St. Joseph's Institution International (often referred to as "SJI International" or "SJII") is an independent co-educational Lasallian Catholic international school at Thomson Road in Novena, Singapore. It comprises an elementary and high school. The elementary school students range in age from 4 to 12 while in the High School the students are aged 12–18. The high school was founded in 2009 and the elementary school opened in 2008.
The elementary school teaches the International Primary Curriculum (IPC), which is used by over 1000 schools in 65 countries around the world. Singapore maths and Chinese are also included in the curriculum as Chinese is part of the fabric of the school culture. Spanish is offered in Grades 5 and 6.
The High School caters to both local and foreign students from Grades 7 to 12. The school offers the IGCSE programme from Grades 7 to 10, and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme for Grades 11 and 12. The first cohort of students graduated in 2009.
History
In 2006, upon the urging of Singapore's Economic Development Board, St Joseph's Institution established an international school. SJI International High School began classes in January 2007 with 104 students. In January 2012, SJI International welcomed around 700 students from grade 7 to grade 12, a 600% increase in enrolment in five years. Numbers have continued to grow to the current (2016) High School enrolment of 1030, and 670 in the Elementary School.
SJI International High School was the third "local international" school to open in Singapore (i.e. a school which can admit both local and international students at secondary and pre-university levels) after Anglo-Chinese School (International) and Hwa Chong International School (both of which were also established by well-known local schools). It is open to both Singaporean and international students from the age of 12. The student population is 63% Singaporean, while 31 other nationalities comprise the remaining 37%.
In adherence to government regulations, Elementary School enrolment is currently closed to Singapore citizens but open to all foreign students, provided the child holds a valid Dependent’s Pass (tied to the parent’s Employment Pass), Singapore Permanent Residency (Entry/Re -Entry Permit), or Immigration Exemption Order (for diplomats).
Association with St Joseph's Institution
SJI International School is part of a group of seven Lasallian schools in Singapore whose history dates back over 150 years. Together, the Elementary and High School form the group's first international school. The School is a non-profit organisation and is overseen by the SJI International School Board, composed of SJI alumnae. The School is currently supported by a Brother President and two Lasallian Brothers on the teaching staff.
Today there are 7000 La Salle Brothers and 75 000 lay Lasallian teachers working in 85 countries around the world, teaching 900 000 students in 1000 Universities, Schools and Special Education Centres. SJI International is one of these Lasallian Institutions.
Academic programme
The High School offers places to students from Grade 7 (Secondary 1) to Grade 12 (Pre-University 2), and at the end of their academic pursuit, if they have met all the requirements, they graduate with an IB Diploma Certificate. Students in Grade 10 sit for the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE), which is certified by the Cambridge International Examinations Board. Alternatively, they can take the Foundation IB programme (FIB) that the school offers at Grade 10.
In Grades 7 and 8, students take the foundation IGCSE course, so the aim of the curriculum in those grades is to provide a broad range of subjects necessary for the IGCSE course in Grades 9 and 10.
IGCSE
In Grades 9 and 10, under the IGCSE course, students take 9 subjects, which will be examined in November, at the end of their 2 years. Subjects include English Language, English Literature, Maths, Additional Maths, Second Languages, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Co-ordinated Sciences, Economics, History, Geography, Music, Drama, Design and Technology and Art.
Alternatively, students in Grade 10 can take the Foundation IB curriculum. The aim of the FIB Curriculum is, in a one-year course, to prepare students for the IB Programme. Students who join SJI International either very late in Grade 9 or at the start of Grade 10 generally take the FIB course as they cannot sit the IGCSE examinations in most subjects (the IGCSE is a two-year course). Instead of sitting the externally set IGCSE examinations, all FIB students will sit internally set examinations towards the end of the academic year.