Hey everyone, I’m Gabriel Chan. I joined Westbourne College (Singapore) when it launched in August 2023, and I have to say, it’s been the best school year of my life (and not just because I’m on the website!). This is a story all about how my life got flipped-turned upside down—in the best way possible.
I switched to online schooling during the COVID-19 pandemic, fed up with the traditional international school experience and begging my parents for a change. Online learning worked for a while, but when I hit the IGCSE curriculum, I felt completely defeated. I struggled to grasp the content and was at a dead end. My parents noticed my frustration, and we spent months trying different solutions, but nothing worked. Returning to my old school or one like it wasn’t an option—I left for a reason.
One Saturday afternoon, my mother ranted about our school search woes. We just couldn’t find the right fit for me—it seemed impossible. Then, as if on cue, an ad for Westbourne College (Singapore) popped up on Facebook, almost like it was eavesdropping on our conversation. Intrigued, she contacted the school, and the rest is history.
In the 9 months since then, it has been a continuous, but rewarding, journey. We covered the entire IGCSE curriculum in our respective subjects in such little time. And yet, I finally began to grasp the content. This was a huge leap forward from where I was one year prior.
This wouldn’t be possible without our outstanding teachers. Because of the small student:teacher ratios, they are able to make lessons engaging in a unique way, tailoring their approach to each of us individually. This personalised style has helped me understand better, as any small queries can be solved to help build my bridge to gaining new knowledge. In a regular school, there is rarely ever time to ask your teacher for support even for the little things. Here, our teachers are constantly available before and after school or during our free study periods. This is priceless as I have plenty of time to ask for help on any matter, big or small. This has been a key factor in boosting my learning. For example, in Business Studies, Mr. Joseph constantly supported and guided me in the right direction on how to answer questions properly and coherently.
The free study periods are a game-changer for me. I admit, I’m not the biggest fan of doing work at home. I find it hard to differentiate between my workspace and my relaxation space. But, at school, I am able to buckle down and dive deep into my work, becoming more productive than I could have imagined compared to last year. This means that when I arrive home, I don’t have an Everest of work to climb my way through, allowing me to recharge for the next day. This is so much better than stressing myself out doing hours of homework in a space where I feel less motivated to study. Plus, it frees up time for me to do some of the things I enjoy away from school, like playing sports, going for a run or indulging in my lifelong passion, kart racing.
Speaking of my racing aspirations, Westbourne hasn’t only been understanding, but they’ve actively encouraged it. Unlike other schools, Westbourne trusts me to take a few days off as I prepare for a race overseas. They have full confidence that I am able to find my way back on track when I return. In some way, their trust actually gives me the confidence to do so.
The small environment might look like it would limit our social interaction (relative to a large school), but this certainly hasn’t been the case for me. Before, I was incredibly shy. Retreating into my shell any time I felt uncomfortable in a social situation. Now, I feel abundantly more willing to open up and chat with others, which has extended even beyond school. Even my family is shocked by this massive shift in my demeanour.
In online school, I had no one to compare to but myself. No alternative perspectives for me to bounce off of. That’s what I was missing about live school interaction. My best friends, Fidel and Yu, we support one another and enrich our collective understanding of our work. For instance, Yu excels in Maths and has provided incredibly useful guidance to me and Fidel. On the flip side, Yu said English is something he wants to improve on, so Fidel and I have helped him get a better grasp on it. We all help carry each other, even when one of us is down.
I admit, there is a bit of competition when it comes to test scores, but, it’s the kind of edge I had been missing. Comparing myself to a different standard gives me the incentive to improve and push myself harder. Yes, the saying is to ‘only try to be better than yourself’, but without a benchmark, I feel lost and unmotivated.
Recently, I wrapped up my IGCSE exams. It was stressful to say the least, but, unlike before where I felt like a sitting duck, I had a lot more confidence in my abilities to answer the questions. I owe a huge thanks to Westbourne for that transformation, and I’m hopeful I can replicate this wonderful experience as I gear up for my final two years of secondary education—the IB Diploma. Who would have thought a random Facebook ad would set me up on a path to success?
Written by Gabriel Chan, IBDP student (2024)
