Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road)

Infobox Singapore School
name = Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road)
英华学校 (芭克路) (Yīng Huá Xuéxiào bā kē lù)


motto = The Best Is Yet To Be
established = 1994 (March 1 1886 original ACS)
type = Government-Aided
session = Single
principal = Peter Tan Chong Tze
city/town = Newton
school code = 7032
enrollment = 1390
colours = Red, Blue, Gold
homepage = [http://www.acsbr.net ACSBR.Net]

Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road) is a secondary school of the Anglo-Chinese School family located at the Barker Road campus, Singapore. It offers the GCE 'O' Level Course for its students from Sec 1 to Sec 4/5. Students may then move on to Anglo-Chinese Junior College with affiliation favours. Incepted in 1994 at the Barker Road campus, it has provided opportunities for its feeder students to continue with an ACS Education at a secondary level.

It was a full school which subsumed Anglo-Chinese School (Primary) as its primary school section until 1998, when the school split into two. Both schools are now independent of each other. The school has been based at the newly rebuilt Barker Road campus since 2003. Its current Principal is Peter Tan Chong Tze while long serving principal Ng Eng Chin is now heading STB-ACS (International) Jakarta.

History

The establishment of Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) in 1988 resulted in the PSLE cut-off score being raised from 200 to 230 points by 1992, tightening admission criteria. This policy resulted in increasing numbers of students being made unable to continue their secondary education in the ACS family. By 1991, over 50% of students from the two ACS primary schools did not meet the criteria, which led to an outcry amongst pupils and parents. The ACS Old Boys' Association and the Board of Governors were faced with the dilemma of improving education standards against rejecting many from a 10 year education in ACS. The Ministry of Education finally relented, granting the establishment of a full school in 1994.

Today, ACS (Barker Road) provides an all-rounded education to its students, with an emphasis on the nurturing of the individual. The school continues to performing well in academics, sports and the arts: The school has been recognised with value-added awards for three consecutive years, for improving its students' academic scores; the school has also won silver for Nationals B and C division waterpolo in 2006 and 2007 as well as the National B division Championship in 2002.

In 1999, the Barker Road campus was redeveloped at a cost of S$95 million. The new campus provides the state of the art facilities; learning Centres have been constructed with full IT access; the Arts Centre has also provided a platform for the performing groups to excel.

Culture

Uniform

The ACS (Barker Road) uniform retains the traditional ACS navy-blue pants and white shirt. Both lower and upper secondary shirts are the same, with a dark blue strip running under the collar and a vertical slit on the shirt pocket. The ACS badge is also to be placed 2 fingers width above the shirt pocket. In place of the standard badge may be badges denoting sports leaders,monitors or prefects.

Lower secondary students have to wear short pants while upper secondary students wear long pants. Students are to wear the ACS tie on chapel days and other important functions. While sports shoes are allowed, shoes have to be at least 70% white in colour with no variations allowed. With effect from February 2008 onwards, all students are required to wear ACS/ACSBR socks only.

Barker Road campus

The decision was taken in the 1990s to redevelop the Barker Road campus as simple renovations were not enough to meet the needs of the new century. In 1999, ACS (Barker Road) moved out of the campus after a closing ceremony on 4 November. To accommodate an increase in student intake, the campus would be expanded and redeveloped. A contentious issue developed after a controversial plan was undertaken to dismantle the historic clock tower facing Dunearn Road due to safety concerns. This minor conflict was eventually resolved and the dismantling went ahead. A replica now stands 20 metres away from the old clock tower, with the original clock mechanism installed in the new tower.

The 5.2-hectare campus now contains the Primary and Secondary blocks of ACS (Primary) and ACS (Barker Road) respectively. In between the Primary and Secondary buildings is an Administrative block housing the general office as well as the libraries of both schools. The landscaped, open-air Student Plaza links the three buildings together. The cafeteria, Popular bookstore, CCA rooms and Music Studios are located one floor below the Plaza. The Arts Centre contains the Mrs Lee Choon Guan Concert Hall, Tan Cheng Siong Drama Theatre and the Lee Kong Chian Auditorium which can seat 830, 270 and 1,200 respectively.

The Sports Complex also sits on the campus, which contains the Shaw Pool, a cafe overlooking the pool deck and the Tan Chin Tuan Sports Hall. The Sports Hall has 3 basketball courts, a racket centre, full recreational facilities including a gym and changing rooms. The Pool has 8-lanes and is Olympic-sized. The Transport Centre/Carpark is located below the Complex, which includes pick-up and drop-off bays as well.

Barker Road Methodist Church and the Methodist Centre (housing the Methodist Church in Singapore) have also been relocated to the redeveloped Barker Road campus. ACS Oldham Hall has also been renovated with improved facilities, such as air-conditioning in some rooms, a cafeteria, and the capacity to house 500 boarders. The Barker Road campus was designed by SAA Architects Pte Ltd and the entire project cost was S$95 million, out of which S$15 million had to be raised by the school. In 2004, the campus won the CIDB Award for Construction Excellence.

Achievements

General Awards

*Sustained Achievement Award for Sports, 2002-2006
*Sustained Achievement Award for Uniformed Groups, 2002-2006
*Academic Value Added Award for Express (Silver)
*Development Award for Character Development
*MINDEF Distinguished Defence Partner Award
*Sporting Singapore Inspiration Award
*Cherish Silver Award

Sports

In the traditional strengths of swimming and waterpolo, the school teams consistently ranked in the top 4 placings at the national championships. In 2006, the school accomplished the 2nd placings for both sports at the Inter-School National Championships. In rugby union, exchange programmes have been held in other countries to gain experience and develop team-building skills. The school came in 3rd in 2006 and has also been consistently ranked among the top 4 in Singapore. Other sports also include snooker and bowling which have also come in 1st and 3rd respectively. These achievements garnered the Sustained Achievement Award for 2006.

