CIS Kindergarten Principal Angela Speirs: Her Passion for Teaching and What Sets CIS Apart

CIS Kindergarten Principal Angela Speirs: Her Passion for Teaching and What Sets CIS Apart

What do you love about working at your school in particular?
I love engaging with our students and being a part of their educational journey. I’m especially passionate about the Arts and love encouraging students to express themselves through song, dance, role-play, and music.

Equally, I value building strong connections with parents and working collaboratively to support each child’s success. I’m also fortunate to work with an incredible team whose dedication and creativity inspire me daily. Together, we make our school a vibrant, supportive community. There’s no better job in the world!

What is one fun fact about you?
I am an engineering graduate but after a short stint working in industry, I realised that my passion lay elsewhere. I chose to return to university to become a primary teacher. Over the past 30 years, I have worked in Greece, Indonesia, Thailand, China and most recently, Cuba. I have been an elementary/early years principal for 19 years.

How does your school differ from other schools?
CIS’s Kindergarten programme is thoughtfully designed to foster imagination, creativity, and self-discovery in our youngest learners, aged 18 months to 5 years. Drawing from the best early years and kindergarten curricula globally, our curriculum is delivered within the Primary Years Programme (PYP) framework.

In our warm and nurturing learning environments, we prioritise an inquiry and play-based approach, ensuring that children develop the knowledge and skills needed for future academic success. Additionally, the programme emphasises bilingual learning, offering students the opportunity to study a second language or to join CIS’s highly regarded French or Chinese bilingual programmes led by specialist teachers. This early exposure allows them to develop strong language skills from a young age.

What are the most exciting facilities in your school?
Located at our dedicated kindergarten wing, students have access to various learning spaces, including a junior library, indoor swimming pool, a black box theatre as well as our renowned Outdoor Discovery Centre (ODC).

Students always look forward to daily lessons that revolve around hands-on activities across numeracy, literacy, music, arts, physical education as well as drama. They engage in purposeful play outdoors twice a day and have weekly lessons at the Outdoor Discovery Centre, which has received praise globally for its use of innovative play elements. Picture this: a sound and herb garden, a mud kitchen, a thrilling bike track, and more, brilliantly igniting curious minds just at the doorstep of our kindergarten wing.

Which universities have your school graduates moved on to?
With a 99% IB pass rate, two students attaining a perfect score, and 45 students receiving the prestigious bilingual diploma, CIS Class of 2024 graduates go on to study various disciplines in leading universities around the world such as Imperial College, Cambridge, Stanford, National University of Singapore, and Royal Academy of Music, amongst others.