“It is the challenge of school leaders to discover new methods of both

learning and leading. This round table will envisage the key issues of
school leadership promoting success of the schools in the 21st
century- effective leaders, effective teachers and effective learners.”

School Management & Educational Leadership

Perspectives from a Pioneering Premier

Girls’ School in Singapore
EDUCA 2010, Oct 2010
Mrs Julie Hoo
Principal, Raffles Girls’ School (Singapore)
National Director, Future Problem Solving Program Singapore
Council Member, Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development
julie.hoo@rgs.edu.sg
www.rgs.edu.sg
 Singapore Context
• Small system – ½ million students, 351 schs, 30,000 teachers
• 6-4-2/3 system, followed by 3 main pathways for post-
secondary: Pre-Univ (27%), Polytechnic (42%), ITE (28%),
University (35% by 2015)
• National exams, National curriculum
• Compulsory education for 1st 6 years, v low school attrition
• Diversity of school profiles:
– Mainstream govt schools – Primary, Secondary and Junior Colleges
– Full schools
– Independent state-funded schools
– Integrated Programme schools (bypasses the GCE O levels)
• A system with Bridges and Ladders at each level
• Teachers are hired from within the top 33%ile of their
tertiary cohort; starting pay is competitive
 Recent Curricular & Pedagogic
Policy Initiatives
• Teach Less, Learn More (2005)
– Engaged and relevant learning for every child
by every teacher in every school
• C2015 (2008)
– Emphasis on 21st Century Skills
• MP3 (2009)
– To transform the learning environment, and
achieve greater engagement of students
 C2015
A set of principles to guide in our thinking about what
to learn, and how to learn:
– a. Strong fundamentals. High standards of knowledge, skills and values are
maintained, especially in key areas such as languages, mathematics, science,
humanities and physical well-being.

– b. Future orientation. Curriculum is reviewed on a regular basis and

incorporates future learnings for students to live and work as fully-functioning
adults.

– c. Broad-based and holistic curriculum. Students access learning in the

cognitive, moral, social, moral, physical and aesthetics domains.

– d. Finer customisation of learning. Curriculum, pedagogy and assessment

are customised according to our students’ profiles, interests, abilities and talents
so that they can maximise their individual potential.

– e. Challenging and enjoyable learning. Learning is a positive and fulfilling

experience for all students as they learn in and outside the classroom. There is
high expectation for all and strong teacher-student relationships. The curriculum
stretches capable students and scaffolds less able students to enable them to
experience success.
 MP3
• a Equip our students with the critical competencies and dispositions to
succeed in a knowledge economy, eg self-directed learning, which requires
students to discriminate information, have technological literacy, higher-order
thinking skills and collaboration skills.

• b Tailor learning experiences according to the way that each student learns
best. To enhance the ability of teachers, a pool of “ICT specialist teachers” will be
trained with strong pedagogical groundings to model and lead professional
development efforts within and across schools.

• c Encourage students to go deeper and advance their learning. For those

who can and want to go further in any subject, ICT is a powerful adjunct to learning.
Eg. 3-Dimensional representation, automating laborious operations and freeing up
time for more important data analysis and design of experiments, use of media for
more authentic reconstruction of events and facilitating different perspectives and
more nuanced analyses.

• d Learn anywhere, anytime. The use of ICT allows such mobility and flexibility in
learning, freeing it from the physical
 Translating Policies
• Centralised Policy Making, Localised
Decisions in Translating Policies

• Interface between policy and practice must

be respectful of School Context and Student
Profile

• Perspectives from RGS

Raffles Girls’ School
Estd 1879
Raffles Girls’ School

131 years’ history of excellence.

28 years’ history in educating gifted girls.
top girls’ school (1%-3%).
independent school with integrated programme status.
best academic results (GCE O & A levels).
top sports & performing arts school for girls.
top school for leadership development.
Organisational & Educational Strategy

Student
Student at
as Centre
Focus

Empowered Organisational
Teachers DNA
 Organisational DNA
Belief If the school has:
– a clear vision
– relevant strategic directions
– strong organisational culture
– and runs on well-understood systemic
processes,

the alignment of all decisions to student

learning will be achieved.
The RGS Dashboard (2009-2013)

