Hwa Chong Institution (High School)

[Song22]

Hello parents

Can I know what type of shoes are allowed in normal school days? Track shoes or must be those bata type of shoes? How about black shoes?
Thank you!

[HairyOrange]

Song22:

Hello parents

Can I know what type of shoes are allowed in normal school days? Track shoes or must be those bata type of shoes? How about black shoes?
Thank you!

Hi Song22,

HCI pretty flexible w shoes, no need Bata. White with not too colorful stripes or black shoes OK. In fact the school with its excellent consortium sys self manages so well they don't even have prefectorial system.

[HairyOrange]

TravelMummy:

Tetsujin:

[quote=\"TravelMummy\"]Thinking about what third language option to advise ds to apply for. He is going to be sec1 next year. Am thinking of a practical option like Bahasa Melayu rather than French or Japanese as which many kids drop after 1-2 years. Understand that the lessons are conducted in school so he doesn't have to travel far either. Do many kids normally take up this option; are there exams for this and is it easy to drop at will if ds realizes subsequently that he is no longer keen? Appreciate any advice. Thanks!

Great choice! Why, all our neighbouring countries like Malaysia and Indonesia use this language! Both my kids took Japanese, my elder daughter went all the way to O levels and scored an A, but due to non frequent use, have lost most of the language. My son, who went to HCI drop out after 2 months due to his CCA. I have been encouraging parents to have their kids take kids take Bahasa Melayu, of course with lots of resistance because most see it as \"not as glamorous\" a 3rd Language! As for your other questions, need parents whose kids are still in HCI to answer, my son is already in Uni, so I am not so updated with their teaching systems.

Thanks for the validation, Tetsujin. I thought knowing Bahasa would be a great help when he goes on shoestring budget travel round the region. Maybe can even haggle for better prices! [/quote]Hi TravelMummy,

Congrats on yr son entry to HCI. I know my answers probably too late. HCI teaches compulsory Malay in Sec 2 for all students. So if yr son wants to choose another 3rd Lang, can still appeal after Nov 23. BTW, because if huge 3rd Lang intake from HCI, school arranges multiple shuttle service to the 3rd Lang centre in Newton. Thu is HCI 3rd Lang day.

[HairyOrange]

Mum1113:

Hi HCI parents, students


With two more days to submit S1 posting, my son and I still thinking should we put HCI as the first choice. With 260+2 score, we think he should stand a good chance to get in HCI. However, the concerns are:

•\tBeing non-gep student himself, does it make one person feel like ‘second class citizen’ as understand those gep/dsa students would end up in iSparks consortium. So much talk about iSparks and so much talk about good resources/elite students in iSparks. In other words, those students in the other three consortiums, do they think or feel that there is different treatment and makes the students feel that they are less important or taught with less emphasis?
•\tHeard that teachers’ teaching style are very different, that is homework given and answers provided. However, solutions to the answers are not taught. Left to the students to figure out the solutions? So call independent learning, is this true? Ends up many students require tuition to guide them, is this true?

As like many parents out there, we hope the child enjoy learning and not stressed out too much. Again knowing IP route would certainly mean certain level of stress is already there, meaning the child should also have the expectations/intention to face the stress.

Hope to hear some advise from parents or students in this school, many thanks.

Hi Mum113,

Congrats on yr son's excellent results. My reply is too late but hope to clear the air.

It's a parents' perception that iSpark is the elite consortium. The students certainly don't think so or feel 2nd class because all consortium have equally solid teachers and even iSpark teachers teach in the other consortiums. With the high cutoff points and spread, many mainstream students hv really high 270+ T-Scores too. Moreover the school randomly selected certain Sec1 classes in each of the other consortium to take Higher Science module, like iSpark. And in each term ranking, the diff consortium trade places for the top class in Sec1.

As for the teachers, my son has only good feedback abt them. The school doesn't spoon feed but certainly teach solutions. In fact the remedial system is so effective that my fren's son progressed from remedial to A in one term. Tuition is not encouraged as the boys hv little time for tuition.

HCI is STRESSFUL in my eyes but the boys seem to thrive in such environment. Don't expect to sleep early, they seem to compete who sleeps the latest but the camaraderie and teamwork is amazing.

Hope my long reply helps. Cheers

[TravelMummy]

HairyOrange:

Tuition is not encouraged as the boys hv little time for tuition.
I really get that when HCI included a Chinese book in the book list about kids not needing tuition! Never thought such a book exist! But it's a great philosophy which I wholeheartedly subscribe to.

HCI is STRESSFUL in my eyes but the boys seem to thrive in such environment. Don't expect to sleep early, they seem to compete who sleeps the latest but the camaraderie and teamwork is amazing.

