New IB, Bilingual & BTEC Courses for August
What's new in Singapore's international schools? Nexus is moving to the IB's Middle Years Programme, Dover Court is offering a new BTEC course for Sixth Formers, and GEMS World Academy (Singapore) is about to launch a Mandarin Bilingual Programme in its Early Years.
Find out everything you need to know below...
New Bilingual Programme: GEMS World Academy (Singapore)
In August 2021, GEMS World Academy (Singapore) will start to offer a Mandarin Bilingual Programme for Pre-K, KG1, and KG2. Aimed at students ahed three to six years who are not native Mandarin speakers, the programme will be aligned with the IB Primary Years Programme that is offered to all other Early Years students at the school.
GEMS (Singapore) joins the small number of international schools in Singapore that offer a bilingual education in Mandarin (Putonghua), which is the most popular Chinese dialect. Click here to find out Which 9 Singapore Schools Offer a Chinese, Bilingual Education?
There will be two qualified teachers, both proficient in English and Mandarin. The bilingual programme will offer equal exposure to both Mandarin and English; the daily timetable is divided equally (50/50) between the two languages, and music and PE will be taught in Mandarin once a week.
The bilingual programme is one of several new offerings announced at GEMS (Singapore) since it left the global GEMS group and joined the Singapore-based XCL Education family of schools in late 2020; the school says that the change of ownership "paves the way to further growth developments for the school".
New IB Middle Years Programme: Nexus International School
Nexus is introducing the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (MYP) for all students in Years 7-9 from the start of the next academic year; students will then continue to study IGCSEs in Years 10 and 11, and the IBDP in Years 12 and 13.
This marks a move away from the National Curriculum for England, which is currently taught at Nexus in Years 7-9. Nexus becomes one of nine schools in Singapore to follow the IB's MYP.
New BTEC Course: Dover Court International School
Sixth Formers at Dover Court International School will soon have the option to study the International BTEC Diploma Level 3 in Business. The school plans to offer this BTEC from August 2021, subject to CPE approval.
It currently offers Years 12 and 13 students a choice of the IBDP or the International BTEC Diploma Level 2 in Business, which is a UK-based specialist, work-related qualification.
BTECs are offered at only two international schools in Singapore – Stamford American International School, which offers a Business & Technical Education Council (BTEC) International Level 3, and Dover Court – and a small number of training colleges and private institutions in Singapore including TEG International College and the SSTC Institute.