Clear
Organisation
&
Student
Outcomes

6 Strategic
Thrusts to
Bring
About
Outcomes
 Organisational DNA
• Metaphor of Strategic Map: “The RGS
Dashboard” (2009-2013)
– Common Destination, Flexible Pathways
– Helps with prioritisation of resource allocation,
programming, provisions

• School Leader’s Role:

– Points the way to the vision in the distance
– Checks the rearview mirror to see how far we’ve come
– Appoints the drivers & navigators
– Looks out for signposts
– Monitors dashboard signals for fuel, pressure, wear &
tear etc
The Athena Courtyard
RGS
Organisational & Educational Strategy

Student
Student at
as Centre
Focus

Empowered Organisational
Teachers DNA
 Empowering Teachers

Belief Teachers who are

– professionally equipped and developed to
confidently deliver and innovate in curriculum
& pedagogy
– given flexibility to engage and respond to the
needs of their students

Will be able to facilitate effective student

learning.
 Empowering Teachers
• School-wide systemicity of strategy and support:
– Teacher training and staff development are carried out
school-wide, on-site, within school term, to develop a broad
repertoire of instructional and curricular skills
– Training Roadmap  systematic build up of expertise:
• Beginner’s & In-service
• Milestone Modules
• Formal Accreditation – Masters in Ed, Adv Dips
– Common understanding, common learning, common
language & vocabulary in professional discourse
– Ringfenced timetabled time (1 hr/wk)
– Personal Learning Development Cash Credits ($700-$1500
pa)
– Peer-to-Peer Instructional Leadership with Senior Teachers’
Council Clinics
 Empowering Teachers
Enhancing Professionalism, Encouraging a Research Orientation

– RGS Pedagogical Research Laboratory (PeRL)

• Research  In-house Research Arm, focused on knowledge
creation, indigenised research on what works in Asia
• ConsultancyCurriculum & assessment specialists who offer
consultancy and training to Singaporean and regional
educators
• Professional Development Networks & Roundtables,
Customised Workshops

– School wide research orientation, teacher-researchers

with professional curiosity
The Foyer at RGS
Organisational & Educational Strategy

Student
Student at
as Centre
Focus

Empowered Organisational
Teachers DNA
 Student as Focus

• The Programme at RGS is designed around

the needs of the gifted learner (1%-3%),
and aims to develop her into a leader who
will realise her talents in service of
community and nation.
 The Raffles Programme

A holistic programme
To Nurture
the Person
the Thinker
the Leader
the Pioneer
to nurture the intellect
fire the imagination
to develop fine character

wellbeing
Curriculum & Pedagogy for Gifted Learners
o Content 
o advanced content for stretch and challenge
o emphasis on Disciplinarity
o Curriculum Organisers 
o Philosophy, Research Skills, Project-Based
o Overarching macro-concepts to provide connections
across disciplines
o Pedagogic Rigour 
o Higher Order Processes, meta-cognition
o Inquiry-driven, 1:1 laptop for new media learning
o Co-pedagogy
Assessment
Qualitative & Quantitative
Assessment for and of learning

Time-based Assessments
Understanding of concepts
Mastery of content and levels of skills
Effective communication of knowledge

Applied Understandings Growth over time

Performance Tasks Journals, Portfolios
Talent Development with Raffles Academies

• Academies are formed to stretch the best

students in a range of disciplines & domains
• Small group centres for specialised learning
• Dedicated teachers & resources
• Cutting edge research and experimentation
• Real world mentorship & internship
• Options and Enrichment Modules
Character, Citizenship & Global Education

• Kouzes & Posner Leadership Framework

• Mandatory Service Learning, Overseas Service Learning
• Advocacy projects
• Future & Community Problem Solving
• Student Congress / Student Government
• Global Exchange, Immersion, Sabbaticals with RGS
Global Network
• Work Experience Programme
 40 Courses & Electives…
……31 Talent Devt Platforms

Local Competition : Regional Studies Electives/Options:

1st Raffles Academies Immersion Trip
Seminar My Pledge Video Fashion Cluster

Odyssey of the Mind Future Problem Solving World Scholar’s Cup 2010
50 Co-Curricular Activities
Amphitheatre, RGS
Alignment, Alignment, Alignment

Student at Focus
Student as Centre

Empowered Organisational
Teachers DNA
 Thank You
RGS - Filiae Melioris Aevi
estd 1879
The Arts Block, RGS