- Nanyang Primary School
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Nanyang Primary School (NYPS)
南洋小学 (Nán Yáng Xiǎo Xué)
Sekolah Rendah NanyangLocation 52 King's Road Singapore 268097 off Bukit Timah,
Information Type Government-aided Motto 勤慎端朴 (Diligence, Prudence, Respectability, Simplicity) Established 1917 (as part of primary section of Nanyang Girls' High School) Session single School code 5258 Principal Mrs Lee Hui Feng Enrolment Approx. 2,600 Colour(s) White, blue Website Nanyang Primary School Nanyang Primary School is a co-educational primary school in Singapore, normally covering ages 6 to 12. It is situated in Bukit Timah (District 10), which is a private housing district near Coronation Plaza. The principal is Mrs Lee Hui Feng. Although it is not run by the government of Singapore, it receives government aid. NYPS is affiliated with Nanyang Girls' High School and Nanyang Kindergarten, and is part of the Nanyang Family.
The school's alumni include the Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Stephanie Sun.
Contents
History
The school was founded in 1917 by Tan Chu Nan and Teo Eng Hock as the Primary section of Nanyang Girls' High School with a pioneer enrolment of 100 pupils. It functioned in a rented shophouse at Dhoby Ghaut, adjacent to the Cathay Cineplex. In 1927, the school moved to its current premises at King's Road. It was the then-chairman Lee Chin Tien and principal Liew Yuen Sien who revamped the school.
During World War II, the school campus was used as a field office by the British Army. When the Imperial Japanese Army captured Singapore, it took over the premises and the entire school was destroyed. After the war in 1945, when the British returned, the school was restored to its previous state.
In 1948, a new block comprising 10 classrooms and an office was built to accommodate the increasing enrolment. This building was again rebuilt and extended in 1974 to include 25 classrooms.
1978 saw the school expanding its intake of students and to facilitate more effective management, the primary school, which had over 1,000 pupils in 28 classes, was separated from Nanyang Girls' High School and was given its current name.
English classes were introduced in 1983, and the school was selected by the Ministry of Education to be one of the four bilingual schools under the Special Assistance Plan, and pupils took two languages, English and Chinese as a first language.
As more students joined the school over the years, the School Management Committee built a wing on a newly acquired piece of land at Coronation Road in 1981. It was completed in July 1985.
In 1993, the now defunct Farrer Primary School premises at Lutheran Road were acquired for Primary 1 and 2 students. The school thenceforward functioned at two campuses.
Some rooms in the school were converted into classrooms to accommodate Primary 3 classes so that all classes were able to function in the morning session. However, as the intake of students increased, Primary 3 classes had to revert back to having lessons in the afternoon.
When Nanyang Girls' High School moved to a new campus at Linden Drive, the school took over the site. The former building was demolished and a new building with six storeys was built to accommodate all pupils in the same campus.
On 4 June 2003 the school moved to the new and present campus at 52 King's Road. When the students returned from the holidays in Term 3, the school started fully functioning. The old hilltop block of the school was renovated and has been in use since 2004 in order for the school to function as a single-session school.
The .
Nanyang Primary School celebrated its 93rd anniversary in 2010.
School logo
The school logo comprises three circles borne by a triangle. The three circles symbolise the concerted effort of the students, teachers and parents. These are supported by the triangle which symbolises the School Management Committee, the Ministry of Education and the Community at large working in unity to help the school to achieve excellence and succes .
Uniform
Nanyang Primary's girls' uniform is quite similar to Nanyang Girls' High School's; the only two differences are the font of the Chinese characters "南洋", as well as the small slits at the side edges of the uniform. It comprises a white sleeveless cotton blouse with a nametag, and an accordion-pleated cotton skirt, which is long enough to cover the knees. Name-tags are ironed on.
Previously, Nanyang Primary girls were required to keep hair short enough not to touch their collars, unless they have a hair-pass that can be acquired in the form of a letter from their dance or ballet teacher. Even so, they had to keep their hair neatly tied or the hair-pass would be taken from them. They are now allowed to have long hair without special permission but hair must still be tied with black, navy-blue or brown rubber bands and hair clips.
