International schools creating the next generation of global leaders

19 Sep 2018

When preparing to send your child to school, you want to make sure they feel secure, welcome and nurtured as well as fulfilling their potential. Now, when preparing to send your child to school in a foreign country, this list of prerequisites will only grow to include matters such as culture, language, and a whole plethora of other concerns.

But these concerns should not deter you from taking that leap – there are fantastic long-term returns for sending your child to a school outside their comfort zones. Not only will they gain exposure from an early age to diverse cultures, it also opens up a world of opportunities for their future careers.

And in the world of international education, there is no region showing more promise than Asia, especially in countries in the southeast. Increasing interest in this fast-developing region has in recent years resulted in a rapid growth of international schools here, currently numbering to over a thousand.

But with so many to choose from, how do you distinguish the great from the average? There are numerous factors to consider when choosing the right school, and here we will compare four Asia-based international schools to help you find the right path for your child.

Source: Dwight School Seoul

Whether you are most concerned about graduate outcomes, prospects for alumni, variety of opportunities or a particular focus on sports or the arts are all to be taken into consideration. It is also important to consider the pastoral care of a school, how the school is accredited and how it will suit your child.

Schools around the region offer a variety of curriculae, including traditional British Schools, where students will take iGCSEs and A-Levels, schools which pride themselves on the International Baccalaureate or those offering a traditional American education.

The importance of Primary and Secondary education are not to be underestimated, after all; it is the blueprint for adult life and in a rapidly changing world, children need to be prepared to be leaders, problem solvers and innovators.

It is at school where children will make decisions that eventually shape their career paths. Therefore, they need an education that will nurture all aspects of their development and help them uncover their hidden talents so that they can fulfil their potential.

Source: Bangkok Patana School

However, the right school for you might not just be based on their rigorous academics and breadth of extracurricular activities. Often finding the right international community for you and your family is crucial, as it will be central to the next fifteen years of your family life.

DWIGHT SCHOOL SEOUL – SOUTH KOREA

Dwight International Schools have prepared students for entry into top institutions since 1872.

Dwight has been an International Baccalaureate trailblazer for more than 30 years, having been among the very first IB Schools in America and establishing the first and only fully authorised IB Continuum School in Seoul.

Dwight School Seoul is committed to finding and igniting the “spark of genius” in every child. With opportunities to perform on stage at Carnegie Hall through a yearly music exchange with Dwight New York, to land a place at a top art college through Dwight’s robust arts education, to develop ingenious projects at maker-space labs and to experience life outside the classroom during weekly Nature Education outings, there’s something for every student.

Source: Dwight School Seoul

Dwight School Seoul fosters a warm, welcoming and inspiring community. They respect all students as individual learners, each with their own strengths and needs. As such, Dwight offers a personalised holistic education for each child.

There are opportunities for every child to enjoy and master sports from swimming to basketball, explore arts from ceramic sculpture to painting and print making and to express themselves in theatre, chorus, music and film.

With Dwight campuses in New York, London, Seoul, Shanghai and Dubai, Dwight students have access to a global network that embraces the diversity of thought and the mutual respect it takes to achieve greatness in today’s interconnected world.

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL HO CHI MINH CITY – VIETNAM

Celebrating 25 years of educational excellence, ISHCMC constructs a culture of achievement in an environment where students are energised, engaged and empowered to become active participants in their communities. Students enjoy coming to school and are encouraged to develop a lifelong passion for asking questions, which stretches far beyond the boundaries of the classroom.

Source: International School Ho Chi Minh City

Accredited to teach all three IB programmes such as the Primary Years Programme (PYP), the Middle Years Programme (MYP) and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB DP), ISHCMC is a truly international school with over fifty nationalities represented. Ultimately, the school transforms students into true 21^st century citizens that are equipped with the critical thinking skills required for future success.

This International School is the most experienced school in HCMC when it comes to delivering IB programmes. By specialising in inquiry led teaching, providing daily time for mindfulness and creating a positive learning community, the school has a proven track record of a 100% university acceptance rate. Additionally, in 2018 the IB results showed a 98% IB DP pass rate, 67% bilingual diploma achievement and for the second year in a row, an ISHCMC student scored 45/45.

ISHCMC also take pride in their facilities with a new state of the art secondary campus, including science labs, a community garden, a music recording studio, a 350-seat theatre and a rooftop field. Furthermore, renovations have begun for the primary years’ campus, which will include an art studio spanning a whole level, a music studio and Fab Lab.

SINGAPORE AMERICAN SCHOOL – SINGAPORE

SAS aims to break the mould of typical education systems offering new course options, passion pathways and personalised learning, encouraging students to find who they are rather than letting a system define who they can become. The school is proud of its culture of excellence, extraordinary care, and possibilities.

Source: Singapore American School

It is an independent, non-profit, co-educational day school, offering an American-based curriculum for preschool through to the 12th grade. The students come from 50 different nations, and 65 percent hold US passports.

Culturally the school places a great emphasis on sustainability and environmental stewardship. It comprises a 36-acre campus with mature rainforest onsite, an eco-garden and an award winning solar power system.

Students are encouraged to get involved with environmental projects such as planting seedlings, creating a butterfly garden and participating in coastal cleanup projects. As well as having the opportunity to get involved in community project trips to countries such as Japan and Nepal.

Students are able to try over 90 after-school activities here, and with an impressive sports program and a thriving arts scene on campus, your child is bound for find their niche at SAS.

BANGKOK PATANA SCHOOL – THAILAND

The Bangkok Patana School is very proud of their name as Patana means ‘development’ in Thai. The oldest British international school in Thailand, this not-for-profit institution has remained at the forefront of education in Thailand and is currently one of the most respected educational establishments in Southeast Asia.

Source: Bangkok Patana School

If you choose Bangkok Patana School, your children will follow the British national curriculum up to Year 11 and the International Baccalaureate in Years 12 and 13, offering extensive opportunities for tertiary education through their University and Careers Support department.

Bangkok Patana School is committed to ensuring that parents feel confident that their children are receiving the best intellectual, physical and social preparation for their futures. The school offers a diverse and engaging education, using a holistic approach to emphasise the importance of the world outside the classroom and encourage extensive extracurricular activities. Students graduating will be well-rounded individuals ready to play their part in society.

The school has an extensive campus and outstanding facilities which ensures that students have the greatest number of options and opportunities in all areas of their academic and personal development. Facilities include two swimming pools, numerous courts and playing fields, an indoor climbing wall, dance studio and state of the art Science Centre which is the first of its kind in Thailand.

*Some of the institutions featured in this article are commercial partners of Study International