Quick summary of key school information
All the details about this school in their own words
Number of students |
3000 |
Number of nationalities represented in the school |
70 |
Most common nationality |
American, Japanese, Indian, Scandinavian & Israeli |
Ratio of local students to international students |
Almost 100% international |
Native English speaking teachers |
Yes |
Language support for students not fluent in English |
Yes. As part of its incredible attention to care, OFS has developed an extraordinary Study Preparation Program that is best-in-industry for rapid English language acquisition. Grouped into smaller, dedicated classes according to language proficiency, non-English speaking students are quickly immersed in the English language under the nurturing instruction of highly experienced and qualified specialist educators. This thoughtful attention and dedicated support throughout their learning journey, provided at no additional cost, allows many students to quickly progress and join mainstream classes without losing an academic year. |
Additional language classes offered by the school |
Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Norwegian, Russian, Spanish and Swedish. OFS offers the most extensive and immersive Mother Tongue Program amongst international schools in Singapore, with 14 different languages on offer meeting for 4 sessions per week from pre-Kindergarten 2 to Grade 8. Taught by our passionate team of qualified native speakers, our students can choose to immerse themselves thoroughly in the language and culture of their home country, gaining native-level language proficiency for seamless re-integration. All thoughtfully integrated into the main curriculum at no additional cost for the best student experience. Foreign language programs are also available. |
Max. number of students per class |
Nursey-Pre-Kindergarten: 15-20
|
Average number of students per class |
20 |
Does the school employ teaching assistants? |
Yes |
Use of technology in the classroom |
All 241 classrooms are linked by a campus-wide high-speed computer network with Internet access for all students, and are equipped with overhead projectors and additional resources such as laptops or desktops for student use. The campus has four Technology labs and five Computer labs. In classrooms, teachers are creative and targeted in their use of technology. Teachers do not use technology for technology’s sake, but rather play to the strengths of technology and use it in strategic and targeted ways. For instance, OFS offers an authentic Mathematics/Coding program for the Elementary grades that allows students to use their mathematical knowledge in programming through coding projects that are rigorous and uniquely designed. Through weekly coding lessons, students have the opportunity to learn programming skills that embrace problem solving strategies and strategic thinking. Teachers and ICT specialists also teach and use a wide range of programs and technology tools in their lessons to enhance the classroom experience and motivate the engagement of students. Students are encouraged to use technology as an alternative platform to make their learning journey explicit; from presentations to computer graphics using the green screen room to music composition. |
Is the school ready to use virtual classrooms when needed? (e.g. teaching lessons online if the school is closed, e.g. during COVID-19 closures) |
All OFS students have access to a learning portal that allows them to view assignments, upload homework (even language recordings), receive feedback on their assignments, download class resources and join in on online class forums. This allows students to stay organized, keep track of all of their deadlines, and communicate with teachers and classmates easily. In the event of a school closure, all students and teachers are also familiar with the online platforms that will allow them to run their entire timetable remotely. The school is fully prepared to continue with a “virtual school” whereby students would log into a virtual classroom on the hour and follow their normal timetable without disruptions in the event of an emergency. |
External examinations or assessments available |
IGCSE, IB Diploma |
Results in these examinations |
OFS regularly produces Cambridge International "Top-in-the-World" awardees, students who have achieved the highest standard mark in the world for a single subject in the IGCSE examinations. In the demanding IB Diploma examinations, OFS has produced students scoring a perfect 45 points for six consecutive years running, with extremely high overall pass rates every year. OFS' outstanding IB results are remarkable in light of its inclusive, open-entry admissions and examination policies. Contrary to common practice at a majority of schools in Singapore and worldwide, OFS students are not preselected into the IB Diploma program. OFS believes that every student can succeed and any student who wishes to pursue the IB Diploma program is allowed and encouraged to do so. OFS’ academic results position us as one of the best performing schools locally and internationally, and enable the vast majority of our students to obtain places at their first-choice university. |
Do teachers assign homework to their students? |
Yes. |
Dedicated staff/programs for students with special learning needs |
No |
Entry evaluation for students |
There are no entry tests and/or examinations. Students seeking to enroll will be evaluated for suitability based on their past academic reports. |
Waiting list |
Overseas Family School offers an open entry admission policy and has no entrance examinations for school enrollment. |
Deadline for registration (new academic year) |
Admissions are open year round, with the tuition fees pro-rated. |
Students can join after academic year begins |
Yes. |
School start time |
9:00 |
School finish time |
15:30 |
School bus service available |
Yes. |
School provided lunches |
Yes |
Uniform required |
Preschool, Elementary and Middle School Students are required to wear uniforms. In High School, Grade 11 & 12 students are allowed to wear their own clothes. |
Extracurricular activities or clubs offered |
In line with its strong emphasis on holistic education and personal development, OFS offers a wide array of extracurricular activities (ECAs), ranging from after-school and competitive sports programs to performing arts and computer clubs. Providing a rich foundation for lifelong learning, these ECAs are open to all students and provide opportunities to join clubs, teams or leadership groups. A well-developed, optional after-school enrichment program is also available, offering students the opportunity to discover new interests and hone new skills. |
Sports activities included |
Badminton, cricket, netball, rugby, football, softball, tennis, volleyball, golf |
Sports teams or sport competitions available for students |
There are multiple pathways for students looking to take part in sports & fitness at OFS. At the competitive level, the OFS Tigers competitive sports teams typically train twice a week or more within the ACSIS season for the particular sport and age group. Students are selected for these competitive sports teams through preseason trials and are expected to make the commitment to season's fixtures as well as purchasing the required equipment and uniform. At the recreational level, OFS provides an after-school sports program and enrichment programs that allow students to hone skills and participate in intra-school competitions. |
Sports facilities at the school |
Basketball court, football and rugby field, running track, sports hall, Olympic sized swimming pool. |
Qualities and characteristics best defining the school |
Overseas Family School serves a vibrant, multicultural community and is committed to creating an inclusive and supportive learning environment where all students can dream, achieve and succeed. Its devotion to student care can be seen from the fact that the school offers its extraordinary Study Preparation Program for rapid English language acquisition and its highly immersive and extensive Mother Tongue Program at no additional cost and has thoughtfully integrated these programs into the main curriculum for the best student experience. In line with its focus on values and character development, OFS has also embedded Model United Nations (MUN) into its entire curriculum across Elementary, Middle and High School. As students research and debate global issues from the perspective of countries other than their own, they develop the ability to consider issues from the perspective of others. |
Teaching approach of the school |
The school has a full curriculum based on IB and IGCSE, with Model United Nations incorporated into its core curriculum. |