International Schools in Singapore

As an international school with a complete IB International Baccalaureate teaching system, HWA established a school philosophy of tolerance and understanding towards cultural differences from all over the world since its inception. Our faculty members come from over 15 countries/regions and possess degrees and teaching experience from leading global institutions. Here, we provide them with opportunities to showcase their valuable teaching experience and interact with students on a teaching platform to share their practices.

HWA is committed to providing personalized educational experiences for full-time students by maintaining small class sizes. Our aim is to achieve a student-to-teacher ratio of no more than 1:24, currently operating at a ratio lower than 1:15. This commitment ensures that our teachers can closely interact with each full-time student, understanding their academic progress, emotional states, and social interactions. Such an environment guarantees personalized attention and support from teachers in both academic and extracurricular activities. At HWA, small class sizes mean full-time students receive customized guidance in all areas, including sports and extracurricular programs, facilitating holistic development tailored to each student’s needs.

The IB curriculum is one of the most established educational programs globally, standardized and managed by the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) based in Geneva, Switzerland. All IB courses are tailored according to the IB learner profile, representing the ten attributes valued by IB World Schools.

The IB curriculum is divided into four programs:

Primary Years Program (PYP): Designed specifically for students aged 3-12 years, based on six interdisciplinary themes like ‘Who We Are’, ‘How the World Works’, and ‘Where We Are in Place and Time’. PYP is highly adaptable to local contexts and encourages inquiry-based learning within individual subject areas.

Middle Years Program (MYP): Offered to students aged 11-16, featuring eight subject groups, each with a minimum of 50 hours. The focus of MYP is to encourage students to learn through practical experiences and connect their learning to the real world.

Diploma Program (DP): Suitable for students aged 16-19, DP consists of six subject groups and five core elements: Theory of Knowledge, Creativity, Activity, Service, and the Extended Essay. The program also includes an independent research project and a community service project. DP results are used for university admissions.

In addition to these core curriculums, we offer a wide range of extracurricular activities (CCAs), including sports, music, arts, and various interest clubs. Notably, we provide a series of activities related to Chinese culture, such as Guzheng, Tea Ceremony, and Calligraphy, aimed at deepening students’ understanding and appreciation of Chinese culture. These activities not only enrich the students’ learning experience but also facilitate their holistic personal development beyond academic achievements.

We are a forward-looking modern institution that advocates holistic teaching methods and lifelong learning. In the classroom, our teachers not only guide the curriculum, but also actively encourage students to participate, cooperate, challenge what they have learned from textbooks, and apply it flexibly to real life situations.

HWA International School’s unique bilingual and bicultural model supports the development of bilingual and cross-cultural skills. This includes arranging short trips for students to different parts of China every year, aimed at developing students’ cultural and historical appreciation as well as a comprehensive understanding of the host country. During kindergarten, primary and secondary school, Chinese language courses follow the national curriculum of China and include bilingual courses in Chinese and English.

HWA has two language course support classes, English Language Support (ELS) and Chinese Language Support (CLS), aimed at helping students who have little or no background in English/Chinese or weak English/Chinese language skills to acquire the foundational language skills needed to successfully integrate into the curriculum. The teachers of our language support classes work closely with HWA’s English/Chinese classroom teachers to better assist students at every stage.

HWA always puts the focus on the physical and mental health and overall development of every student. Throughout the academic year, our school nurse is on campus from 8 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday. HWA’s school nurse is certified and trained in basic life support, first aid, CPR, and AED and works closely with local doctors to provide students with round-the-clock health protection and medical assistance.

In addition to our school nurse, many other staff members at HWA are qualified in first aid, lifesaving, and CPR to ensure the safety and health of every student, even after school hours. According to the Singapore government’s healthcare scheme, all international students at HWA International School must purchase medical insurance throughout their entire learning journey.

Medical conditions are not the only healthcare concern that HWA focuses on. As an international school, we deeply understand the difficulties that students may encounter when away from their home country. To help them better adapt to learning and living in Singapore, HWA provides students with supplementary psychological and academic counseling services at all times. The counseling office is located next to the nurse’s office in the secondary school block.

The Parent Support Group (PSG) of HWA International School was established in 2011 and is more than just a regular parent association. As children attend HWA, it is important for the school to establish close relationships with parents through the PSG and to build a communication bridge for other static communications and contacts.

HWA International School believes in open communication with all parents, and the PSG facilitates regular meetings and activities specifically for parents, guardians, and staff to come together and discuss students’ performance in areas of concern, whether it may be in academics, extracurricular activities, or personal well-being. This avenue of constructive feedback from parents has led HWA to implement new or improved plans, such as the reading program for Kindergarten 2 and Primary 1 classes.

Throughout the academic year, the PSG also arranges a series of beneficial special events and plans for the wider community. These family-oriented activities often see parents and their children spending meaningful time together during events such as International Day, Halloween, Kindergarten Book Week, Sports Day, and more.

For parents of children attending HWA, the PSG encourages and welcomes your increased involvement in your child’s school life and to continue supporting and building the HWA community in more than one way.

he campus is equipped with IT infrastructure that helps teachers and enhances the learning experience for students in all classrooms. Students can engage in diverse activities in our sports facilities, such as basketball, volleyball, unobstructed basketball, bouldering, and five-a-side football and cross-country races. They also have opportunities to participate in enriching outdoor activities. In the leafy campus environment, they can also experience the natural ecosystem in facilities such as the Bio Pond. In addition to on-campus facilities, the well-equipped Shenzhen Longgang Sports Center is only a 10-minute walk from our school on Shanhupo Road. The facility boasts an international-standard football field, a 50-meter swimming pool, badminton courts, and an Olympic-sized track and field, among other related facilities, for HWA to hold sports and other large-scale learning events.