SAS vs ICS ?

[DavidC1]

Has anyone had / have kids in either of these schools - Singapore American School vs. International Community School?

I know SAS has a larger campus but am concerned about what I’ve been reading about SAS’s “wokeness”.

From a concerned parent who really needs some advice on each of the above mentioned schools.

[malcontent]

I don’t have any direct experience with ICS, but I know that a biblical worldview is a prerequisite to becoming a teacher there. I certainly would have preferred that my kids go to ICS, despite SAS being far stronger in resources and academic capabilities.

To balance things, you can provide supplemental education at home to ensure they stay on the straight and narrow.

[PNGMK]

I have someone close to me who teaches at ICS. ICS is managing to get kids into pretty good colleges and they have a good range of AP courses for a small school. Being a smaller school may seem like a negative but it allows far more personal interactions. ICS is upgrading their sports facilities as we speak.

I would put my kids into ICS over SAS if they weren't in the Singapore system already.

Like any school, the more engaged the parents are, the better the results.

[NYY1]

I have someone close to me who teaches at ICS. ICS is managing to get kids into pretty good colleges and they have a good range of AP courses for a small school. Being a smaller school may seem like a negative but it allows far more personal interactions. ICS is upgrading their sports facilities as we speak.

I would put my kids into ICS over SAS if they weren't in the Singapore system already.

Like any school, the more engaged the parents are, the better the results.

The last part is key. There are so many ways to augment any school's base curriculum (academic and non-academic) these days.

[PNGMK]

Incidentally ICS is rated #1 on this list>

https://whichschooladvisor.com/singapor ... -singapore

[DavidC1]

I don’t have any direct experience with ICS, but I know that a biblical worldview is a prerequisite to becoming a teacher there. I certainly would have preferred that my kids go to ICS, despite SAS being far stronger in resources and academic capabilities.

To balance things, you can provide supplemental education at home to ensure they stay on the straight and narrow.

To balance things, you can provide supplemental education at home to ensure they stay on the straight and narrow. >> Agreed.

Frankly, supplemental / private tuition is what local parents do. The local education in Singapore (not international) is good ONLY because of the supplemental education students get OUTSIDE of school. It's not that the local school teachers are amazingly good. It's the private tuition that makes the students more capable, which in turn raises the standards at school, thus making the local curriculum more difficult. If everyone gets straight As because of supplemental education at home / private tuition, the local curriculum would naturally need to made even more difficult to distinguish and separate students.

[Edge007]

I have someone close to me who teaches at ICS. ICS is managing to get kids into pretty good colleges and they have a good range of AP courses for a small school. Being a smaller school may seem like a negative but it allows far more personal interactions. ICS is upgrading their sports facilities as we speak.

I would put my kids into ICS over SAS if they weren't in the Singapore system already.

Like any school, the more engaged the parents are, the better the results.

Yes, as you have pointed out, it appears parents are voting ICS as number 1. I have a feeling this is because the school allows parental participation, combined with the Christian curriculum where kids learn timeless values and how to build character.

It's possible that most parents don't send their kids to ICS only because of it's small size. I myself have a slight prejudice towards smaller schools. However, in light of the "woke" madness going on at SAS and considering how Stamford International American School (SIAS) is a for-profit school, ICS is the only one option left that is available.

Thank you so much for sharing. I will pay ICS a visit and check out which universities their graduates matriculate into.

[DavidC1]

I have someone close to me who teaches at ICS. ICS is managing to get kids into pretty good colleges and they have a good range of AP courses for a small school. Being a smaller school may seem like a negative but it allows far more personal interactions. ICS is upgrading their sports facilities as we speak.

I would put my kids into ICS over SAS if they weren't in the Singapore system already.

Like any school, the more engaged the parents are, the better the results.

Yes, as you have pointed out, it appears parents are voting ICS as number 1. I have a feeling this is because the school allows parental participation, combined with the Christian curriculum where kids learn timeless values and how to build character.

It's possible that most parents don't send their kids to ICS only because of it's small size. I myself have a slight prejudice towards smaller schools. However, in light of the "woke" madness going on at SAS and considering how Stamford International American School (SIAS) is a for-profit school, ICS is the only one option left that is available.

Thank you so much for sharing. I will pay ICS a visit and check out which universities their graduates matriculate into.

[DavidC1]

I have someone close to me who teaches at ICS. ICS is managing to get kids into pretty good colleges and they have a good range of AP courses for a small school. Being a smaller school may seem like a negative but it allows far more personal interactions. ICS is upgrading their sports facilities as we speak.

