Fairfield Methodist School (Secondary)

Fairfield Methodist School (Secondary)

Pure and Honest
Location
102 Dover Road, Singapore 139649
Information
Type Government-aided, autonomous
Established 1888
Session single
School code 7309
Principal Ms Audrey Chen
Enrolment 2,000+
Colour(s)     Yellow,     Blue
Website www.fairfieldsec.org

Fairfield Methodist School (Secondary) is an autonomous co-educational Methodist secondary school in Dover, Singapore. It covers Secondary 1 to Secondary 5 inclusive (normally ages 12 to 17).

History

The school is one of the oldest in Singapore, having been founded in 1888 by Miss Sophia Blackmore, a missionary from Australia. It began as a one-room school for girls in Cross Street, Singapore, with eight Peranakan students. The school was known as Telok Ayer Girls' School.

In 1912, a donation of $5,000 from an American named Mr Fairfield allowed the school to construct a new school building on a site provided by the government at Neil Road. The relocated school was renamed Fairfield Girls' School. It was then renamed Fairfield Methodist Girls' School in 1958.

In 1983, the school moved into a new campus at Dover Road. At that point, the school began to admit male students, becoming the first co-educational Methodist school in Singapore. The primary and secondary sections of the school were also separated to become Fairfield Methodist Primary School and Fairfield Methodist Secondary School, though both schools remain housed in the same campus and shared some facilities.

Fairfield Methodist Secondary School became an autonomous school in 1996, recognised by the Ministry of Education for its academic and co-curricular achievements.

The school's stated aim is that every pupil shall become an Active Lifelong Learner and an Influential Leader.

Academics

FMSS offers the standard Normal Academic, Normal Technical and Express courses leading to GCE 'N' level, GCE 'O' level.

The school offers Chinese Language B for both Express and Normal Academic at upper secondary (Sec 3-5) level.

Special programmes include the Outdoor Education Programme, the Create And Construct Using Information Technology Programme, and the Research And Development Programme.

Service learning trips are offered to students in their final year. Destinations for these trips have been China, Nepal, India, Cambodia and Laos.

In 2007 the school introduced a course called Introduction to Enterprise Development.[1]

Academic targets are set for each pupil for each subject, providing students with a goal they can work towards. Pupils record these targets in their diaries. Progress reports are issued each term, so that parents can compare their children's achievement with the target. Remedial lessons are provided for pupils who have not performed up to expectations.

On promotion from lower secondary to upper, pupils in Sec 2 N(A) may be laterally transferred to Sec 3 Express if they perform very well, and those in Sec 2 N(T) likewise to Sec 2 Normal(Academic). [2]

Achievements

87% of Sec 4 Express leavers were eligible for Junior College in 2007. The school achieved 76% distinctions in English Literature, compared with a national average of 37%, and 73% in Maths, compared with a national average of 55%.[3]

The number of pupils with 7 distinctions has seen an increase from 17 in 2010 to 27 in 2011. The number of pupils with 8 distinctions has also increased from 4 in 2010 to 11 in 2011.[4]

The school's Symphonic Band won a Gold award in the 2008 National Band Competition. Also in 2008, the school won Gold with Honours in the National Chinese Short Play competition, and 2nd prize in the Drama of History competition. The school's Boys Brigade won Gold in the JM Fraser Award for Excellence.[5] The school's choir won Gold in the SYF 2007.

Fairfield's English Drama has also won consecutive Gold with Honor's in the years 2009 and 2011, for their performances of Hamlet and Over the Wall. [6]

In 2008 FMSS received a special School Distinction Award from the Ministry of Education.[7] It has also been awarded the Best Practice Award (Teaching and Learning), the Outstanding Development Award (Character Development), and the Sustained Achievement Awards for Academic Value-Addedness, Uniformed Groups and Sports.[8]

The Fairfield Volleyball team is one of the most successful CCA in the school. It has produced successful results since as long as more than 10 years ago. Led by coaches Tan Wee Ang and Lau Chun Tee, the current crop of Fairfield Volleyballers have achieved 2nd place in both the 'B division boys' and 'b division girls' categories in the south zone 2013. Additionally, the 'C division boys' were champions in the south zone as well and made it to 3rd place in the Nationals.

Ethos and discipline

The school states that it provides a holistic education based on Christian values.[9] Its students are known as Fairsians. School uniform is closely enforced. Girls are not allowed to wear coloured bras.[10]

The school says that its approach towards discipline is for every pupil to take ownership in ensuring good behaviour. Pupils' behaviour is monitored using a class management file. Parents are kept informed of any offences committed and the action taken.[11] Minor offences may be dealt with by afternoon detention, during which the student undertakes manual work, e.g. cleaning up the school compound.

Male students receive corporal punishment (caning) in cases of misconduct. The strokes are delivered to the seat of the boy's trousers. Those who commit a fourth minor offence in succession are awarded three demerit points and one stroke of the cane; girls must undergo five days of "isolation after school" instead of the caning. Further demerit points accumulate for further offences, with a caning of two strokes, or ten days of isolation for girls, at the 8th offence. At the 9th offence, both sexes get one week of in-school suspension, and the pupil must sign a behaviour contract.[11] A caning is also automatic whenever a boy has collected 10 demerit points.[12]

A student's first caning per term takes place privately in the principal's office, his second in front of his class, and his third in front of the whole student body at morning assembly.[11] For more serious offences there is a detailed list of consequences.[12] A boy will receive five demerit points plus one stroke of the cane for cheating in tests, truancy or fighting. For vandalism, bullying, gambling, smoking or stealing, the penalty is 10 demerit points plus three strokes of the cane.[13]

Notable alumni

See also

External links

References

  1. ↑ "Time to make humanities subject compulsory?", The New Paper, Singapore, 28 October 2007.
  2. ↑ Fairfield Methodist Secondary School policies, p.3.
  3. ↑ 'O' Level Report Card 2007.
  4. ↑ "Results of the 2011 GCE O- Level Examinations". Retrieved 15 October 2012.
  5. ↑ FMSS achievements page.
  6. ↑ "English Drama". Retrieved 15 October 2012.
  7. ↑ Ministry of Education, School Information Service.
  8. ↑ Speech by Ms Grace Fu, Senior Minister of State, at the FMSS 120th Founder's Day Service, 1 August 2008.
  9. ↑ "Principal's Message", Fairfield Secondary School.
  10. ↑ "Personal Grooming", Fairfield Secondary School, 2011.
  11. 1 2 3 "School Rules: Introduction", Fairfield Secondary School, 2011.
  12. 1 2 Fairfield Methodist Secondary School policies.
  13. ↑ "Offences and Consequences", Fairfield Secondary School, 201.

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