Do you have plans on enrolling your child in an International Baccalaureate (IB) learning institution in Singapore anytime soon? It could be your best option if you want your toddler to learn more about international education while they’re still young. But it may only be a challenge to prepare for their schooling if you’re clueless on how to do it so.

Better speak with your immediate kin to see if you’re making the right decision for your child. They may even know an IB primary school in Singapore where you can send them for their much-needed global learning programmes. You may never know; their children are also currently enrolled with their recommended educational institution.

Never forget about your peers who have kids studying international education during their primary schooling years. Seek their advice as to how you can make the most of your child’s advanced learning curriculum. You can also ask them for some tips as you prepare for their upcoming enrolment soon.

It will also help if you do your research and look for online resources to give you more information about International Baccalaureate or IB programmes. Learn more about these systems to gauge if they’re indeed perfect for your child’s early learning. You can also ask them straight away if such schooling options fit their interest and liking.

Nonetheless, you can always choose to take the easy way out and be ready for your child’s education using only three simple checklists. That’s right! You solely need several lists to prepare them for their upcoming IB Primary Years Programme or PYP enrolment in Singapore. Are you ready to draft them now?

Checklist # 1: Red Flags to Avoid

Begin with a listing of the red flags you need to avoid from your future educational partner. These include the different things you must watch out for as you enrol your child in your preferred IB primary school.You may add more as you create this checklist, but here are some of the most common ones that will already tell you to reconsider your campus option:

Cluttered Curriculum

Always start with the essential thing you must do whenever you enrol your kid to any learning institution – check their offered subjects. You can search for them on the web or ask for a copy of their syllabus for your quick review. Confirm if they cater to different lessons you expect from a high-level International Baccalaureate school in the region.

If they don’t have them on their curriculum, you better look for another IB primary school to enrol your child with. Be wary also of how disorganized they present you their subject offers. It only shows their incapability to provide the quality of education you’re expecting from a globally renowned schooling institution.

Inexperienced Instructors

Expect that they also have unskilled instructors with the mix up they have on their curriculum. Well, you may argue who you are to judge if you haven’t met their educators yet. But would you think your child will learn efficiently from their IB PYP school mentors if they already have confusing learning modules right from the get-go?

However, some teachers may still be credible despite their unorganized educational programmes. You only need to ask for their credentials to prove their efficiency in teaching international studies to primary students like your child. But if they again provided you with a cluttered record or nothing at all, you better cancel your enrollment with them in an instant.

Dilapidated Amenities

It will also help if you free up your schedule for a quick visit to your preferred IB primary school in Singapore. Set an appointment with them to tour around their classrooms, facilities, and amenities before you even proceed with your child’s enrollment. You may also choose to drop by unexpectedly to see what they can readily offer.

Be cautious of any sign that your chosen international school is already crumbling as it may only risk your child. You should also observe how they maintain their utilities and equipment to see if they prioritize everyone. Again, reconsider your options if their amenities are unsafe for your toddlers to be with in the first place.

Unexplained Charges

Most learning institutions, including those that offer IB PYP courses, usually provide a breakdown of your expected expenses when you choose to enrol with them. These include their subject fees, miscellaneous costs, facility dues, and teaching allowances that you must settle upon enrolment or within an agreed period.

Always find time to review these figures before you even pay for anything with your chosen IB primary school. You can ask them about any unclear computation or item included in their cost estimates for your better understanding. Ensure that you fully comprehend why they charge such fees during enrollment.

Bad Records

Most importantly, stay away from International Baccalaureate primary schools that have poor teaching records in the region. These may be due to their confusing curriculum, inefficient mentors, worn-out facilities, or unclear tuition fee charges that may already tell about their negative reputation as an educational institution.

There are also instances that you get to read unfavourable comments from other parents who used to send their kids to your preferred IB PYP school. Use their feedback to convince yourself more that you already need to look for another campus. Besides, why would you choose to still enrol with them despite all these undesirable criticisms about them?

Checklist # 2: Must-Have Offers to Look For

Now you’re done with the first checklist, proceed to the next one to help you choose the perfect IB primary schoolfor your child. Your list should include the must-have offers you need to look for on your future schooling partner. Here are some of them that you can rely on as you continue with your search:

Complete Modules

As mentioned, always begin with their different course offers as an international school in the region. These include the usual subjects like English, Science, Mathematics, Music, and Arts. They should also teach your child various languages, social skills, and multi-cultural comprehensions as they explore more of their global education.

It would also be great if your chosen campus also offers an International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme or IBDP in Singapore. It doesn’t only give your child more global learnings, but it also prepares them for their college education. They may even use their advanced course learnings on their future careers after graduating.

