Top Primary school?
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As always, the annual ritual of flustered parents trying to make up lost time in going for the "best" primary school has begun. IMO, while the school and its staff is an important criteria for the success of students, all schools offer the same minimum opportunities for students to succeed. In other words, even if your child goes to the most "ulu" school, he/she will still be given enough learning to do well in the exams.
It all boils down to parents themselves. Parents of children in the better schools know that their children are expected to "perform", and so they will push their children to excel and support them through all kinds of tuition and enrichment courses, just so that their children will at least make the grade. So this feeds into a self-fulfilling cycle where the good schools can only get better and better. Of course, it doesn’t help when the government designates specific schools to be "gifted", which automatically sets the bar for the students in the school to be so much higher than the national average.
So, perhaps parents should stop worrying about what is the best school they can send their child, and start focusing on how to give their children the "extra-edge" for them to excel regardless of what primary school their children ends up in.
What do you all think? -
That is very true. I guess we tend to equate good schools with \"the cutting edge\". Now that I am deciding on a primary school for my son, that is when the stress comes in. I guess we want a good start for our child, and the environment of the school, hopefully that it would challenge him. I can't help but worry now. Last year, we have decided on the school to attend. But now we have a change of plans because of location. Hence felt stuck with limited options as didn't become a PV. Just hope we could get lucky now. :? :?
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May:
... I can't help but worry now. Last year, we have decided on the school to attend. But now we have a change of plans because of location. Hence felt stuck with limited options as didn't become a PV. Just hope we could get lucky now. :? :?
Yes... and believe me, this is only the start of the many worries. You have just graduated from the \"honeymoon\" years where your young child can do no wrong and you are amazed at every little new thing the child learns.
From now on, your amazement at your child's intelligence will be changed to expectations of what he/she can accomplish. For perhaps the first time in your child's life, he/she is going to be compared and competing with other children. This is how the real worrying begins - you will find that trying to get your child into a good school is a picnic compared to this! So the point is - it's not the end of the world if you can't get your child into that \"dream school\" you have in mind.
As for the stress of primary school, it's sad, but that's how life is in a meritocracy. What we must do is to keep reminding our children that we love them NO MATTER WHAT, and that they are always special in our hearts regardless of how well they do academically. -
Hi Chief Kiasu,
Agree. No point crying over spilt milk. There is no way to turn back the clock to be a PV and hence, I will just have to live with the disappointment should balloting be unsuccessful. Have to work even harder though to ensure that child is in a good class in a neighbourhood school. Yes, academic excellence is not the only thing - discipline training and inculcated with the right values from young cannot be overlooked. Yes, we loved our children no matter what. -
My main concern of getting my child in a good schools, is mainly the environment. Im so worry if he end up in the bad schools, mixing up with a bad kids, since he already likes to play, going to that bad school will encourage more for him to play rather than study. This is main concern. As a parents we will try to do our best, but how many hours you can really concentrate on your children since you are out working. Only weekends and a few hours on weekdays :roll: :roll: ???
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for me, there is only one school within 1km from my place...it is a good one, but...i don't have any girls.
i will need to ballot for a place for one sch within 1-2km from my place (next nearest school). if *touch wood*, balloting is unsuccessful, i will go for the next nearest neighbourhood school. for this, i am wary that this school focus its resources on the 'diamond' class and streaming starts as early as end of P1! getting him into such class will be my next best bet.
so neighbourhood school may not all be bad after all. my boy is in 'neighbourhood' kindergarten, although the curriculum is lousy, the teachers are good and the kids are generally well behaved. thats easy cos all i need is to supplement with enrichment for the academic part. -
To be fair, I think people should not tag "good" or "bad" to a school. I don’t think there is really a "bad" school in Singapore. To me, the most important thing is the teacher your child gets. You can have very lousy teachers in the popular "good" schools as well. Or you can have very good teachers in the normal neighbourhood schools.
Academic excellence is not the only thing to look for in primary school education, what about character building ? team work ? All these should be equally important. And to me, my children must love to go to school and able to make good friends in school.
Parents’ involvement in schools also play a part in the children’s performance in schools. I noticed that children whose parents are more involved in the schools’ activities tend to perform better as well.
Just some thoughts. -
ChiefKiasu:
How about Ai Tong? What's your view? Given a choice between Ai Tong (Phase 2A1) and Nanyang (Phase 2B), which one would you choose?Which do you think is the top primary school in Singapore?
Based on academic excellence, my top 5 ranking would be:
1. Tao Nan
2. Nanyang
3. Nan Hua
4. St. Hilda's
5. Raffles' Girls
What about yours? -
Ai Tong was very strong in the 1990s, but has been kind of relegated to the 2nd tier due to the very strong showing of the likes of RGS, Nanyang, Nan Hua, St. Hilda’s etc. It was only able to scrap up 2 national top 10 students in the last 7 years. However, there is no doubt it is still a very good and well-sought after school.
There were reports that our MM has sent his children and grand children to Nanyang Primary on a regular basis, so the school is well connected politically if that’s something you like. -
hello Chief,
Thanks for your sharings. Just a poll of vote. If you’re in my situation. Which option will you choose Nanyang (Phase 2B) or Ai Tong (Phase 2A1)?
I stay nearer to Nanyang (but still >2km) than Ai Tong.
Regards
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