Peninsula International School Australia, Setia Alam, Shah Alam

A quality, well-rounded education is what every parent wishes for their precious offspring. With the different approaches and curriculum available here in Malaysia, taking into consideration children’s individual learning styles will help determine the right kind of education for them. Kiddy123 had the opportunity to chat with Mr Gareth Allman, the Principal of Peninsula International School Australia (PISA, Malaysia Campus) recently, and in doing so, discovered the countless plus points of the school’s highly acclaimed Victorian curriculum, and all that it has to offer our children.

Here in Malaysia, when it comes to International school syllabus, we commonly tend to lean towards the familiar UK curriculum. The International Baccalaureate (IB) and Cambridge English are also popular choices. However, and interestingly enough, since the establishment of PISA five years ago, its Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) has turned out to be a sought-after international school certification. As for the campus, it is a stately sight indeed, amidst a surrounding of residential and industrial development.

Children’s education journey marks a critical period of their life considering all that’s riding on it.

It is deeply gratifying for families when their children graduate from university, especially when they emerge as amiable global citizens. Sadly, it’s also not uncommon for families to endure the dismay when their child drops out of university. Where could things have gone wrong, if not in school itself? One example is having been enrolled into a heavily-weighted, exam-oriented curriculum, buried in course work and tedious assignments which one may not fully comprehend. The pressure. The anxiety. And before you know it, the loss of interest in one’s studies.

PISA breaks away from this narrative!

"Far from tedious and hardly ever boring, PISA strives in upholding experiential, highly effective hands-on learning for students, with due focus on Critical Thinking as well as Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS). Following the steady development of skills and acquisition of knowledge, the level of preparation and cognitive stimulus which the children are exposed to at PISA results in them being scholastically and academically competent for entry into any university or faculty of their choice,” Mr Gareth stated. He also shared how teachers in PISA spare no effort in ensuring that their students enjoy their lessons and fully comprehend everything that is being taught to them. Now, parents today know all too well what a difference that alone can make in a student’s life! On top of all that, PISA educators are also known to select a goal from one of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals to integrate into the curriculum for a week or so, thus allowing lessons to be more relevant to current times.

Early Years at PISA: Combining the best approaches

Quality education should ideally begin during a child’s critical learning period, and at PISA, the Early Years programme is the ultimate reflection of that. Catering for ages 4-5 years, it features a unique ‘Learn to Play & Play to Learn’ method, which we feel is indispensable and timely especially during this era when children’s idea of playing is somewhat compromised due to the invasion of screen time in their daily lives. Children need to pick up motor skills, especially fine motor skills, to experience a more gratifying educational journey, hence playing comes into the scene.

Emulating the Gold Standard Australian Curriculum

In itself, the Victorian Curriculum is the Gold Standard curriculum, so to speak, of all Australian curriculums, whereby outdoor education and global citizenship education stand out in particular alongside 21st century life skills and academic excellence. The committed, passionate teachers at PISA make it their business to educate, nurture and guide their students to become future trailblazers. At PISA, learning is something to look forward to, not just in classrooms, but outside as well. In fact, plans for the near future include a yearly residential trips programme where students get to spend a couple of days (and nights) at different venues to learn new outdoor skills and gain new experiences.

Throughout Primary and Secondary schooling experience at PISA, one really notable difference is that there is almost no anxiety over the final exams which is quite common with the other curriculum. Instead, as Mr Gareth pointed, students get to flourish in their school environment and thrive in their educational journey, which is always kept enjoyable, interesting and engaging. His message is loud and clear, for no one, not even school students need unnecessary stress in their lives. There are always better, more effective ways for children to acquire their education, and why shouldn’t parents opt for what’s best for their children’s education needs?

Another area in which things are kept stress-free is the communication line between parents and the school. Teachers keep parents in the loop using the ever-useful Seesaw app, which helps to link families to the goings-on of their children in the school. Parents get to check in with the school in regard to their child’s progress, needs, etc., besides being kept abreast with important news and events.