[Hougang/Punggol/Sengkang] Preschools

[autumnbronze]

RAchelmum:

Hi I am residing at Punggol & interested & shortlisted a few Pre-schools for Nursery & Kindergarten classes:


1) Shaws at Braddell
2) Kinderland Yio Chu Kang
3) Preschool by the Park (Li Hwan-Serangoon)
4) Chatworth Kindergaten
5) Dayspring Kindergarten

Any feedback is appreciated. Thks very much.

Hi RAchelmum,

Pardon my KPO-ness,

Do you drive or is there schbus service provided by Shaws?? Its kinda out of the way for someone staying in Punggol. Quite deep inside a residential estate.

okie anyway, about Shaws at Braddell. Went to recee the place in Aug last yr. Loved the fact that there is a huge outdoor play area. Sch is housed in a one story bungalow. Oh and it has an international feel to it cuz you have both local and expatriate kids there. That was really nice. The two teachers I communicated with spoke good English. One seems to be an old-timer there. They curriculum is based on learn thru play. The teachers looked v enthusiastic while teaching the kids. The staff are also v accomodating in answering your quest. I was there for almost an hr. A good frd and neighbour sent his 4 kids there and they are v v happy.

I was disturbed or maybe just being fussy lah ....

By the fact that the N1 kids had (dried) snot running down their noses, while they were queuing up for something. I noticed that toilet paper was placed at the entrance of the sch, perhaps to wipe the runny nose :?

The toilets were unisex. Not sure if that is the norm but I didn't feel comfortable with that.

The place didn't look too clean. Also the toys in the play area looked old and worn out.

Their Mandarin is not an immersion programme.

Actually, there have been some positive input about Shaws in this forum. If I can find the thread, will attach link. As I said, I may be too fussy

As for Chatsworth, it is REALLY hard to fix an appointment to go down and see the sch. The admin lady is REALLY :frustrated: to deal with. V hoity toity and she actually told me that no point coming down to see the sch cuz if DS doesn't get in, then we will be heartbroken :x They seem to have a waiting list. Like as if there are no other good preschs available. Even emails to the P are intercepted by her. And they claim in their website to have an open door policy

They sch also has an international feel to it. So far, from what I know, they don't have Mandarin lessons everyday until K2 and that is a minus point for me. The CL teacher is also outsourced.

Anyway, all this research was done last yr, when I had the intention to send DS to a preschool. There could have been changes implemented since then. Please do go down and have a look yourself

Hope this helps

[autumnbronze]

RAchelmom,


These are the links I found in the Shaws thread. May not be the latest though. Hope they are helpful:

http://www.singaporemotherhood.com/forumboard/messages/353635/1019088.html?1236755487

http://www.baybsupplies.net/forum/topic.asp?topic_id=17342

[RAchelmum]

Hi

autumnbronze

Thks alot for the details. Daddy would be ferrying our girl to school on the way to work.

Had not recee the places yet, so would like to see what to look out for prior making the trips.

Had checked out the Shaws's threads b4. Seem very positive but i guess really need to see for myself to decide.

Thks again.

[autumnbronze]

RAchelmum:

Hi

autumnbronze

Thks alot for the details. Daddy would be ferrying our girl to school on the way to work.

Had not recee the places yet, so would like to see what to look out for prior making the trips.

Had checked out the Shaws's threads b4. Seem very positive but i guess really need to see for myself to decide.

Thks again.

Hi RAchelmum,

No worries

May I request a favour from you. If you do manage to recee Chatsworth, could you please provide feedback??

MTIA

[spring]

RAchelmum:

Hi I am residing at Punggol & interested & shortlisted a few Pre-schools for Nursery & Kindergarten classes:


1) Shaws at Braddell
2) Kinderland Yio Chu Kang
3) Preschool by the Park (Li Hwan-Serangoon)
4) Chatworth Kindergaten
5) Dayspring Kindergarten

Any feedback is appreciated. Thks very much.

Hi rachelmum,


I had just registered my dd in Dayspring kindergarten for Pre-nursery. I had visited the school 2 times, had decided to send her to school this year as im pregnant with a second child, or else i will be sending her there only next year. From my observation....

The school is well organised. I saw the children's dismissal time, Teachers will bring e kids onto the school bus in batches, teris in very orderly manner, which means they take note of safety, making sure they got on the right bus.

Most of the children there look happy! , which is a good sign!

Teachers seem to be caring and attentive to the kids, but im not sure abt this. Maybe bcos they saw visitors around. However, i have known of people who send their kids to Dayspring, and they give a thumb up for teachers.

Principle seems very passionate towards the kids and curriculum. She takes the time explaining to me abt e curriculum and answering my questions. They go by a theme weekly. She explains to me the timetable, what will be conducted in the 2hrs, and how they plan their lesson each week. Newsletter will be given to parents per term. Parents teacher meeting twice per year. She explains to me that if the teacher finds something to inform you abt your child, they will make a phone call to you, or if you wanna ask anything like your child well being, wads ur child learning for e week, can call e teacher after their lessons.

Other den tat, their toilet is also unisex, upon entering, can smell urine smell, wondering iszt common in kindergarten, as alot of children using same toilet? Upon entering e school gate, will be an outdoor play area.

But i had not let my dd start sch yet, so yet to confirm if its good, but my intuition tells me its up to standard. So if anyone have their kids in this school pls give some feedback ya.

[MMM]

Hi,


Anyone with any good recommendations for pre-schools (besides Pat’s, MMI and Kinderland) along Upper Serangoon, Kovan, Hougang central area???

We are looking for Kindergarten only not childcare.

[cheychna]

Any good comments for Kinderland Yio Chu Kang Kindergarden ?

[autumnbronze]

MMM:

Hi,


Anyone with any good recommendations for pre-schools (besides Pat's, MMI and Kinderland) along Upper Serangoon, Kovan, Hougang central area???

We are looking for Kindergarten only not childcare.

MMM,

Not sure if this will help...

You may want to check out Masterpiece at Sommerville Walk, enter thru Woskel Road or Jalan Lateh. Although its also a ccc, why don't you just have a look at the website. Its quite a small outfit. Located in a bungalow. V big outdoor space and shady too. Its also franchisee of Pat's Schhouse, so fees are cheaper:

http://www.masterpiece-ce.com/masterpiece.htm

Chatsworth, but located in Jalan Kayu:
http://www.chatsworthkindergarten.com/

There are a few good church kindys like St Paul's and Catholic ... not sure if that is what you are looking for??

Hard to find a kindy that is not affliated to any religious organization. I have been looking for one too

[fernvale]

Hi,


Anyone with any good recommendations for pre-schools near Fernvale area near AMK Central???

I was quite keen on Little Skool House at the Hub but they told me no more vacancies for K1

[MMM]

autumnbronze:

Hard to find a kindy that is not affliated to any religious organization. I have been looking for one too

Thanks for the info. Actually for quite a no. of those popular kindys, it is not possible to get a place now.

We will most likely go for kinderland at Upper Serangoon. My dd has been with kinderland Marine Parade since pre-nursery. Somehow I feel that MP teachers quality are better and also they have been there for a long time and its turnover is manageable.

We sat in for kinderland Upp Serangoon class the other day. Still feel that the teacher standard is not as good as MP, but ok.... reasonable. No wow factor type. But the benefit for her to switch so that I can coach her every day outweighs everything else. So most likely I will go ahead with it :xedfingers: