Garden International School (abbreviated GIS) is an international school based in Malaysia. It is one of the largest private, co-educational schools in Malaysia, offering education based on the British Curriculum. GIS offers education for four major age groups: foundation years, primary education, secondary education and sixth form. The academic year starts every September and ends the following July. In addition to the usual British school holidays, the school shares the main multi-cultural holidays of Malaysia as well as the main Islamic holidays, such as Hari Raya.
In 2006, the British Guardian newspaper listed it as one of the best UK-curriculum international schools in the world.[1]
Contents |
Campuses
The school has two campuses; the larger of the two is situated in Kuala Lumpur and the other on the east coast of Malaysia in Kuantan. In total, the school has students from over fifty nationalities. Teaching staff are mainly recruited from the United Kingdom, Australia and from Malaysia itself. Facilities on the Kuala Lumpur campus include a newly-constructed 7-storey Arts Centre comprising Art, Music, Drama and Modern Foreign Languages Faculties, 500 networked computers, seven science laboratories, a sports hall, assembly hall, sports field, basketball courts, a 25-metre swimming pool, all-weather courts and two cafeterias. The curriculum in the Primary School follows the British National Curriculum, enhanced and adapted to meet local requirements. In the Secondary School, students also follow the British National Curriculum, which leads to the examinations of the IGCSE, using the Cambridge International Examinations Board, and a wide range of A-Levels subjects. There is a full programme of co-curricular activities every day after school. English-as-an-Additional-Language facilities are available to students up to age 13. Special needs assistance is provided in both the Primary and Secondary Schools.
Kuala Lumpur campus
Garden School was established in 1951 by Mrs. Sally Watkins, in the Lake Gardens of Kuala Lumpur, before moving to Jalan Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur, in 1955. Between 1965—1966, secondary education was introduced into Garden School, and it moved to Jalan Yap Kwan Seng. During this time, Garden School was selected to be the first official school in Malaysia where students were allowed to sit for the O-level examinations. 11 students sat for the papers that year. In 1973, the school moved to Jalan Pekeliling (now Jalan Tun Razak), the primary school initially moving first, before the secondary school in September. The previous location at Jalan Yap Kwan Seng was used as the new kindergarten. In 1982, the school moved to a new location in Cheras, at a cost of MYR3 million. The new location was 4.5 acres large. The kindergarten moved from Jalan Yap Kwan Seng to Kampung Pandan. In 1985, the Мschool changed its name to Garden International School, reflecting its diverse set of nationalities. The school transferred to its current location at Bukit Kiara in 1996, its kindergarten moving too. In 1988, it was announced that IGCSEs would replace the old O-level examinations. In 2000, it opened its sixth form. In 2002, the school received accreditation by the European Council of International Schools (ECIS). In 2003, the school opened its new Arts Centre, which catered for the needs for art, music, drama and modern foreign languages. To date, Garden International School is a member of the Taylor's Education Group.
Kuantan campus
The Kuantan campus was opened for children of foreign investors, located in Teluk Cempedak in 1992.
References
- ^ A guide to schools abroad that offer a British curriculum, Education Guardian, December 12, 2006
