FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)
We have outlined below some common questions from current and prospective parents. If you still have a question that is not answered here, please contact us at info@winstedt.edu.sg or give us a call at +65 6715-5373.
Experience for yourself what makes Winstedt so special at our next Open Day event.
The Winstedt School utilises the globally-recognised, British curriculum which has been adapted for our international school population.
In Early Years and Junior School, we use Edexcel for the core subjects of Maths and Literacy, as well as Science. The International Primary Curriculum (IPC) is used to connect cross-disciplinary topics through different themed units. Lessons are delivered using multi-sensory and differentiated teaching approaches to allow students with diverse learning profiles to make meaningful connections with the content.
The Middle uses IMYC and Senior Schools follow the Pearson Edexcel UK Curriculum through Key Stage 4 in the core subjects (English, Mathematics, Science, Humanities) and take ‘Elective’ subjects, or non-core subjects, designed to meet the needs of each cohort of students.
All students at Winstedt have weekly foreign language lessons of their choice unless a child has been specifically exempted by the School.
Winstedt’s language and culture programme is aimed at cultivating a global mindset for our students. The programme allows the students opportunities to develop and practice empathy to respect people from different cultures and build intercultural relationships.
Winstedt does not offer a bilingual programme at this time.
Like most international schools in Singapore, The Winstedt School follows a North American academic calendar with classes beginning in mid-August and ending in Mid-June.
There are 2-week term breaks in March and October and a month break in December. For more details on the school calendar, please visit our calendar page.
Winstedt delivers a globally-recognised British curriculum. While all international curricula around the world will vary slightly in method and delivery, they remain relatively consistent in core concepts covered. Students transfer into Winstedt from different academic systems and out of Winstedt into other curricula and school types without any issues. We are also WASC accredited which facilitates the transfer of credits to institutions worldwide.
Winstedt parents will receive a thorough academic report at the end of each semester outlining the milestones for that term along with the child’s progress in each area. And we also prepare specific reference letters as needed for transferring to other schools.
The Winstedt school culture places explicit emphasis on kindness and inclusion which is supported by our very low student-teacher ratio and integrated learning support model.
Some of our students have previously been bullied at other schools so they bring with them an understanding of what it feels like to be left out. As a result, the level of understanding and inclusion among the students is heightened which results in a culture of genuine support and compassion for classmates.
Additionally, our pastoral care specialists are timetabled into classes across the School to work with students on personal, social, and emotional skills development.
While the school has not yet had any instances of bullying, should it occur, we have a standard operating procedure in place to address the situation in a timely manner with the involved parties.
Winstedt strives to prepare students for the digital world, while limiting screen time to specific academic purposes. All students from Year 4 and above are required to bring a laptop to school. Laptops are only to be used when explicitly instructed by the teacher for a specific academic purpose. Teachers will help students develop technology navigation and basic usage skills including the Microsoft Office Suite, Google Suite and relevant academic applications. Additionally, students will take a weekly Information and Communication Technology (ICT) class where they are exposed to coding, cloud resources, and other relevant computer-based skills.
Laptops are not to be used before and after school, or during recess.
Additionally, students below year 4 are introduced to technology through specific academic applications on school iPads.
Classrooms at Winstedt are equipped with interactive, SMART boards which provide enhanced opportunities for multi-sensory instruction and further exposure to technology.
Visit our Technology page for more details.
Winstedt is fortunate to have very active and supportive parents who contribute their time and energy in a variety of ways.
Our dedicated Parent League organises school-wide events and activities through the year. Room Parents support communication between the school and other parents of children in that class. Some parents volunteer their time regularly to help in the library or art room. And most families participate in our large school events.
For more details, visit our Parent League page.
Due to the sensitivity of the data, parents can approach the Head of School for a personal sharing session on the student graduate and performance outcome benchmarking report.
The Winstedt School was initially founded as a Kindergarten in 2008 with 3 students to a full K-12 school with nearly 200 students. We continue to grow year on year.
We are pleased to share that in the 2021-2022 academic year Winstedt graduated our first batch of 8 graduates. They have gone on to pursue further higher education studies worldwide, with some joining the mandatory National Service in Singapore.
