Character & Leadership Education

Character & Leadership Education (CLE) is an integral part of the RGS mission to nurture our students to be leaders who will realise her talents in service of nation and community. The school takes a holistic approach to CLE, seeking to integrate the cognitive, with the affective and social aspects of education.

In line with that, the KNOW, DO, BE principle is adopted so that our students are provided with the necessary knowledge and understanding (KNOW) of what constitutes good character and leadership, given the opportunities to practise the attendant skills (DO) and develop competencies and attitudes (BE) of a person who is:

A good steward of her life
An active and socially responsible citizen
A reflective and visionary leader

CLE forms the basis of the Raffles Programme, as it is attended to at four levels:

Infusion and integration in every subject
School-wide structures, policies and practices
Co-curricular programmes
CLE curriculum

CLE Curriculum Focus

Our CLE curriculum focuses on equipping our students with values, knowledge and skills that will guide them to make appropriate choices, determine their behaviour and attitudes towards self, others and the community. These positive attitudes will develop them into morally upright, caring and responsible citizens and leaders.

The CLE curriculum provides students with a clearer understanding of community values, the relationships of these to personal values and the skills necessary for dealing with issues.


Year 1
The focus is on helping our students understand what it means to be a Rafflesian and to aspire towards a higher good for self and others in thought and deed. The curriculum will enable them to be self-aware, identify and develop areas for personal and interpersonal effectiveness. To facilitate this growth and encourage them to be good stewards of their lives, our students are taught good habits that will help them develop personal leadership and maintain healthy relationships with others. Service learning will also provide opportunities for them to be active contributors to the community and strengthen interpersonal skills as they work in their teams.

Year 2
The focus is on developing our students to manifest a critical and ethical thinking disposition and be adept with the intelligent behaviours required for informed decision-making. They will continue to develop self-awareness and become increasingly cognisant of their interests and strengths through continual self-reflection. As good stewards of their lives and active and responsible citizens, they will continue to develop their social emotional skills and focus on serving the larger community. Service learning will provide them with the platform to initiate action and work out their understanding of active citizenry through their involvement with a chosen group within their community.

Year 3
The focus is on developing our students to step up and take the lead as an active citizen in her spheres of influence. The curriculum will challenge them to first take ownership of their personal development through continual reflection as good stewards of their lives. Specifically, in the sexuality education module, they will understand that personal leadership requires personal mastery of intelligent behaviours, good decision-making and responsibility for self and others. Our students are developed as leaders in terms of the five Kouzes and Posner Leadership Practices of inspiring a shared vision, modelling the way, challenging the process, encouraging the heart and enabling others to act. As active and socially responsible citizens, they will be proactive in creating positive change in the school community and beyond.

Year 4
The focus is on developing our students as individuals who manifest personal leadership in making responsible decisions as they assess their own interests and needs and contemplate their future in terms of career choices and their role in the community. They will further explore the concept of relationships and how they develop and evolve as they mature and as their role in the community changes. The curriculum will also deepen their understanding of the Kouzes and Posner practices and challenge our students to leave a personal endowment of service to the school community and beyond by effecting positive changes.