Performing Arts

The performing arts, clubs and societies have taken a fresh approach, and have been active on the national scene. Since 2006, Drama has been earmarked as a niche area for growth in the school, following in the footsteps of Anglo-Chinese Junior College which has offered the Drama Elective Programme to its students. Media related CCAs have also made a significant impact on a national level.

= SYF Central Judging =

Uniformed Youth Organisations

The UYOs have also been an integral part of ACS (Barker Road)'s history, with the Scouts achieving the first Frank Cooper Sands Award in 1998. The Boys Brigade, NPCC and NCC (Sea) have since achieved numerous accolades since the school's founding in 1994. These achievements have resulted in the school being awarded the Sustained Achievement Award as well.
*Scouts "Frank Cooper Sands Award" (Gold)
*The Boys Brigade "J M Fraser Award" (Gold)
*National Police Cadet Corps "Best Unit" (Bronze)
*National Cadet Corps (Sea) "Best Unit Competition" (Bronze)

Others

Apart from the various CCAs, the school recognises the academic talents in the pool of students. From exploring mysteries of the Sciences, to appreciating the Arts, the school has consistently been doing well in subject competitions. This is especially evident in its Humanities winnings, winning the Gold Award from 2005 to 2006 in Ngee Ann Poly Grand Olympiad Treasure Hunt.
*Straits Times National Schools Newspaper Competition
*RJC Toy Inventors' Challenge (2nd)
*Odyssey of the Mind Competition (1st):*ACS (Barker Road) won Gold in both division 2 and 3 of the Tee Structure Long Term Problem.
*SPH Geography Challenge (Silver)
*Technopreneurship Club "Young Enterpreneurship Challenge" (Champion) & (Best Visuals)
*NUS Geography Challenge 2008 - Geo Ad Champions
*ACJC Geography Quiz (10th)

Academic programmes

Nurturing the Best

This programme was first introduced in 2004, with the aim of developing the brightest minds and talents in the school in the Academic and CCA fields. The programme aims to nurture and harness the potential of students in the top 2 classes in Sec 1, then the top class in Sec2 and Sec 3, particularly in the areas of Cognitive Development, Talent Development, Social & Personal Development and Leadership Development. Lessons are designed to engage students in problem-solving, independent and self-directed learning. Pupils of these classes have also been given various opportunities to serve in the school or community.

The students in the programme are stretched beyond the regular academic curriculum as they are expected to become leaders in the society. They are given exposure through the Geography Trip to Germany & Poland and events like the World Expo in Aichi, Japan.

Students who are talented in certain areas are given opportunities to groom their talents by representing the school in various national and international competitions such as Odyssey of the Mind in Colorado, USA and the ACJC Geography & Chemistry Quiz. These students are also given the task of organising the annual school-wide maths fair.

Arts Education Programme

The Arts Education Programme aims to encourage greater appreciation of the different cultures in Singapore and their musical traditions. The programme also aims to develop the school's growing strength in Drama. Drama workshops, dance workshops and viewing of theatrical productions are organized for students to cultivate appreciation in theatre and enable them to acquire a basic understanding of its demands. Performances of different art forms and groups are also organised to expose students to a certain culture.

E-Learning Programme

The programme seeks to nurture independent learning, responsibility and develop life-skills of self-discipline and accountability. Lessons are given online to the student, during which he does not need to come to school. Thus students experience and familiarise themselves with new platforms for learning which are pervasive in institutes of higher education.

Non-Academic Programmes

Outdoor Education Programme

The Outdoor Education Programme (OEP) helps to instill values that would not necessarily be taught in the classrooms. The aim of this programme is to therefore inspire students to reach their potential and learn essential lifeskills. As part of this concept, level camps are organised annually. These include:
*Sec 1 Discovery Camp
*Sec 2 Adventure Camp
*Sec 3 Outward Bound Singapore at Pulau Ubin

Family@Barker

Family@Barker is the Parents' Support Group (PSG) at the school. They provide support for the school and work closely together with the school administration, staff members, students and parents. They also provide a channel of communication between parents and school, provide useful feedback, and assist whenever called upon by the school administration. Pastoral care programmes are also carried out by the PSG during respective PCCG periods.

World Vision 30 Hour Famine

Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road) is the co-organizer of the 2008 World Vision 30 Hour Famine. The event, to be held on 14-15 June 2008, will take place in the school's campus. This year's Famine will see 1000 youths and volunteers fast for 30 hours as a symbol of solidarity against global hunger and poverty.

Co-curricular activities

CCAs (Co-Curricular Activities) are part of the all-rounded education provided at ACS (Barker Road), with an increased emphasis on Drama and the performing arts. Every student is required to participate in a minimum of 1 CCA with at least a 75% attendance track record.

References

*1. Earnest Lau & Peter Teo, "The ACS Story", ISBN 981-04-8746-0
*2. "ECHO Magazine", Oct-Dec 2004

See also

*Anglo-Chinese School
*Anglo-Chinese School (International)
*Anglo-Chinese School (Independent)
*Anglo-Chinese Junior College

External links

* [http://www.acsbr.net Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road)]