Beatty Secondary School
Encyclopedia
Beatty Secondary School is a co-educational neighbourhood secondary school
in Toa Payoh
, Singapore
. It was established in 1953 and named for David Beatty, 1st Earl Beatty
, former Admiral of the Fleet
of the United Kingdom. The school colours, crest, and motto, Non Vi Sed Arte, are taken from Beatty's coat of arms
. The graduated cohort of 2008 presented the school with the best overall results in the GCE 'O' Level examinations throughout the school's 55 years of history. Average L1B5 value stands at 18, making it a Band 9 school.
, Mr R. F. Bouford, to visit a school building which was almost ready to be taken over by the Education Department from PWD. This was situated near the former Rumah Miskin Police Station
along Serangoon Road
. The Supervisor of Victoria Continuation School, Reverend Daniel Elijah Sundram, was asked to accompany them as an interested party. The school was later named BEATTY SECONDARY SCHOOL.
Beatty Secondary School was officiallly opened on 6 July 1953 by Mr R. M. Young, the Director of Education. The co-educational school functioned immediately after the opening ceremony. The morning and afternoon sessions, however, functioned as different schools. While the morning school had Mr A.G. Meyer, a Raffles trained teacher, then the Principal of Tampines
Morning School, the afternoon school had Reverend Daniel E. Sundram.
The school began with 323 students in eight classes: 3 Standard Six classes from Bartley Secondary School
and 3 Standard Seven and 2 Standard Eight Classes from Victoria Continuation School. This was a departure from the original plan of having only 120 students in Standard Six.
In January 1954, the rest of victoria Continuation School, including the staff, moved in. In addition, the students from Gan Eng Seng School
and Serangoon Continuation School did likewise. By now, there was 23 classes functioning with 928 students. With such a diverse student population, the plan then was a ‘one-school’ polivy. Subsequently, internal arrangements were made by Mr A.G. Meyer and Reverend Daniel E Sundram. Henceforth, the school functioned as one school in the morning under one single Principal.
The afternoon session was used to accommodate classes from other schools. In 1956, the afternoon session classes were moved to Kwong Avenue Primary School. In the same year, the girls were transferred to Cedar Girls' Secondary School
. Beatty Secondary became full fledged all-boy secondary school. 20 students from Chinese Middle School were also admitted to the Post School Certificate class. Hence, the beginning of pre-university education in Beatty Secondary.
The afternoon session was re-introduced to Beatty Secondary in 1960 and was run as part of the Beatty Secondary School administration.
Over the years, the student population increased manifold. The old school premises and facilities were inadequate for both the staff and students. In the late 1970s, Mr Lim Bok Hai, the then school Principal, initiated the move to larger premises with better facilities. The old Beatty Secondary School eventually moved to its present premises in Toa Payoh
in March 1982. It was officially opened on 26 July 1983 by Mr Michael Liew, the former Member of Parliament for Boon Teck. In the same year, girls were re-admitted to Secondary One. The school saw the graduation of its last batch of Pre-U 3 students in 1991. From 1992 onwards, it has functioned as a full-co-educational secondary school. The school turned single session again in 1996. In 1996, the school had 40 clasess with a total population of 1,500.
(A Level
s) courses. Higher Tamil and Malay have yet to be offered in the institution.
The Scout Group was formed in 1950 under the name of the Victoria Silver Arrows by Mr Syed Alwi bin Hassan, a member of the first team of teachers at Beatty in its formative years. Later it was re-formed as the 56th Beaver Scout Group. In the late 1960s until the 1980s, the Scout Group was known as 1504 Beavers, registered under the Kallang District. When Beatty Secondary moved to Toa Payoh North, the Group was re-registered under Toa Payoh District as 05 Beaver Scout Group. From the 1990s up to the present day, the Group is better known as the Beatty Beaver Scout Group.
The Scout Group has produced three Queen's Scout Award recipients and six President's Scout Award recipients in its 55 years. In 2008, the Scout Group celebrated its 55th anniversary with a Campfire and an Old Beavers' Gathering. It was the first time in its history that a gathering involved Beavers from the 60s and beyond.
The Beavers have yearly expeditions and overseas trips, to widen their outlook on World Scouting.
in February 2007, in a discussion on school upgrading, principal Boo Hian Kok expressed the view that schools should continue to ask for better facilities, provided they are able to justify their requests and prove they will benefit the students and teachers.
