Located just a short walk away from Jurong East MRT, and nestled conveniently in the heart of the International Business Park, Mulberry Learning’s mega-centre at Jurong East, also known as Mulberry Learning Jurong East (Creative), is the brand’s largest centre, at 13,000 square feet in size. Opened in January 2016, it is also one of the brand’s newest schools, and the flagship centre in Western region of Singapore. Infant Care and Child Care programmes are available at this centre.
An Oasis of Wonderment and Awe
Designed and decorated from the ground up with the goal of instilling awe in every child, Mulberry Learning Jurong East (Creative) makes good use of its space by creating large, open areas filled with colours and beautiful learning corners. Bright paint adorns the school walls, and ceiling-length windows emphasise the open concept of the centre even more by flooding the school with warm, natural sunlight. Mulberry Learning Jurong East (Creative) offers classes for both pre-schoolers and infants alike, and this is reflected in the design of the school.
A passionate and dedicated team
As part of Mulberry Learning’s promise to provide premium quality infant and child care services, the centre has assembled a team of experienced and passionate staff members who are filled with love for children. At the helm of this team is the Centre Principal, Miss Shermaine. A confident leader and exuberant personality, she brings her love for children, a sincere heart, and years of deep experience to her job of managing the brand’s largest centre daily. We ask Shermaine about her role at the Jurong East (Creative) centre.
Q) Having spent many years in the early education sector, what do you feel is special about Mulberry Learning?
Centre Principal: Many things! The team, the culture, the programs, and of course the centre setup! Our centre has an extensive array of experiential learning corners filled with materials of various colours and textures. This allows children to embark on a journey of discovery as they lead themselves to play and experiment with materials on hand for them. From sea-themed corners to corners dotted with mirrors for ‘Transient Art’, there is no shortage of activities for children to engage in in the centre, and the sheer volume of materials at each student’s disposal ensures that no two experiences at these learning corners are ever the same.
Q) Does your centre offer infant care programmes too?
Centre Principal: Yes we do. In fact, our infant rooms are very popular among parents. They are large and stocked with high-quality materials and rooms for multiple needs. We have facilities for breastfeeding mothers, changing rooms for parents, a napping area and a baby gym area, to allow all tots to reach their developmental milestones in a safe, healthy, and comfortable environment.
Q) Many parents are also concerned about the curriculum and programmes offered. How would you rate Mulberry Learning’s curriculum for pre-schoolers?
Centre Principal: I feel that the curriculum is very well structured and able to meet the developmental needs of pre-schoolers. Mulberry Learning has a dedicated team of curricular experts who integrate the best of global curriculum and educational pedagogies, e.g. Multiple Intelligences, Reggio Emilia, and Habits of Mind. Mulberry Learning has also won multiple awards, such as the “Best of the Best Preschool Award 2015” from Parents World magazine, where it was voted “Best in Promoting Positive Learning”.
Another interesting aspect is that Mulberry Learning is also the first and only preschool network in Singapore and the world to offer “Habits of Mind” to pre-schoolers. I feel that instilling the right positive thinking habits in pre-schoolers is very important. What some parents may not know is that the MOE’s Gifted Education Branch also uses “Habits of Mind” as part of its Gifted Education Programme!
Q) Quality of teachers is also very important. How do you manage this aspect, especially given a large centre?
Centre Principal: My team of teachers are well trained and very passionate! But I believe that the X-factor that we have as a team, is how we can get every individual to give her all to the children. For this, I believe motivation and mutual support is key. As their leader, I know it is important for me to be a source of motivation and support for those around, so I always adopt a positive attitude in whatever I do (smile). We focus on doing our best and giving loving care to the children, and seeing them grow into responsible individuals give us great joy! Meeting satisfied parents every day is also a big morale booster – nothing better than to see a parent delighted to see how their child is growing up nicely!
I also encourage my teachers to continually improve themselves, both on-the-job and by attending courses elsewhere. Only by stretching ourselves can we do a better job and become a better teacher. These self-development courses will eventually also lead to a positive impact and allow us to deliver better quality care for the children.
Address: 31 International Business Park, Creative Resource, #01-04/05, Singapore 609921
From Jurong East MRT Station (By Walking)
Time: 9 Mins
Distance: 600 Meters
From Jurong East MRT Station (By Car)
Time: 4 Mins
Distance: 1.6 km
