Tanglin Trust School

What the school is

A century-old British through-school, run as a charity

The school has five divisions: Infant School covers Nursery–Year 2, Junior School Years 3–6, Middle School Years 7–9, Upper School Years 10–11 and Sixth Form Years 12–13. Tanglin is a registered charity and states that tuition fees are reinvested in the school. Its registration number is 196100114C, with a registration period from 7 June 2023 to 6 June 2029.

Tanglin lists HMC, FOBISIA and Association of British Schools Overseas memberships, and COBIS accredited-member status. Cambridge International, Edexcel and IB relationships concern its examination and qualification programmes. These are different forms of membership, accreditation and programme recognition; none alone describes every aspect of teaching.

Tanglin Gippsland is the school’s 15-acre campus in Australia. The Highlands Programme provides a five-week residential learning experience for Year 9 students.

Academics in practice

The dual sixth form, the results and the inspection record

The 2022 BSO inspection recorded 373 sixth-form students and 24 A-level subjects. It described a shared Tanglin Core, with an EPQ or extended essay alongside CAS and life-skills programmes. The report also recorded around 30–40 external sixth-form entrants and fewer than two departures annually. These are historical figures; confirm current subject availability, entry requirements and intake numbers.

Reported 2025 IB results included a provisional average of 39.6 points and a 100% pass rate. For 2026, WhichSchoolAdvisor reports a provisional average of 39.1, a 100% pass rate and five students scoring 45. In 2025, 63% of A-level grades were A*/A and 80% of GCSE/IGCSE grades were 9–7. These percentages describe grades, not proportions of pupils. The 2022 inspection recorded seven Oxford or Cambridge destinations and offers from 157 institutions across ten countries; offers and final destinations are different measures.

Tanglin is inspected under the British Schools Overseas framework. The school reports an Outstanding rating in every category in its November 2025 inspection, and the report is linked below. Read its findings alongside the school’s current provision and your child’s needs; this is a BSO inspection, not a Singapore-wide school ranking.

The reviewed A-level options booklet lists French and Spanish as its language courses, subject to sufficient enrolment. Families seeking a different language should ask about available IB options and the requirements for their child’s intended course. The choice between A levels and the IB also depends on the full subject combination, not language provision alone.

Admissions and placement rights

Annual application reviews and placement rights

WhichSchoolAdvisor describes annual application reviews by the relevant Head of School and Head of Admissions, replacing the chronological waiting list. Outcomes are an offer, a place in the applicant pool for that academic year or an unsuccessful application. The review reports that sibling priority is no longer offered, with 160 Nursery and 32 Reception places in the main intakes. Later entry depends on vacancies. The school accepts applications year-round and requests the last two years of school reports where applicable; confirm the review timetable and requirements for your child.

The published Guaranteed Placement Right costs S$165,000 before GST, or S$179,850 including GST, for one child over a seven-year term. The child must meet normal admissions criteria. Rights cover entry in Terms 1, 2 or 3, cannot be traded or sold back to the school, and lapse at expiry. A sibling requires a separate right for the same priority. Availability is limited, with rights sold on a first-come, first-served basis.

The placement-right price is additional to school fees. Before purchasing, obtain written confirmation of availability for the intended child, year group and start date, along with the admissions conditions and expiry terms. If an employer is funding the right, check exactly which school costs the relocation package covers.

Fees and the real cost

Fees for 2026/27, and what sits around them

The official 2026–27 annual school fees include tuition, the Building Fund and 9% GST, billed in three equal term amounts. They are S$36,300 for Nursery, S$44,490 for Reception, S$45,375 for Years 1–2, S$47,490 for Years 3–6, S$53,535 for Years 7–9, S$56,010 for Years 10–11 and S$58,080 for Years 12–13. New students also pay a S$1,000 application fee, S$4,500 enrolment fee and S$4,500 capital levy, all non-refundable. For a new Year 7 student, these school and joining fees total S$63,535 before other costs or a placement right.

New students pay two terms in advance: the first on acceptance and the next before starting. These payments bring forward part of the annual bill; they do not add two extra terms to it. A 5% late fee applies after the due date. External examinations are additional, with guidance of S$1,000–2,500 depending on boards and subjects. Years 7–13 students need a school-managed device with stylus and keyboard from the approved vendor. The external bus provider sets fares and invoices families directly.

The family experience

Location, community and daily reality

The Portsdown Road campus is in the one-north area near the Wessex Estate. The Centenary Building opened in 2023 with a 50-metre swimming pool, fitness and gymnastics facilities. The school reports more than 400 co-curricular activities across the year and 96% student participation.