Frequently Asked Questions

The Australian International School offers an uniquely International School Calendar and International Curriculum embedded with our values of Achievement, Opportunity, and Respect and cater for students from the age of 2 months to 18 Years.

The AIS school community comprises students from over 50 different nationalities.

As with all international schools in Singapore, we have a regular turnover of students as parents complete 2 – 3 year contracts. We have many strategies in place to help students with their transition to and from life at AIS and in Singapore and as such, our community is very accepting of newcomers.

AIS recognises the diversity of cultures in Singapore and even in each child’s own class –and provides opportunities for all children to learn about and respect other cultures.

This is introduced in the Elementary School program by using a large variety of books, music, cooking, crafts, clothing, singing, posters, assembly activities, excursions and by the celebration of special days and festivals (for example National Day, Chinese New Year, Hari Raya and Deepavali).

Parents and staff are from diverse cultural backgrounds and are encouraged to contribute their knowledge and culture to enhance the overall program.

The different sub-schools at AIS have slightly different start and finish times to aid with the flow in and out of the campus.

• Playground supervision begins at 8:00 am
• Preschool starts at 8:45 am and finishes at 2:55 pm
• Junior School and Primary School start at 8:30 am and finish at 3:10 pm
• Secondary School starts at 8:30 am and finishes at 3:30 pm

All students are encouraged to arrive at school with time to spare to organise their belongings and prepare themselves for the day.

The break between school years (at the end of Term 4) is approximately five weeks long. This is to allow for a longer mid-year break. Our school year is divided into four terms, with a two-week break at the end of Term 1 and Term 3. The break between Term 2 and Term 3, which falls mid-year, is generally four weeks long.

The reason for adopting this timetable, which is different from that in Australia, is that many companies and families take leave in the middle of the year and often travel to the Northern Hemisphere in the summer. It also helps to align AIS more closely with other international schools in Singapore that follow a Northern Hemisphere school timetable for sporting and enrichment opportunities.

Students travel to and from school via a variety of travel options:

School Bus

We have a door-to-door bus service that covers most of the island and is managed by an independent bus company for the school [click here for more details]. Students from Preschool – Year 5 travel on different buses from those in Year 6 – 12. All buses are accompanied by a Bus Amah (Aunty) to ensure the children are seated safely.

Public Transport

We are located close to the Lorong Chuan MRT station and buses 73, 105 and 159 stop outside the School.

Bicycle / Scooter

Many students cycle or use scooters to travel to school and cycle racks are provided for the safe storage of these while at school. Students in Year 3 and below must be accompanied by a parent if they cycle or scoot to school.

Car / Taxi

Many children are dropped off at school and/or collected by their parents or in a taxi. The campus has two car parks for parents, and Lower Elementary and Preschool staff also operate a drive-thru for registered parents who do not wish to park.

Walking

Students who live close by also walk to school.

Yes, we do have a canteen on campus. Students can pay in cash or use a Smart Card to make purchases.

The Smart Card system used at the school acts as a form of identification for staff and students. It also acts as a library card and allows parents to order children’s lunches online and to pay for food at the canteen, items in the Uniform Shop and other expenses.

Students in the Junior School are not permitted to have their own card. However, their parents can use the Smart Card system for online ordering and payment. Smart Card account details are automatically emailed to all families when their child starts at school.

Students from Year 3 – Year 12 are issued with a physically-activated Smart Card after their photo has been taken at the Central Library on Level 4. They cannot use it until their parents have created an account and added money.

The relationship between home and school plays a very important part in a child’s education. This makes two-way communication a critical factor in the partnership between parents and the school. This makes it easier for parents to solve problems and to feel confident about the teaching and learning taking place in the classroom.

Connect AIS is our school’s online learning and communication portal. This password protected website is a place for parents students and teachers to engage with the learning happening at AIS every day. Connect AIS allows parents immediate access to information and communication with the School as and when they would like to access it.  From Connect AIS, parents can access general school life information, newsletters updates from the Principal and Leadership teams and contact details for all staff. Parents are also able to view pages linked to their child’s classes, which include homework tasks and work conducted in each subject class. Parents can also access curriculum information, resources and welfare information relevant to their child’s year level.

In addition, to Connect AIS, communication from school to parent takes many forms and varies according to the sub-school a child attends. These include, but are not limited to:

• Written reports on student progress issued in the last week of Terms 1 and 2
• Parent-teacher interviews are held formally in Term 1 each year
• Student-led conferences are held in Term 3 each year
• Notes
• Surveys
• Displays of children’s work
• Assemblies
• Special events and celebrations
• Specialised learning programs
• Parent information booklets
• Parent information sessions
• Learning journals
• Email

The school produces a weekly online newsletter which is considered essential reading. This is broken down into sub-school levels, including a weekly message from the Principal and updates from the Sports, CCAs and Music Departments.

The school also has an official Facebook page and Twitter account, which serve to keep the wider online community informed of AIS news and events.

Further details on communication methods can be found in the Elementary and Secondary School Handbooks.

AIS has a very strong sense of community and welcomes parents into the classroom in a wider variety of capacities. Parent volunteers in the Elementary School are part of both learn to read and gross motor programs. Classroom teachers reach out each term for support from within their respective parent communities and training is provided to parents by the school for these purposes.

Our Preschool encourages parent involvement in the classroom, albeit on a more informal basis in the form of reading to class, cooking and other practical activities.

Parents in the Secondary School are also encouraged to share their expertise with the students, either related to curriculum areas or through our careers and resource centre. Parents who would like to help in this regard should contact their child’s classroom or homeroom teacher.

