups they are interested in and connect to other parents – activities, interest, support groups • New families can get support and information via the “New Families group” • Find and connect to other parents – in their child’s class, grade, living nearby, or from anywhere in the school • Get reminders about events and initiatives happening in the community • Buy, sell, give away items in the online Marketplace
Both Parents’ Association are registered as a society in Singapore under the Societies Act. They operate individually and have independent constitutions and Managing Committee structures which are governed by a constitution and bye-laws, with independently audited financial statements available to members each year.
Parents’ Action for Community and Education (PACE) A volunteer, parent-led organisation that falls under the Service umbrella of the College, PACE serves the UWCSEA community across both campuses. With a common mission and through shared values, PACE strives to support the UWCSEA Strategy to create a united community by welcoming all parents, staff and alumni. Their annual schedule of activities provides both a social network and many opportunities to contribute to the Singapore community and beyond in ways that align with our UWCSEA values. Established 23 years ago to provide scholarships for children in the slums of Cebu, Philippines, PACE has always focused much of its efforts towards improving the lives of underprivileged children through access to education. With the support of many volunteers, PACE has created libraries in Myanmar, built schools in Cambodia, donated over 200,000 school lunches to children in need and helped over 360 children graduate from High School and College in the Philippines. This was a pivotal year for PACE with three key milestones/developments to note: • Firstly, the creation of a Refugee Education program which evolved into a unique collaboration between UWCSEA students, staff and parents and Malaysian charity, Cahaya Surya Bakti (CSB). The Refugee Education program, created with CSB in November 2022 gives young refugees living in Malaysia access to a quality secondary education that not only imparts knowledge but also instils confidence, resilience, and a sense of purpose. More importantly, it offers CSB graduates a pathway to a fully-funded tertiary education in the Philippines and the opportunity to gain permanent resident status and a passport. • Secondly, the expansion of the Board to include co-chairs (one Dover and one East member) for most positions strengthened capacity and balanced representation across campuses. • The third development was, sadly, marking the end to PACE’s long partnership with HCA Hospice Care. The post-Covid conditions associated with caring for people with vulnerable health conditions made it too difficult for PACE volunteers to make a meaningful contribution moving forward. While the closure of the HCA Hospice Care was disappointing, the PACE local service program continued to flourish this year with more than 100 volunteers donating over 1000 hours of their time in support of our three partners: Coastal Kayak Clean; Krsna Free Meals supporting migrant workers; and the Children’s Wishing Well FRESH program that sees UWCSEA families donating funds and escorting children from low-income families to the supermarket to buy food. The ever-popular PACE cycling and walking tours provided many opportunities throughout the year for UWCSEA parents to make new friends and explore Singapore and the return of the Dover Community Festival and East Family Festival provided the perfect platform for the much-loved PACE Book Fair. The fair, which serves as a very effective method of recycling/re-homing books within the community, raised around $10,000 for PACE charities. The wide range of PACE initiatives bring together UWCSEA parents, alumni, and families to make a real difference in the lives of others and in our environment. Just as important, they give us all a chance to live the UWC mission alongside our children.
UWCSEA Parent Ambassadors The UWCSEA Parent Ambassadors are a group of passionate and committed parents who work with and represent the UWCSEA Foundation within the UWCSEA community. The Ambassadors champion and support activities and events of the Foundation, increasing awareness of the impact of giving to the College and encouraging members of the community to get involved in supporting philanthropic initiatives of the College. In 2022/2023 school year, we were delighted to be able to re-engage with our dedicated Parent Ambassadors, as important partners in our community engagement and education on the impact of philanthropy at the College.
67 | UWCSEA Community Report 2022/2023
"All of us, in different ways, have supported the students and their families through the work we do—whether you are a teacher or part of our cleaning team, part of security or facilities team, in the clinic, IT or in finance —we all work towards making the experience of our students meaningful, enjoyable and engaging." CATHY JONES, HEAD OF UWCSEA EAST
BUSINESS REPORT
69 | UWCSEA Community Report 2022/2023
BUSINESS REPORT The College has significant business operations. This section of the report provides an overview of staff and student recruitment through Human Resources and Admissions, as well as Finance and the UWCSEA Foundation for the 2022/2023 school year.
HUMAN RESOURCES UWCSEA’s ambition is to be a leader in international education, with a worldwide reputation for providing a challenging, holistic, values-based education. The recruitment and retention of excellent teachers, and administration and operational teams who can support the mission of the College remains central to this vision.
