Palm View Primary

[cmeilim]

Hi Parents

I am considering between Hougang PS and Palm View PS for my child born 2009, registering next year. I understand that Proteach operates the in-school after-school care, but I have not been able to get through the tel number that the School’s admin gave me, and also the email address that she gave me has also bounced back. I am a FTWM so I am very keen to find out if the student care is open to all families, or there is a particular selection criteria, eg low income families have priority.

Would also like to hear from the parents here about your feedback on PVPS? What is good about it, and what is not so good? This will help my husband and I make our decision.

We will be visiting the Open House this July as well.

Thanks in advance for sharing!

[cyranocrash]

cmeilim:

Hi Parents

I am considering between Hougang PS and Palm View PS for my child born 2009, registering next year. I understand that Proteach operates the in-school after-school care, but I have not been able to get through the tel number that the School's admin gave me, and also the email address that she gave me has also bounced back. I am a FTWM so I am very keen to find out if the student care is open to all families, or there is a particular selection criteria, eg low income families have priority.

Would also like to hear from the parents here about your feedback on PVPS? What is good about it, and what is not so good? This will help my husband and I make our decision.

We will be visiting the Open House this July as well.

Thanks in advance for sharing!

Hi cmeilim,

1) What is the number and email that you were given? From what I know, their contact number is 6388 2125 and their email address, you can try [email protected]. Think they operate from 10am or 11am. So do not call early in the morning.

2) As per normal practise, while the school opens the student care centre to all students, priority is given to those students on Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS), etc. From what I understand, for this year, they have accepted all those who applied.

3) As for the feedbacks about the school, I guess you can sense from reading the PLVPS thread that the parents are generally happy with the school and the staff. But what is good to us may not be something good to you. Expectations will be different only you will know what you are looking for. Just to share, my daughter was the pioneer batch of students.. she's in Pri 2 this year. Before PLVPS was announced, we were also looking at Hougang Pri simply because they have a good outdoor programme. But once PLVPS was announced to be operational in 2013, we met up with the Principal (the teachers have not even been 'recruited' back then) and we send numerous enquiries and clarifications. Finally, we were convinced that PLVPS is where we want to send our kids to. And we have no regrets! So my suggestion is to come down during the open house armed with all the questions that you have. Some parents of existing students will be there as ushers, etc. You can take the chance to ask them questions from a parents' perspective. Catch the teachers, Principal, Vice Principal.. even dentist if the clinic is open. Walk around the school.. get a feel of the facilities. See how classes are conducted.. and get a feel of the culture. This is the best way for you to get a first-hand experience to see if PLVPS is indeed for your child.

Hope this helps.. and all the best in your hunt.

[cmeilim]

Hi cyranocrash


thanks for your reply.

actually we live 1-2km away. We don’t really buy into the whole PV scheme as a principle. So although Hougang PS is within 1km away from us, we know we don’t stand a good chance if we choose NOT to do PV. as for Palm View, we are not sure if the school will become so popular that it would end up being like Hougang PS come registration time in 2015 for us, when we need to do PV to get into Phase 2B, or else there would be balloting for those living 1-2km in Phase 2C.

I am aware that HGPS has a good sports and outdoor activity programme, but I am not sure if criteria for primary school need to rest on such considerations. Might it be too much activity for such a young child, that they get too tired or distracted or have to stay back in school too often for a primary school child? I feel that even if a child has interest in outdoor activities and sports, it is still not too late to go into it more fully in secondary school.

Having said that, I am not into a school that is too academically focused. Otherwise I would have focused my efforts on Rosyth which is also <1km from our home. We believe in a balanced, holistic education that focuses on inculcating a love for learning, curiosity, imagination and independent inquiry in young children.

As for Palm View, would like to hear from the parents here if there is any teething issue that you have encountered with it being a new school? Or any other problems at all?

[cyranocrash]

Hi cmeilim,


If I recall correctly, PLVPS had to conduct balloting during last year’s registration exercise. The current P1 parents may have to correct me here.

As for holistic education, exactly my point. It is for the very same reason of not wanting a school that is academically focused that I placed non-academic programmes as a priority… hence my initial preference for Hougang Pri (before PLVPS operations was made public) due to the fact that they have a good outdoor programme. Like I said, different people will have different criteria and expectations.

As for problems being a new school, personally I do not see any significant problems. There may be some issues in PLVPS… but these issues are common issues that happen in other established schools as well (such as delay in receiving the name tags… some miscomm with the transport vendor when they change drivers, etc). Need other parents’ inputs here coz I do not have any significant issues with the school.

Cheers.

[wiselyn]

Cmeilim,


Cyranocrash is right, last year these was balloting at phase 2c (s). But for those who stay outside 2km.

For me, I stay within 1 km of hougang pri, but we decided that to go for PLVPS because of reasons as follows ,we do not believe in PV (we would prefer to be involve in the school after our children are there). We do not want the stress of going thru balloting and last but not the least important, we agree with Mr Chua philosophy/way of running the school.

I do not have any issue with the school too and my gal is happy studying there...no stress I guess


Wiselyn

cyranocrash:

Hi cmeilim,

If I recall correctly, PLVPS had to conduct balloting during last year's registration exercise. The current P1 parents may have to correct me here.