I would put my kids into ICS over SAS if they weren't in the Singapore system already.

Like any school, the more engaged the parents are, the better the results.

The last part is key. There are so many ways to augment any school's base curriculum (academic and non-academic) these days.

In this day and age where we can augment a school's base curriculum with academic and non-academic outside sources these days, do you personally think a small school would be detrimental to a child's education in this new day and age?

Perhaps I'm still old fashioned and think school size is important. I suspect I'm wrong because times are changing.

[malcontent]

I went to an ultra tiny school from grade K-8… I was one of just 6 kids in my grade! Despite the small school, we were well advanced of public schools academically. Practically everyone in my class went to college and were successful in life. But socially? Probably not quite as well adjusted. I was fortunate to have made a good friend in a larger public high school who helped me develop my social aptitude, but also zapped my academic ambitions which weren’t very strong to begin with.

Despite graduating in the bottom 10% of my class and being rejected by every university in my state, I did just fine after catching up at community college and transferring to one of the best universities in my state. No regrets at all, I feel like every step in my life has been exactly what I needed when I needed it.

[NYY1]

In this day and age where we can augment a school's base curriculum with academic and non-academic outside sources these days, do you personally think a small school would be detrimental to a child's education in this new day and age?

Perhaps I'm still old fashioned and think school size is important. I suspect I'm wrong because times are changing.

I have no idea how large (or small) ICS is, and I haven't really thought about whether there is some minimum size that is needed.

I think my comment was more general in that wherever kids end up, one can always figure out how to make the most of it. If the school offers a lot, that's great. If not, figure out how to create your own opportunities and things to do (literally an infinite number).

I do believe school-based programmes have value; both for access for all and environment/school spirit (there needs to be some critical mass to run a variety of programmes). That being said, see the above paragraph...

[malcontent]

In this day and age where we can augment a school's base curriculum with academic and non-academic outside sources these days, do you personally think a small school would be detrimental to a child's education in this new day and age?

Perhaps I'm still old fashioned and think school size is important. I suspect I'm wrong because times are changing.

I have no idea how large (or small) ICS is, and I haven't really thought about whether there is some minimum size that is needed.

I think my comment was more general in that wherever kids end up, one can always figure out how to make the most of it. If the school offers a lot, that's great. If not, figure out how to create your own opportunities and things to do (literally an infinite number).

I do believe school-based programmes have value; both for access for all and environment/school spirit (there needs to be some critical mass to run a variety of programmes). That being said, see the above paragraph...

I grew up in the country with very few things and little to do. With so much time on my hands, I discovered that playing with clumps of dirt could be quite entertaining. I would try to guess which clump was stronger and I would put them to battle. And, no I’m not kidding. This is the kind of creativity that has served me well. Nowadays kids don’t have to come up with anything on their own, and it shows.

[PNGMK]

I went to a high school that had 140 kids. The amazing places that some of those kids have gone blows my mind. Everything from Ambassadors to senior officers in the military to corporate leaders to artists to literal rocket scientists to medical specialists. I routinely pick up names of my alumni in news articles or hear astounding stories. Of course as I approach retirement I see less as my cohort is also retiring.

It's not the size of the school that matters at all.

[Sara.Haddah]

Hey! It’s totally valid to feel a bit overwhelmed trying to compare schools, especially with the kind of chatter that comes up around bigger names like SAS. From what I’ve gathered, Singapore American School (SAS) is known for its strong academics, top-notch facilities, and a huge range of extracurriculars, but yes, it’s also a large campus with a diverse student body, and that can mean a wider range of values and discussions, including more progressive or globally-minded perspectives. Some families love that; for others, it’s something to weigh.

On the other hand, International Community School (ICS) is smaller, with a more close-knit community and a Christian-centered approach to education. It tends to feel more structured and value-focused, and while it may not have all the bells and whistles of SAS, some parents really appreciate the personal attention and more conservative environment.

If you're still on the fence, I’d suggest taking a look at both schools' curriculum approaches and school culture, and maybe even reaching out to admissions teams for a campus tour or open house. Also — if you haven’t already, I came across doris.school, a free tool that helps families compare International Schools in Singapore based on values, academics, location, and more. It might help clarify things based on what’s most important to you and your family. Let me know if you’d like help comparing the two more deeply!

[PNGMK]

SAS will turn your kids ghey. "Not that there's anything wrong with that" in the words of Seinfeld.

/s