Male students wear a white short-sleeved shirt with the school logo sewn on, requiring only the ironing-on of the name-tag. With this they wear khaki short trousers with white socks.
Shoes worn to school must be white-based. Socks have to be white and must cover the ankles. The only design allowed on school socks is the Nanyang Crest.
The collared House PE attire is standard for both genders, consisting of a shirt pocket with the Nanyang logo on it, and the house colour and house character (one of the Chinese characters of the motto) at the back of the shirt.
Pupils holding special positions (Discipline Monitor, Environment Monitor or Prefect) wear sashes - Discipline Monitors wear purple sashes, Prefects blue and Environment Monitors green.
Discipline
Nanyang Primary School maintains high discipline standards within the school. For offences such as the use of vulgarities, stealing or copying work, the pupil receives a pink slip and the parents are notified.
If the pupil has three pink slips, they will be sent for detention with the Discipline Master, Mr. Ting Huat Seng. If the pupil receives any more pink slips, the punishment will be more serious: girls are suspended, while boys receive the cane. The cane strokes are administered to the back of the offender's shorts by the Discipline Master.
Classes
The school has four classes each for the P4, P5 and P6 GEP. The approximate number of pupils for each GEP class is 25 pupils. However, it may vary according to enrolment and suspension rates, as well as the number of pupils opting out or being expelled from the GEP.
It also has a varying number of mainstream classes, all of which have a standard number of 40 pupils. Again, it may vary according to how many pupils there are who transferred into/out of the school, went into the GEP in other schools, or are suspended or expelled.
The school has joined the Gifted Education Programme. It was the fourth primary school to have this programme in 1990.
Facilities
The school occupies a large compound that includes:
- a triangular exercise facility with a running track and pull-up bars.
- a basketball court
- a multi-purpose court, which may be used for soccer, tennis and other forms of sports.
- two-storey library, with books in Chinese and English. Rooms in the library are used for lessons, health check-ups, or to watch films.
- a canteen behind a clay duplicate of an anchor.
Culture
Nanyang's values are based on traditional Chinese cultural values. In 2009 Nanyang Primary pupils worked with Singapore Botanical Gardens landscape designer Alan Tan to create a visual installation using a recycled Pulai (Alstonia augustiloba) tree. Its branches have been extended with willow stalks to create a sprawling canopy.[1] The Tree of Longevity, 9,999 paper cranes of crimson and golden hues symbolizing hope and longevity, took more than 1,300 staff and pupils from the school about a week to complete. It was a message for the Singapore society as a way to welcome the Chinese New Year, and marked the 150th anniversary of the Gardens at the same time.[2]
References
- ^ "Tree of hope". Singapore: Straits Times. 2009-01-22. http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_329318.html. Retrieved 2009-01-28.
- ^ "Tree of long life". Singapore: Straits Times. 2009-01-26.
Co-curricular activities
Sports and Games
Uniformed Groups
- Brownies
- Scouts
- Boys' Brigade
- Girls' Brigade
Performing Arts
- String Ensemble
- Chinese Dance
- Choir
- Chinese Orchestra
Clubs and Societies
- Chess Club
- Art and Craft Club
- Computer Club
- Library Council
- Weiqi Club
- TAF Club
- Audio and Video/PA Club
- Chinese Calligraphy
- Mathematics Society
- Chinese Society
- Science Society
- Chinese Cultural Society
- ELDDS
- Prefectorial Board (by selection)
- Robotics Club
- Radio Club : has since been merged into CLDDS in 2008; was independent of other CCAs in 2006 and 2007.
Special Interest Groups
- Advanced Mathematics
- Future Problem Solving (FPS) Programme
External links
- Official website
- Nanyang Primary School - A "Tribute" to the Nanyang I remember, reminiscences of a former Nanyang Primary School student.
- Ministry of Education's School Information Service
Categories:- Primary schools in Singapore
- Educational institutions established in 1917
- Bukit Timah
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