“We aim to be a vibrant center for educational, personal and social growth in the world, providing a rich academic curriculum for children in the local and international community.”
Around 40 years back, Fairview International School was established as an accessible school for expatriates looking for an international standard of education in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. As the first and largest network of International Baccalaureate (IB) Schools in Malaysia, Fairview is still leading the revolution by providing an international, future-ready standard of education to Malaysians and expatriates.
Fairview educates, motivates and inspires students in a nurturing social and emotional climate. Furthermore, Fairview is committed to raising the standards of education not only in its school but also in the region through the continuous training and development of educators with the best possible teaching pedagogies. Today, the school boasts a population of over 2500 students from over 65 nationalities across five campuses in the country.
Life at Fairview International School
From championing the 24-hour race to end world hunger to a passionate speech about the dangers of online social media, the school assembly is a display of student led initiatives. In class, each student is first engaged with a key concept, building the backbone whereby subsequent knowledge is framed later. In the classroom, activities and discussions are a common place, bringing relevance and meaning into what was learnt that day interspersed with ethical dilemmas carefully thrown into the mix. Individual reflections then allow the student to further digest knowledge and reveal the wisdom within.
After a period of learning, assessments in the form of not just written work but presentations and actions allow a teacher to gauge student learning and feedback is quickly provided to ensure that the student is able to progress in his educational journey. During the year, a vast array of co-curricular activities provide a platform for learners to discover their personal interests by exploring clubs and societies from football to joining the “mad scientists” and master chefs. These passions are fanned further when the students join the many school teams to explore their interests, from the World Scholar’s Cup to Math Olympiads, Sports and Martial Arts competitions. If a student chooses, they can join one of the many committees that organize student led events like the FairMUN, a Model United Nations conference or perhaps something more aesthetic like the Fairview’s Got Talent competition.
Twice a year, students travel to several exotic locations across South East Asia from Cambodia to China, not just delving into local cultures but also learning typical classroom topics in the field like Geometry by analyzing the rooftops of the Angkor Wat temples in Cambodia. Once a year, every student attends the Fairview Eduresort, an outdoor camp where students get in touch with nature and trek the jungles of Malaysia, learn how to cook and of course have some fun with water gun fights!
A typical school day lasts from 7.20 am to 3.30 pm each day from Monday to Friday. The school year is broken into two semesters with holidays and vacations in December and July.
Encouraging Student Diversity and Promoting Festivity
Fairview International School promotes the concept of International-Mindedness fiercely. Each student participates in a host of celebrations from Deepavali to Chinese New Year and Hari Raya. Expeditions constantly expose children to different cultures and at these trips; their beliefs are systematically challenged so that they appreciate numerous different belief structures stemming from centuries of history. The 65 nationalities present in the school provide for colorful discussions especially at the many ethical and value centered debates that are crafted into the curriculum intentionally for all children from 5 to 18 years of age. In the IB Diploma Programme, students learn the Theory of Knowledge where they study the fundamentals of knowledge and how it differs when viewed from the lens of a different culture. True cultural integration beyond the superficial (food, fashion, festivals, famous people, flags) elements of culture is possible at Fairview because we help our students appreciate that despite the differences in opinion, they share common dreams and hopes.
Diversified career opportunities
Fairview currently offers scholarships to top students pursuing their IB Diploma or NCUK International Foundation Year Programme. Over the last seven years, over RM 3 million have been given in scholarships to enrich the community.
Students pursuing their IB Diploma Programme (IBDP) at Fairview are trained in a manner enabling them to be able to pursue their Undergraduate studies at any university across the globe. It is the preferred pre-university program internationally and allows students’ to access tertiary institutions almost every country in the world from the US to the UK, Australia, Canada and Asia.
Furthermore, Fairview is the only institution in Malaysia to offer the NCUK International Foundation Program, which is specially designed for school leavers who intend to further their studies in the United Kingdom. As a 1 year exam based foundation programme, the NCUK offers guaranteed access to 13 of the top UK universities, such as Aston University, University of Bradford, University of Huddersfield, University of Kent, University of Leeds, Kingston University London, Leeds Beckett University, Manchester Metropolitan University, Liverpool John Moores University, University of Salford, Sheffield Hallam University, University of Birmingham and University of Sheffield.
Torchbearer of the School
Prior stepping into the world of education, Dr. Vincent Chian was a medical graduate from the University of Manchester. After serving as a Psychiatry Registrar in the United Kingdom for several years, he returned to his home country to lay the foundation stones of mental well-being in Fairview International School. Working hands on in Fairview International School first as a biology teacher, a Science Department Head and most recently an IB Diploma Coordinator, he was inspired with a deep respect for the power of the human spirit. Over the years, he has championed many initiatives in both the academic and pastoral domains from developing skills in children through the Approaches to Learning (ATL) to a novel-coaching programme for all students to ensure that mental health is proactively nurtured in their children.
Dr. Vincent also sits on the Board of Family Business Network (FBN) and is often invited as a speaker to international conferences and workshops revolving around leadership, holistic education, teacher education, pedagogy, educational management and educational technology.
“Words of Trust”
“I love Fairview because I learn a lot and the teachers are kind and amazing. I like the way we learn at school. The environment is clean and fun. My friends at school are very nice and come from many countries. I think Fairview is very special.”
— Harsyieta Thangappan, Grade 2 student who had her paintings featured at her very own exhibition
“The IBDP at Fairview, allows me to grow as a human being because it opens me to a much more wider perspective and range of exposure,”
— Keith, IB Diploma student. Winner of some six trophies in the World Scholars Cup, alongside his teammates.
“ I am a balanced learner. I have organised Fairview’s first running event and participated in the school’s all girls’ sports teams. For three years in a row, I have scored 7 out of 7 points for all subjects and am one of the top scorer during the school’s mixed football team tournament.”
— Zeynep, top MYP student who received the Fairview Shining Star award three years in a row”
