Mastery-Based Learning in Physics: A New Approach to Supporting Your Child’s Education

By Harry Rodger, Head of Physics

At Alice Smith School, we are constantly seeking ways to improve the quality of learning and meet the individual needs of our students, in line with our purpose of 'Sparking Courageous Exploration.' One of the most exciting recent developments in the Physics Department is our implementation of Mastery-Based Learning (MBL). This approach allows..

Thrive Week: Supporting Year 7 Students as They Begin Their Secondary School Journey

The start of a new experience is often filled with a mix of excitement and trepidation and, for Year 7 students, that move into a Secondary School setting can be a pivotal moment in their journey through life. As such, this year, we created Thrive Week as an opportunity for students to spend more time settling in and learning core skills that will help them flourish over the..

Our School Master Plan: Enhancing the Learning Experience for Our Community

As part of our ongoing commitment to providing an exceptional learning environment, we are thrilled to announce a significant update to our School Master Plan. Over the years, we have undertaken various projects to redevelop both our Primary and Secondary Campuses, with the ultimate goal of continuously improving our students', educators’ and communities' learning and teaching..

Early Years and Primary Education Gets a Boost from Experts Jan Dubiel and Theresa Forbes

Jan Dubiel is an independent speaker, consultant, trainer, and author who focuses on Early Years policy, pedagogy, and practice. He is a nationally and internationally recognised specialist in Early Childhood Education.

In 2018, he was named as one of the ten most influential people in British education by the Times Educational Supplement. Jan’s expertise lies in the..

Concept-based Learning at the Primary Campus

Our approaches to learning and our curriculum are constantly evolving at the Alice Smith School. They are influenced by research, evidence around effective learning, by what we observe within our students as they learn and also by our collective purpose; spark courageous exploration to inspire a better world.

Additionally, we must consider what the purpose of education is..

How does missing school affect your child's grades?

Globally over the last few years there has been a number of occasions when our children have been forced to miss school or move to online learning due to the Covid-19 pandemic or more local issues such as poor air quality or unusual weather patterns. These instances are unavoidable, and beyond our control as parents, but it has produced a number of findings that illustrate why..

Everything You Need to Know About International Schools

The number of international schools offering education to students of all ages around the world, like the Alice Smith School in Malaysia, is constantly growing. They are an important part of an expat community and families in many countries.

But if you’ve not heard of international schools and you don’t know how they work, here is our beginner’s guide to international..

Starting school confidently

Starting school is an exciting time for young children and their parents. It can be a daunting time, too. Chat with your child about starting school. What do they think it will be like? What are they most looking forward to? Is there anything they’re unsure or worried about? Be sure to listen to their concerns and help them to overcome them.

Here are a few ways parents can..

Learning in the Garden: Cultivating Young Minds in an Early Years Setting

In today's fast-paced world, where technology often dominates our lives, it is essential to create spaces where young children can reconnect with nature and learn through hands-on experiences. At the Alice Smith School, our commitment to holistic education encourages learning both indoors and outdoors in our Reception Early Years setting. In this blog post, we will explore the..

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..

Six ways to help your child develop early maths skills

1. Counting: Understanding numbers will help children in all areas of maths. When children hear adults counting, using numbers and talking about quantity it develops their..

Construction Play in Early Years

A Look at Studying A Levels in Malaysia

A Levels are an internationally recognised pre-university programme with high academic standards. They are exam-based and require in-depth knowledge of the chosen subject matter are equivalent to other pre-university programmes such as Australian Matriculation, Canadian Pre-University (CPU) and the Malaysian STPM.

Though they are known to be challenging, students with this..

What is the Pastoral Care Award

Every year, the International School Awards recognise excellence in teaching and learning at schools around the world. 

This awards ceremony was established by ISC Research, the world's leading provider in international school data. A school that receives such awards sets the benchmark for others to reach, setting them apart as high quality institutions in the community.

One..

How Alice Smith Ensures a Quality British Education

Ensuring their children have a quality education is a concern for any parent.

At Alice Smith, we ensure your children..

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

STEM: Strategies that help students dream and innovate

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..

Innovating The Next Generation

Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics are the core components of STEM and are subjects crucial for our future. The earlier we can introduce STEM to students, the greater the opportunity for the next generation to innovate and ultimately have an impact on the planet. 

One student who has made such an impact at Alice Smith is Krishna Ghantala. Krishna who is..