Academic

This domain comprises Literacy, Numeracy and Science.

In Literacy, students learn to listen, speak, read and write in ways that facilitate communication of ideas to make them active members of the global community.

Numeracy skills enable students to cope with the practical demands of everyday life. It includes number concepts, measurement, spatial concepts and handling of data.

Science education enables students to understand the world around them through acquisition of science content knowledge, basic scientific methods and thinking skills. The programme has various themes such as diversity, systems, cycles, interactions and energy.

The primary purpose of this domain is to enable the students to lead meaningful lives at home and in the workplace. The school believes in equipping students with knowledge that will be useful to them after graduation, instead of focusing on an examination-based syllabus.

Daily Living Skills

Daily Living domain includes the practical skills needed to care for oneself, and function safely and adequately in the community. The aim is to enable students to participate more fully at home, at workplace and in the community. Daily Living domain comprises the following areas:

Self-Help

Includes ability to perform basic self-care such as grooming, hygiene, exercise healthy living and be aware of personal and community safety.

Home Living

Includes skills such as planning and preparation of meals, property maintenance and housekeeping.

Community Living and Mobility

Involves getting around in the community, use of community amenities, making purchases and budgeting.

Information Communication Technology (ICT)

ICT aims at providing students with the tools to enrich their learning by developing new and more productive learning and work skills. ICT is cross-disciplinary as it is integrated across all the subjects. It enables students to acquire communication and lifelong learning skills. As an enabler for learning, ICT increases students’ access to learning, social inclusion and scope of learning contexts. The focus is more on the tasks to be completed than the technology used to perform the tasks.

Physical Education & Sports

This domain contributes to the healthy living and holistic education of students. It aims to inculcate the importance of a balanced life-style. It is an essential part of the curriculum as it provides physical and sports-related skills as well as an opportunity for students to discover leisure activities. Students will learn the basic movement concepts and skills, fitness exercise with music, games skills, swimming and personal health management.

Social-Emotional

Social-emotional domain includes skills that are necessary to manage self, relationships, and work through effective emotional management, being considerate and making responsible decisions and handling challenging situations. The following are necessary socio-emotional skills:

Self-Awareness 

The ability to identify one’s own emotions, interests, and strengths and needs; develop a sense of self-efficacy and confidence.

Self-Management 

The ability to express and regulate one’s emotions and behaviours appropriately, and persevere in the face of challenges.

Social Awareness

Being able to take the perspective of others, to empathize with, and have respect for others.

Relationship Skills

Skills required to establish and maintain positive relationships with a cooperative attitude, resist negative peer pressure, be capable of conflict management and resolution, and to seek assistance when in need.

Responsible Decision-making

The ability to make choices by exercising personal and ethical responsibility, with the thorough consideration of safety, social norms, respect for others and the potential consequences of one’s actions.

Our school caters to the social emotional needs of the students through the implementation of PATHS program for the primary level and Soft Skills program for the secondary and senior levels.

Values & Citizenship Education

Character and Citizenship Education (CCE) is essential for students to gain a sense of self-worth, develop a sense of right and wrong and civic responsibility, and enjoy a sense of community and national identity. It underpins all learning domains and involves students’ heart, mind and hands. The curriculum content is guided by the school values: love, integrity, trustworthiness, excellence, unity and perseverance. It aims to develop socially responsible, caring and loyal citizens. It serves to promote a sense of national pride, cohesiveness and harmony in a multiracial and multicultural society, and active contribution to the progress of the nation.

Chapel Services and Character Education classes emphasize character development while teachers complement this emphasis by infusing these values in their daily lessons and interactions. Moreover, the Sexuality Education Programme provides a platform for students to better understand the physiological, social and emotional changes they experience as they mature. The Youth Care Programme features a Buddy System where senior students have the opportunity to mentor junior students and a Youth Hub where students can engage in recreation activities under the guidance of teachers.

The Arts

The Arts domain provides many opportunities for students to express themselves in creative ways. It enhances their understanding of themselves and the world around them. It allows them to create, make, explore and respond to new ideas and experiences. This domain encompasses Visual Arts (including 2D and 3D art) and Performing Arts (Dance, Drama and Music). It is offered through structured CCA and aesthetic programs. Through their participation in the Arts programs, students will experience a range of traditional and contemporary forms and genres.

Vocational

Students between the ages of 13-18 undergo the Vocational Education Programme which includes basic vocational skills training, work experience, vocational assessment, vocational guidance and soft skills training.

Basic Vocational Skills Training in different areas including Baking, F&B Food Preparation, F&B Service, Housekeeping Track 1 (Environmental Maintenance – Clean Food Shop) and Housekeeping Track 2 (Guestroom Maintenance) are conducted weekly to equip trainees with foundational skills for further certification training in other vocational schools upon graduation from GOS.

The Work Experience programme is a formal, structured programme whereby the school makes plans for students to experience a job or part of a job in an authentic work setting. It’s key objectives are to allow students to : shape their Vocational Preferences, familiarise themselves with real work setting, develop and put into practice work-related skills and eventually, to enhance employability of students. It is structured such that students have multiple & varied experience (exposed to different types of work setting). The Work Experience programme is implemented in varying degree of experience according to the needs of the students – it may range from a 1-2 hours site visits (with no direct participation in job tasks) to a more regular and possibly a longer term job placement; and work settings may range from school-based to community-based to industry-based. Students placed on Work Experience programme will be assigned a Job coach each, to provide them support and guidance on the job.

The school cafe (Gopi-O!) is an authentic platform for students to be exposed to cafe operations aligned to industrial standards and similarly be trained in work habits. Besides providing work experience exposure for students, it also serves as a transition point for students who may require more on-the-job training by our job placement officer before being placed in the actual workplace. Besides the cafe, there are many other school-based work experience opportunities for students.

Vocational Assessment is an on-going process to gather information about students’ skills, knowledge, interests and preferences (SKIP). This information is used to determine the students’ Individualised Education Plans (IEP) as well as to aid the students in making decision pertaining to their Vocational Pathway. Methods of assessment involve both formal (by Allied Professionals) and informal methods of assessment (interviews, work samples, curriculum-based assessments, portfolio assessment, and behavioural observations).

Vocational Guidance is the process of helping students match their interests, preferences and strengths, to suitable vocational pathways. Curriculum-based lessons and activities allow students to learn about the world of work. Reflection and discussion sessions before and after site visits, as well as before, during and after work exposure, guide students to process their learning and have a better understanding their own SKIP.

The Soft Skills programme equips students with Social-Emotional Competence and Work Habits through weekly interactive lessons and class projects that also aim to build their thinking and communication skills. Learning journeys (2011, 2012, 2013) are also organised for staff and teachers.