The Australian International School (AIS) in Singapore follows the Australian curriculum, which is recognized globally for its high standards of education.

This truly international education begins with the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program (IB PYP) from Preschool to Year 5, Australian Curriculum for Years 6 to 8, Cambridge IGCSE and the Australian Curriculum in Years 9 and 10, and the Higher School Certificate (HSC) or International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (IB DP) for Years 11 and 12.

As a community of learners, we acknowledge and promote the opportunity to become multilingual and celebrate cultures other than our own native culture. Because learning an additional language(s) facilitates cognitive development and encourages internationalism, additional language learning is an essential and integral element of the curriculum.

All students from Preschool to Year 5 study Mandarin daily. In Preschool this is conducted by teachers’ assistants under the guidance of the Preschool Mandarin Coordinator. From Prep onwards, students study Mandarin three times a week with specialists from the Elementary School Mandarin Department.

Students in Year 6 and Year 10 can choose to continue studying Mandarin or have the option of studying French or Indonesian as an alternative.

Year 11 and 12 HSC students may study Mandarin, French or Indonesian if they wish, or they can choose to drop language studies altogether.

IB DP students in Years 11 and 12 must study an additional (non-native) language as their Language B option – again, students have the option of Mandarin, French or Indonesian.

We support students who are non-native English speakers through our English as an Additional Language (EAL) Program. This plays a valuable role in supporting their first experiences of life in a new school where English is the language of teaching. The EAL Curriculum Leader meets all families and tests non-mother tongue English students when they come to the school for their initial enrolment interview.

We also value the importance of mother tongue development as it benefits students’ emotional well-being, enhances their academic success and helps in learning other languages. Our academic program recognises the need to maintain the mother tongue for personal, social and professional benefits in our global society. A Mother Tongue Coordinator (MTC) assists students in the development of this area. Students in the Secondary School have the opportunity to study their mother tongue in or outside school.

Equally, students have the opportunity to study their mother tongue as their Language A for the IBDP, but they should also take English as their Language B subject.

We do not teach religious education as part of our formal curriculum, but we respect and cater for all religions, and encourage religious tolerance and racial harmony. Our students learn about all cultures and religions as events occur in Singapore.

The Australian International School offers over 300 CCAs across the 3 sub-schools. Please click here for more information.

Our Co-Curricular Activities Programs (CCAs) run on a termly basis for all students in Year 3 – Year 12. The activities on offer vary per term.

Parents are emailed with details of the programs on offer for the forthcoming term, and then encouraged to sign up for activities via the school Virtual Learning Environment (VLE).

Many of our students choose to learn an instrument or develop their voices during the school week.

The school offers the services of professionally qualified and experienced Instrumental Teachers who teach in an age appropriate and encouraging environment.

To begin lessons, a completed Application Form should be returned to Reception or the Music Assistant. An Instrumental Teacher will contact you to arrange a mutually agreeable lesson time.

Our teaching staff are recruited from some of the top independent schools in Australia and from other International Schools throughout the world. The staffing body includes teachers from Australia, Great Britain, the US, Canada and South Africa, amongst others. Teacher’s Assistants may be recruited locally and there is a diverse mix of cultures within locally hired staff. The school receives a large number of applications for teaching positions and teachers are appointed on merit.

Teachers sign a 3 year contract, a term which is extended by many. The average length of stay is 5.8 years.

Our students operate in an increasingly digital and global world. Most teenagers today are very active in social networks, to the point of adopting relatively new and unknown networks and platforms very quickly.

To prepare our students as effective 21st century citizens, we need to equip them with the relevant technical skills and teach them how to use them responsibly. We achieve this by developing what is known as the “Seven Cs”, which include:

• Critical thinking
• Creativity and innovation
• Collaboration
• Cross-cultural understanding
• Communication

There are evident links between these skills and the ten attributes of the International Baccalaureate (IB) Learner Profile and Approaches to Learning (ATL) skills that we strive to develop in students through the IB Programs at AIS.

All Secondary School students are required to have their own laptop either a MacBook Pro or MacBook Air. The school will provide students with a laptop or they may bring their own device, reflected in the fees.

Extended Care are offered to families with children in Pre-Nursery, Nursery and Lower Elementary (up to Year 2). Fees and terms will differ from that of the main school.

Pre-Nursery and Nursery

Extended Care runs during the school term from 3.00 pm – 6.00 pm daily. Families who wish to make use of the
Extended Care program can be signed up at the beginning of each term for whichever days you choose, in line with your
child’s school schedule. Fees include an afternoon snack. Fees will be pro-rated if starting midway through a term: Extended Care daily fee (3.00 pm – 6.00 pm)

Lower Elementary (Up to Year 2)

Students will be supervised by AIS staff in Lower Elementary areas, including the playground. Full safe management measures would be adhered to.

Time: Between 3:30-6.00 pm
Food: BYO afternoon snacks
Commencement Date: Monday 18th April, 2022
Location: Year 1 Pod: Rooms 312, 313
Pick Up: Outside the Year 1 Pod, Level 3 (Lower Elementary)

Camp Asia – whose parent company is also Cognita – provides a wide range of camp activities on the AIS campus during school holidays.

Full details of the Camp Asia program can be found at www.campasia.asia

The school’s graduates have gone on to achieve great success in various fields, and many have attended some of the best universities in the world. AIS students are known for their academic excellence, and the school has a strong track record of preparing its students for university education in Singapore and overseas.

AIS students are academically in the high ability range and experience superior average growth compared with the best performing Australian state or territory – the ACT.

Details of our recent NAPLAN, NSW HSC and IB DP results can be found here.