Term 1

Discover the highlights of Term 1 2023, from the Start It Right Programme and Chinese New Year celebrations to Total Defence Day, the Nurture Programme, and exciting learning journeys.

Last updated 12 June 2026

Start It Right Programme

At the beginning of the year, we conducted the Start It Right Programme for our Primary 1 to Primary 6 students. The objective is to ease our students into the new academic year through setting of expectations and routines. At the same time, we seek to build a caring and enabling school environment where students foster positive relationships with their peers and teachers.

Students in white uniforms writing on papers spread across red desks in a busy classroom.

A group of uniformed primary school students wearing masks huddle together, holding a red string in a gym.

Five young students in white uniforms join hands in a circle in a classroom, some wearing face masks.

Chinese New Year Celebration

As a school, we celebrated Chinese New Year (CNY) this year on 20 January 2023 with the return of a live concert in the hall. Students donned Chinese traditional outfits and had a wonderful time singing along to classic CNY songs. Our student emcees shared the meaning behind some of the CNY customs and our Chinese Dance students put up a dance performance to bring in the festive mood. A wonderful song and dance item about the Chinese Zodiac was also performed by a group of Primary 2 students. The highlight of the concert was undoubtedly the lion dance performance. The troupe pranced their way down the centre of the hall, entertaining the students up close and bringing the concert to a rousing finale.

Two girls wearing light-up bunny ears hold microphones on stage before a projected slide reading Luck Prosperity Long life.

A young girl in a red shirt and face mask holds hands with a smiling woman in red at a crowded school hall event.

Two red Chinese lion dance costumes on a wooden stage with a performer in yellow holding a fan.

Total Defence Day

Our school commemorated Total Defence in Term 1 Week 7, in remembrance of Singapore’s fall to the Japanese in 1942. We were reminded that everyone of us has an important role to play in defending our homeland in times of disruption and crisis. Focusing on the theme, “Together We Keep Singapore Strong”, our students learnt during the assembly talk on Monday (13 February) the different ways we can put Total Defence into action in our everyday lives, with the focus this year on how we deal with food security issues in Singapore.

The highlight for the week was when we went through a school-wide lockdown exercise on Total Defence Day (15 February). The exercise reminds us that we must always be ready and prepared for any emergency situation or challenges that can hit us.

During CCE (FTGP) lessons on the same day after the exercise, our students also conducted the various TDD related lessons to learn about the roles they could play to prepare for future threats and challenges. Our students were also engaged in the various TDD activities in the Kindsville Times to further learn about how we could strengthen our resolve to keep Singapore strong.

A speaker at a podium on stage presents a Military Defence slideshow at Yio Chu Kang Primary School.

Young students in uniforms sit at individual desks in a bright classroom with large windows and yellow bulletin boards.

Two uniformed children crouch under blue school desks on a tiled floor, covering their heads with their hands.

Several school children in white uniforms sit on a classroom floor along a wall, some wearing face masks.

Nurture Programme

Selected Primary 2 to Primary 4 students started their Nurture Programme on 17 February 2023. The Nurture Programme is conducted weekly in partnership with the Central Singapore CDC with the aim to develop our students as effective communicators, problem-solvers and self- directed learners. The lessons are designed to be activity-based. In the first lesson, students set Nurture class rules aligned to our school values. They were also given opportunities to share their thoughts and feelings on topics of interest. The students had a fruitful and engaging lesson, and they are looking forward to their weekly sessions with their lead teachers from the CDC and student volunteers from the Singapore Management University (SMU).

A teacher sits and shows a children's drawing to a group of young students in white and green uniforms in a classroom.

Three students in white uniforms and face masks sit at school desks in a classroom discussion.

Three young students in white uniforms and masks sit at desks, two raising their hands in a bright classroom.

P4 E2K Sessions

As part of the Mathematics department’s efforts to nurture young Mathematical talents, a group of Primary 4 students were selected to participate in the Excellence-2000 (E2K) programme for Mathematics. Using stories, games and puzzles, students get to practise and hone their problem-solving skills, as well as develop confidence and independence in carrying out mathematical inquiry. For instance, in one of the E2K sessions, students explored and learnt various strategies to win a memory game. Through role playing and analysing different strategies put forth, students had the opportunity to construct their own strategy to win the game.

Young students in school uniforms and face masks sit at classroom tables, with several raising their hands.

Two masked teachers and two uniformed students play a 0-17 number game at a classroom whiteboard.

P3 Learning Journey to the Zoo

On 6 and 7 March, the P3 level went on an exciting learning journey to the Singapore Zoo. The students explored the different exhibits and learnt about the various animals. They also had the opportunity to apply interdisciplinary skills they had learnt in school such as calculating ticket prices, identifying animals by their physical characteristics, drawing their favourite animal and journaling their experience. Throughout the day, the students were engaged and enthusiastic, asking questions and sharing their observations.

A group of young students in white and green uniforms with backpacks stand in an outdoor pavilion surrounded by trees.

A group of young students in green and white uniforms pose around a polar bear statue at Singapore Zoo.