FAQs

• Years 7 to Year 9: eight classes of 24 students
• Years 10 & 11: eight tutor groups of 24 students. Class size of 20 students in option subjects, and 24 students in set subjects.

Please note that the maximum class size may be exceeded on occasion due to extenuating circumstances at the discretion of the Head of School with the support of the CEO.

Encourage your child to give their best from day one and aspire to be the best they can be as often as possible for as long as possible.
Take risks, have a go, get involved, and don’t have or develop a fear of making mistakes.

We also want parents to feel involved in their child’s school life and we frequently explore ways for parents to feel more active and engaged.

The sheer range of opportunities for the students in terms of the academic curriculum (range of GCSE and (I)GCSE subjects) and the fact that students have the opportunity to pursue either the IB Diploma or A Levels in the Sixth Form. The support the students receive from Heads of Year, Form Tutors, subject teachers, the university guidance team, counsellors, and learning and medical support staff is incredible and adds so much to what students can achieve here at Tanglin.

We are a school that is proud to embrace British values with a strong international perspective which means we follow a British structure of strong pastoral support and guidance, high academic standards and an emphasis on developing the whole child by offering a range of enrichment opportunities and specialisms. Tanglin Senior School is committed to a well-rounded and grounded education and our curriculum is tailored to reflect our long-standing location in Singapore.

We offer a broad and balanced curriculum providing a wide range of subjects and disciplines. As well as traditional subjects, the curriculum also includes service learning, outdoor education opportunities and a wide range of Co-Curricular activities that stimulate and broaden student experience. We firmly believe young people are just as likely to learn outside of the classroom as inside it. We also include inquiry based units to encourage the development of research skills, independent thinking and collaboration which traverse subject boundaries. We firmly believe young people can learn from each other as well as from adults.

We relish the opportunity to enable exceptional experiences and enhancements for our community funded by the Tanglin Foundation. These opportunities fall into four sections; Development of Lifeskills; Engaging with Global Issues and the Wider Community; Participation in Creative Arts and Sport and Enhancing Academic Endeavour; all sections are further supported by the Foundation through Visits from Inspirational Groups and Speakers.

We are a centre for inspirational, dedicated and resourceful teachers, managers and leaders who are progressive in their outlook and who stimulate wonder, creativity and imagination. We look to the latest educational research into pedagogy and we embrace developments in technology when they can be used effectively to enhance learning. We are committed to the continued professional development of our staff at all stages and levels of their career.

We aim to develop skills as well as impart knowledge as we realise the importance of students remaining open-minded, versatile, resilient and ready for the challenges of continuing study. We want Tanglin students, as Alumni, to be useful and successful in life beyond school and university who can participate with enthusiasm and will contribute with confidence to the lives of others, society and the world, always taking responsibility and always showing integrity. It is our aim to allow our students to grow, flourish and become confident individuals who appreciate their own worth and that of others.

We aim to be inclusive but we are mindful that we want our students to thrive and flourish and we do not want to set our students up to fail. We continue to explore and extend the opportunities and courses available to give our students every opportunity to achieve success through their selected pathway and to become suitably prepared for life.

We are a happy school that values and cares for staff and students alike. We strive for wellbeing for all in a school that is often very busy but always prepared to be flexible and considerate to the needs of individuals. Emphasis is placed on a healthy work/life balance and the importance of chill-out time and break-out spaces. Our culture thrives on positive relationships between all members of our community and offering support when it is needed or asked for.

We aim to listen carefully and inform effectively. We do this through a range of communication platforms as well as by implementing procedures that allow students, parents and staff to voice their views and concerns. An open door policy is not always easy to adhere to in Tanglin but visitors are always welcomed and inquiries responded to.

We are resourceful and creative in our approach to time and space to ensure both teachers and students have the tools to collaborate and develop into lifelong learners. Our collective view is that buildings, facilities and resources must be safe and facilitate and stimulate learning.

We are not a complacent school. Indeed, senior leaders, middle managers, teachers and support staff are always looking for ways to be innovative, improve and move forward. Every member of the Tanglin community is encouraged to take risks, have a go and feel comfortable aiming high and sometimes failing in a supportive, optimistic and solution-focused environment.

We can all feel proud of the Senior School and recent inspection reports have informed us that we are ‘outstanding’ in all categories. However, whilst outstanding is a great place to be, our aim is to be a ‘Stand Out’ School.

Respect: We are proud and confident that Tanglin students have respect for themselves and for others. An example of this is how they carry themselves, their behaviour for learning and how they act towards all members of our Community.

Responsibility: Tanglin students are potential leaders of tomorrow and as such are given leadership opportunities throughout their years at Tanglin. They make just choices, action service to others and appreciate the importance of responsible consumption and sustainability.

Purpose: Tanglin students have the learning skills to strive beyond simply knowing things. We want them to think for themselves, manage their time effectively, communicate clearly, research and find things out independently and to be comfortable, confident and happy.

The consistently outstanding results we have achieved, the impressive university offers, the wonderful young adults that emerge, and the impressive lifelong learners they become support the statement wholeheartedly.

House and Sports Captains, Student Year Group Council positions, Pastoral and Faculty Prefects, the WAYV (We Are Your Voice) Team, and the Head Team (Head Boy, Head Girl, Deputies and Senior Prefects) are all examples of student leadership and voice being exercised at Tanglin.

Students of all ages also take the lead when presenting or performing at awards assemblies, open mornings, and high profile events both on and off campus.

Throughout the whole school, being kind, understanding, tolerant, giving back, developing awareness, and being responsible and responsive are key elements in a Tanglin journey.

Service is encouraged from Year 7 through opportunities on curriculum trips, the International Duke of Edinburgh (DoE) in Years 10 to 13 and Creativity, Action, Service (CAS) in the Sixth Form. There are also further opportunities to explore service through personalised projects supported by the TTS Foundation and the Deirdre Lew Service Award.

We pride ourselves on our excellence in sport and there’s a huge range of opportunity to excel in many sports at Tanglin. The focus on Sport for All also encourages the ‘have a go’ approach to sport. Our aim is for as many students as possible to take part and enjoy sport at both a training and competitive level.