Beatty Secondary School

Beatty Secondary School 博理中学 Sekolah Menengah Beatty பீட்டி உயர்நிலை பள்ளி
Address
1 Toa Payoh North Singapore 318990 Singapore
Coordinates	1°20′31.47″N103°51′7.55″E / 1.3420750°N 103.8520972°E / 1.3420750; 103.8520972
Information
Type	Government
Motto	Non Vi Sed Arte, Not with force but with skill
Established	1953;71 years ago (1953)
Session	Single
School code	3003
Principal	Harman Johll
Enrolment	1300+
Colour(s)	Navy Blue  Yellow
Website	beattysec.moe.edu.sg

Beatty Secondary School is a co-educational government secondary school in Toa Payoh, Singapore. It was established in 1953 along Beatty Road and moved to its current site in Toa Payoh in 1982.

It educates deaf students who must use sign language to communicate. ^[1]

History

The school was originally opened on 6 July 1953 at a site along Beatty Road, with three classes. It was the fourth school established as part of the then-government's 10-year Education Plan. ^[2] In 1957, the school's female student population was transferred to the then-new Cedar Girls' Secondary School. ^[3] That same year, post-primary classes for students who were unable to get into secondary schools were started in the school. ^[4]

In 1982, the school moved to a new location in Toa Payoh North. The new building was constructed at a cost of S$ 7.5 million, and featured administrative, science, and workshop blocks as well as 28 classrooms. ^[5]

The graduated cohort of 2008 presented the school with the best overall results in the GCE 'O' Level examinations throughout the school's 55 years of history. Average L1B5 value stands at 18, making it a Band 9 school. ^[6]

Assimilation of Balestier Hill Secondary School

In 2016, due to a lack of Secondary One students, Beatty Secondary School had been selected to merge with Balestier Hill Secondary School. This process was made in ease with the integration of Beatty's students and of Balestier Hill's students nearing the end of 2016.^{[ citation needed ]}

Beatty took responsibility for the deaf students formerly educated at Balestier Hill and Boon Lay Secondary School. The government decided that it was best to concentrate deaf students who must sign to communicate at one school as only about 15 secondary students were in that category. ^[1]

Identity and culture

School crest and colours

The school colours are those of Admiral David Beatty, and the crest, which depicts a beehive encircled by bees, is taken from his family's coat of arms. These symbolise unity and the hard work required for one to achieve success. Above the beehive is an open book symbolizing knowledge ^[7]

School motto

The school motto, "Non Vi Sed Arte", or "Not with force but with skill", was also taken from Beatty's coat of arms. ^[7]

Academic Information

Being an integrated secondary school, Beatty Secondary School offers three academic streams, namely the four-year Express course, as well as the Normal Course, comprising Normal (Academic) and Normal (Technical) academic tracks.

O Level Express Course

The Express Course is a nationwide four-year programme that leads up to the Singapore-Cambridge GCE Ordinary Level examination. ^[8]

Normal Course

The Normal Course is a nationwide 5-year programme leading to the Singapore-Cambridge GCE Normal Level examination, which runs either the Normal (Academic) curriculum or Normal (Technical) curriculum, abbreviated as N(A) and N(T) respectively. ^[9]

Normal (Academic) Course

In the Normal (Academic) course, students offer 5-8 subjects in the Singapore-Cambridge GCE Normal Level examination. Compulsory subjects include: ^[10]

• English Language
• Mother Tongue Language
• Mathematics
• Combined Humanities
• Chemistry

A 5th year leading to the Singapore-Cambridge GCE Ordinary Level examination is available to N(A) students who perform well in their Singapore-Cambridge GCE Normal Level examination. Students can move from one course to another based on their performance and the assessment of the school principal and teachers. ^[9]

Normal (Technical) Course

The Normal (Technical) course prepares students for a technical-vocational education at the Institute of Technical Education. ^[10] Students will offer 5-7 subjects in the Singapore-Cambridge GCE Normal Level examination. ^[10] The curriculum is tailored towards strengthening students’ proficiency in English and Mathematics. ^[10] Students take English Language, Mathematics, Basic Mother Tongue, and Computer Applications as compulsory subjects. ^[10]

Media mentions

Interviewed on Channel News Asia in February 2007, in a discussion on school upgrading, principal Boo Hian Kok expressed the view that schools should continue to ask for better facilities, provided they are able to justify their requests and prove they will benefit the students and teachers. ^[11]

Notable alumni

• Sarkasi Said, Singaporean contemporary batik artist
• Shih Choon Fong, President of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), 2008–2013; President of National University of Singapore, 2000–2008

References

1. "Deaf students who sign can join mainstream primary school from 2018". Today Online . 2016-09-20. Retrieved 2021-06-20.
2. "Secondary school No. 4 is ready". The Straits Times. 1 July 1953. Retrieved 3 November 2017– via NewspaperSG.
3. "'Segregation'-300 girls will have to move out to a new school". The Straits Times. 21 September 1956. Retrieved 31 October 2017– via NewspaperSG.
4. "Post-primary classes for the 'unlucky' ones". The Straits Times. 12 January 1957. Retrieved 3 November 2017– via NewspaperSG.
5. "Beatty Sec School moves to new home in Toa Payoh". The Straits Times. 21 March 1982. Retrieved 3 November 2017– via NewspaperSG.
6. "Beatty Secondary School website". Beatty Secondary School. Archived from the original on 30 November 2007. Retrieved 2007-12-01.
7. "School Crest". beattysec.moe.edu.sg. Retrieved 2 December 2017.
8. "Express Course Curriculum". www.moe.gov.sg. Retrieved 2017-09-14.
9. "Secondary School Courses". www.moe.gov.sg. Archived from the original on 2017-07-04. Retrieved 2017-09-14.
10. "Normal Course Curriculum". www.moe.gov.sg. Retrieved 2017-09-14.
11. "Prime targets 8 more schools", Channel News Asia, 15 February 2007.

External links

• Official website
• Beatty Secondary School listing in the School Information Service, Singapore Ministry of Education