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| Motto | To Master, To Grow, To Serve |
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| Established | 1887 |
| Type | Full School (Independent Secondary), Single session |
| Principal | Mrs. Shirleen Ong |
| MOE Code | 7030 (Secondary) 5027 (Primary) |
| Colours | Blue, Gold |
| Locale | Bukit Timah, Singapore |
| Enrollment | approx. 2500 |
| Website | Link |
| Ministry of Education | |
 Republic of Singapore |
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Methodist Girls' School (MGS) is an all-girls' Methodist school in Singapore. It is a full school, with both primary and secondary school sections. In total, the school has around 2500 students. MGS's secondary section has been granted the status of an independent school by the Singapore Ministry of Education. MGS's current principal is Mrs. Shirleen Ong. MGS is affiliated to the Anglo-Chinese School family of schools, and the Methodist Church in Singapore. MGS (Secondary) is affiliated to Anglo-Chinese Junior College.
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History
MGS was founded in Singapore on 26 July, 1887, by Sophia Blackmore. She was an Australian missionary sent by the Women's Foreign Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church of America. The school started as a small shophouse on Short Street with only nine little Indian girls. These girls were sent by their father who desired an education for them. By 1925, the school was overcrowded, with an enrolment of one hundred and fifty students. She then moved to Mount Sophia and remained there until 1992. MGS (Secondary) became an independent school in January 1989. In 1992, MGS moved to her new site at 11 Blackmore Drive - the road proudly bearing the name of the school's founder. This marked yet another step in the journey towards providing facilities for the total education of the students so that they might be prepared to meet the challenges of tomorrow.
Programmes
In 2005, the Sophia Blackmore Class (SBC) was started for Upper Primary & Secondary pupils. The Sophia Blackmore Class was MGS's answer to the Ministry of Education's Gifted Education Programme. MGS currently does not offer the Integrated Programme as an option and her Secondary 4 students sit for the Singapore-Cambridge GCE 'O' level examinations in November. However, students who are qualified enough can try for the IB programme at Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) after Secondary 4.
Uniform
The MGS uniform has not been altered much throughout its history. It consists of a pinafore, where the top half is white, and the bottom, a navy blue skirt; a white sailor blouse goes over the pinafore. Shorts are usually worn underneath by the girls. A badge is required to be fastened between the lapels of the blouse, 3-4 fingers above the start of the slit. Girls are only allowed to leave the school premises in this official uniform (also known as Uniform 2), any school-based T-shirt, together with the school bermudas or long P.E. shorts (aka Uniform 5) or the formal blazer (Uniform 1). Prefects wear a tie over their blouse, as well as a name tag. The PE uniform consists of the school PE T-shirt or House T-Shirt, and navy blue shorts.
Prefectorial Board
The MGS Prefectorial Board is a 70-strong board of Prefects headed by the Central Committee, consisting of the Head and Vice-Head Prefects and the respective Committee Heads. There are 6 committees in total: Deployment, Discipline, Events, Internal Affairs, Secretariat and Student Affairs. The Head Prefect for 2008 is Kathleen Kwan, who is assisted by the Vice-Head Prefect, Michelle Lesley Navaratnam. In order of committees, the rest of the Central Committee includes Zhang Hui (Deployment), Sarah Chua (Discipline), Maisie Koh and Megan Ong (Events; head and assistant head respectively), Hew Jia Ni (Internal Affairs), Lydia Yeo (Secretariat) and Sandra Chua and Chu Xiao Hui (Student Affairs; head and assistant head respectively). The vision of the MGS PB 2008 is: "As we work as one body, may every prefect have a strong passion for the PB, practice impartiality and consider others before herself," and the theme verse is Romans 15:5-6. "May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." The MGS PB plays a very important role in the school, upholding discipline and maintaining order in the school. The PB also organizes many events throughout the school year to celebrate festivals or just for fun. Blazers are loaned to students who need them for formal events and Detention Classes are held by the prefects every third Thursday of the month. The prefects also run a small shop called the Co-Op located at the back of the canteen, which sells accessories, school jackets, bermudas and memorabilia, amongst others. Girls are nominated by their class before being interviewed by the Central Committee and teachers in charge of Discipline. Thereafter the whole school will vote to decide which of the remaining candidates become Prefect Trainees (PTs). There will be 20 PTs coming from the Secondary Ones, 5 PTs adding on to the existing Secondary Twos and Threes each. PTs train under a Secondary Three or Four mentor for half a year before becoming fully fledged Prefects at the next Prefect's Installation. The highlights of a year in the MGS PB include the two camps, held in June and November. June Camp is conducted by Events Committee and the program is mainly games that aim to bond the PB as well as bring across certain messages. November Camp, on the other hand, is more training-based, where the training is conducted by external trainers. The rest of the camp, however, is handled by the Central Committee.
