Methodist Girls' School

Image Gallery

Miss Sophia Blackmore, Founder of Methodist Girls’ School (1920s).

MGS in Short Street (1900 to 1933).

MGS in Middle Road (1891 to 1900).

MGS in Blackmore Drive (1993).

School History

Methodist Girls’ School (MGS) was founded on 15 August 1887 by Australian missionary Miss Sophia Blackmore as Tamil Girls’ School. The school operated from a shophouse on Short Street. The fathers of the first batch of nine girls, all Tamil businessmen, donated money, furniture and the rent-free shophouse to start the school. In 1891, having outgrown the shophouse, the school moved to the Christian Institute on Middle Road. In 1900, it returned to Short Street, occupying a purpose-built building.

As its enrolment increased steadily, MGS moved to Mount Sophia in 1925. By the 1930s, the MGS uniform was introduced. The school motto, ‘To Master, To Grow, To Serve’, and the MGS house system were also created. The four houses were originally named after Methodist pioneers in Singapore; they were later renamed Blackmore, Jackson, Lee and Olson.

The current school song was sung for the first time in 1949. The school badge that is still used today was introduced in 1965. In 1983, the Music Elective Programme was introduced at the secondary level. A century after its founding, in January 1989, the secondary school acquired independent status; thereafter, the full school functioned in a single session. In 1992, Methodist Girls’ School relocated to its present premises at Blackmore Drive.     

In 2013, MGS received its first intake of Integrated Programme students, who would go on to do their International Baccalaureate at ACS (Independent).  

Principals:
- Ms Sophia Blackmore (1887–1892)
- Ms Emma Ferris (1892–1994)
- Ms Eva Foster (1894–1995)
- Ms Emma Ferris (1895–1997)
- Ms May B. Lilly (1897–1902)
- Ms Mary Cody (1902)
- Ms May B. Lilly (1903–1904)
- Ms Mary Olson (1905–1910)
- Ms Marion Sutton (1910–1913)
- Ms Bennett (1913)
- Ms Minnie Cliff (1914–1918)
- Mrs Rea Voke (1919–1920)
- Ms Catherine Jackson (1920)
- Ms Minnie L. Rank (1920–1925)
- Ms Mary Olson (1926–1930)
- Ms C. Jackson (1931)
- Ms Carrie Kenyon (1931–1935)
- Ms Lila Corbett (1935–1937)
- Ms Ruth Harvey (1938–1941)
- Mrs Ellice Handy (1945–1957)
- Ms Lau Meau Eng (1958–1971)
- Mrs Lucy Kandasamy (1972–1977)
- Mrs Anna Tham (1977–1994)
- Ms Kon Mei Leen (1994–2007)
- Mrs Shirleen Ong (2008–2013)
- Ms Grace Ng (2014–2021)
- Mdm Valarie Koh Ming-Li (2022-2025)
- Ms Yoong Nyok Ke Pamela (2026-present)

Key Milestones

School Motto

To Master, To Grow, To Serve

School Crest

The MGS crest has a circular shape, which represents its roots as a Christian school and symbolises eternity. The ring of laurel leaves, traditionally given to victors in the poetic arts or sports in ancient Greece and Rome, serves as a symbol of all-round achievement, triumph and honour. The letters ‘MGS’, besides being the initials of the school name, also represent the three tenets of the school motto, ‘To Master, To Grow and To Serve’.

School Song

With loving hearts and joyous song we sing to M.G.S.
And tell the fame of that fair name for we can do no less.
We hope that we may honour bring, and heaven ever bless
Our school, the fairest in the land, our own dear M.G.S.

Down through the years our memories will keep a loving place
For friendships made and pleasures shared, and lessons learned apace.
For those who worked and gave their best that we might learn to face
The trials of life with faith and hope and nobly run the race.

And now we're proud to raise the shout and sing of M.G.S.
Lift high her banner, one and all, her name we now profess.
In work and play for honours won, today our hearts confess
The debt we owe, the love we hold for our dear M.G.S.