Parent Testimonial: ‘Why We Chose GEMS World Academy (Singapore)’

Here’s why these parents chose GEMS World Academy (Singapore) for their kids!

Looking for an international school for your child? What’s a better source of information than a fellow parent?! Jola Kuc-Borowski, Tomasz Borowski, whose kids (Jan, 12 and Kuba, 9) go to GEMS World Academy (Singapore), share what they love about this school!

How did you first hear about your school?  

We lived in Croatia when the opportunity to relocate to Singapore arose and we found GEMS World Academy (Singapore) via the internet.

What factors played into your decision to send your child to this school?

There are a lot of international schools in Singapore but our main target was a school offering the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum. One of the main factors was the quality of educators and experienced leadership team. GEMS (Singapore) provides comprehensive training and teacher professional development programmes. As a result, teachers better understand the student learning processes, students receive a high-quality education and their performance significantly improves. The size of the school, the diversity of the GEMS community and its amazing facilities played a very big role in our decision-making process.

Did you take a tour of the school before making your decision? What were your first impressions?

After shortlisting four potential schools, my husband visited them during one of his business trips to Singapore. I remember our phone conversation, right after the visit, when he said: “GEMS is perfect for our boys!”. Modern and impressive facilities, top-notch equipment that inspires students to follow their passions and develop 21st-century skills, friendly atmosphere, open-minded and welcoming staff, all these factors contributed to the choice of the school for our family.

How did your child adjust to the school? Did the school take any special measures to help with the settling in process?

Our older son very quickly adapted to the new environment. The school encourages a “buddy” system to ensure that new students immediately feel accepted and make friends from day one. He himself has been a “buddy” to some new students in his class and those friendships continue until today. Our younger son, who was 5 years old at the time, needed slightly more time and attention with one of us hanging out in or near the classroom for the first few days. The teachers were extremely supportive and accepted it with great understanding. Overall the atmosphere at GEMS (Singapore) is very friendly and our children feel really happy there.

What in your opinion are the three greatest strengths of the school?

The school is constantly evolving and always ready to make changes to the best benefit and safety of the students and the whole school community. World-class facilities enable children to learn in a very innovation-driven environment equipping them with the skills and knowledge they will need in the fast-changing world. We also value the fact that the feedback from both parents and students is important to the leadership team.

How does the school include parents in the community? 

I have been a member of the Parent-Teacher Community Committee for the past two years and it was an amazing experience allowing me to be actively involved in the school life and organise various events. The GEMS Cultural Day is a great example. It is one of the biggest events promoting the diversity of the GEMS community.  A lot of parents participate in this event. We decorate the school with wonderful country displays and cook exquisite global culinary delicacies to share the food and information about our home countries. The school also runs an endless amount of useful parent workshops. I find them very interesting and they give me valuable insights into children’s development, issues teenager may face these days, the ways curriculum being taught, various career paths etc.

How does the school keep you informed about your child’s progress? 

There are a few different platforms and we can easily monitor the progress of our children and keep track of what is happening during the classes. Teachers are also very supportive, always ready to meet in person and discuss any questions a parent might have.

What kind of child (or family) would you say would be the best fit for this school?

Creative and open-minded children willing to take advantage of various experiences and opportunities the school has to offer, whether it is in visual and performing arts, music, sports, design or technology.

What extra-curricular activities or out of school programmes does the school offer that you have taken part in?

Our younger son Kuba is a very active boy and he likes sports. Recently he joined the new GEMS Triathlon Academy. In the past, Kuba played in a football team, had Futsal and Coerver Coaching training sessions and also enjoyed various art-related activities such as chalk on wood. Jan, our older son, enjoys all science and design-related activities. He also loves playing electric guitar and has been a part of the school’s rock band for the past three years. It has been an excellent opportunity for his personal development and confidence building. Both boys also enjoyed their after-school rock climbing sessions.

GEMS World Academy (Singapore), 2 Yishun Street 42, Singapore 768039, email [email protected] or Tel: (+65) 6808 7300, www.gwa.edu.sg

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