Australian International School Singapore

The Australian International School (AIS), located in Singapore, is a co-educational international school that offers a combination of the International Baccalaureate (IB), International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE), and Australian curricula. The school provides two diploma options for senior students: the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) and the Higher School Certificate (HSC).^[2] The school caters to students from 18 months old through to Year 12.^[3]

Australian International School Singapore
Location
1 Lorong Chuan Singapore 556818 Singapore
Coordinates	1°20.740′N 103°51.630′E
Information
School type	Private international school
Established	1993; 32 years ago (1993)
Founder	Coral Dixon
School district	Singapore
Oversight	Cognita
Principal	Adam Patterson
Head of school	Karrie Dietz
Gender	mixed
Age range	18 months - 18 years
Enrolment	2,500 Over 50 nationalities, with 50% from Australia and New Zealand[1]
Average class size	25
Classes offered	Pre-school; K-12
Language	English Chinese French Spanish
Hours in school day	7
Campus	Urban
Campus size	1,000–1,300 square metres (11,000–14,000 sq ft)
Houses	Lachan (Devils), Derwent (Storm), Murray (Lions) and Fitzroy (Dragons)
Song	Reach for the stars
Mascot	AIS Sharks
Nickname	AIS
Accreditations	IGCSE International Baccalaureate World School NSW HSC Australian Curriculum Western Association of Schools and Colleges,(WASC)
Affiliations	International Baccalaureate Organization NSW Board of Studies, Teaching and Educational Standards Council of International Schools University of Cambridge IGCSE Association of International Schools Western Association of Schools and Colleges,(WASC) EduTrust Singapore
Website	https://www.ais.com.sg/

According to the school, its vision is "to be a globally recognised centre of educational excellence whose students consistently exceed expectations and are committed to addressing the needs of our world."^[4] Its mission is "to enable students to realise their potential through exceptional opportunities within a nurturing community that equips them to flourish in life and to make a difference for good."^[4] AIS promotes the core values of respect, opportunity, and achievement.^[5]

AIS operates three sub-schools:

• Early Years: For children aged 18 months to 6 years (Preschool/Kindergarten).^[6]
• Elementary School: Covering Prep to Year 5 (Ages 5–11).^[7]
• Secondary School: From Year 6 to Year 12 (Ages 11+).^[8]

All three sub-schools are located on a single campus at 1 Lorong Chuan, Singapore. The campus, which spans over one kilometre in length, is situated near the Lorong Chuan MRT station and is accessible by foot, bus, or car.^[9]

In 2024, AIS students achieved an average IBDP score of 33.3 out of 45, exceeding the global average of 29.2. The Whole Cohort ATAR average, including IBDP ATAR conversion, was 82.8.^[10]

History

The Australian International School (AIS) in Singapore was established on 3 February 1993 at its first campus on Mount Sophia, with 32 students and 7 teachers under the leadership of Miss Coral Dickson.^[11] By the end of that year, student enrollment had grown to over 200.^[12]

Due to rapid growth, the school relocated to Emerald Hill in 1994,^[13] and by 1997, with over 500 students, AIS moved to Ulu Pandan, the former site of the Singapore American School.^[14]

In 2003, AIS moved to its current purpose-built campus at Lorong Chuan, which was officially opened by Australian Deputy Prime Minister John Anderson and Singapore's Acting Minister for Education, Tharman Shanmugaratnam.^[15] By this time, the school had 1,100 students enrolled.^[16]

In 2007, the school was acquired by the Cognita Group of Schools, leading to further expansion.^[17] In 2008, a Junior School and Preschool wing were added, and in 2011, a new Senior building was completed to accommodate Year 10–12 students, featuring private study spaces, classrooms, and specialized facilities for Science, Art, Music, and Technology.^[18]

The school's growth continued with the opening of the Early Learning Village in 2017, a purpose-built facility dedicated to the Early Years programs.^[19]

Currently, there are over 2,500 students enrolled.^[20]

Student Body

The student body at the Australian International School (AIS) Singapore represents over 50 nationalities from six continents. The majority of AIS students come from Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Brazil, the United States, South Korea, Japan, China, India, and locally from Singapore.^[21]

Campus Facilities

Early Learning Village

The 50,000 square meter Early Learning Village, designed by award-winning Bogle Architects, was purpose-built for early years students.^[22] Key features include:

• Secure classroom pods on each floor.
• Classrooms with enclosed balcony extensions for indoor play.
• 1,500 square meters of outdoor UV-protected playground spaces.
• A 20-meter purpose-built early learning swimming pool.
• An Early Years Gymnasium.
• Five specialist rooms for dance, drama, music, and movement.
• An early years library.
• A health centre.^[23]

Main Campus

The Main Campus, designed for Elementary and Secondary students, houses classroom pods and spaces tailored for teaching and learning. Specialist facilities include:

• One theatre.
• Three libraries.
• Two outdoor fields.
• Three multi-purpose sports halls/indoor gymnasiums.
• One canteen.
• Eight science labs.
• Eight music rooms and twelve music practice rooms.
• Eight art studios.
• Eight drama studios.
• Tennis courts.
• Two fitness studios.^[24]
• Design and technology workshops, equipped with tools and resources for hands-on learning and innovation.^[25]
• Coding labs for programming and computational learning.^[26]

Academics

AIS engages different global curricula across its sub-schools. In 2007, the school adopted the International Baccalaureate (IB). Students in Years 11 and 12 can choose to take either the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (IBDP) or the New South Wales (NSW) Higher School Certificate (HSC) examinations.^[27]

Early Years

• Ages 18 months to 5: Australian Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) and the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program (IB PYP).^[28]

Elementary School

• Prep to Year 5: The International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program (IB PYP) and Australian Curriculum.^[29]

Secondary School

• Years 6 to 8: Australian Curriculum.
• Years 9 and 10: Cambridge IGCSE.
• Years 11 and 12: Students choose between the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (IBDP) or the New South Wales Higher School Certificate (HSC).^[30]

Co-Curricular Activities (CCA) / After School Programs

The Australian International School Singapore offers over 300 Co-Curricular Activities (CCA) / after-school programs for students enrolled in the school. Programs include sports, the arts (choir, musical performances), STEM (robotics), sciences, Model United Nations, community service, and more.^[31]

Students can compete locally and internationally in athletics through the South East Asia Student Activities Conference (SEASAC) and the Athletic Conference of Singapore International Schools (ACSIS).^[32][33]

Leadership Team

The school's executive team^[34] comprises:

• Karrie Dietz (Head of School)
• Adam Patterson (Principal)
• PJ Roberts (Managing Director - Operations)
• Eromie Dassanayake (Head of Early Years)
• Emma McAulay (Head of Elementary)
• Dr J Dianne Brederson (Head of Secondary)
• Lisa Olinski (Director of Admissions & Marketing)
• Anita Mahesan (Director of Finance)

Ownership

AIS has been privately owned by Cognita since 2007. Cognita is an international independent schools group. Founded in 2004, the Cognita family of schools now incorporates over 100 schools world-wide, with schools in the UK, Spain, South America, Thailand, Singapore and Vietnam, covering the age range of 3 – 18 years.

Notable former pupils

• Tippah Dwan, netball player
• Callina Liang, actress