STAFFING
608
Administrative and Support staff at the College
Educational support 25.6% Administration and Operations 22.1% Boarding support 2.0% Management 0.6% Foundation 0.7%
1,192 UWCSEA staff
584
Teaching staff at the College 42.1% full-time teachers 6.9% part-time teachers Student teacher ratio across College
10.4 students : 1 teacher
STAFF RECRUITMENT
175
Educational support, administrative and operations posts Dual campus roles 8.2% Single campus roles 57.1%
2,657
(39.6%) Educational support, administrative and operations applications
Average number of applications per vacancy
16.0
268 Posts advertised
6,710 Applications received
93
Teaching posts 1.1% Dual campus roles 33.6% Single campus roles
4,053
(60.4%) Teaching applications
44.0
Average number of applications per vacancy
70 | UWCSEA Community Report 2022/2023
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT In the spirit of fostering a supportive and psychologically safe community, the Professional Learning and Development team prioritised their time and efforts in 2022/2023 on enhancing psychological safety and emotional well-being through the implementation of Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) and Safetalk programs. These initiatives reflect our commitment to the holistic development of our community members and contribute to creating an environment where individuals feel valued, heard, and supported. The focus on psychological safety and emotional well-being aligns with our strategic commitment to wellbeing, belongingness, professional learning and development. Throughout the 2022/2023 year, the Professional Learning and Development team organised various training opportunities, including professional learning days for teachers and skill-based training options for educational support, administrative, and operations staff. Specifically addressing the needs of our community members, we introduced ASIST and Safetalk programmes to provide essential tools for recognising and responding to mental health challenges. These programs are designed to empower individuals to identify signs of distress, initiate conversations about mental health, and connect individuals with appropriate resources. The initiative seeks to create a community that is not only academically and professionally enriched but also prioritises the mental well-being of our members. By continuing our efforts in building staff capabilities in ASIST and Safetalk, we aim to cultivate an environment where open dialogue about mental health is encouraged, stigma is reduced, and individuals feel equipped to support one another. Our commitment to psychological safety and well-being underscores our dedication to creating a community that thrives on compassion, understanding, and mutual support.
1,396
Individual training applications processed
1,137 Unique participants
78
In-house courses run by UWCSEA staff
24
UWCSEA staff who led training for colleagues
71 | UWCSEA Community Report 2022/2023
UWCSEA FOUNDATION The UWCSEA Foundation is the fundraising arm of the College, and is a key strategic function within the Department of Engagement and External Relations. This section of the report highlights the activities of the UWCSEA Foundation in fundraising and stewardship in the 2022/2023 school year.
TOTAL GIFTS AND DONORS Since its inception in 2008, the collective generosity of donors, through gifts large and small, has helped the Foundation to raise over S$40 million. The total gifts reported reflect the cash donations received by the College in the 2022/2023 financial year, including new donations and cash received from pledges made in past financial years. Please refer to the 2022/2023 Impact of Giving Report for details on the total funds and pledges raised, which reflects all funds committed during the financial year. The total gifts amount does not include interest and dividends earned through investment of the endowment fund. Total S$ of gifts (in ’000)
Donors
$4 million
2,000
$3 million
1,500
$2 million
1,213
1,296
1,000 1,034
$1 million
0
500 $2,381
$2,675
$2,348
2020/2021
2021/2022
2022/2023
0
DONATIONS 100% of the gifts supported the continued development of the College and the UWC movement through five key programmes: scholarships, sustainable development, teaching and learning, student support, and endowment. Gifts received in a given school (financial) year are generally allocated to support scholarships and other mission-aligned priorities in the subsequent school year.
Sustainable Development fund S$7
S$1,821 Scholarship programme fund
Excellence in Teaching and Learning fund S$83 Student support fund S$84 Unrestricted (Area of Greatest Need) fund S$143
Endowment fund S$210
S$2,348 total donations (in ’000)
72 | UWCSEA Community Report 2022/2023
ENDOWMENT FUND The Engagement Foundation Committee oversees the Foundation endowment, allocating the funds over asset classes with longterm investment horizons. Endowment funds are split between restricted and unrestricted, with restricted endowment money reserved for specific purposes, as directed by donors and/or the College.
S$5,775 Unrestricted Funds (General)
S$11,509
S$5,734 Restricted Funds
total endowment (in ’000)
DONOR RECOGNITION SOCIETIES 1971 Society Recognises cumulative lifetime gifts in five giving levels.
8 Chairman’s Circle (S$1,000,000 and above)
283
10 Patron (S$500,000–S$999,999) 45 Benefactor (S$100,000–S$499,999)
Members
25 Fellow (S$50,000–S$99,999) 195
Globe Giving Club
Kurt Hahn Society
Recognises those who make gifts of S$1,000 or more during the current financial year.
Recognises those who plan to leave a bequest to the College.
231 Members
5
Members
Member (S$10,000–S$49,999)
73 | UWCSEA Community Report 2022/2023
FINANCE This section of the report outlines financial information for the 2022/2023 year for the College. UWCSEA is incorporated in the Republic of Singapore. As a non-for-profit organisation, the College uses any financial surplus from the campuses for the sole purpose of betterment of the College. Every dollar of school fees supports the provision of UWCSEA’s holistic Learning Programme, including provision of educational resources, staff and student recruitment, staff development and training, and development and maintenance of facilities in line with our mission for sustainability. We are pleased to report that our audited financial results for the year 2022/2023, ending in July 2023, compare favourably to the budget approved by the Board of Governors. Revenue grew 5.3% and surpassed the budget that arose mainly from higher fixed deposit interest earned and marked to market valuation gain from College investments. Operating expenses remained close to budget expectations. Overall, the net surplus amounted to S$21 million or 8% of total revenue which is allocated to the College cash reserves, with the long term aim of ensuring the financial sustainability of the College.
