Fairfield Methodist School (Primary)

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Fairfield was started by the faith of one lady – Miss Sophia Blackmore, a woman missionary from Australia with a fervent faith and vision for a girls’ school.

Undaunted by the lack of support for education of girls among the early Chinese immigrants, Miss Sophia Blackmore persevered in her vision and started a class of eight Nonya girls.

The single biggest benefactor during a building-fund campaign was an American named Mr James Fairfield from New England. He donated US$5000 in gold through the Woman’s Foreign Missionary Society.

Fairfield completed the PERI upgrading project. The new school building and its facilities support a wide range of school programmes (2016).

School History

Fairfield Methodist School was founded on 4 August 1888 by Ms Sophia Blackmore in a house on Cross Street. It later moved to Telok Ayer Street and became known as Telok Ayer Girls’ School. In 1912, when Ms Mary Olson was the principal, the school moved to 178 Neil Road and was renamed Fairfield Girls’ School, in honour of an American, Mr Fairfield, who had donated a substantial sum to the school. The school was run by expatriate principals until 1941, when Mrs Lim Bock Kee became the first Asian Principal to spearhead Fairfield Girls’ School. It changed its name to Fairfield Methodist Girls’ School in 1958. After the war, the school functioned for a short while at borrowed premises in Pearls’ Hill School. In 1946, the Neil Road premises were returned to the school authorities.

The year 1983 marked a new era in the history of Fairfield. It became co-educational with its relocation to Dover Road as two schools: Fairfield Methodist Primary School and Fairfield Methodist Secondary School.

Between 1999 and 2001, the school extended its premises to include a six-storey block to provide more classrooms and special rooms such as dance and music studios.

In 2009, the schools were renamed Fairfield Methodist School (Primary) and Fairfield Methodist School (Secondary) to better reflect the common founding, heritage and Methodist ethos of Fairfield Methodist Primary and Secondary schools, as well as the close link between them. This was reinforced with a common badge worn by students of the two schools.

By the end of 2011, both schools had adopted a common mission statement to achieve greater alignment with the educational mission of the Methodist Church in Singapore, and to embrace the concept of ‘One Fairfield’.

Between 2012 and 2015, Fairfield Methodist School (Primary) went through significant physical upgrading with the addition of the Performing Arts Studio, indoor sports hall, covered basketball courts, music and dance rooms.

In 2018, the Fairfield Methodist Schools celebrated their 130th Founder’s Day.

Principals:
- Ms Sophia Blackmore (1888–1892)
- Ms Emma Ferris / Mrs Shellabear (1893–1898)
- Ms Edith Anna Hemingway (1899–1903)
- Ms Luella Anderson (1904–1905)
- Ms Mary Olson (1907–1908)
- Ms Rovene Sunderland (1909)
- Ms Mary Olson (1910–1916)
- Ms Jennie Dean (1917)
- Ms Mary Olson (1918–1923)
- Ms Thirza Bunce (1924)
- Ms Mary Olson (1925)
- Ms Gazelle Traeger (1926)
- Ms Mabel Marsh (1927–1928)
- Ms Lila Corbett (1928–1933)
- Ms Mary Olson (1934–1935)
- Ms Catherine Jackson (1935)
- Ms Carrie Kenyon (1935–1938)
- Ms Geraldine Johnson (1939–1940)
- Mrs Ellice Handy (1941)
- Mrs Lim Bock Kee née Goh Khoon Tee (1945–1959)
- Mrs Goh Soon Hoe (1949–1956; afternoon school)
- Mrs Tay Poh Luan (1957–1961; afternoon school)
- Ms Lim Geok Kheng (1960–1982)
- Ms Cheong Yuen Lin (1983–1988)
- Ms Dorothy Ho (1989–2001)
- Mrs Tan Shook Fund (2002–2003)
- Mr Charles Tong (2004–2008)
- Mrs Chaillan Mui Tuan (2009–2015)
- Mdm Law Li Mei (2016–2023)
- Mrs Soh Mei Foong (2024-present)

Key Milestones

School Motto

Pure & Honest

School Crest

The emblem of the heart which forms the central motif of the school crest represents the highest of all emotions Love - the love of God for Man and the love of Man for his neighbour.

When the heart is Pure and Honest, the Holy Spirit can dwell within and transform the nature of the individual, ennobling it and refining it.

Surmounting the heart is the torch of Knowledge and Wisdom which can illuminate the mind and broaden the vision of all who seek its light. Emblazoned in a band of burnished gold across the emblem of the heart are the initials of the school; it represents the Loyalty for the Alma Mater. The two stars that are at the base of the crest reflect the school motto, PURE & HONEST, ideals which every student should aspire to attain.

School Song

A world has opened for us
A world that's bright and gay
A world that's full of interest
Since to school we found our way
It's a world that's full of gladness
And we're happy all the day
And we learn that only busy folks
Can be bright and true and gay
It's at Fairfield, at Fairfield
Where all the world is bright
Where love is in the sunshine
And our hearts are gay and light
Oh! It's Fairfield, at Fairfield
Where all the world is bright
Where love is in the sunshine
And our hearts are gay and light

There we live and work and study
There we walk in wisdom's ways
Gaining strength for all the future
Far and near we'll sing thy praise
May blessings be upon thee
May many find thy halls
May the leaders of the future
Be found within thy walls
Here's to Fairfield, to Fairfield
To every student here
To every happy fairsian
And to every teacher dear
Oh! It's Fairfield, at Fairfield
Where all the world is bright
Where love is in the sunshine
And all the world is bright.