Singapore Piaget Academy - Medan

Singapore Piaget Academy, Medan (SPA Medan) is an educational institution which started operations on 19 July 2004. It is National Plus schools, under the Singapore Piaget Academy (SPA) group. After a month , it was officially opened on 14 August 2004.

The school was first headed by the Director, Ms Connie Yiu. The past principals are Ms Florence Lee, Ms Tina Foster, Mr Foo Chee Meng. The current Principal, Mr Raja Rajendra was appointed in July 2008. Over the years the school has had four Academic Deans, Mr Jitsan Chia, Ms Tang Swee Noi, Mr Sam Yap, Ms Sylvia Chua, Mr George Tan and Ms. Shirley Tham. Mr Sam Yap became the first acting Vice Principal from the july 2008. Ms Sylvia Chua was appointed the Vice-Principal in January 2011. To help manage the growing demands of the school in terms of curriculum and teacher management, the first team of Heads of Department was appointed in 2007.

At its inception, the school operated classes at the Play Group, Kindergarten and Primary One to Three levels. They were housed in the SPA 1 building. In 2005, the school opened its doors to take in students up to Secondary 2. The increase in enrolment could not be sustained without acquiring more space. An adjacent building, SPA 2 and SPA 3, was refurbished to take in more students as the demand increased. By 2007, it covered the full range of the Play Group, Kindergarten, Primary and Secondary levels. An additional annexed building, SPA 4, was acquired in 2007. The school started the Junior College class in the academic year 2009/2010. Presently, the school has more than 1000 students.

The Play Group and Kindergarten curriculum is based on the international Montessori system of education while the Primary and Secondary levels are largely based on the Singapore curriculum. Teachers come from various countries – Australia, China, England, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, The Philippines and the United States.

Working with strategic partners, such as Nan Hua Primary School, Nanyang Primary School, River Valley High, Hwa Chong Institution, Nanyang Girls’ High School from Singapore and The Hutchins School in Tasmania, Australia, SPA Medan students are exposed to a wider education experience beyond Indonesia. Pupils also participated in activities and competitions organized by these schools such as Hwa Chong Institution’sMathematics Olympiad and the Raffles Institution’s Science Odyssey. SPA Medan fared well in these competitions.

Besides the emphasis on the academic performance, SPA Medan also encourages its students to care for fellow human beings and the environment. As part of its programme for the school’s open house in 2007, a Charity Bazaar was organized to raise funds for the Jakarta flood victims. In 2008, a substantial amount was donated to China in aid of the earthquake victims.

In 2006, the Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board (SEAB) appointed the school as the Testing Centre in Sumatra for the International Primary School Examination (iPSLE). Some SPA Medan teachers were given training on skills in the setting of examination papers by SEAB.

In 2006, the school formed its first Student Council with representatives from Primary 3 to Secondary 3 to develop leadership skills among the students. Later on in 2009, the school adopted the Prefectorial Board for the Primary School and the Student Council became the main student body at the Senior School.

As the school progressed, additional facilities and resources had been added to meet the needs of its students and teachers. In 2007, with an annexed building, the school had its first air conditioned hall in SPA4, in which it carried out most of its events and functions. With a further increase in enrolment in 2010, SPA5 was created from another annexed building to house a new hall, a new library and 5 classrooms