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Support Environmental Sustainability with Upcycling of Plastic

Our school has embarked on an environmental sustainability journey since last year with various exciting developments happening at both campuses as shared in this article here.

In order to further support the great work done by our students, The Alice Smith School Foundation purchased a plastic upcycling machine last March, working in partnership with The Sea Monkey Project ..

What are A Levels in the UK?

A Levels or Advanced Levels are the passport to university entry in the UK and are also widely accepted by universities and colleges around the world. They follow GCSE qualifications and offer a higher standard in their examinations, with fewer subjects chosen for these qualifications. Students select their subjects in year 12 and go on to take the exams in year 13; these two..

What Are GCSEs in the UK?

The General Certificate of Secondary Education, more commonly known as GCSEs, are taken by students in the UK aged 14-16 years. GCSEs are taken at the end of year 11, although studies for these exams begin in year 10 (or sometimes earlier in year 9). The work is mainly a theory-based study of a subject mixed together with practical work, depending on the nature of the subject.

Why An International School Is Good For Your Child’s Education

If you want your child to graduate from their school as a confident, curious, and well-rounded human being, then an international school may be the answer.

A broader education

Even though your child will still attain certain academic standards and pass their all-important graduation exams in preparation for university, they’ll also have learned many other life lessons that..

What is an International School?

An international school offers a diverse education to children and usually educates its students outside of the national curriculum of its location. For example, the Alice Smith offers a UK curriculum even though the school is based in Kuala Lumpur.

Image source: Unsplash

International schools are often multinational and, as well as the more formal courses on offer, the..

Part 3: Questions to ask when choosing an international school

Here is our final instalment of questions to ask when choosing an international school for your child. You can read the first instalment of this series here, and the second instalment here.

1. What is their staff turnover?

High staff turnover is a key issue for any business in any industry - including education. According to research, the average tenure of an international..

Part 2: Questions to ask when choosing an international school

Here are the next sets of important questions to ask when choosing an international school for your child. You can read the first instalment of this series here.

1. What extra-curriculars do they offer?

Most schools offer extra-curricular activities alongside their traditional core subjects – whether they are international schools or normal schools. Extra-curricular..

Part 1: Questions to ask when choosing an international school

As a parent searching for schooling, considering an international school for your child is a good idea. With rising demand for international schooling, particularly in East and South-East Asia, according to ISC Research, forecasts suggest that international schools will host almost 7m pupils by 2023. This can make your job of picking a school difficult and you may not know..

"In wilderness is the preservation of the world"

While many of us remain indoors due to the Movement Control Order Dan Lawrence, our Primary School Counsellor, offers a moment to reflect on our connection with nature even if it's just through our windows today!

In wilderness is the preservation of the world - Henry D Thoreau

Henry Thoreau, the poet-philosopher and environmental scientist author of “Walden”, knew a..

What makes an Alice Smith student truly exceptional?

The Alice Smith School is often regarded as one of the best (if not the best!) International schools in Malaysia and indeed Asia. But what makes it so special? Excellent (I)GCSE and A Level grades are an indicator of one aspect of a school's quality, but what about all those activities, initiatives and achievements that do not end with a formal assessment? Think of all the..

Thinking of applying to Cambridge?

We were very fortunate to welcome Claire Canning, the Deputy Student Recruitment Manager (International) from the University of Cambridge to Alice Smith this week to talk to our students and parents about applying to, and studying at, this prestigious institution.

What’s so special about Cambridge?

The University of Cambridge is one of the world's leading universities,..

Learn to Think, Think to Learn

‘IDK’, if you didn’t know, is a feature of text-speak that has now planted itself firmly into modern parlance as a rapid, shorthand response to a difficult question - ‘I don’t know’.

When we ask Year 7 students what they think is happening when a raw egg appears to ‘cook’ in the presence of a mysterious chemical at room temperature there is no expectation that they will..

Eight ways to help your child revise

It’s internal exam season at the moment and (I)GCSE and A Level mocks are already underway for our Year 11 and 13 students, who are demonstrating great levels of maturity, organisation and resilience, writes Dr. Sarah Howling, Principal of Alice Smith Secondary School.

Exams can be nerve-racking for children and equally for their parents. Here are some tips to help your..

Why Play is Important?

Play: It’s the way young children learn. A special supplement to the Children’s Advocate, stated, “Play is the main way children learn and develop ideas about the world. It helps them build the skills necessary for critical thinking and leadership. It’s how they learn to solve problems and to feel good about their ability to learn. Children learn the most from play when they..

School sport and its significance for an international school education

It has long been acknowledged that school sport plays a significant role in a child’s education and overall well being. Participation in school sports supports the healthy growth of the heart, lungs and muscles, as well as increasing agility, balance and coordination. Aside from the obvious physical benefits, sport also has a highly positive effect on a child’s psychological..