Discipline in MGS
Leadership Training Camp
Held at the end of the year, LTC is one of the highlights of the school year for any Secondary 2 pupil. Prefects and pupils who are leaders in their CCAs or classes are nominated by their teachers in charge to take part in the annual LTC. LTC is a 2-day-1-night camp that involves many games and leadership training workshops. The participants, Student Leaders (SLs), who are grouped into groups of around 12 SLs, begin to plan for an event in the following year. The events planned by LTC include Secondary One Orientation Day and Camp, Total Defense Day, International Friendship Day, Primary 1 Picnic and Secondary 2 Family Night. SLs who show exemplary leadership skills will be awarded a Student Leader Badge.
Affiliations
MGS (Secondary) is affiliated to MGS (Primary). Both schools are held concurrently in different wings of the same building. PSLE students from MGS (Primary) can enter MGS (Secondary) at a cut-off point of 210 for 2006, and 220 from 2007. while students from other schools are subjected to cut-off point of about 250, depending on the performance of the entire cohort that year. The school is closely affiliated to Anglo-Chinese School. Many students from MGS often continue their education in Anglo-Chinese Junior College (ACJC) or alternatively proceed to Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) to do the International Baccaulareate Programme. Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) has earlier announced that they are willing to accept MGS SBC students to enter the school for the IB programme. Follow-up decisions are still pending.
Extra-curriculars
Some talented individuals who are currently studying or have studied in MGS are Abigail Sin, a 15-year-old prodigy on the piano, who left the school's SBC programme in Secondary 2 to join the NUS High School. Others from the school include Joscelin Yeo, an accomplished national swimmer and Tan Li Feng, a recent President Scholar who was a former Girl Guide from the school. Every two years, students from both the Primary and Secondary divisions come together to produce an original full-length musical, directed and polished under professional assistance. "Making the Grade", held in 2004, follows the trials, tribulations and triumphs of a school teacher, showing how she touches the lives of students, in a two-hour musical that is based on the school's vision, "Godly Women of Excellence with a Heart of Love". The play was directed by Lim Yu Beng, a well-seasoned and well-known performer on both the local stage and television network. Music was composed and arranged by Bang Wen-fu, who is also a highly experienced and renown in his area of music. It was staged at the University Cultural Centre (UCC) in the National University of Singapore. "From Eve to Mary...walking with women..." held in 2006, was about the trials and hard ship women of the bible had to go through to see the grace of God, together with Jesus going to Golgotha. Going through the red apple route with Traditional Eve and Mary of Magdala or the green apple route with the serpent and Mordern Eve, who arrives fashionably late in a Lexus. It was a performance that touched the hearts of 300 audience members a show. the cast interacted with the audience with the pain and suffering that Jesus had to during the road to Golgotha. Jesus was guest starred by CCMC's very own ex-church worker Patrick Loh. The musical was directed by Jonathan Lim and co-directed by Judy Ngo and pieces of music expertly composed by Bang Wen Fu, Miriam's Song, Stairway to Heaven, Golgotha and more (all on soundtrack). The musical was held in MGS herself to close the celebrations of the opening of the newly renovated campus. Performed in a whole new concept, the performance was in a walk-on style, where the audience walked around the whole school to watch the acts in different places.