As for holistic education, exactly my point. It is for the very same reason of not wanting a school that is academically focused that I placed non-academic programmes as a priority.. hence my initial preference for Hougang Pri (before PLVPS operations was made public) due to the fact that they have a good outdoor programme. Like I said, different people will have different criteria and expectations.

As for problems being a new school, personally I do not see any significant problems. There may be some issues in PLVPS.. but these issues are common issues that happen in other established schools as well (such as delay in receiving the name tags.. some miscomm with the transport vendor when they change drivers, etc). Need other parents' inputs here coz I do not have any significant issues with the school.

Cheers.

[cmeilim]

Hi wiselyn


ya, we also don’t believe in PV scheme. We don’t mind volunteering and helping out after our kids are in the school. Worse still are those schools where even after you do PV, it still does not guarantee you a spot there. (At least for those who don’t mind doing PV, and a spot is guaranteed, one can still close one eye and consider it as paying it forward.)

I am just not sure if PLVPS will become so popular by next year’s registration phase, that there will need to be balloting for those who live within 1m to 2km (which is us) in Phase 2C. i will definitely be monitoring the balloting results of this July’s P1 registration.

Anyway, PLVPS admin office has told me that they will be launching the PV scheme this May or June for 2015 P1 registration. Haiz.

[wiselyn]

Cmeilim,


From my experience from last year, most parents will try to register their children at Roysth and Hougang Primary first, and if not successful then they will register at PLVPS ( At 2C s). If no change from previous year, by 2015, you register at 2c should still have good chance. ( my guess lar)

Wiselyn

cmeilim:

Hi wiselyn

ya, we also don't believe in PV scheme. We don't mind volunteering and helping out after our kids are in the school. Worse still are those schools where even after you do PV, it still does not guarantee you a spot there. (At least for those who don't mind doing PV, and a spot is guaranteed, one can still close one eye and consider it as paying it forward.)

I am just not sure if PLVPS will become so popular by next year's registration phase, that there will need to be balloting for those who live within 1m to 2km (which is us) in Phase 2C. i will definitely be monitoring the balloting results of this July's P1 registration.

Anyway, PLVPS admin office has told me that they will be launching the PV scheme this May or June for 2015 P1 registration. Haiz.

[cyranocrash]

Wiselyn has a point there. PLVPS has been a second choice school for many parents… where they usually try out for schools like Rosyth, Hougang, North Vista, etc. But the trend that I’m seeing is that PLVPS by the second year, the number is decreasing… as in… more and more parents have opted for PLVPS as the first choice school. If this trend continues, I believe PLVPS will be the go-to school in the area within the next few years. As someone who does not believe in the PV scheme also, I guess I was lucky that the 3 schools (Palm View, Sengkang Green and Springdale) began operations on the year my first child is due to enter primary school). Hence I have the option of selecting the school whose vision and culture is in line with my expectations… without the need to go thru’ the PV exercise. As Wiselyn said it, Mr Chua’s vision of how he want’s the school to be is in line what I look for in a school for my kids… hence things fell perfectly for me.


Having said that, unfortunately, the PV scheme is inevitable as schools get recognised for the values that they stand for. Unless the ministry does something to the registration system, parents who believe strongly in PLVPS’ vision and culture may have to resort to volunteering their services in the hope of getting their child into the school.

On that note, I know some schools actually limit the number of PVs to ensure that all PVs will be guaranteed a place in the school. I’m sure when the time comes, this point will be put across to the school management when they decide to open their doors for PVs.

[Sam_Lee72]

I would agreed with cyranocrash and wiselyn, to be honest Palmview was my 2nd choice I only enrolled my son into the school after he failed to secure a place in NCPS, I chose Palmview over the other new school which is within walking distance from where i stay was the school leaders, their vision and mission was clear. A complete education system is not just to excel academically but it consist of a vast area like character building, creativity which a lot of us are being deprived of and many more. The school had added quite a number of new facilities and fixtures to enhance the learning process of our kids like the graffiti corner which encourage the kids creativity and expression, the new sco garden and the fun scientist program during recess by Mr Low and his team is really refreshing for our kids.


IMO parents involvement in school is important and it’s a form of encouragement to sur kids that we are as parents care for what they do in school so parents here if you are interested do volunteer yourself if your time permits for some of the programs organized by the school . PV program will be introduce for enrollment for 2016 with application starting in May’14 and the details will be release in later date once everything is finalized. Latest from the school, the school SAC and PSG are in place.

[cheerbear]

actually i am abit shock to see cmeilim’s post on the PV of palm view… but again like wat cyranocrash said "more and more parents have opted for PLVPS as the first choice school" and i am one of the parents


in fact my 1st choice used to be north vista as it is jus across the road from my hse… but after reading so much in the forum for both the sch threads, chat with my neighbour (her boy is in north vista) & other factors etc etc… i think palm view is the sch i wan my boy to be in.

so far to me there is only one pt which i dun really like abt palm view which is their sch uniform… there is no proper sch uniform and PE shirt… is a 2in1 but think on the other hand, no ironing is required haha (lazy mummy) but this is really a minor minor issue.

cyranocrash can i know how many set of uniform u get for your child?