Singapore Chinese Girls School (Secondary)

[tiredmama]

Metis:

Dear tiredmama,

My daughter is in SCGS Sec 4 and was in SCGS Primary as well. She has been very happy here. I would like to share with you an overview of the school.
What are the key words to describe SCGS? Based on our experience: holistic, excellence, kindness, grace, refinement... Generally, SCGS are very 斯文 （refined and graceful) even as the school strives for excellence. Don't let those gentle smiles beguile you. These girls are no pushovers - the environment is quite competitive! Top scorers will enjoy the rigour here and the myriad of opportunities to stretch their minds in many different fields. I personally like the Business at School project (with the Boston Consulting Group) to expose the girls to entrepreneurship. As the school is one of the best in Singapore for \"value-added\", other girls can expect to catch up and do well too.
Girls from non-affiliated primary schools need not worry - more than half of my girl's clique comprise of them :grphug:
SCGSS is one of the few schools still offering Literature and my girl has matured and learnt so much about life from this course. This is one of the ways you can see that the school pays attention to a well-rounded and holistic education, and is not focused on grades alone. There are also one-off, ad hoc classes, which are very interesting, held on a regular basis. My girl tried her hand at animation and Japanese tea ceremony. She was very disappointed that she could not get into the cake decoration class - fully subscribed within the hour!
I also love the way the school uses its Peranakan background to teach the girls about our Singapore history and Asian culture.
Last but not least, quite a number of nice young men have asked me over the years if I know any nice SCGS girls. They think that these girls have a good combination and balance of smarts, personality and character. I told them my cohort is a bit too young for them. It is comforting to a mother to know that her girl stands a good chance of being sought after!

Dear Metis,

thank you :thankyou: for the generous sharing of the life in SC from the eyes of a parent whose dd has gone thro the program.
it must be most gratifying to a mum to her dd all grown up, poised and gracious and articulate.. :please:
What about school management ? During the open hse, I believe i only heard the VP and HODs ? I didnt hear the school P spoke...hows the school leadership like ?
I understand it can be deemed as sensitive even if no ill feelings... so don't be obliged to reply ?

Thanks so much again ! :rahrah:

[Metis]

Hi hi,


I have never heard of my daughter and her classmates discussing boys! They do discuss which JCs or fields of study they want to join, and what they want to do when they grow up, since their cohort does not benefit from the IP program. I do wonder if this could be due to the fact that she is in one of the top classes and her peers are really hardworking and focused.
The last time she mentioned boys was when she was in Primary 6. (Four years ago!!!) She told me that some of her schoolmates met boys from tuition classes and they connect on Facebook and go for lunch and ice-cream, etc.
After entering secondary school, there seemed to be a change in the profile of her schoolmates. In primary school, there were quite a number of tai-tais or their drivers hanging around to pick up the kids after school, including a certain socialite featured in yesterday’s Sunday Times. In secondary school, these families seem to disappear. I hear many of these kids go on to international secondary schools. In SCGSS, we see more girls taking buses. Yes, they are older now and more independent but when you mingle with the parents, there are also more middle and lower income groups. You don’t see so many branded handbags and bling-bling and obscenely huge cars. (So if u see them, they are usually there to pick up a primary "baby".) There is a Malay girl in my DD’s class whose parents don’t appear at all well-to-do. She was not from SCGPS and her two siblings are also in elite secondary schools. I am so happy for this family! Talk about social mobility through meritocracy!!
As for the school leadership, the Principal is a very ambitious and driven lady but with a good heart. I have also found her approachable and open to suggestions (but please do your research first before presenting them to her). Many people may think she is a tough taskmaster but I think she is mindful of the importance of a balanced and well-rounded education and is doing her best to motivate every student and staff to achieve excellence (quite tiring leh). At the end of the day, she has to face the parents and school board and be accountable for the school’s reputation and high standards.

[balletmum]

Metis:

Hi hi,


I have never heard of my daughter and her classmates discussing boys! They do discuss which JCs or fields of study they want to join, and what they want to do when they grow up, since their cohort does not benefit from the IP program. I do wonder if this could be due to the fact that she is in one of the top classes and her peers are really hardworking and focused.
The last time she mentioned boys was when she was in Primary 6. (Four years ago!!!) She told me that some of her schoolmates met boys from tuition classes and they connect on Facebook and go for lunch and ice-cream, etc.
After entering secondary school, there seemed to be a change in the profile of her schoolmates. In primary school, there were quite a number of tai-tais or their drivers hanging around to pick up the kids after school, including a certain socialite featured in yesterday's Sunday Times. In secondary school, these families seem to disappear. I hear many of these kids go on to international secondary schools. In SCGSS, we see more girls taking buses. Yes, they are older now and more independent but when you mingle with the parents, there are also more middle and lower income groups. You don't see so many branded handbags and bling-bling and obscenely huge cars. (So if u see them, they are usually there to pick up a primary \"baby\".) There is a Malay girl in my DD's class whose parents don't appear at all well-to-do. She was not from SCGPS and her two siblings are also in elite secondary schools. I am so happy for this family! Talk about social mobility through meritocracy!!
As for the school leadership, the Principal is a very ambitious and driven lady but with a good heart. I have also found her approachable and open to suggestions (but please do your research first before presenting them to her). Many people may think she is a tough taskmaster but I think she is mindful of the importance of a balanced and well-rounded education and is doing her best to motivate every student and staff to achieve excellence (quite tiring leh). At the end of the day, she has to face the parents and school board and be accountable for the school's reputation and high standards.

