When parents ask their teens today about where they want to go or what they want to study in college, the most common answer is a hesitant, “I’m not sure.” And it’s not just college — many students simply aren’t connecting with school anymore. The Gallup Voices of Gen Z Study reports that middle- and high-schoolers find school less interesting, and only half believe they’re being challenged “in a good way.” It’s little wonder many parents are asking themselves a new question: If school doesn’t inspire them, what will?
Tanglin Trust School in Singapore has spent 100 years nurturing students, from their early years to Year 13, through this very journey. As they grow, they are motivated to make plans for their future, not just because someone told them “You should go to college,” but because they’ve been encouraged, year after year, to explore what excites them.
The Tanglin Highlands Programme offers practical learning and fieldwork opportunities. Source: Tanglin Trust School
A Senior School experience that opens minds, doors
In Senior School students embrace the learning process. Tanglin’s Inspired Learners Vision teaches students the value and importance of learning. Different themes around learning are highlighted each term with e-praise awarded to students who have done well in these areas. This ensures that the focus is always on how students can develop independence and agency in their learning and understand ways to improve.
It’s a head start that fuels them to explore even more. Tanglin offers one of the widest ranges of IGCSE subjects among Singapore’s international schools, giving students plenty of room to dive deeper into what excites them. And when they reach Sixth Form, they get to choose between A Levels or the IB Diploma, a dual pathway option unique to Tanglin. The result is flexibility with purpose: every student can chart the route that fits them best, while building the credentials to thrive at top universities worldwide.
A clear example is Tanglin’s recognition at this year’s Outstanding Pearson Learner Awards (OPLA), where it topped the nation for the second year in a row. Standout performers include Year 12 students Nathalie R. who earned the highest marks in the world for GCSE PE, alongside two 2025 Tanglin graduates also achieved remarkable success in their A levels: Lincoln Newby secured the highest mark in the world for A Level PE while Amos Yeh achieved the same distinction in A Level Art.
Outside the classroom, students are encouraged to challenge themselves through intellectually demanding co-curricular activities. These activities help shape the whole child, and the school offers a rich selection for every age; last year alone saw 2,652 students from across the whole school participating in 383 different activities.
Senior students, for instance, take part in Model United Nations (MUN) conferences and share their ideas on the TEDxTanglin stage, where they deliver powerful talks sharing thought-provoking perspectives. “The TEDxTanglin 2025 ‘Ctrl + Alt + Delete’ theme challenged the idea that success always begins with starting something new,” says lead organiser Meher B., a Year 13 student who’s also the lead organiser for Tanglin Trust School’s Model United Nations Conference (TMUN25). “Instead, it invited [students] to reflect on how growth can also come from re-evaluating, or even deleting, what no longer serves [them], whether in [their] systems, societies, or [themselves].”
Year 10 student Dvita D. spoke about body image in her talk, “Beyond the Mirror”. Year 7’s public speaking winner, Arin T., shared what it felt like to step into Senior School. Year 8 winner Dhruv B. broke down how convenience often wins over doing what’s right for the planet. And Year 9 speaker Saket G. discussed how sports success is really about resilience and the willingness to start again.
Tanglin has hosted and participated in the STEM Racing Singapore National Finals. Source: Tanglin Trust School
Team Mercury (with Senior students Aarushi S., Alfonso N., Elina K., Eloise G., Daniel B.) had an incredible run. They reached the World Finals of STEM Racing in Schools and now sit at 65th in the world, out of 28,000 teams and 1.8 million competitors.
“It was a great opportunity to experience what it’s like to work in motorsport and to make new friends from around the world,” Arushi shared. “Looking ahead, we are excited to mentor the next generation of Tanglin teams as they represent our school and Singapore at the World Finals and the Singapore Nationals, which will be hosted at Tanglin.”
What happens when a student attends a ‘transformational’ Senior School
In a K12 survey, 32% of graduates felt their high school didn’t prepare them with the skills they needed for the real world.
In Senior School, students will have many opportunities to gain just that. They can hone practical know-how, resilience, and leadership, whether through CCAs or specialised outdoor experiences. These moments often become turning points: the first time they navigate a challenge independently, lead a team, or discover they’re capable of doing more.
One of the most memorable experiences is the Year 9 Highlands Programme, a five-week adventure with Tanglin’s Gippsland, Australia campus as its base. Here, students will learn to work together, step outside their comfort zones, and reflect on themselves. And when they get back, they can continue their OE journey with the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (which sees over 130 students participating in 2025/26) or join the Tanglin Exploration Society.
While the OE programme builds a range of skills, including grit, team work, confidence, and independence, The Institute in Senior School prepares students for life after Tanglin. Through events, talks, and entrepreneurship and study programmes, students will meet thought leaders, commercial thinkers, and researchers who push them to become bolder thinkers and doers.
As part of their work experience, students got to work at Vogue Singapore. Source: Tanglin Trust School
For example, Chloe S. got to work at Vogue Singapore and says she “gained valuable industry connections, as well as real-life experience working in the fashion industry.” Meanwhile, James C. worked at a university research lab. “The experience was absolutely fascinating and opened my eyes to a new world of science,” he shares.
“Truly great education should be transformational,” says Dr. Richard Malpass, Head of Senior School. “It should reveal fascinations and exciting challenges in order to unfold possibilities, both intellectual and experiential, which can transform a child’s sense of self, and their sense of the opportunities around them.”
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