Cognita wins site to set up school

Source : Business Times - 25 Nov 2008

Group runs more than 45 schools in UK and Spain International education group Cognita has been awarded a state site at the former Upper Serangoon Secondary School, to set up an international school.

This is the first time that a Request-for-Interest (RFI) exercise has been conducted to award state land sites for foreign system schools (FSS).

Cognita plans to set up the Stamford American International School, offering a US-based curriculum. It expects its first intake next September, with an initial 600 students. This will eventually expand to 2,500 students, easing the tight supply of FSS places offering American-style education.

Based in the United Kingdom, Cognita owns and operates over 45 independent schools in the UK and Spain.

It acquired the Australian International School of Singapore last year, and recently set up its Asian Regional Headquarters in Singapore.

The RFI exercise, which started in mid-August, saw proposals being assessed based on a matrix of factors.

These include quality of project, ability to meet market demand and investment commitment such as the ability to begin classes in academic year 2009.

‘Singapore Land Authority (SLA) will work closely with Cognita to assist them to ensure that they can kickstart their operations and redevelopment plans quickly,’ said Teo Cher Hian, SLA’s director of Land Operations (Private).

Mr Teo added that despite the current economic climate, SLA still sees sustained demand for state properties for international schools. To date, 19 international schools are using state properties as campuses.