[Bukit Timah] Primary Schools

[jeanieg]

Hi everyone, I am in a dilemma. Maybe some of the experienced moms may wanna advise me...


From the official LTA letter, I have the following schools within the 1-2km grouping:

MGS
Pei Hwa
Bukit Timah Pri
Keming Pri

I have 2 girls (born 2005 n 2004) and so need to register for Pri 1 in 2011.
My first choice is MGS but I would have to register under phase 2C (no choice here) and my 2nd choice is actually CHIJ Our Lady of Peace.

My dilemma is: should I PV for CHIJ and register her in phase 2B and what see how it goes OR should I just pray very hard and just go for MGS in Phase 2C (though very high chances she wont get in)?

Anyone want to advise me please? Been running this through my head until want to explode already :?

[Buckbrick]

jeanieg:

Hi everyone, I am in a dilemma. Maybe some of the experienced moms may wanna advise me...


From the official LTA letter, I have the following schools within the 1-2km grouping:

MGS
Pei Hwa
Bukit Timah Pri
Keming Pri

I have 2 girls (born 2005 n 2004) and so need to register for Pri 1 in 2011.
My first choice is MGS but I would have to register under phase 2C (no choice here) and my 2nd choice is actually CHIJ Our Lady of Peace.

My dilemma is: should I PV for CHIJ and register her in phase 2B and what see how it goes OR should I just pray very hard and just go for MGS in Phase 2C (though very high chances she wont get in)?

Anyone want to advise me please? Been running this through my head until want to explode already :?

Hi! Our dd just got into Pei Hwa under phase 2c. It was relatively fuss-free as my mum lives just next to the school, so our headache was just to move house.

Looking back, I didn't realized how important location is. Now we're reaping the benefits of opting a school near home. I've read that some kids are reaching home at 8pm! If you are undecided, I suggest that you choose the school of your choice nearest to your home. Are you near MGS? You will definitely need to PV at that school to secure a place.

While you're at it, look at the school academic and value systems too.

[Luanee]

jeanieg:

Hi everyone, I am in a dilemma. Maybe some of the experienced moms may wanna advise me...


From the official LTA letter, I have the following schools within the 1-2km grouping:

MGS
Pei Hwa
Bukit Timah Pri
Keming Pri

I have 2 girls (born 2005 n 2004) and so need to register for Pri 1 in 2011.
My first choice is MGS but I would have to register under phase 2C (no choice here) and my 2nd choice is actually CHIJ Our Lady of Peace.

My dilemma is: should I PV for CHIJ and register her in phase 2B and what see how it goes OR should I just pray very hard and just go for MGS in Phase 2C (though very high chances she wont get in)?

Anyone want to advise me please? Been running this through my head until want to explode already :?

Hi there!

From the past years stats for MGS under phase 2C:
2006 ballot 1-2 km
2007 ballot within 1km
2008 ballot 1-2 km
2009 ballot within 1km

Since you stay 1-2 km from MGS, you would surely end up balloting, or worst case, dont even get a chance to ballot at all.

My advice is go for 2B in CHIJ first. But u said above u have 2 girls borned in 2005 and 2004? If borned in 2004 then u be too late for PV application now. I assume it was a typo and ur girls were borned in 2005 and 2006 instead since u mentioned ur registration is in 2011? In that case u need to register as a PV latest by jun 2010. And pls, do call up the school NOW to check its PV application status, some schools may already started or even filled up all their PV slots for 2005 kids by now.

So pls act fast. As u urself probably know, getting into MGS under 2C when u stay 1-2km has only a verrrry slim chance. So pls do ur back-up plans fast.

And I think it be a good idea if u can submit ur PV application to Pei Hwa at the same time..

[titank]

jeanieg:

Hi everyone, I am in a dilemma. Maybe some of the experienced moms may wanna advise me...


From the official LTA letter, I have the following schools within the 1-2km grouping:

MGS
Pei Hwa
Bukit Timah Pri
Keming Pri

I have 2 girls (born 2005 n 2004) and so need to register for Pri 1 in 2011.
My first choice is MGS but I would have to register under phase 2C (no choice here) and my 2nd choice is actually CHIJ Our Lady of Peace.

My dilemma is: should I PV for CHIJ and register her in phase 2B and what see how it goes OR should I just pray very hard and just go for MGS in Phase 2C (though very high chances she wont get in)?

Anyone want to advise me please? Been running this through my head until want to explode already :?

It is best to check with all these schools whether is there a way to do PV a not. If no maybe you may want to try the RC route which is a 2nd alternative. By looking at your choice, all are quite popular schools.

Once you decided to participate in balloting it really depends on luck. If it turns out unsuccessful you would have to be in the Phase 2C supplementary. At phase 2C sub, most schools (In demand) would have already being taken up. Just to share with you a friend of mine in recent P1 registration the hard process she went through.

