Dulwich Awarded Best Schools Award (Singapore) 2022 for Best Early Years

Early years education in Singapore's international schools
In the past three years there has been a noticeable increase in the number of international schools opening a nursery and pre-school for children as young as two months. 

To help create that ‘small school feel’, these schools house their nursery and kindergarten classes in a self-contained early years’ centre with its own community of classrooms, learning pods and recreational areas. This can offer families the best of both worlds – many of the advantages found in smaller schools with all the benefits of a large, fully-equipped campus. They often have lessons from specialist subject teams, such as Mandarin, swimming, music, dance and PE, and have access to outstanding facilities that smaller nurseries simply cannot offer.

But what makes an international school’s early years’ programme truly outstanding?
In this Award category, we were looking at how schools deliver an outstanding early years education for children in terms of the academic, pastoral care, sport and the arts. We asked does it offer a breadth of education that establishes the foundations for primary school, and how well does the school support the transition from early years to primary? Also, has the school developed a learning environment designed for early years learners, is it investing in teaching expertise, resources and leadership, and how does the school track progress and connect with other parts of its school?

How are the Winners and Highly Commended schools decided?
Our panel of expert judges selected the Award winners based on their strengths; feedback from parents, teachers and students in WhichSchoolAdvisor surveys; information in the Award entries submitted by schools and parents; and reviews by WhichSchoolAdvisor (Singapore) editors.

Why did Dulwich College (Singapore) win?

• Dulwich College (Singapore) is renowned for its academic rigour, well-rounded, confident students, and strong language programme. It is highly regarded in the UK by both schools and universities and has quickly earnt its reputation as one of the top international schools in Singapore; this is in part thanks to the Dulwich College heritage, but also well-earned by the school’s forward-thinking leadership.
• Dulwich College Kindergarten School (DUCKS) for 2-7 years is in a purpose-built early years building with age appropriate facilities. There are 720 students in DUCKS and class sizes are 16 in Nursery to 20 in Reception, where there are eight classes.
• Outdoor education: It was the first international school in Singapore to introduce Forest School, which is accredited by the UK's Forest School Learning Initiative (FSLI), into its DUCKS Early Years programme. The school says that its Forest School "allows children to develop and apply academic skills, build emotional resilience and learn to manage risk through self-initiated interactions with nature.". 
• DUCKS: The dual-language Mandarin programme is a huge draw for parents; offered to children from two years old, they have a specific Mandarin teacher in class with them who teaches alongside the class teacher
• Specialist teaching: There is specialist teaching in Music, Sport, Technology, Library and Swimming, and the breadth of the Early Years curriculum prepares students for the rigour of the Junior School. 
• Dulwich has adapted the ENC to meet the needs of its international student body (42% of students are British) – the dual-language Mandarin programme in early years; STEAM initiatives, and collaborations with its global network of sister schools.
• Beyond the classroom: There’s a huge choice of CCAs for this age group to provide enrichment (choir, maths club, yoga, mindfulness or sports clubs from as young as two), and leadership opportunities including student councillors, house captains, eco warriors and class 'techsperts' – which all feeds into a culture where students expect to be stretched and challenged.
   

  Judges said that Dulwich’s ambitious forest school offers “fantastic opportunities for young children”, and the dual language programme immersing younger students into languages is impressive. The school stands out for its “fantastic range of CCAs which allows for a smooth transition into the older years”, as well as its focus on encouraging “the love for learning”.

  Sasha Crabb, Principal, Victory Heights Primary School, Dubai, said:

  “I was really taken by the sense of confidence from the school and the belief in the application of what under-fives actually need in terms of learning experiences. It genuinely feels as if the setting knows their community, knows who they are catering for and believes in making childhood memories for all. What a bursting bundle of days and projects for all their young learners.”  

  The school stands out for its commitment to the UK's Forest School programme, which judges say is proven to offer a myriad of benefits to children, especially those residing in urban areas.

  Jenny Mollon, Director of Education at Kidzink Design, said:

  "Dulwich College (Singapore) leads with a vision of being child-centric and then consistently demonstrates a deep understanding of what this really means. The physical, social and emotional and communication development of the children is paramount here.

  "Here's a school that puts emphasis on student agency, which allows the youngest of children to create and understand the powerful impact their actions can make."