FAQ

School Programmes

Q6. What is FutureSchool@Singapore about?
A: Crescent Girls’ School has been selected as one of the 5 schools to be a FutureSchool@Singapore. FutureSchools will not be “technology” schools that focus primarily on technology use for its own sake. Instead, the schools will be distinguished more by their capacity to push the frontiers of teaching and learning by leveraging on technologies and innovative school designs to enable innovative educational programmes for engaged learning.

Q7. With such a new concept implemented school-wide, will the FutureSchools be able to adequately prepare their students for the exams while implementing the project?
A: The schools chosen have a good track record in the use of ICT in learning. As FutureSchools, schools will be tapping on ICT to enhance learning. It is not an additional programme to learn. Schools will also plan lessons based on the national curriculum, preparing students for the national exams. The difference is that the delivery of the lessons will leverage fully on ICT to bring about better learning.

MOE has also appointed curriculum consultants and educational technology consultants to work closely with the schools to support the development, customisation and implementation of ICT-based curriculum and pedagogy.

Q8. Will fees be different/ increased?
A: The school fees will follow existing fee guidelines provided by MOE. The FutureSchools@Singapore programme is funded by MOE, NRF, IDA and industry partners with a project grant over a period of 4 years in the first instance. This project grant will be used to offset any additional cost incurred by the school when planning and implementing changes in the teaching and learning programme that incorporate the use of ICT.

Q9. Will children from low-income families be disadvantaged when they enroll in these schools?
A: Children from low income families will not be disadvantaged from enrolling in the FutureSchools in any way. MOE has in place financial assistance schemes to help needy students, and will specifically take into account the needs of students in these FutureSchools.

Q10. How does Crescent respond and re-position itself in the face of many changes taking place in the local education arena?
A: The instructional programmes at Crescent go beyond the mere pursuit of academic excellence. The school keeps abreast with the latest trends in education to provide a quality education for the students to meet the challenges of the future confidently. Some features of the cutting-edge education that Crescent provides include:

• Project Work - The school adopts the problem-based learning (PBL) approach to project work where the students work in groups to identify current or potential problems in relation to the real world and generate their own solutions. In the process, students develop critical thinking and decision-making skills.



• Life Sciences - Intensive programmes have been designed for students to equip them with the knowledge and skills in life-sciences, in particular, in microbiology, natural product chemistry and biotechnology. The biology laboratories have been equipped with life sciences equipment. Students with strong interest and aptitude are given the opportunities to be attached to doctors and researchers at the National Cancer Centre and the Young Researchers Programme with A*STAR.



• Information Technology – The school has in place a compulsory Computer Education Programme for the lower secondary students, which equips them with the necessary skills for effective learning. The course curriculum includes the use of Internet, Intellectual Property Rights, Data logging, Managing Data through Spreadsheets, Movies-Editing, Web Authoring and Multimedia Authoring. Students with strong inclinations in IT are given opportunities to specialise in video journalism, technopreneurship, manga animation and 3D Visualizations.



• Mobile learning – Mobile learning (also known as m-learning) was first launched in 2004 with a one-to-one Tablet PC ratio. Since then, learning has become more dynamic and interesting. The students use the Tablet PC to hone their skills in searching, organising, evaluating and presenting information. They scaffold new knowledge upon their pre-existing understanding of the different subjects by accessing information and resource materials posted online by the teachers, taking notes in class and then organising this new information into mindmaps, diagrams and graphics, to make sense and meaning of the things they learn.



• Creative Arts – Crescent is the Centre of Excellence for the Creative Arts in the S2 Cluster. Students are provided with opportunities and platforms to explore different channels of artistic expressions. Each year, Learning Festival is set aside for Crescentians and cluster schools to celebrate the vibrancy and beauty of the arts in enriching their lives. The school also provides excellent facilities to engage in creative arts lessons, master classes and performances. These include a state-of-the-art Performing Arts Theatre and a newly-built Arts Conservatory which offer ensemble areas, practice studios and recording studios for students.



• Character Development - All staff and stakeholders at Crescent believe that character is destiny and a fundamental aspect in preparing Crescentians for the future. The Growing into Responsible Ladies and Leaders Successfully (G.I.R.L.S.) Programme is a unique character development programme developed and customised to nurture young girls into wholesome ladies and gracious leaders. It focuses on the explicit teaching of character traits and core ethical values to build intrinsic motivation. The character education curriculum is reinforced by school wide character building activities and recognition systems that help students to assimilate and practise good character traits and strive towards a higher character standard and nurture caring, gracious ladies, leaders and citizens.



• Impacting Community - To imbue in the students a sense of responsibility to the wider community, a cornucopia of community involvement activities are made available for students to volunteer and take ownership for. These programmes aim to inculcate environmental stewardship, promote social awareness and care for the less privileged in our society. Crescent has forged close links with the community and made a difference to several non-profit organisations.



• Acquiring a Global Outlook - The students are given many opportunities to appreciate diverse global learning experiences through collaboration with students from overseas schools and interacting with foreign students who are enrolled in the school. For instance, Crescentians have worked very closely with their counterparts from Koyo Junior High School in Japan on an online-English project. Every year, outstanding Crescentians attend the Global Young Leader’s Conference held in Washington DC and New York. There are also several student exchange programmes with various countries.

(Last updated: May 2008)