Day 1 – Submit in Rosyth School (She is more than 2Km)
Day 2 – Rosyth called her said she better withdraw as confirm no chance. She withdraw & register in CHIJ Nativity
Day 3 – Still safe as not many people register. At 4pm whole crowd of applicants (1km & 1-2Km) came in where she straight away game over. She simply had no time to run to other school to register.

[Buckbrick]

Luanee is absolutely right. I would go for CHIJ under 2B - it’s as good as a confirmed place for you. Let’s put it this way: if you forgo 2B and opt for MGS in 2C, you might be balloted out and left high and dry. At least for the former option, you will still get a school of your choice.


Application for PV at pei hwa is quite tough. It seems that they do look at how far you stay from the school, in addition to what you can contribute.

Act fast i.e TODAY if you are volunteering. All the best!

[verykiasu2010]

Buckbrick:

Application for PV at pei hwa is quite tough. It seems that they do look at how far you stay from the school, in addition to what you can contribute.

Act fast i.e TODAY if you are volunteering. All the best!

Because they do not want to disappoint parents who may end up balloting after doing PV. They are being responsible

[jeanieg]

Buckbrick:

Hi! Our dd just got into Pei Hwa under phase 2c. It was relatively fuss-free as my mum lives just next to the school, so our headache was just to move house.


Looking back, I didn't realized how important location is. Now we're reaping the benefits of opting a school near home. I've read that some kids are reaching home at 8pm! If you are undecided, I suggest that you choose the school of your choice nearest to your home. Are you near MGS? You will definitely need to PV at that school to secure a place.

While you're at it, look at the school academic and value systems too.

Thank you for your advice. Yes, I do want to get a school nearby. MGS is pretty near and so is Pei Hwa but it just happens that they are also very popular schools! As for PV, MGS only has PV programme for kids who are already enrolled in the school.

Am not sure about Pei Hwa for my girls... heard that it is very academic-driven, stressing alot on results only... not sure if this is true though. Anyone with experience with Pei Hwa to share their thoughts?

[jeanieg]

Luanee:

Hi there!


From the past years stats for MGS under phase 2C:
2006 ballot 1-2 km
2007 ballot within 1km
2008 ballot 1-2 km
2009 ballot within 1km

Since you stay 1-2 km from MGS, you would surely end up balloting, or worst case, dont even get a chance to ballot at all.

My advice is go for 2B in CHIJ first. But u said above u have 2 girls borned in 2005 and 2004? If borned in 2004 then u be too late for PV application now. I assume it was a typo and ur girls were borned in 2005 and 2006 instead since u mentioned ur registration is in 2011? In that case u need to register as a PV latest by jun 2010. And pls, do call up the school NOW to check its PV application status, some schools may already started or even filled up all their PV slots for 2005 kids by now.

So pls act fast. As u urself probably know, getting into MGS under 2C when u stay 1-2km has only a verrrry slim chance. So pls do ur back-up plans fast.

And I think it be a good idea if u can submit ur PV application to Pei Hwa at the same time..

Hi Luanee

Thank you for your advice. Yes, it was a typo. Girls were born in 2005 and 2006... blur.

My concern with Pei Hwa is that I heard it is a very academic-driven school, stressing on good results, etc. True? If so don't think wanna put girls there that's why thought CHIJ OLQP is better, unless I am wrong about CHIJ...

[jeanieg]

titank:

It is best to check with all these schools whether is there a way to do PV a not. If no maybe you may want to try the RC route which is a 2nd alternative. By looking at your choice, all are quite popular schools.


Once you decided to participate in balloting it really depends on luck. If it turns out unsuccessful you would have to be in the Phase 2C supplementary. At phase 2C sub, most schools (In demand) would have already being taken up. Just to share with you a friend of mine in recent P1 registration the hard process she went through.

Day 1 – Submit in Rosyth School (She is more than 2Km)
Day 2 – Rosyth called her said she better withdraw as confirm no chance. She withdraw & register in CHIJ Nativity
Day 3 – Still safe as not many people register. At 4pm whole crowd of applicants (1km & 1-2Km) came in where she straight away game over. She simply had no time to run to other school to register.

Thank you for sharing. So if I volunteer with CHIJ and then apply under Phase 2B, if I do not get in I can then try MGS? Is there a way where I can register with CHIJ under Phase 2B and watch the situation in MGS and then last minute pull out of CHIJ and try MGS? Too risky? Or no such possibility?

[Buckbrick]

Hi Jeanieg, you can gauge your chances by looking at the ballot history in this forum (thanks to all the contributors for that!). http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/content/singapore-primary-1-registration-school-balloting-history


You will see that there is balloting for MGS even in 2B for >2km in 09. That also means no problem for 1-2km folks. Who knows how it will be when it's your turn? On the other hand, CHIJ has no ballot in 2B. At least you won't have to worry your socks off, having spent those hours in pv.

Sorry to say but your stratgegy has to be the opposite. Coz by the time you get to 2c, you'll be right back to your problem: balloting at MGS and Pei Hwa. But I see that your chances are better at CHIJ, even in 2c.