Dear Metis,
Thanks for the post. Very informational and useful for parents who are considering SCGS Secondary.

[tiredmama]

Metis:

Hi hi,


I have never heard of my daughter and her classmates discussing boys! They do discuss which JCs or fields of study they want to join, and what they want to do when they grow up, since their cohort does not benefit from the IP program. I do wonder if this could be due to the fact that she is in one of the top classes and her peers are really hardworking and focused.
The last time she mentioned boys was when she was in Primary 6. (Four years ago!!!) She told me that some of her schoolmates met boys from tuition classes and they connect on Facebook and go for lunch and ice-cream, etc.
After entering secondary school, there seemed to be a change in the profile of her schoolmates. In primary school, there were quite a number of tai-tais or their drivers hanging around to pick up the kids after school, including a certain socialite featured in yesterday's Sunday Times. In secondary school, these families seem to disappear. I hear many of these kids go on to international secondary schools. In SCGSS, we see more girls taking buses. Yes, they are older now and more independent but when you mingle with the parents, there are also more middle and lower income groups. You don't see so many branded handbags and bling-bling and obscenely huge cars. (So if u see them, they are usually there to pick up a primary \"baby\".) There is a Malay girl in my DD's class whose parents don't appear at all well-to-do. She was not from SCGPS and her two siblings are also in elite secondary schools. I am so happy for this family! Talk about social mobility through meritocracy!!
As for the school leadership, the Principal is a very ambitious and driven lady but with a good heart. I have also found her approachable and open to suggestions (but please do your research first before presenting them to her). Many people may think she is a tough taskmaster but I think she is mindful of the importance of a balanced and well-rounded education and is doing her best to motivate every student and staff to achieve excellence (quite tiring leh). At the end of the day, she has to face the parents and school board and be accountable for the school's reputation and high standards.

:thankyou: :Metis... that is very good sharing.. :salute:

[TTBCOOL]

Metis:

Hi hi,


I have never heard of my daughter and her classmates discussing boys! They do discuss which JCs or fields of study they want to join, and what they want to do when they grow up, since their cohort does not benefit from the IP program. I do wonder if this could be due to the fact that she is in one of the top classes and her peers are really hardworking and focused.
The last time she mentioned boys was when she was in Primary 6. (Four years ago!!!) She told me that some of her schoolmates met boys from tuition classes and they connect on Facebook and go for lunch and ice-cream, etc.
After entering secondary school, there seemed to be a change in the profile of her schoolmates. In primary school, there were quite a number of tai-tais or their drivers hanging around to pick up the kids after school, including a certain socialite featured in yesterday's Sunday Times. In secondary school, these families seem to disappear. I hear many of these kids go on to international secondary schools. In SCGSS, we see more girls taking buses. Yes, they are older now and more independent but when you mingle with the parents, there are also more middle and lower income groups. You don't see so many branded handbags and bling-bling and obscenely huge cars. (So if u see them, they are usually there to pick up a primary \"baby\".) There is a Malay girl in my DD's class whose parents don't appear at all well-to-do. She was not from SCGPS and her two siblings are also in elite secondary schools. I am so happy for this family! Talk about social mobility through meritocracy!!
As for the school leadership, the Principal is a very ambitious and driven lady but with a good heart. I have also found her approachable and open to suggestions (but please do your research first before presenting them to her). Many people may think she is a tough taskmaster but I think she is mindful of the importance of a balanced and well-rounded education and is doing her best to motivate every student and staff to achieve excellence (quite tiring leh). At the end of the day, she has to face the parents and school board and be accountable for the school's reputation and high standards.

Agree with Metis. In fact, my dd told me that a few of her classmates had applied for bursary and also, quite many of them take public transport to school. For her class, there are more girls from RGPS (4 of them) than SCGS (only 2) and the rest from other primary schools.

[FutureSCgirl]

I'm worried as SCGS is a affiliated school. If I want to be a prefect in SCGS, will there be a harder chance? :idea:

[TTBCOOL]

FutureSCgirl:

I'm worried as SCGS is a affiliated school. If I want to be a prefect in SCGS, will there be a harder chance? :idea:

No worry at all. Selection of prefects in SCGS is based on nominations from classmates based on the most number of votes received. After which, the form teacher and co-form teacher will recommend.

[esme38]

Hi SCGS parents/students,


Can I have an idea how to advise to choose which streaming option in end Sec 2 for Sec3 Steaming to advise my DD?

[linday]

EOY is near the corner and the girls are studying real hard. I do not understand why they make the EOY dates that are so cramp that the girls don’t have much time to do revision, and moreover so many practice papers to do. Most of the subjects needs to do memorising. I think the school should spread the dates of the EOY so that the girls have more time to do revision.

[TTBCOOL]

[quote="linday"]EOY is near the corner and the girls are studying real hard. I do not understand why they make the EOY dates that are so cramp that the girls don’t have much time to do revision, and moreover so many practice papers to do. Most of the subjects needs to do memorising. I think the school should spread the dates of the EOY so that the girls have more time to do revision.


Hi Linday, may I know which levels you are referring to?