INCOME
EXPENDITURE
Enrolment-related income comprised 85.3% of total revenue. Donations, investment income and other income contributes to 10.8%. Activities and trips income was 4%.
70.2% of the College’s expenses are derived from salaries and benefits. Campus operations represent the next biggest expense, comprising 20.8% of the total. Learning resources, technology, administration, donation and other expenses constituted another 6.1%. The 2.8% Activities and Trips expenditure reported does not include staff costs for delivering programmes; these are incorporated in the previously noted salaries and benefits expenditure. 70.2% Salaries and benefits
83.7% Tuition and boarding fees and development levy
College income
4.0% Activities and trip revenue 1.6% Admission fees 0.6% Donation income 3.3% Investment income 6.9% Other income
20.8% Campus operations
College expenditure 2.4% Learning resources 2.0% Administration expenses 2.8% Activities and trip expenses 1.6% Technology 0.1% Donation expenses
74 | UWCSEA Community Report 2022/2023
FINANCIAL SUPPORT: SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMME AT UWCSEA Funding for scholarships is generated through school fees, the UWCSEA Nominee Programme, corporations, foundations, National Committees, and parent, alumni and staff donations. A total of S$8.7 million was allocated to scholarships during the 2022/2023 school year, enabling the UWCSEA community to welcome 100 scholars from 61 different countries to our boarding community in Singapore.
Funding for UWCSEA-enroled scholars
82.4% UWCSEA school fees
Source of funding
12.6% Corporations and major donors 3.2% UWCSEA Annual Fund 1.5% UWC National Committees 0.3% Parents of scholars
S$8.7 million Total financial support
In addition, support from the UWCSEA community enabled another 9 scholars to attend other UWCs around the world: • 1 UWC Thailand (Grade 11) • 1 UWC Adriatic UWCSEA Refugee Scholarship (Grade 12) • 1 UWC Maastricht Scholarship (Grade 12) • 2 UWC Dilijan Scholarships (Grade 12) • 2 UWC Mahindra UWCSEA Staff Fund Scholarship (Grade 11 and Grade 12) • 2 Waterford Kamhlaba UWC UWCSEA Staff Fund Scholarships (Grade 11 and Grade 12)
75 | UWCSEA Community Report 2022/2023
ADMISSIONS The Admissions Department is responsible for all aspects of the admission of students to the College and compliance with Singapore government regulations for admission and continued enrolment of students to foreign system schools in Singapore. During 2022/2023, the Admissions Department processed a bumper number of applications for entry to the College in 2023/2024, with a total of 3,241 applications received for August and January intakes, representing a 17% rise in applications over the previous admissions cycle (for 2022/2023 entry). As Covid restrictions were progressively lifted in Singapore, we were able to provide prospective applicants a combination of Open Day webinars and in-person, on-campus Open Day events in September and October 2022. Demand for in-person tours was especially strong. Kindergarten to Grade 8 applications follow a process of online application with supporting documents, including in-person assessments arranged where necessary. In K1 and, beginning in 2022/2023 for K2 applicants as well, this involves an in-person play-observation session for all applicants based in Singapore. The High School and Boarding admissions process requires all applicants to attend a virtual immersion programme as part of the eligibility assessment process. In 2022/2023, Admissions and EAL teams on both campuses implemented a new process for reviewing whether English Language Learners (ELLs) met our entry criteria for EAL support. In place of the previous practice of mandatory testing of all ELL applicants, with effect from 2023/2024 entry, Primary and Middle School applicants are no longer tested, but reviewed by both Admissions staff and EAL Coordinators, who make a final decision on the application. High School applicants who are ELLs continue to be tested to determine if they meet our entry criteria for EAL support.
APPLICATIONS Dover Campus
East Campus
1,084 1263 619
‘Single campus’ applications
‘Dual campus’ applications
Places available for entry
‘Single campus’ applications ‘Dual campus’ applications
Places available for entry
Average applications for each available place
2.8 applications
635 1263 555
1 place
Average applications for each available place
2.3 applications
10.0% Graduate leavers
TRANSITION The Office of the Registrar in the Admissions Department processes withdrawal notifications for students who are leaving our community, either due to graduation or relocation, and supports all families with immigration-related matters. There were 982 students who left UWCSEA in 2022/2023, including 578 graduates in the Class of 2023.
1 place
17.0% Students leaving
7.0% All other leavers
5.6 years
average length of stay of leavers
UWCSEA Dover is registered by the Committee for Private Education (CPE), part of SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) | CPE Registration No. 197000825H CPE Registration Period 18 July 2023–17 July 2027 | Charity Registration No. 00142 UWCSEA East is registered by the Committee for Private Education (CPE), part of SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) | CPE Registration No. 200801795N CPE Registration Period 10 March 2023–9 March 2027 | Charity Registration No. 002104 Printed on recycled paper with environmentally friendly inks | MCI (P) 004/06/2023 | OOTP-2324