Assumption English School

Image Gallery

A student representative presented a souvenir to Brother Emmanuel. The gift was unwrapped and the Principal was explaining it to the students (1953).

Talent time for schools (1971).

Golden Jubilee Rally (1987).

Official School Opening by Education Minister upon completion of PRIME (2017).

School History

Assumption English School was founded as one of the three components of Boys’ Town in 1953 by Brother Vincent, a Gabrielite Brother. It was then known as Boys’ Town English School. 

In 1955, it was established as a single-session full school with classes from Primary One to Secondary Four. In the same year, the school presented its first batch of students for the School Certificate Examination.

In 1973, the secondary section of CHIJ Bukit Timah merged with Boys’ Town English School, and the school became a co-educational Catholic school. The school was renamed Assumption English School in honour of Our Lady, Mother Mary, and Patroness of the Brothers of St Gabriel.

The school grew rapidly; in 1989, the school authorities decided to upgrade the facilities to better meet the demands of education in the new millennium. 

In December 1992, Assumption English School ceased to be a full school. The primary section was closed, and its students were absorbed by St Anthony’s Primary School. The following year, the construction of a new secondary school building started. The $20 million new school was officially opened on 16 August 1997 by then President of Singapore, Mr Ong Teng Cheong.

From 2013 to 2015, the school was rebuilt again under the PRIME scheme. The new school building was officially opened on 7 July 2017 by then Minister for Education (Schools), Mr Ng Chee Meng.

Principals:

• Brother Vincent (1953–1958)
  

• Brother Raymond (1959–1960)
  

• Brother Emmanuel (1960–1970)
  

• Brother John Cher (1970–1972)
  

• Brother J.M. Boivin (1972–1975)
  

• Mr Wilfred James (1975–1983)
  

• Mr Raymond Ong (1984–1988)
  

• Mrs Susan Thomas (1989–1998)
  

• Mr Marcel Lee (1988–2004)
  

• Mr Benedict Keh Chin Chuan (2004–2011)
  

• Mrs Mabel Leong (2011–2017)
  

• Mr Benjamin Kwok Chin Poh (2018–2023)
  

• Mr Vincent Toh (2024 - present)

Key Milestones

School Motto

Labor Omnia Vincit

The motto is Latin for ‘Labour conquers all things’. Hard work, embodied in diligence and perseverance, leads one to achieve greater things in life.

School Crest

The centrepiece of the school crest is the coat of arm, which comprises four quadrants.

The top-left quadrant has the letters ‘AM’ with a lily, standing for ‘Ave Maria’. This was the greeting of the Angel Gabriel to Mary, the mother of Jesus. This is also the beginning of the Hail Mary prayer. According to St Louis Marie de Montfort, wisdom can be attained through living a life of gentleness and authenticity, modelled after Mary, the mother of God.

The bottom-right quadrant has the letters ‘DS’ with a cross in the middle. ‘DS’ is the abbreviation for ‘Dieu Seul’, which means ‘God Alone’ in French. ‘God Alone’ is the all-motivating force in the life of St Louis Marie de Montfort. To him, God is the centre of his life, and in everything he does, God is foremost. For St Louis Marie de Montfort, all knowledge comes to nothing if one does not know God. Thus to know all things but not to know God is to know nothing at all.

In the top-right quadrant is a sailboat at sea. It symbolises that, despite the struggles and mortification in life, much like the ship at sea, one emerges the better if one is able to weather through the storms. No problem is too great to overcome, and it is in perseverance and resilience that one can face all difficulties.

The bottom-left quadrant features a star and a man in a boat. This represents the star of the sea, which seamen use to navigate to their destination in the vast ocean. It signifies the need to focus on the essential values of life in order to reach one’s ultimate destiny. The star of the sea is the guiding light in life.

The crest is adorned with olive branches, which symbolise peace and prosperity. It is one’s duty to promote peace in the world. Prosperity does not only refer to the generation of wealth but also the integral development of human society.

The crest carries the Latin motto, ‘Labor Omnia Vincit’.

School Song

Once more unite our youthful voices,
Amidst our halls the strains to raise,
With rapid swell the heart rejoices,
When Virtue is the theme of praise,
We follow those who have trodden uprightly,
As well in sunshine as in rain,
Pupils old and new we do fashion so tightly,
Enduring links of one long chain.

We pupils of Assumption English School,
When God from on High sheds his light on our way,
We, pupils of Assumption English School,
The White and Blue shall be known far and wide,
The White and the Blue, the White and the Blue,
Shall be ever Boys' Town's pride.

We love our Alma Mater dearly,
For all the blessings so rightly given,
The lessons she has taught so clearly,
The ceaseless care with which she has striven,
Our tender hearts with emotion are beating,
In White and Blue in words we pen,
In joy and grief in the life that is fleeting,
Pupils of Assumption shall ever stand!