Must-Have Essential: Check if they can provide you with detailed curriculums for all teaching levels that include their PYP and IBDP offers. They should be able to categorize them accordingly for your easy understanding. You can also confirm if you can request a complete syllabus if you decide to stay with them until your child finishes schooling.

Professional Mentors

It is also essential that you get to check their faculty while you work on your child’s enrollment. You may choose not to visit them in person to see if they have professional members in their teaching force. You can directly ask for their profiles to review their qualifications as a primary school teacher for your young one.

These records should include their complete names, course offers, subject specializations, and teaching qualifications. Some International Baccalaureate schools also share their highest school attainment and awards in the field. You may also check on their contract with the campus to see if they’ll be there until your child finishes their studies in the future.

Must-Have Essential: Another way you can confirm their teaching competence is through IB primary school academic board. It is usually composed of esteemed representatives of the institution who choose future members of the faculty extensively. You may no longer need to do a background check if you already have them by your side.

Extracurricular Activities

Apart from learning through their lectures, your chosen international school should also ensure your child gets to develop more skills outside of their classroom. These involve extracurricular activities that will improve their social skills and interact with other kids on the campus. They should also have programmes that can build on their existing talents better.

Check if they cater to sports activities like martial arts, basketball, badminton, and soccer to encourage your kid to be physically active. You can also entice them to explore arts and try calligraphy or dance lessons with their IB primary school. Some may even introduce them to crafts done in various cultures and societies.

Must-Have Essential: It will also help them enrich their nonacademic prowess if you find an International Baccalaureate school that regularly conducts out-of-school trips. These include visits to different attractions in the region that teach them more about the local culture. They may also arrange overseas tours that will engage them with other communities globally.

In-School Facilities

It is also advisable that your chosen primary school partner offer various in-school facilities that will ensure your child’s enjoyable stay while on the campus. These usually include amenities like recreational rooms, multi-purpose venues, sports gyms, and event halls. Some institutions even cater to world-class indoor stadiums and Olympic-size fields.

It would also be great if they can offer you a private school bus service around Singapore for your added comfort. They only need to ensure that they can transport your child safely to and from the campus. Besides, why would you make it hard for yourself to fetch them from school if you have such alternative options?

Must-Have Essential: Best if you can speak directly with their private school bus service provider to guarantee your child’s welfare and protection. Check if your schooling partner can provide you with their contact details to validate their legitimacy. You can even enquire about their transport services directly for your convenience.

Good Reputation

Last but certainly not the least on your checklist is their overall reputation as an International Baccalaureate campus in the region. You can confirm if they’re indeed a reliable schooling partner by doing more research to learn more about their offers. Compare them with other campuses that cater to the same programmes you’re eyeing for your child.

Other parents in Singapore publish their IB PYP and IBDP experiences online. You can look for their testimonials and read through them to see if they also trust your preferred schooling partner. Always consider the different things that made them stay with them as you may also be after the educational offers they currently enjoy.

Must-Have Essential: Apart from positive reviews and testimonials, you can also check their awards and recognitions to gauge their good reputation. These include certifications that prove the quality of their teachings as an international school in the region. You can also inspect their accreditations that certify their authority to offer such learning programmes for your child.

Checklist # 3: Admission Essentials to Prepare

Two down, one more to go! You can now work on your final list that includes your child’s IB primary school enrollment essentials. You may already be familiar with them, but a refresher will help you prepare and ensure their flawless admission process soon. Here are some of them that you must include on your last checklist:

• Always start with the most common enrollment requirement – the application form. Mostinternational schools in Singapore upload these admissions forms on their website. You may choose to download them online for your convenience or visit their campus personally to request an actual copy.

• It is also necessary you prepare your child’s birth certificate, previous educational transcripts, and photos. You should also be ready with both your permanent resident (PR) identity cards and passports as essential requirements on their admission. Some may even request more, so you better check them with your chosen IB school.

• They also require you to settle a one-time admission fee for them to process your child’s IB PYP application. You need to pay once you submit all the above mentioned documents to them. You may never know; they’ll finish their review after several days upon your submission.
• Some institutions may also require you to prepare extra funds if your child needs to complete several placement examinations before they get to enrol with their preferred International Baccalaureate These include tests with corresponding fees you need to settle for them to move forward with their admission.

But if you want a hassle-free IB primary school application process, you can always choose to enrol them with Hillside World Academy! Their simple and straightforward admission procedure will be perfect for newcomers like your child. Check their website now to learn more about how they can help you process your child’s international school enrollment today!