Finding the perfect school – especially if you’re doing your initial research while overseas – can be quite challenging. Making an important decision about your child’s future, especially without even seeing the campus in person or meeting admissions representatives, can make any parent feel like a bundle of nerves. Five years ago, Monica Fontanesi and her family moved to Singapore from China, went through this exact process and, through thorough research, found the school of their dreams – XCL World Academy. Thanks to the school’s helpful and very responsive staff, its awesome teachers and inclusive campus, Monica and her family have been nothing but happy with their decision. Read on to find out why.
Hi Monica! Tell us more about your daughter, Aurora.
Aurora is our only child, and she’s in Grade 10. She’s very enthusiastic and curious. She really enjoys the after-school activities and competitive sports that the school has to offer. Every season, the school offers a range of different activities and this gives everyone the chance to try various sports.
What was the ultimate deciding factor that led you to choose the school?
The quality of the teachers has always been our priority. When we visited XCL World Academy, we were impressed by the time and effort the school invested in training and assessing the teachers. We also were impressed with the low student-to-teacher ratio.
We were grateful that XCL World Academy dealt with our concerns immediately. When we moved back to Singapore after living in China for five years, we were worried about the impact our move would have on Aurora’s Chinese language skills. The school responded quickly and reassured us they would do the best they could to meet our expectations.
That’s great! What advice would you give other parents trying to choose a school?
Make sure you know what is important to you and your family, and take the time to speak to the Education Leadership Team and Admissions Team. Don’t be afraid to ask as many questions as you want.
What do you value most about XCL World Academy?
XCL World Academy has an exciting and international educational environment with teachers and students from all over the world. As a family, we value the school’s willingness to listen and focus on providing the best possible education to raise a well-rounded global citizen, balanced approach to education and its experienced and passionate staff.
How did the school make your child feel welcome?
The welcoming, diverse and inclusive environment. The fact that almost everyone you meet – teachers, administrative staff and students alike – are courteous and smiling makes it difficult not to feel welcome.
What does the school do in terms of building a community for parents?
Besides the fact that XCL World Academy is relatively new and that it isn’t easy to build a community in an expat environment where families come and go all the time, we think XCL World Academy is doing a great job at building a community for parents. The school is constantly organising workshops for parents, family days and outings, which makes the school community very welcoming and lively.
Are you satisfied with the level of communication you receive from the school and how it engages parents?
We are very satisfied. We receive weekly updates about what is going on in school and have access to portals that help parents monitor students’ progress and homework. The teachers are always available to meet in case parents require any further clarification. Also, the management’s doors are always open, which is very reassuring for us.