This worries me a little. Why can't they sleep early? Is the workload that heavy? I insist on my kids sleeping before 10pm. In fact they turn in around 9.30pm usually. I don't much care about tuition - never really subject DS to such torture anyway - but I do insist on eating well, sleeping well and exercising well.

[TravelMummy]

HairyOrange:

TravelMummy:

Thinking about what third language option to advise ds to apply for. He is going to be sec1 next year. Am thinking of a practical option like Bahasa Melayu rather than French or Japanese as which many kids drop after 1-2 years. Understand that the lessons are conducted in school so he doesn't have to travel far either. Do many kids normally take up this option; are there exams for this and is it easy to drop at will if ds realizes subsequently that he is no longer keen? Appreciate any advice. Thanks!

Hi TravelMummy,

Congrats on yr son entry to HCI. I know my answers probably too late. HCI teaches compulsory Malay in Sec 2 for all students. So if yr son wants to choose another 3rd Lang, can still appeal after Nov 23. BTW, because if huge 3rd Lang intake from HCI, school arranges multiple shuttle service to the 3rd Lang centre in Newton. Thu is HCI 3rd Lang day.

Thanks, HairyOrange for your advice. I didn't know they make Malay compulsory in year 2 anyway. So I've kinda \"wasted\" my option?! :yikes: Do they normally arrange shuttle services? DS kinda said he didn't mind Japanese so he can then read manga comics better but we dissuaded him cos he had to travel to a different location to take the language, and we though Malay is easier since it is taught in school. Haiz. How to appeal now and who to appeal to pls? Appreciate your advice. Thanks.

[Song22]

HairyOrange:

Song22:

Hello parents

Can I know what type of shoes are allowed in normal school days? Track shoes or must be those bata type of shoes? How about black shoes?
Thank you!

Hi Song22,

HCI pretty flexible w shoes, no need Bata. White with not too colorful stripes or black shoes OK. In fact the school with its excellent consortium sys self manages so well they don't even have prefectorial system.

Thanks HairyOrange, this is very helpful

[7788]

anyone here can advise hci’s wushu cca is on which day and from what time to what time? tks in advance!

[wonderm]

TravelMummy:

HairyOrange:

[quote=\"TravelMummy\"]Thinking about what third language option to advise ds to apply for. He is going to be sec1 next year. Am thinking of a practical option like Bahasa Melayu rather than French or Japanese as which many kids drop after 1-2 years. Understand that the lessons are conducted in school so he doesn't have to travel far either. Do many kids normally take up this option; are there exams for this and is it easy to drop at will if ds realizes subsequently that he is no longer keen? Appreciate any advice. Thanks!

Hi TravelMummy,

Congrats on yr son entry to HCI. I know my answers probably too late. HCI teaches compulsory Malay in Sec 2 for all students. So if yr son wants to choose another 3rd Lang, can still appeal after Nov 23. BTW, because if huge 3rd Lang intake from HCI, school arranges multiple shuttle service to the 3rd Lang centre in Newton. Thu is HCI 3rd Lang day.

Thanks, HairyOrange for your advice. I didn't know they make Malay compulsory in year 2 anyway. So I've kinda \"wasted\" my option?! :yikes: Do they normally arrange shuttle services? DS kinda said he didn't mind Japanese so he can then read manga comics better but we dissuaded him cos he had to travel to a different location to take the language, and we though Malay is easier since it is taught in school. Haiz. How to appeal now and who to appeal to pls? Appreciate your advice. Thanks.[/quote]All HCI boys take Conversational Malay in Sec 2. But it is really quite light and if you seriously want your son to know Malay, I think he would still need to take it as 3rd Lang.

My boys didn't take 3rd Lang but I believe the school arrange for shuttle bus services for those who attend 3rd Lang lessons on Thursdays.

Hope it helps.

[wonderm]

TravelMummy:

HairyOrange:

Tuition is not encouraged as the boys hv little time for tuition.
I really get that when HCI included a Chinese book in the book list about kids not needing tuition! Never thought such a book exist! But it's a great philosophy which I wholeheartedly subscribe to.

HCI is STRESSFUL in my eyes but the boys seem to thrive in such environment. Don't expect to sleep early, they seem to compete who sleeps the latest but the camaraderie and teamwork is amazing.

This worries me a little. Why can't they sleep early? Is the workload that heavy? I insist on my kids sleeping before 10pm. In fact they turn in around 9.30pm usually. I don't much care about tuition - never really subject DS to such torture anyway - but I do insist on eating well, sleeping well and exercising well.

It is true many HCI boys sleep late. It seems to be the case for many Sec school kids anyway. But there are boys who sleep early too. My boys slept before 10:30pm in lower Sec (with occasional afternoon naps) and I know they have friends who sleep earlier than them. If your boy has been sleeping early, I am sure he can still do so, maybe just slightly later than before.