NAFA Arts Kindergarten
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May i know what is the school fees structure like for above? Is it much cheaper than NAFA Kinder? Seems to be a good school?
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found out…$530 per month…not bad, much cheaper than NAFA…but since most have positives views on NAFA, maybe can consider. tough choice though.
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Here's my verdict from a NAFA mum.
The teachers are very good and competent. Fair distribution of chinese and english programe. The best part I like is the theme topic for each term. The teachers really put in alot of effort in imparting information (and really deatil info) on each term topic to the children. The children really get very in-depth knowledge of the topic they cover in each term. Jolly Phonics approach is use to teach phonics.
Good food provided for snack time. Not just cookies only which most kindy provide.
The children stay through with the same classmate and teachers till K2. The bonding is very strong for the teachers and especially for the children.
Exposure to music, arts and dance programe. Save my weekend ferrying DS for enrichment classes.
Arts is fantastic and the coverage is very good. there are 2 sessions of art class per week of 1 hr each. 1 session will be on 2D and the other session on 3D.
As for music, parents really must make effort to practise with the child at home. the theory work is very intense and as some mums mention, it's not easy for the child to be able to play well in a class of 20. therefore practise at home is strongly encourage.
For dance, not much to comment as my boy doesn't really like dance class. The girls will find more enjoyment in the class.
but fees for next year is very high. $1900 / term for morning session and $1800 / term for afternoon session. and don't forget have to add GST to the fees :rant: -
littleKS:
Here's my verdict from a NAFA mum...
Hi littleKS, thanks for the great review! What do you do with your NAFA kid during the long holidays, since they have no classes then? -
u mean the long school holidays? he just stay home and do nothing, watch tv most of the time :x
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littleKS:
u mean the long school holidays? he just stay home and do nothing, watch tv most of the time :x
Yes... that was what I was afraid of
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Hi Hi everyone
Remember me? I was the one raving about how good this school was. I actually pulled my daughter out as she was really sick in october… Really sad. She misses school so much.
I’m enrolling her at NAFA again. Though now it’s the afternoon session. My daughter just wanted to to go back so much…
and yes, i agree as parents you will definitely helped with the music homework…very tedious for someone who knows nothing about music. I dun think i will be sending my daughter for extra music classes…anyway, i just want her to be exposed to all the different arts programmes. if she is really keen or HAVE TALENT, then will think about it later.
As for the academic, some of my friends who are teaching in Primary schools said that NAFA is rather extensive in their curriculum ( a bit ks as i also want to prepare my daughter for P1…ha ha). So quite comforted to know that NAFA is doing its best to help…they integrated jolly phoincs in their curriculum too. So need not pay extra… Also they are using Growing With Math program…reviews about this math program also quite good.
As for the fees, if you really calculate and spread it over 3 months, it’s about $650 per month for the am session / $600 for pm session.
Expensive?? will shop less for myself…have another child to send in when he’s 3 plus…
Overall, I like the school. wonderful teachers and the principal like i mentioned before is always on the ground.
Also, heard that they just organized a sleepover camp for the K2 students… apparently the parents who sent their kids to the camp were delighted and you know what? the principal actually stayed overnight and rought it out with the students… -
Hehe… You know what, just one week into school holiday, my daughter was asking me why the school holiday is so long…
She misses school and her teacher. -
wonglady:
That is interesting. When my ds was there, I did not feel that the curriculum was remotely challenging at all. I am generally very relaxed about the academic side of things (my kids must be the only ones in Singapore to enter school only at age 4 and encounter the English alphabet for the first time :lol:), so it's definitely not that my ds already knew whatever was taught in class. Given my nonchalance about prepping my ds for school, I had anticipated that we would need Herculean efforts to catch up when we joined in mid-Nursery 2. But surprisingly (and happily) I need not have worried at all since my ds could cope perfectly well. As an example, there was no homework, nor spelling or ting-xie in K1. With the nice, relaxed pace that they were progressing, I imagine that in K2, an amazing amount of work would be required to prepare the kids for the rigours of P1.
As for the academic, some of my friends who are teaching in Primary schools said that NAFA is rather extensive in their curriculum .
When we left Singapore in the middle of the K1 year for the U.S., my kid fit nicely into kindergarten here, where the academic curriculum would seem completely laughable to any Singapore parent (though the other aspects of an education here are far more superior in my view - wish that Singapore schools can do it all!). However, I note that the Singaporean kids who graduated from PCF etc were miles and miles ahead of their American counterparts in grade school, since they had been so well drilled in math, spelling, reading, writing etc.
I am not suggesting that NAFA's curriculum is inadequate in any way; I merely want to share my personal view that compared to many other kindergartens, it is not inclined to be very academic since the arts, after all, is intentionally its focus. And about that, I feel that for music, starting at NAFA Kindergarten would certainly be a good introduction, but, in all likelihood music theory progression would be faster than the practical (playing) part, as theory is something you can work on with your child. So there is a disconnect here, but that is to be expected since a kindergarten class size is bigger that your average music school's. The music teachers do suggest to parents that for kids who learn fast, private lessons would benefit them more; quite a number of the kids I know have private lessons, not to assist them to catch up but to allow them to progress further. I go the easy way and instruct my ds myself...
At the end of the K2 year, the children would be adequately prepared to take the G1 theory exam, but not the practical exam - that would be impossible. Oh, and parents should also be aware that since the kids learn on the keyboard, fingerwork for the piano may be an issue to be addressed later. -
clare:
...my kids must be the only ones in Singapore to enter school only at age 4 and encounter the English alphabet for the first time...
Oh no... a non kiasu parent amongst our midst! A sheep in wolf's clothings! What is the world becoming! :lol:
Thanks clare, for a most objective and insightful view of NAFA and its good work. Are you in the US right now, then?
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