To respond to your enquiries and/or feedback
To determine applicant’s eligibility for enrolment at The Winstedt School
To assess, monitor, and report on individual student performance, attendance, and disciplinary records
To monitor students’ email communications and internet use in accordance with The Winstedt School’s Internet and Email Usage Guidelines
To support students’ learning through curricula and extra-curricular activities including but not limited to outdoor trips and inter-school competitions
To provide pastoral care where appropriate
To provide healthcare and wellness services
To provide online services such as The Winstedt School internet portals
To apply student passes where appropriate
To facilitate payment for goods and/or services provided by The Winstedt School, including verification of bank and credit card details
To communicate via post, email, and/or SMS about The Winstedt School’s activities, updates, and events
To conduct statistical studies and analysis by The Winstedt School
All other matters relating to your child’s enrolment and education with The Winstedt School and the School deems necessary or appropriate. In these instances, The Winstedt School will inform you in writing.
Winstedt is a purpose-built international school for bright and capable students who benefit from small classes and more personalised instruction. We also provide the Curie-Einstein Program for twice exceptional, gifted students with learning differences which has a different set of criteria. But for our general Winstedt mainstream year levels the following are the basic admissions requirements:
Be fully toilet independent
Have basic proficiency in English (but we can also provide English as an Additional Language support)
Have an average IQ or higher as documented on an Educational Psychology report conducted within the last 2 years
Have adequate independence to engage in group learning without one-to-one prompting
Have no primary behavioural issues
For more details on our admissions process, please visit our admissions criteria page and enrolment page.
Here at The Winstedt School, we know that no two brains are alike and that there are many paths to learning. While most schools will place a child into a particular grade level based solely on the date of birth, Winstedt looks at a variety of factors including academic proficiency, social/emotional development, and learning profile to determine the overall best fit for each child.
Additionally, students in Year 3 and above are further grouped for the core subjects of Maths, Literacy, and Spelling. This approach ensures that each child is learning at the appropriate level for each subject.
Read more on our Year Level Placement page.
Yes.
To cater to Singapore’s international, expat community, The Winstedt School offers rolling admissions, pending availability.
To find out more about space availability at your child’s level, please contact admissions@winstedt.edu.sg.
For the 2022-2023 academic year, we do have waiting lists at certain year levels. However, this can change as the school is experiencing enrolment growth and will split classes as needed.
Please contact admissions@winstedt.edu.sg for current information regarding space availability at your child’s year level.
Yes, pending approval from the Singapore Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA).
The Winstedt School has received EduTrust Certification which allows the school to apply for Student Passes. However, Student Passes are not guaranteed and must be approved by the ICA.
After being admitted, the Winstedt admissions team will help to prepare the application materials for the Student Pass. Processing time is typically 4-6 weeks. Student Pass holders can only commence classes after notification that the Pass has been approved.
Please note that Student Pass holders must meet the minimum 90% monthly attendance requirements stipulated by the ICA. For more information on student pass eligibility, please visit the Singapore Immigration and Checkpoints Authority site.
For more details on international student admissions, please visit our admissions criteria page.
Yes! We have many students at Winstedt who do not have any learning difficulties but still benefit from our small classes, personalised teaching, and inclusive community.
The Winstedt School delivers a globally recognised, British curriculum that is tailored to the specific students in each class. As such, we can adapt instruction to meet the needs of all students, not just those who need extra support.
In fact, we encourage families to keep siblings together by providing a generous sibling discount of 25% off course fees.
In order to attend private school, Singaporean students must be exempted from Compulsory Education by the Ministry of Education (MOE).
After a Singaporean applicant has been admitted to The Winstedt School, the admissions team will help to prepare the application materials to be submitted to MOE. Processing time is typically 8-10 weeks.
Singaporeans cannot enroll or attend classes at The Winstedt School without explicit approval from MOE. For more information on exemption from compulsory education, please visit the Singapore Ministry of Education site.
For more details, please visit our admissions criteria page.
Winstedt is a mainstream, international school that provides various levels of tailored integrated support for our students. We have students from over 30 different nationalities who speak more than 15 different native languages.
Winstedt has a close-knit and supportive community of diverse students who are engaged in activities, both within and outside of the school, including theatre productions, sports teams, and musical groups.
Our academic programme was developed for students with an average IQ and above, who do not require one-to-one or shadow support in the classroom. We also launched in 2021, our Curie-Einstein Program for twice exceptional students that must meet a minimum IQ level to qualify as “gifted” and be admitted into the Programme.
Our students range from exceptionally gifted to those needing some support in the classroom. For students with learning difficulties, the most common include: Autism Spectrum Disorder, Dyslexia, ADHD, Dyspraxia, mild (high-functioning) and academic anxiety.
