Tanglin Trust School is the school most British families in Singapore measure others against. It has taught the English curriculum since 1925, which makes it the oldest British international school in South East Asia, and it delivers that curriculum across a full age range on one campus, from the early years through to a Sixth Form. For parents who specifically want a British education abroad, the question is rarely whether Tanglin can deliver it, but how it compares with the city's newer British schools, and that comparison is what this profile is built for.
Tanglin Trust School at a glance
| Detail | Summary |
|---|---|
| Curriculum and exam boards | English National Curriculum; IGCSE in Years 10 and 11; A Level and the IB Diploma in the Sixth Form |
| Stages | Nursery to Year 13 (ages 3 to 18) |
| Founded | 1925 |
| Accreditation | Inspected under the British Schools Overseas framework; rated at the top grade by UK inspectors |
| Fee band | Premium, rising to the top of the city range in the Sixth Form |
| Campus area | 95 Portsdown Road, south Singapore near Queenstown and one north |
The British curriculum at Tanglin
Tanglin follows the British curriculum in the form most UK families recognise. The early years and primary phase work through the English National Curriculum, the lower secondary years build toward IGCSE examinations in Years 10 and 11, and the Sixth Form leads to A Level. What sets Tanglin apart from a standard British school is the parallel IB Diploma route in the Sixth Form, which means a student committed to the British pathway can still switch to a broad six subject Diploma if it suits them better.
The English curriculum here is taught with the depth and specialist staffing that a long established school can provide, in subjects, sport, music and drama. Because the school is inspected against UK British Schools Overseas standards, parents can read an external judgment of the teaching rather than relying on marketing. See how it sits among the city's other British providers in our best British schools in Singapore guide, and ask the admissions team for the most recent IGCSE and A Level results rather than long run averages.
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Use our fee calculator to estimate the full cost of a place, tuition plus the registration, deposit and transport extras, before you commit.
Tanglin Trust School fees
Tanglin Trust School sits in the premium band for Singapore, with tuition rising at each stage and reaching the top of the city range in the Sixth Form. Our Singapore international school fees guide places premium senior tuition at roughly SGD 45,000 to 55,000 a year, and Tanglin falls within that bracket. Whether a student takes A Level or the Diploma does not change the headline fee, though examination entries are charged separately.
As with every Singapore school, the real cost runs beyond tuition. Budget for a registration fee, a refundable deposit and optional bus and meal costs, and assume fee rises ahead of general inflation across a multi year stay.
Admissions
The academic year runs from August and the main intake follows that calendar, with rolling entry where places exist. Demand for British school places is high, so early application matters, particularly at Nursery, the start of the Junior years and Year 7. The process combines an application with school reports and an age appropriate assessment that becomes more formal higher up the school.
Sixth Form entry is the most considered point, since the school confirms a student's IGCSE profile supports A Level or the Diploma and discusses subject combinations. Siblings of current students are usually given priority.
Location and who goes there
Tanglin Trust School occupies a single green campus at 95 Portsdown Road in the south of Singapore, close to Queenstown, one north and Holland Village. It draws heavily from the British and wider international communities who settle in the central and southern districts, from Holland Road and Bukit Timah to the west coast, and its extensive bus network widens the practical catchment further. Many families choose it for the combination of a recognisable British curriculum and a campus a child need not leave from Nursery to Year 13.
To compare Tanglin with the city's other British schools and see where comparable families live, use the Singapore city hub as your starting point.
Tanglin Trust School reviews
We do not yet hold any verified parent reviews for Tanglin Trust School. GlobalSchoolGuide is an independent guide and no school pays to be listed, so we publish a rating only once we have collected enough verified first hand accounts to be fair to both the school and to families reading them. We would rather show nothing than show an invented score.
If your family has attended the school we would value your account of admissions, teaching, pastoral care and value for money. Share it through our school reviews hub and we will add verified contributions to this page.
Frequently asked questions
Is Tanglin Trust School a British school?
Yes. Tanglin Trust School teaches the English National Curriculum from the early years, with IGCSE in Years 10 and 11 and a choice of A Level or the IB Diploma in the Sixth Form. It is the oldest British international school in South East Asia.
How much are Tanglin Trust School fees?
Tanglin Trust School sits in the premium band for Singapore, with fees rising at each stage and reaching the top of the city range in the Sixth Form. Add registration, a refundable deposit and optional bus costs, and confirm the current schedule with the school.
Does Tanglin Trust School offer A Level?
Yes. The Sixth Form offers both A Level and the IB Diploma, the only school in Singapore to run the two senior pathways side by side, so students can specialise with A Level or keep a broad spread with the Diploma.
Is Tanglin Trust School a good school?
Tanglin is inspected under the British Schools Overseas framework and has been rated at the top grade by UK inspectors. We publish ratings only from verified reviews, so weigh the latest inspection report and exam results alongside a visit.
Where is Tanglin Trust School?
The campus is at 95 Portsdown Road in the south of Singapore, near the Queenstown and one north districts, on a single green site shared by the Infant, Junior and Senior Schools.
