White Sands Primary School aims to be a vibrant school where character shines
and talents soar. With the firm belief that “every child has unique talents and
abilities that can be developed to his / her fullest potential if his /her
emotional and physical needs are met”, the school involves all stakeholders and
identified partners to develop every child fully.
In line with its strategic thrust of Effective Partnerships and through its
Partnership Framework, the school builds a strong collaboration with three key
stakeholders—parents, the school advisory committee (SAC) & alumni, and with
the wider community to enhance the quality of its education to nurture character
and talents.
The school believes that parents are a child’s first and enduring teachers
who play the main role in nurturing the child. Children achieve more when the
school and parents work together to provide a supportive environment for
them.
To this end, the School Family Education Programme was launched in 2009 in
partnership with Families For Tomorrow, a voluntary welfare organization.
Parents are equipped and empowered in their parenting role through talks,
workshops and hands-on activities to contribute more effectively to the
development of their children.
Parent Support Group (PSG) members are trained to assist in these programmes
as facilitators. The PSG provides a caring environment for pupils from less
advantaged backgrounds and enhances their learning through weekly programmes
like the Learning Mentors, Reading Mums, Math Mums, KidsRead, etc. As a result
of the active participation of the parent volunteers in the KidsRead programme,
the school was presented with the “Friend of KidsRead” Award by the National
Library Board.
In addition, PSG members play an active role in National Education through
their participation in school events like the National Day Celebration, Racial
Harmony Day, Healthy Lifestyle Family Day and the School Emergency Exercise.
Parents also provide assistance to teachers on a needs basis, for example when
preparing for the SYF and as chaperones for learning journeys.
The SAC members support talent development efforts through their financial
contribution and networking. Through a member’s recommendation, pupils from the
Infocomm Club received free training in the use of an IT software, enabling them
to participate and win an award at a national competition. Another member who
has a passion for Robotics contributed a playfield for the Robotics Club.
The WSPS Alumni, formed in 2007, has added vibrancy to the school through its
involvement in events management, CCA training and camp facilitation. The Alumni
furthers the school’s mission “to nurture caring hearts, creative minds and
confident individuals” by providing opportunities for alumni members to
contribute to the community, in this case, their alma mata. Leadership training
is provided to the members to help them to be more effective in their
contribution.
The school also leverages on its partnerships with the wider community in its
character and talent development efforts. Key partners with whom the school
collaborates regularly are the Pasir Ris East Constituency, Temasek Polytechnic,
City Community Services, the National Library Board and Mercy Relief. Through
the school’s involvement with the community, opportunities are afforded for
pupils to enrich their learning, showcase their talents, help the less fortunate
and develop their leadership potential.
As the saying goes, it takes a village to raise a child. This is certainly
true in White Sands where every stakeholder and partner’s efforts count.