Singapore · History
From Ulu Pandan to Aljunied: Nexus International School's First Fifteen Years
Founded through an acquisition in 2011, Nexus International School grew from a rebranded campus in the west of Singapore into a purpose-built, twelve-storey IB school in Aljunied with around 1,500 pupils.
Nexus International School (Singapore) did not start from scratch. According to the school's own account, Taylor's Schools, the Malaysian private education group, had already launched the Nexus brand in 2007 with a campus in Putrajaya. When Taylor's turned its attention to Singapore, it acquired Excelsior International School and rebranded it as Nexus International School (Singapore) in 2011. The school opened under new management in July of that year, inheriting Excelsior's site in Ulu Pandan and its existing student body, then set about building something quite different.
Origins: Taylor's, Excelsior, and a New Direction
Taylor's Education Group, which describes itself as Malaysia's largest private international school group, provided the corporate backing and the brand. The Nexus philosophy it brought with it was built around four pillars: Mindsets, Relationships, Inclusion, and Innovation, packaged under the label "The Nexus Way." The stated mission was to prepare young people to take their place as leaders in a global community, with technology embedded in the learning process from the start.
The Ulu Pandan campus, near Holland Village, served the school for nearly a decade. During that period Nexus built its IB authorisations, earned accreditation from the Council of International Schools (CIS) and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), and secured Singapore's EduTrust four-year certification from the Committee for Private Education. It also earned Apple Distinguished School status in recognition of its technology integration.
The Move to Aljunied
In January 2020, Nexus moved to a purpose-built campus at 1 Aljunied Walk. The twelve-storey building was designed with direct input from teachers, with ideas sourced globally and tested before construction was finalised. The result dispensed with conventional classrooms in favour of open-concept, flexible learning hubs. Early Years and Primary occupy the lower floors; a double-storey library, sports halls, and a play deck sit in the middle section; Secondary teaching floors run across the top. As the Good Schools Guide noted, the school "really caught attention" when it moved into its new home.
The facilities are substantial. The Aquatics Centre holds an Olympic-sized pool fitted with Omega electronic timing and reaction-start blocks for elite competition, plus a shallow training pool for younger swimmers. Outside sits a FIFA- and World Rugby-certified Astroturf pitch. Inside: a two-storey auditorium with a large LED screen, black box theatres, arts and design studios with 3D printers and a ceramics kiln, a Science Mega Lab, and music technology studios including recording rooms and mixing desks.
Curriculum and Accreditation
The academic pathway runs from Nursery (age three) through to Year 13 (age eighteen). The IB Primary Years Programme covers Early Years and Primary; the IB Middle Years Programme runs through Years 7 to 9; IGCSEs follow in Years 10 and 11; and the IB Diploma Programme occupies Years 12 and 13. The school later gained IB authorisation for the MYP, with the visiting IB team reportedly enthusiastic about what it found. CIS re-accredited the school in June 2022. WASC accreditation means the school's graduation certificate is recognised by American universities as equivalent to a US high school diploma.
Core subjects are benchmarked internationally: English against UK and New Zealand standards, Mathematics against Singapore national standards, Science against Australian national standards. Languages on offer include Mandarin and French in Primary, with Spanish added as an option in Secondary.
Results and Present Day
The 2025 IBDP cohort averaged 35.1 points against a global average of 30.58. One student, an IBDP scholarship holder, achieved a perfect 45. Forty-three percent of the cohort scored 35 or above, and 23 percent earned Bilingual Diplomas. At IGCSE, 54 percent of all grades awarded were A to A* or the equivalent 9 to 7 on the reformed scale. WhichSchoolAdvisor's 2026 review of Singapore IB schools placed Nexus among a cohort of inclusive schools producing results well above the global mean while maintaining open admissions.
The school's community draws from more than 60 nationalities, with no single nationality exceeding 20 percent of the roll. Simon Mann, who holds a Master of Philosophy in Education from the University of Hong Kong and brings more than 20 years of international school leadership across Southeast Asia, took over as principal in August 2024. Current roll stands at approximately 1,500 pupils. The school is one of the few international schools in Singapore approved for full membership of the Singapore Swimming Association, allowing learners to compete nationally and internationally, a distinction that has made Nexus something of a reference point for aquatics in the city's international school circuit.