What’s in a Crest?

The components that make up the crest of the Prince of Wales Island International School are:

In red: Nutmeg, representative of the rich spice plantations which were an important part of the island’s economy in the late 18th and 19th centuries, when clove and nutmeg trees were planted in Penang by the British East India Company. Although the spice trade is no longer a major part of life on the island, the hills above Balik Pulau retain many of the spice orchards from those times.

In blue: This segment depicts the outline of Penang Island, and illustrated in the centre of the map is Areca catechu, or Pinang palm tree, from which the island’s name – Pulau Pinang – was derived. The tree is still common on the island.

In yellow: In use since the 14th century, the royal emblem of the fleur-de-lys is now the badge of the Prince of Wales. In our crest, the three feathers are replaced in the design by three palm fronds, to bring a tropical interpretation to an insignia associated with a lineage from which we get our name.

Our Educational Ethos

There can be no doubt that the pursuit of academic excellence is central to School endeavour. Nevertheless, we are far from a narrowly academic institution.

As an international school, we enjoy considerable freedom to tailor the syllabus to the needs of our pupils. We can take into account the individual characteristics of each student: their strengths, their varied cultural and linguistic backgrounds, and their aspirations for the next stage of education.

Opportunities for enrichment come from both within and beyond the syllabus. Everything we do at POWIIS, whether curricular or extra-curricular, academic or social, is geared towards creating lively and enquiring minds. Pupils leave with the breadth of knowledge, ambitious outlook and innovative skills of leadership which will support them in their future lives, whether embarked upon at home or abroad.

• Academic excellence is fundamental to all that goes on in the School.

• Syllabuses do not define the limit of what is learnt.

• Examination results are vital, but a good education means much more than just top grades.

• Self-direction, motivation and the taking on of responsibility are essential elements of a pupil’s journey towards both independence of thought and emotional maturity.

• Students should feel appropriately challenged in all that they do, but at the same time they should always feel supported.

• The curriculum should be balanced and broad for the most part, and all curriculum subjects should be equally valued, so that pupils can experience a wide range of subjects before they make their choices.

• Ministry of Education Malaysia regulations are followed.