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Looking to enrol your child in a bilingual school in Singapore? Consult our handy guide to pick the right international school or preschool for your child
One of the perks of living in a multicultural and multilingual country like Singapore is the easy access to bilingual education. Being bilingual has been shown to have massive social and cognitive benefits as well, and studies have shown that people who speak multiple languages have better attention spans and multi-tasking abilities, starting from as young as seven months of age! Some international schools and preschools in Singapore offer bilingual immersion programmes for languages such as French, Mandarin, Japanese, Spanish and more. Others have dual language teachers or co-teachers who provide equal language interaction throughout the day or even dedicated language classes. Want to find the right bilingual school in Singapore for your child? We’ve rounded up a list of bilingual international schools and preschools to help get you started.
Read more: Guide to Preschools in Singapore
Jump to:
– Bilingual Preschools in Singapore
– Bilingual International Schools in Singapore
Bilingual International Schools in Singapore
Canadian International School (CIS)
Canadian International School is one of the early pioneers of bilingual education in Singapore, and their continued commitment to deliver real-world value is evident in the students who walk through their doors. Their effective bilingual curriculum not only teaches language skills but also integrates culture into learning so that students are enriched through language development while acquiring a global perspective. Their highly successful Chinese-English and French-English bilingual programmes from Kindergarten to Grade 6 fully align with the IB Primary Years Programme. Designed to help students become fluent communicators in both languages, CIS uses a 50:50 teaching model, where students have equal exposure to each language and two native-speaking teachers in the class. In secondary school, CIS offers dedicated Chinese and French bilingual pathways. Under the leadership of Principal Dr. Du Lijuan and Vice Principal Jane Martuneac, their bespoke Chinese-English bilingual (CEB) programme continues to remain one of the top bilingual programmes in Singapore.
Canadian International School, 7 Jurong West Street 41 Singapore 649414
XCL World Academy
XCL World Academy is an international school in Singapore that offers an English-Chinese bilingual programme specifically for kids from Pre-K to Grade 3. The bilingual programme aligns with the IB PYP framework, so that students are prepared for the Early Years and Primary School curriculum. Little ones in Pre-K and Kindergarten classes will get bilingual homeroom teachers and teaching partners who deliver instruction in English and Chinese, so that children are exposed to both languages on a daily basis. Students in Grades 1 to 3 have two homeroom teachers – a native English language teacher and a native Chinese language teacher to boost pronunciation and fluency in both languages. This approach allows homeroom teachers to identify each students’ strengths in language and literacy development, so they can tailor instructional approaches. Since learning is most effective when children enjoy the process, the teachers create meaningful connections with students in a caring and nurturing learning environment to foster a sense of trust and confidence to empower their learning.
XCL World Academy, 2 Yishun Street 42, Singapore 768039
EtonHouse International School
As an expert in multilingual education for kids from nine months to 18 years, EtonHouse International School has nurtured several cohorts of fluent bilingual speakers, many of whom are non-native Mandarin speakers. They offer two programmes in preschool to help students build a strong Mandarin foundation in the early years. The trusted EtonHouse ZhongHua Full Mandarin Immersion Programme exposes children to Mandarin for an extended period every day, giving them an exclusive Mandarin-speaking environment that many do not have at home. Alternatively, pre-school students can opt for the bilingual programme and learn from two qualified teachers (one Mandarin speaker and one English speaker) simultaneously so they can listen and communicate in both languages on a daily basis. EtonHouse Broadrick’s award-winning Bilingual Immersion Programme that is aligned with the IB Primary Years Programme is designed to cultivate bilingual, culturally competent and internationally-minded students by Year 6, while placing equal emphasis on developing essential reading, writing and speaking skills. Thanks to their inquiry-based approach, children will not only become fluent in two languages but develop a love of language and learning that will last a lifetime.
Enrol by 17 June 2024 to enjoy a fee rebate at selected EtonHouse campuses.