How to Choose an International School in Kuala Lumpur

Choosing an international school can be daunting. You are looking for the perfect balance of high academic standards, engaging, attentive teachers, and fun extracurriculars.

In short, you want your child to thrive in their new expat school. It's a tall order, especially if it's your first trip to Malaysia.

For over seven decades, The Alice Smith school in Kuala Lumpur has.. read more

Examinations and their Boards

The UK school exam system can be very confusing to parents, even if they are from the UK and experienced it as a student themselves. As educators, we are commonly asked by international parents, ‘Is Cambridge board better than AQA?’ or ‘Edexcel is harder than AQA, right?’These sincere questions reflect a misunderstanding of UK examination boards. The idea is easily held by..

Finding a University that is the Right Fit | Alice Smith Higher Education

By Joe Marshall, Head of Higher Education

I work at one of the top international schools in Asia, the Alice Smith School in Kuala Lumpur, where I am the Head of Higher Education (HE) provision.

Our students are afforded some of the best university opportunities from around the world; should they study in the UK, US, Australia, Canada, Asia or Europe?

The options are too..

Professional Development Quality Mark | Alice Smith School

The Alice Smith School is a learning community that highly value the professional growth and development of our staff, in addition to the opportunity to offer workshops for parents on a wide range of educational topics. Sharing knowledge and learning together as a community is a thriving aspect of school culture that also extends more widely regionally and internationally.

How To Promote Student Engagement | 4 Strategies by Alice Smith

Student engagement is paramount to the success of the child, teacher and the school as a whole. Individuals need to be enthralled in what they are learning in order to absorb the material in a way that lets them apply their knowledge in complex contexts and ask meaningful questions that foster interesting dialogue. This is the type of engagement practitioners should strive..

5 Great Reasons to Ride the Bus | Alice Smith School

Location is always a consideration when choosing a school for your child. Many parents will start looking at those schools close to where they live or work but most schools have a bus service. A good school bus service lets you widen your choice to pick the school that you really want your child to attend as well as lots of other benefits.

Below we explore five reasons why..

Paving the Way to University | Higher Education Programme

Part of our mission at Alice Smith is to give students a successful international future. Throughout the school, we strive to nurture, inspire and enrich students so that they can make fully informed decisions about their own futures.

Whilst students will be making decisions throughout their school lives, these decisions become even more focused when they reach the Sixth..

Questioning to Make a Difference

By David Potts, Vice-Principal, Learning & Teaching - Secondary Campus

Understanding the power of questioning in developing thinking skills, both through asking and being asked, is at the heart of learning. We spend a significant part of our education answering questions. We tentatively impart our knowledge, demonstrate our understanding and expound our interpretations of..

Learning for Life at the Alice Smith School

by Roger Schultz, Head of School

It is common for schools to speak of educating the “whole child” and providing a “holistic education” for their students, acknowledging that a successful learning environment is about much more than just academic results. However, when considering the relative merits of a school and the quality of its educational provision, looking at..

Stepping into Higher Education | Alice Smith Sixth Form

Our Sixth Form academic curriculum is comprised of linear, two-year A Levels, optional two-year AS Levels and the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ). Within our Pathways programme, students can choose from three key combinations of courses to suit their strengths, needs and aspirations; two-year AS Levels serve as an optional means of providing academic breadth to augment..

Building Community Spirit by Helping Others

by Roger Schultz, Head of School

As the oldest British international school in Malaysia, the Alice Smith School has a long history of community service.

Responding to the needs of others is deeply embedded in the culture and ethos of the school. The voluntary work of its governing body and Parent-teacher Association, for example, illustrate this selflessness.

For over 70..

Early Years: Nurturing a Love of Learning

Starting school is an exciting time for parents and children as they begin their learning journey with us at Alice Smith. Our Early Years consists of our Pre-school and Reception classes gives your child an ideal start to their school education. In these classes your child will be able to settle into school, develop social skills while making new friends and be guided by our..

‘Imagination is more important than knowledge’

Albert Einstein

Gone are the days when education was about a teacher imparting their knowledge on to their students. In order to be successful and ensure our students are equipped to thrive in an uncertain world, the most important thing we can teach our students are the learning habits needed to handle the unknown.

Cultivating..

Do Flexible School Campuses Really Benefit Learning? | Alice Smith School

Imagine yourself as a student walking into your school, smelling the fresh air even inside the building. The way in which the walls are built to prevent the feeling of constriction. There’s open space everywhere you look, with chairs dispersed throughout the building in such a way that is pleasant to the eye, but also provides the freedom to sit whenever and wherever you..