Middle School overviewEast Campus

Welcome to the Middle School at East Campus. The middle years of ages 11 to 14 are a period of tremendous physical, intellectual and emotional development, and the UWCSEA Middle School provides an educational experience tailored to the needs of this age group.

Our programme supports students as they navigate the critical transition from childhood to adulthood by instilling in them a strong sense of belonging, along with increased opportunities for independence and responsibility. Students are encouraged to become involved fully in College life by actively participating in our challenging academic curriculum as well as the Activities, Outdoor Education, Personal and Social Education and Service programmes—all of which help them to develop the skills and qualities they will need to succeed in High School and beyond.

While the school day starts at 8am and ends at 3pm, the learning doesn’t stop there. Whether in Mathematics class, rugby practice, service at a hospital or kayaking in

Sibu, the learning opportunities are diverse and take place both inside and outside the classroom.

Our teachers act as role models, exhibiting the constructive energy we expect of our students. Committed lifelong learners themselves, UWCSEA teachers also oversee lunchtime and after-school activities, service initiatives and participate fully in the outdoor education trips with their students.

There are 596 students in the UWCSEA East Middle School, and we help each one to realise their individual potential.

AcademicsOur Middle School Academic programme is structured to meet the varied intellectual and developmental needs of students in Grades 6 to 8. The academic

curriculum refines the core skills initiated in the Primary School, with specialist teachers guiding students in the fundamental subject-specific skills that they will require for higher studies.

Students have a broad and balanced range of subjects, including the core subjects of English, Humanities, Mathematics and Science. In addition, courses in the Arts, languages, physical education and design and technology ensure that students are able to learn and develop across a range of subjects.

The Middle School curriculum on East Campus also includes the Exploratory programme comprised of three modules: Team Building and Leadership, Be the Change and Life Skills. This programme helps students through the physical, cognitive and social changes of adolescence with an emphasis on gaining a greater awareness of self, how they interact with others and how they can make a difference.

In Grade 6, students spend a majority of their day in the Grade 6 pod area. However, when students move into Grades 7 and 8, their growing independence means they will increasingly move between rooms and teachers, adopting a model more similar to High School.

ActivitiesThe comprehensive Activities programme presents students with opportunities to explore interests, discover new talents and further develop their passions, as well as make new friends through the sharing of common interests.

The diverse array of activities includes many competitive and recreational sports, music, art and

East Middle School 2013/2014 enrolment

Grade 6 200

Grade 7 198

Grade 8 198

Total 596

East Campus student nationalities 2013/2014

India – 23.39%

US – 9.16%

Australia – 8.11%

Singapore – 4.93%

Japan – 4.23%

Korea – 3.30%

Malaysia – 2.86%Canada – 2.38%

France – 2.25%Other – 21.3%

UK– 18.06%

drama, enrichment and special interest activities. The programme runs across four activity seasons each year, and students commit to two seasons at a time.

All students are expected to become involved in the Activities programme. Activities and services are available every afternoon and many are also offered during lunchtime. We encourage students to be involved in approximately two activities and/or services each week.

The UWCSEA East Dragons sports teams compete in ACSIS (Athletic Conference of Singapore International Schools) tournaments as well other competitions in Singapore and the region. The strong sports programme includes representative opportunities for Middle School students in swimming, rugby (boys) and touch (girls), cricket (boys), badminton, basketball, netball (girls), golf, volleyball, gymnastics, cross country and tennis. A number of sports are also offered on a recreational basis.

Students with artistic interests and talents will find a wide range of choices, including individual lessons and music ensembles (band, orchestra, jazz, choir and even African marimba), drama (both on and off stage) as well as special interests such as circus club, studio arts, digital media, robotics, creative writing and journalism, short film-making and more.

There are also opportunities to participate in student leadership activities such as Student Council, Student Ambassadors, the TECHLife conference organising committee and Round Square through committees, conferences and exchange programmes.

Outdoor educationStudents go on a series of three school trips called expeditions throughout their years in Middle School. All students are expected to participate on these trips, as they are an essential element of the school’s learning programme, and there are links back to almost every area of the academic curriculum.

The Grade 6 expedition is a five-day, four-night programme which takes place on Tioman Island, Malaysia where the students are involved in a series of activities such as kayaking, snorkelling and sailing. The Grade 7 expedition is based upon kayaking skills, and all students first complete a programme in Singapore leading to a One Star Kayaking Award. They then spend five days and four nights on Sibu Island in Malaysia, which includes further kayak training and an overnight expedition.

The culminating expedition in Middle School is a two-week residential study programme in Chiang Mai, Thailand. One week is focused on trekking, camping and rafting, while in the second week students undertake hands-on projects in different subjects which they finalise upon return to school.

In conjunction with the Team Building and Leadership module in the Exploratory programme, the expeditions in Middle School help to develop students’ sense of individual responsibility to group efforts, their resilience and perseverance and to foster a connection with and respect for the natural environment.

Optional tripsA series of exciting optional trips are offered to Middle School students during school holidays. Although the destinations can change from year to year, all of our school trips are linked to outdoor education, service or academics. Past offerings have included trips to Taiwan for language and culture study, an adventure trip to New Zealand and a ski trip to Switzerland.

Personal and social educationThe Middle School years are a time of transition as students seek increased levels of independence and responsibility. At UWCSEA, the well being of our students is the focus of our dedicated Personal and Social Education (PSE) programme. The PSE programme seeks to promote a positive, safe and supportive school environment as students move toward the increased demands and expectations of their High School years.

The PSE programme recognises the unique developmental needs of Middle School students and addresses them through a programme that is relevant, challenging, integrative and exploratory. Our Middle School PSE team consists of the Principal, Vice Principal and Heads of Grade along with 27 mentor teachers in Grades 6 to 8. Mentor teachers are responsible for the overall welfare of their students, with an overview of both their academic progress and their social and emotional needs. Students are allocated to a new mentor group each year and this class remains together for the majority of lessons, with the exception of language and mathematics.

Our PSE programme also includes strategies for effective learning such as organisation skills that are important for student success. The mentor also provides guidance with the elective subject selections process for High School.

ServiceService is an essential component of the UWCSEA learning programme and is at the heart of our ethos to help build a better world. Our tiered programme provides opportunities for students to become involved in College, local and global service.

All Middle School students are required to gain experience of College or local service. These services vary widely but may include paired reading with local primary school children, visiting and befriending elderly people, activities with intellectually-disabled adults, and overseeing lunchtime play in our Primary School. Some local services are shared with the High School, whose students act as mentors for their Middle School peers.

All students become involved in global service through the Middle School curriculum (e.g., a unit in the Be the Change module)

and through fundraising or awareness-raising activities involving their grade. In addition, students are encouraged to join a Global Concerns (GC) group that meets weekly, usually at lunchtime. Apart from organising fundraising events, the groups might also raise awareness by hosting a guest speaker, researching an issue or giving a presentation at an assembly.

All students are expected to commit fully to their service and demonstrate initiative by contributing to planning and leading activities.

TechnologyUWCSEA has a commitment to integrate digital technologies across the learning programme. This is achieved through the wide provision of technologies in our classrooms, as well as dedicated support for teachers from digital literacy coaches and technology mentors, who help guide them in the most effective and appropriate uses of technology for learning.

All students in Grade 6 and above are issued with an Apple laptop and are supported in their responsible use of technology by an extensive digital citizenship programme.

For details on admissionAdmissions Department UWCSEA East +65 6305 5344 admissionseast@uwcsea.edu.sg

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