Etonhouse International School, three locations in Singapore including Broadrick, Sentosa and Orchard
Brighton College (Singapore)
Brighton College (Singapore) offers two languages: Chinese (Mandarin) and French. In EYFS (Pre-Nursery to Reception), students receive an hour session each week, where interchanging between English and Mandarin supports natural language acquisition as directed by the child’s interests and in line with Early Years pedagogy. From Year 1 to Year 6, Mandarin is taught by Mandarin specialist teachers at least three times per week allowing students to explore different themes and topics. The challenge and intensity of the learning activities are tailored to each age group, readiness and language proficiency level. Language is presented through songs, rhymes, language games and instructional activities. From Year 3 up, all children are exposed to a second additional language through weekly French classes, while Year 7 onwards will have the choice of Mandarin, French and Spanish. The school will be welcoming Year 9 pupils from August 2024, with Year 10 the following year and Years 11 to 13 to follow, allowing them to pursue their IGCSE and A-level courses. Admissions are open all year round.
Brighton College (Singapore), 1 Chuan Lane, Singapore 554299
Read more: Best Chinese Tuition Centres In Singapore For Kids
GESS – International School
GESS is a not-for-profit international school where every child gets the freedom to grow through tailored academic and talent support within a caring community. Currently, over 15 languages are offered from beginner to mother tongue level, integrated within the curriculum or conducted after school by dedicated and professional language educators. GESS has a redesigned language programme for Secondary School, giving students more options – students can continue to study their mother tongue plus a foreign language like French, Spanish, Mandarin or German. GESS also debuts a new fully-integrated Dutch Mother Tongue Programme in IB Primary School – making them the only international school in Singapore to offer an integrated Dutch Mother Language Programme combined with the International Baccalaureate for grades 1 to 12! Families who move back to Europe will benefit from the programme enabling children to reconnect with a Dutch-speaking school system almost seamlessly. Also, Dutch-speaking graduates have an advantage when applying to universities in the Netherlands.
GESS – International School, 2 Dairy Farm Lane, Singapore 677621
Holland International School
Happy children learn better! Holland International School prioritises happiness, encouraging holistic growth in kids beyond academic pursuits, which in turn builds their confidence, leadership and a love for lifelong learning. With over 100 years of experience, Holland International School offers quality bilingual education for children aged 1.5 to 12 years old. In their bilingual preschool programme, children are exposed to Dutch and English on a daily basis. Inspired by the Primary Curriculum (IPC), the school offers both a Dutch and English Stream at the primary school level, where students can look forward to a rich and engaging learning environment that will hone their language skills. Regardless of the chosen track, students pursue an excellent education with smaller class sizes, personalised and differentiated learning, character building in co-ownership, equality and critical thinking and a safe, happy and empowering learning environment.
Holland International School, 65 Bukit Tinggi Road, Singapore 289757
Invictus International School
Invictus International School offers a bicultural and extensive language focus across all three campuses (Bukit Timah, Centrium Square and Dempsey Hill) using the 3E Approach (Exposure, Experience and Engagement), which is tailored to align with children’s psychological development and cognitive growth. The 3E Approach takes children from simple to complex, concrete to abstract and perceptual to rational learning stages, giving them a comprehensive and effective learning pathway. Through this method, students are provided opportunities to understand, gain fluency and communicate in both English and Chinese, cultivate a deep understanding of both Western and Chinese cultures, and develop essential 21st-century skills and values like bilingualism and inclusivity. The Centrium Square campus offers an immersive learning environment that allocates equal time to Chinese and English at the Primary Level, so students are exposed to both languages through daily interactions and instruction. At Bukit Timah and Dempsey Hill campuses, students take more than two hours of Chinese lessons each week, allowing them to practise and reinforce their listening, reading, writing and speaking skills daily. Accommodation is made for all abilities including beginners and native-speakers, which, at Bukit Timah, means that Chinese is also set from Year 2 onwards.
Receive a $500 application fee waiver if you apply before 31 July 2024 for enrolment in the academic year 2024-2025. Additionally, get an extra $200 waiver off the assessment fee when you sign up during our upcoming Open Houses! *T&Cs apply.
Invictus International School, three locations in Singapore: Centrium Square, Bukit Timah and Dempsey Hill
Singapore American School
At Singapore American School, children enrolled in the Chinese immersion program have language opportunities integrated into every moment of their school experience, allowing them to gain a deep understanding of the language and truly become global citizens. Students communicate directly with English and Mandarin-speaking communities on a variety of levels. In this way they gain the cultural competency of one who knows what it is to have two inner worlds based on the roots of two different languages and values. This allows students to practice critical thinking and analyse conflicting messages between languages to come to reasonable conclusions with the ability to understand two different value systems. The Chinese immersion program at SAS spans preschool through fifth grade. Through an immersion model, children are able to acquire Chinese and English the same way they learn their first language. The pronunciation, structure, intonation, and nuances of Chinese and English are naturally and seamlessly woven into the Reggio Emilia-inspired learning environment. The 80/20 immersion to 50/50 bilingual program model helps students to build academic language in Chinese and English starting from the early learning centre, where oral language development is the primary focus.
