Key Takeaways
- At ISS International School, our Kampong Spirit helps students build trusted relationships with classmates and teachers.
- Well-being is embedded into everyday learning to develop self-awareness, resilience, communication, and healthy coping skills.
- Students can access counselling, pastoral care, and individualised guidance when they need additional support.
- Safeguarding and close communication with parents help create a consistent support system at school and at home.
Introduction
While many families may naturally focus on curriculum and academic pathways, it is also crucial to consider your child’s emotional well-being at school. In Singapore, conversations around youth mental health have become increasingly important. According to the National Youth Mental Health Study (NYMHS), one in three young people (aged 15–35 years) in Singapore have reported experiencing severe or extremely severe symptoms of depression, anxiety and/or stress.
At ISS International School, supporting our students’ mental health and well-being starts with creating a sense of connection and belonging. As an international school, many of our students may also be adjusting to life in Singapore, building friendships across cultures, learning in a new language, or settling into a new community.
Below, we share how we have created an environment where students can feel known and supported, from our close-knit community to programmes and student support services.
Building Community Through Our Kampong Spirit
The Kampong Spirit is central to life at ISS. The word “kampong” means village, and for us, it represents the sense of togetherness we want students to experience at school.
Each homeroom is itself known as a Kampong. Within these smaller communities, students learn, connect, and grow alongside classmates and teachers. The emphasis is on recognising that each person brings a different background, perspective, and contribution to the community. This fosters a sense of belonging and helps students feel less isolated, especially if they are adjusting to a new school, country, or language.
Moreover, when our students feel known and accepted by the people around them, they may be more comfortable expressing how they feel, asking for support, and taking part in school life.
Making Student Well-Being a Part of Everyday Learning
At ISS International School, we offer a well-being programme that runs from the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) through High School, supporting students’ physical, social, and emotional development alongside their academic learning.
The programme focuses on four areas:
- Personal identity
- Being healthy, safe, and active
- Communicating and interacting
- Actively contributing to communities
As students grow, they develop these themes alongside their learning. For example, a younger student who feels left out during a group activity may learn to identify that feeling, communicate it appropriately, and work through the situation with support from a teacher. As students grow older, the same foundations can help them manage more complex pressures, such as friendship conflicts, academic stress, or questions about identity.
This gives students practical opportunities to build self-awareness, resilience, and healthier coping strategies as part of their everyday school life.
Providing Access to Counselling and Pastoral Support
Some students may need more individual support for their mental health and well-being than others. At ISS, students can access counselling and pastoral support for concerns such as stress, relationships, motivation, family changes, or difficulty adjusting to school life.
Having a trusted adult to speak to can help students process what they are experiencing and identify practical next steps. A student feeling overwhelmed by academic pressure may work with a counsellor to understand what is contributing to the stress and develop healthier ways to manage it. When appropriate, counsellors can also work with teachers and parents to provide more consistent external support.
For students in the High School Diploma programme, mental health support also extends to individualised university counselling. This includes guidance on course selection, portfolio preparation, and university applications, helping students navigate important academic decisions with greater clarity and confidence.
Creating a Safe and Supportive School Environment
Our students’ mental health and well-being depend not only on emotional security, but also on physical and social safety. ISS approaches safeguarding as a shared responsibility across the whole school community. Our students have the right to feel safe and included, to be treated with dignity and respect, and to be protected from abuse, neglect, and harassment.
We establish clear expectations around behaviour, safeguarding, and respectful interactions to help students understand the boundaries that keep the school community safe. If a child experiences conflict, bullying, or inappropriate behaviour, they should know which trusted adults they can approach and feel confident that their concerns will be taken seriously and addressed appropriately.
This approach also extends into students’ digital lives. We help students think about online safety, respectful digital communication, empathy, and responsible participation so that the same culture of care applies both on and offline.
Strong Partnerships with Parents for Holistic Support
Parents may notice changes at home that are not immediately visible at school, while teachers may observe shifts in behaviour, participation, or friendships that students do not always mention to their families.
By keeping communication open between parents, teachers, counsellors, and other members of the support team, we can build a fuller picture of what a student may be experiencing. This helps us respond more appropriately and provide more consistent support for our students’ mental health and wellbeing, both at home and at school.
Conclusion: Helping Every Student Find Their Place
A positive school experience should give students more than academic knowledge. It should also help them understand themselves, build healthy relationships, manage challenges, and know when to ask for help.
At ISS, we want students to leave school with the confidence and self-awareness to carry these skills into university, future workplaces, and life beyond the classroom. By creating an environment that prioritises their mental health and well-being, we aim to give our students a stronger foundation for whatever comes next.
To learn more about student life at ISS International School, speak with our team today.
