Innovation and Enterprise

Discover how Tampines Primary School nurtures creativity and enterprise in students through project work, Innovation Day, and the Design for Change Challenge.

Last updated 8 July 2026

Children in school uniforms playing with basketballs on an outdoor court during a physical education class.

Innovation and Enterprise

Tampines Primary School recognizes the role of Innovation and Enterprise (I&E) in challenging the mindsets of teachers and students in the changing education landscape. The revised Desired Outcomes of Education (Curriculum 2015 student outcomes) and 21st Century Skills reinforce the need to leverage I&E to provide a holistic education for our students. The school has in place programmes to nurture creativity and enterprise in students.

Interdisciplinary Project Work

Project Work provides students and teachers with opportunities to break away from the compartmentalization of knowledge and skills. Broad themes, which cut across subjects, are used to bring the various aspects of the curriculum together. Project work helps students see the interconnectedness of their learning. Students are encouraged to use resources, to work collaboratively, to think critically, creatively and independently and to communicate their findings.

Funnel labeled TPPS Project Work Protocol under Values Education, showing inputs flowing into self-directed learners and problem solvers.

Framework & Rationale for Project Work

Project Work in Tampines Primary School aims to provide a platform, undergird by values, for students to progressively apply knowledge and skills in authentic learning contexts. Using the TPPS PW Protocol (adapted from Design Thinking) as our innovative approach, we wish to develop students who are self-directed learners, effective communicators and creative problem solvers with a focus on the four project work outcomes.

In Tampines Primary School, project work is designed based on the TPPS PW Protocol, which is adapted from the four phases of Design for Change and Design Thinking.

Five-step cartoon diagram showing Feel a problem, Define the problem, Ideate for solutions, Do for a change, Share our stories.

The table below shows how PW outcomes are achieved through the 5 stages in our PW Protocol.

TPPS PW Protocol stages and associated project work learning outcomes

TPPS PW Protocol	Project Work Learning Outcomes
Feel out a scenario	Communication Independent Learning
Define a problem	Communication Independent Learning
Ideate to solve the problem	Communication Knowledge Application Collaboration Independent Learning
Do what you can to make a change
Share your actions	Communication Collaboration Independent Learning

This year, students were presented with the recycling issues in the canteen. By going through the PW protocol, students came up with many creative ideas to encourage their peers to recycle right. The lower primary students wrote a pledge to bring their own cutleries to consume their packed bento lunch in class; using Acrostic Poems and Limericks, the P3 and P4 students came up with humorous ways to remind their peers and themselves the right way to recycle. Through the use of Forum Theatre, the Graduating School students demonstrated the right way to educate the lower primary students on recycling.

Slide titled "Let's Feel The Problem" showing a man pointing to a blue recycling bin labeled "Recyclables Only."

Let’s feel the problem - The Woe of Mr Bin (A PW project in 2020)

Innovation Day

Tampines Primary School has a wide variety of student-focused learning activities intended to achieve holistic education. The Innovation Day is a platform for the school to recognize students who have achieved outstanding progress in their strive for excellence and innovation. Since its inception in 2017, the Innovation Day has celebrated more than 70 innovative projects from different programmes and departments. It is a day looked forward yearly by both teachers and students as it marks the culmination of the innovation culture in Tampines Primary School.

Four children in white shirts wear plain white masks while performing on a dark stage.

“Permission to (RE)Play” - A creative production from Theatrics in Action

A group of school children in white uniforms sit in an auditorium, with one boy raising his hand.

An enchanted audience enjoying the creative production at the BlackBox

Tampines Primary school children in uniforms handle cardboard box projects during an indoor activity fair.

Young Scientist Task Card (Creation of Periscope) - A project by the Science Department

A smiling woman stands behind three uniformed school children in front of a bulletin board with colorful papers.

Game Based Learning for Lower Primary by the Malay Department

Design For Change Challenge

Leveraging on the spirit of I&E, students from Primary 3 to Primary 5 of the I&E club participated in the Design for Change Challenge since 2012. DESIGN FOR CHANGE is the largest global movement designed to give children an opportunity to express their own ideas for a better world and put them into action. The program encourages children to explore and identify aspects in their immediate surroundings or elsewhere, which they like to make a difference to. They are directly involved in designing and leading change in their community. Hands on! In 2012, one of the representing teams adopted the cause” Respecting elderly Low Wage Workers”. The team emerged as one of the winning teams in the annual challenge. They were also filmed and the feature was used to promote SoChinAction(Social Change in Action).

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In 2013, the representing team that adopted the cause, “I may be different but that doesn’t mean that you can treat me this way… STOP BULLYING!” also emerged as one of the winning teams in the annual challenge.