Singapore American School, 40 Woodlands Street 41, Singapore 738547, [email protected], Tel: (+65) 6360 6312
St. Joseph’s Institution International (SJI International)
SJI International Elementary School launched its English-Chinese Bilingual Programme in January 2024, providing a new opportunity for students to experience immersive language learning. This bilingual programme in Singapore caters to students in Prep 1, Prep 2, Grades 1 and 2 in its inaugural year, giving students a unique dual-language experience. Choose between two distinctive routes – the Mainstream Programme and the Bilingual Programme – each tailored to meet the diverse needs of different students. The Mainstream Programme places a strong emphasis on English, which is the primary language of instruction, and also offers Mandarin lessons in the weekly timetable, so students have the chance to learn a second language. For those looking for a more immersive experience, the Bilingual Programme follows a ten-day teaching cycle, where students will learn various subjects in both languages, ensuring a balanced and comprehensive education. Regardless of the programme you choose, SJI International’s exceptional educators are committed to providing a supportive and enriching learning environment to nurture the linguistic growth and holistic development of each child.
St. Joseph’s Institution International, 490 Thomson Road, Singapore 298191, [email protected], Tel: (+65) 6353 9383
Stamford American International School (SAIS)
SAIS uses a unique one-bilingual-teacher approach for their Bilingual Program for students from Pre-K to Grade 5. Here, bilingual teachers and teaching assistants are fluent in both languages and demonstrate bilingualism as role models to the students. This allows for learning experiences to be more adaptive and supports student-led inquiry. The program gives learners equal exposure to English and Mandarin in the subjects and concepts taught within their grade. Bilingual students learn the same content as students in mainstream classes, with the main difference being that 50% of the content in Math and Unit of Inquiry (UOI) is delivered in Mandarin. Bilingual classes at SAIS are assessed through placement tests, internal assessments and STAMP language proficiency tests developed by the University of Oregon (starting in Grade 3). All these assessments focus on evaluating proficiency in the four language domains of reading, listening, speaking and writing. Students in the bilingual program come from all over the world, including the USA, Australia, France, Japan, Korea, Singapore, India, China, Canada, the UK, and New Zealand. In such a diverse community, learning together leads to a deep sense of belonging, as well as providing a safe environment to take risks and make mistakes.
Stamford American International School, Woodleigh Campus: 1 Woodleigh Lane, Singapore 357684 | Early Learning Village: 3 Chuan Lane, Gate 4, Singapore 554350
Other bilingual international schools in Singapore:
– Dulwich College (Singapore): English-Chinese bilingual programme.
– GIIS: Bilingual education in English and Mandarin.
– Hillside World Academy: Chinese-English immersion programme and added support for students’ mother tongues.
– International French School: French and English bilingual programme with language support programmes.
– Swiss School Singapore: Bilingual education in German and English or French and English.
Bilingual Preschools in Singapore
ChildFirst Pre-school
Learning a language is a piece of cake when little ones are in an immersive learning environment. At ChildFirst Pre-school, children spend half of the day where they learn and interact in English and the latter half of the day in a fully Mandarin-speaking environment. The half-day English programme includes phonics and reading, and children aged five are introduced to literature to spark their interest in the English language and expose them to different genres of children’s literature. As they learn to read, they will acquire a library of vocabulary and language skills they can apply in their daily lives. Since Chinese is not phonetic but pictorial, their Chinese Rapid Word Recognition programme adopts a proven innovative method for recognising Chinese characters effectively by learning families of words as a group through rhymes, which helps children understand and remember the characters. To prepare children for the 21st century, they have integrated AI into language learning by co-creating a story in English with a child-friendly version of ChatGPT and using an AI Chinese app that personalises learning for each child to improve word retention and advance language skills.
Quote SASSYMAMA to get $250 off school fees for the first 12 months (total of $3,000 off!). Valid for first-time enrolment to Hillview, Mountbatten and Tampines campuses with payment of application fee and one-month deposit. T&Cs apply.