Winstedt is a purpose-built, international school that delivers a personalised education for every student. Support at Winstedt is not limited to specific accommodations or pull-out sessions, but is woven throughout the fabric of the school.
Maximum 15:2 student-teacher ratio.
Two qualified teachers in every class.
Multi-age classes and subject groups.
Occupational therapists, Speech and Language therapists, Behavioral Therapist, Counsellor, and Psychologist who work in classrooms with teachers and students.
Multi-sensory lessons and regular movement breaks.
Personalised instruction that caters to different learning styles and academic levels.
Teachers who are specially trained in Orton-Gillingham (OG), Lindamood-Bell, Social Thinking, and other targeted methodologies.
Regular student reviews with academic, pastoral care, and therapy teams to revise tailored strategies and goals.
To really understand what support looks like at Winstedt, please read this letter from our Heads of Schools or visit our Learning Support page.
No.
Winstedt’s focus is on developing independent learners as such we do not allow the use of Shadow Teachers. All Winstedt students must have enough independence to engage in group learning and manage themselves in a classroom environment.
Supplemental learning support sessions can be arranged after school to help students with subject-specific difficulties or gaps. Recommendations on whether or not your child might need this will be provided at the end of the Class Trial in our admissions process.
Winstedt offers a full suite of extracurricular activities (ECAs) after school from 3:30 – 4:30pm that include academic, athletic, and artistic options such as below and many more:
Homework Club
Football (Soccer)
Archery
Builders Club
Parkour
Drama
Drone flying
Taekwondo
Pottery
Cooking
Choir
Swimming
Mandarin Club
Little Veterinarians
Student Council
Debate Team
Cross-country running
Basketball
Gymnastics
Sewing
Character Drawing
The school typically provides between 5-10 options per day for students to choose from. New options are continuously added to provide greater variety for exploration of interests. Door-to-door bus service is available both after school and after ECAs. Visit our Bus Transportation page for details.
Winstedt also provides an overseas camp experience for students in Years 6 and above, as well as an overnight camp for students in Year 5. Visit our Beyond the Classroom page for more details.
Winstedt offers a full suite of extracurricular activities (ECAs) after school that include a variety of athletic options
Football
Basketball
Parkour
Swimming
Taekwando
Archery
Cross country Running
Table Tennis
Gymnastics
Many of our students participate in private sports teams and clubs which compete across the APAC region. Sports clubs available in Singapore include rugby, basketball, martial arts, gymnastics, speed stacking, and football.
Additionally, every morning at Winstedt starts with a morning fitness activity to improve concentration and focus in class. These activities include athletic circuits around the quad, Zumba or Yoga in the auditorium. And all students have weekly Physical Education (PE) sessions scheduled into their timetables.
For more details, visit our Beyond the Classroom page.
Winstedt offers a full suite of extracurricular activities (ECAs) after school that include creative and artistic options such as:
Pottery
Song Writing
Musical Instrument Lessons
Mural Painting
Music Recording
Doll Making
Choir
Comic & Character drawing
Speech & Drama
Additionally, Winstedt’s arts-infused curriculum provides opportunities for artistic development and exploration throughout the school day. All students have music, art, and drama scheduled into their timetables.
For more details, visit our Beyond the Classroom page.
Yes. Winstedt students participate in different types of School camps based on their year level. The camp activities and learning goals are developed by our academic team and integrated with curriculum themes to deepen students’ understanding of concepts and provide opportunities for real-world application.
Year 4 students participate in an all-day, off-site camp in Singapore.
Year 5 students participate in off-site activities around Singapore with an overnight stay at The Winstedt School campus.
Years 6 and above participate in overseas camps allowing them to further develop their independence, problem-solving, and leadership skills.
Camps also include a philanthropic activity for students to connect with and give back to the local community.
For more details, visit our Beyond the Classroom page.
We also conduct Camps during summer and winter holiday school breaks to provide consistency and structure for students to continue their learning journey through fun, experiential learning activities.
The Winstedt School has an active Student Council which is elected at the beginning of each academic year. This leadership group organises activities for students, represents the student voice to the school, and serves as role models for the student community.
Winstedt also has a Choir who performs at school events as well as a Builder’s Club which meets on Saturdays to work on engineering and design projects around the school. Parents are encouraged to join Builder’s Club sessions to spend quality time outside with your child. Each weekly session ends with a group BBQ.
Winstedt also offers after-school Homework, Mandarin, and Debate clubs through our extracurricular activities ECAs) programme.
If students have an idea for a new club or student organisation, they are encouraged to speak with their respective Head of School.