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
in Toa Payoh
Toa Payoh
Toa Payoh is a district located in the Central Region of Singapore. It commonly refers to the Housing and Development Board housing estate of Toa Payoh New Town, one of the earliest satellite public housing estates in Singapore....
, Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. It was established in 1953 and named for David Beatty, 1st Earl Beatty
David Beatty, 1st Earl Beatty
Admiral of the Fleet David Richard Beatty, 1st Earl Beatty, GCB, OM, GCVO, DSO was an admiral in the Royal Navy...
, former Admiral of the Fleet
Admiral of the Fleet
An admiral of the fleet is a military naval officer of the highest rank. In many nations the rank is reserved for wartime or ceremonial appointments...
of the United Kingdom. The school colours, crest, and motto, Non Vi Sed Arte, are taken from Beatty's coat of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
. The graduated cohort of 2008 presented the school with the best overall results in the GCE 'O' Level examinations throughout the school's 55 years of history. Average L1B5 value stands at 18, making it a Band 9 school.
History
In March 1953, the Deputy Director of Education, Mr R.E Ince invited the Principal of Victoria SchoolVictoria School
Victoria School in Singapore is a government secondary school for boys, founded in 1876, at Siglap Link, about one kilometre from affiliated Victoria Junior College....
, Mr R. F. Bouford, to visit a school building which was almost ready to be taken over by the Education Department from PWD. This was situated near the former Rumah Miskin Police Station
Police Station
Police Station is a American TV series that aired in syndication in 1959. Stories were taken from actual files.- Cast :*Baynes Barron as Sergeant White*Larry Kerr as Detective Chuck Mitchell*Henry Beckman as Detective Stan Abramson...
along Serangoon Road
Serangoon Road
Serangoon Road is a road from Little India to Boon Keng of Singapore . There is another road, from Woodsville Interchange to Sengkang called Upper Serangoon Road.Another way is via Jalan Besar and Bendemeer Road....
. The Supervisor of Victoria Continuation School, Reverend Daniel Elijah Sundram, was asked to accompany them as an interested party. The school was later named BEATTY SECONDARY SCHOOL.
Beatty Secondary School was officiallly opened on 6 July 1953 by Mr R. M. Young, the Director of Education. The co-educational school functioned immediately after the opening ceremony. The morning and afternoon sessions, however, functioned as different schools. While the morning school had Mr A.G. Meyer, a Raffles trained teacher, then the Principal of Tampines
Tampines
Tampines is the largest residential area in the city-state of Singapore and is located in the East Region of the main island. The town is so named because in the 1900s a large forest of Tampines trees were there....
Morning School, the afternoon school had Reverend Daniel E. Sundram.
The school began with 323 students in eight classes: 3 Standard Six classes from Bartley Secondary School
Bartley Secondary School
Bartley Secondary School is a co-educational neighbourhood secondary school in Singapore. The principal is Mrs Mary Bay.-History:The school was founded on 18 February 1952 with Mr Chua Leong Hean as the first principal who also designed the School Crest....
and 3 Standard Seven and 2 Standard Eight Classes from Victoria Continuation School. This was a departure from the original plan of having only 120 students in Standard Six.
In January 1954, the rest of victoria Continuation School, including the staff, moved in. In addition, the students from Gan Eng Seng School
Gan Eng Seng School
Founded by philanthropist Gan Eng Seng in 1885, Gan Eng Seng School is one of the oldest schools in Singapore. GESS was the first school to be set up by a local Chinese and the first to form a parent-teachers' association in 1950. It was an all-boys' school for 102 years until it became...
and Serangoon Continuation School did likewise. By now, there was 23 classes functioning with 928 students. With such a diverse student population, the plan then was a ‘one-school’ polivy. Subsequently, internal arrangements were made by Mr A.G. Meyer and Reverend Daniel E Sundram. Henceforth, the school functioned as one school in the morning under one single Principal.
The afternoon session was used to accommodate classes from other schools. In 1956, the afternoon session classes were moved to Kwong Avenue Primary School. In the same year, the girls were transferred to Cedar Girls' Secondary School
Cedar Girls' Secondary School
Cedar Girls' Secondary School is an all-girls educational institution/high school established in 1957 in Singapore with an enrolment of 507 girls, 13 classes and a staff of 18. The school went single session in 1992 and gained autonomous status in 1996. All classes are in the Express or Special...