ChildFirst Pre-school, three locations in Singapore including Hillview, Mountbatten and Tampines
House on the Hill Montessori Pre-school
Founded in 2012, House on the Hill is a passionate advocate for the educational excellence of the Montessori Method that incorporates a bilingual education in a fun and engaging manner. Their bespoke Mandarin programme is taught by a team of highly qualified and dedicated teachers, who guide the students to form an emotional connection with Mandarin, essential for long-term language learning. The primary focus is to provide the right environment for students to build a solid foundation in their listening, speaking, reading and writing Mandarin. Learning Mandarin has never been more fun, as the experienced educators create a love for the language through a variety of games, activities, and cultural experiences. Their immersive bilingual curriculum also features calligraphy, traditional ink painting, storytelling, drama and Chinese musical instruments, so that students not only learn the language but also grow an appreciation for the Chinese culture. Parents can opt to enrol their child in the afternoon programme, a dedicated, full immersion curriculum designed to deepen their fluency and love of the language.
Enjoy registration fee waivers worth $763 for eligible enrolments. T&Cs apply.
House on the Hill, multiple locations including Mount Sophia, Balmoral, Hollandse Club and Pasir Panjang (click here for all locations), Tel: (+65) 6337 4635, [email protected]
The Schoolhouse by Busy Bees
With more than 35 years of experience in early childhood education, The Schoolhouse by Busy Bees is known as a trailblazer of the Bilingual Immersion Programme in Singapore. Their English and Mandarin teachers work together in the same classroom, sharing responsibility for the holistic development of their students. In this immersive learning environment, children will learn in both languages throughout the day through an inquiry-embedded play approach that stimulates their curiosity and encourages them to take risks and explore innovative ideas. In their Changemakers programme, children will develop transdisciplinary skills and cultivate a strong foundation for life-long learning. They will also acquire core developmental skills like reading, writing and arithmetic through the Real-World programme and embark on scientific and artistic exploration in their Imagineers programme. Preschoolers here are empowered to become emotionally resilient and empathetic towards themselves and their community through the Urban Wellness programme. Thanks to their holistic bilingual curriculum, children will not only fall in love with English and Mandarin but also be equipped to be challengers of the future.
The Schoolhouse by Busy Bees, multiple locations in Singapore including Kovan, River Valley, Katong and West Coast, theschoolhouse.com.sg
Trehaus
Trehaus School offers a unique learning environment for little ones aged 18 months to 6 years old. This bilingual preschool is located within Funan Mall, adjacent to the Trehaus Business Club so that mamas and dads can work at the co-working space and pop in to see their kiddo at break time or for easy pickup! The Trehaus School curriculum is holistic, play and project-based, and parents can choose from a bilingual or Mandarin immersion programme. For the latter, 70% of lessons and activities are conducted in Mandarin and done so within a full Mandarin space with Mandarin-speaking teachers. The bilingual stream provides a dual language learning experience with one dedicated Chinese teacher and one dedicated English teacher who work together to support both English and Mandarin acquisition, pegged at your child’s ability level. The unparalleled 1:5 teacher-child ratio ensures your child has ample attention throughout their lessons to ensure they are on track and flourishing.
Trehaus School, 109 North Bridge Rd, Funan Mall #07-21-33 S179097, [email protected], Tel: 9855 0484, www.trehausschool.com
Other Bilingual Preschools in Singapore:
– Alphabet Playhouse: Bilingual programme
– British Council Preschool: Bilingual English and Mandarin curriculum.
– BlueHouse International: Bilingual English and Mandarin education
– Blue Lion Preschool: Bilingual English and Chinese preschool with Buddhist approach.
– BrainFit School House: Immersive English and Mandarin curriculums.
– Children’s Cove Preschool: English and Chinese programme with native teachers
– LeClare Preschool: Bilingual English and Mandarine programme
– Little Paddington Preschool: Mandarin immersion programme
– Lorna Whiston Preschool: award-winning bilingual programme
– MapleBear Preschool: Bilingual immersion programme.
– Mulberry Learning: Reggio Emilia-inspired learning and bilingual programme
– My Learning Haven: Bilingual programme
– Preschool for Multiple Intelligences: Reggio-inspired bilingual Mandarin programme
– Primus Schoolhouse: Chinese and English bilingual programme
– Odyssey – The Global Preschool: Chinese Immersion programme
– Shaws Preschool: Play-based bilingual Mandarin-English curriculum.
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