. Beatty Secondary became full fledged all-boy secondary school. 20 students from Chinese Middle School were also admitted to the Post School Certificate class. Hence, the beginning of pre-university education in Beatty Secondary.
The afternoon session was re-introduced to Beatty Secondary in 1960 and was run as part of the Beatty Secondary School administration.
Over the years, the student population increased manifold. The old school premises and facilities were inadequate for both the staff and students. In the late 1970s, Mr Lim Bok Hai, the then school Principal, initiated the move to larger premises with better facilities. The old Beatty Secondary School eventually moved to its present premises in Toa Payoh
Toa Payoh
Toa Payoh is a district located in the Central Region of Singapore. It commonly refers to the Housing and Development Board housing estate of Toa Payoh New Town, one of the earliest satellite public housing estates in Singapore....
in March 1982. It was officially opened on 26 July 1983 by Mr Michael Liew, the former Member of Parliament for Boon Teck. In the same year, girls were re-admitted to Secondary One. The school saw the graduation of its last batch of Pre-U 3 students in 1991. From 1992 onwards, it has functioned as a full-co-educational secondary school. The school turned single session again in 1996. In 1996, the school had 40 clasess with a total population of 1,500.
Academics
In 2005, Beatty became the fourth zonal centre in Singapore to offer Higher ChineseChinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
(A Level
Advanced Level
The Advanced Level General Certificate of Education, commonly referred to as an A-level, is a qualification offered by education institutions in England, Northern Ireland, Wales, Cameroon, and the Cayman Islands...
s) courses. Higher Tamil and Malay have yet to be offered in the institution.
Scouts in Beatty
Beatty Secondary School is home to one of Singapore's oldest existing Scout Troops, Beatty Beaver Scout Group. It has achieved the Frank Cooper Sands Good Unit Award for 12 consecutive years since 1996. The Scout Group was awarded the Silver Award for year 2007.The Scout Group was formed in 1950 under the name of the Victoria Silver Arrows by Mr Syed Alwi bin Hassan, a member of the first team of teachers at Beatty in its formative years. Later it was re-formed as the 56th Beaver Scout Group. In the late 1960s until the 1980s, the Scout Group was known as 1504 Beavers, registered under the Kallang District. When Beatty Secondary moved to Toa Payoh North, the Group was re-registered under Toa Payoh District as 05 Beaver Scout Group. From the 1990s up to the present day, the Group is better known as the Beatty Beaver Scout Group.
The Scout Group has produced three Queen's Scout Award recipients and six President's Scout Award recipients in its 55 years. In 2008, the Scout Group celebrated its 55th anniversary with a Campfire and an Old Beavers' Gathering. It was the first time in its history that a gathering involved Beavers from the 60s and beyond.
The Beavers have yearly expeditions and overseas trips, to widen their outlook on World Scouting.
Media mentions
Interviewed on Channel NewsAsiaChannel NewsAsia
Channel NewsAsia is an English language pan-Asian news network based in Singapore and owned by MediaCorp. Started on 1 March 1999 based in Singapore by Television Corporation of Singapore, it was launched internationally on 12 February 2001 as the international broadcasting arm of Channel...
in February 2007, in a discussion on school upgrading, principal Boo Hian Kok expressed the view that schools should continue to ask for better facilities, provided they are able to justify their requests and prove they will benefit the students and teachers.
2009
- Level One Academic Value-added Award: Special/Express - GOLD
- Level One Academic Value-added Award: Normal - Bronzeqwe
- Level Two Physical and Aesthetics: Sustained Achievement Award
- Cherish Award - Silver
- People Developer Singapore Award
2007
- Level One Academic Value-added Award: Special/Express - Bronze
- Level One Physical and Aesthetics: TAF Award - Silver
2006
- Level One Academic Value-added Award: Special/Express - Bronze
- Level One Physical and Aesthetics: TAF Award - Silver
2004
- Level Two Physical and Aesthetics: Sustained Achievement Award (Uniformed Group) contributed by NCC Air & Boy's Brigade
2003
- Sustained Achievement Award (Uniformed Groups) contributed by Beaver Scouts and Boy's Brigade
Alumni
- Shih Choon FongShih Choon FongProfessor Shih Choon Fong is President of the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology and a renowned fracture mechanics expert...
- President of the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology(KAUST)(2008- ), President of the National University of Singapore(2000–2008)
External links
- Beatty Secondary School Official website
- Beatty Secondary School listing in the School Information Service, Singapore Ministry of Education