Raffles Girls' Primary

[phtthp]

CuriousMummy111:

I have one qn.

It's mentioned above that if we withdraw from say sch A which we have registered successfully with in the earlier phases, we cannot got back there.

Does that mean that if we withdraw from Sch A on the 3rd day of phase 2C, and we start monitoring sch B but then later we realise that sch B is risky/ less chance, we can't immediately go back to sch A to register freshly under phase 2C?

for this very good question -
it is important to confirm with sch A, now :
latest by what time must you rush back to sch A, to register under 2C on Friday (1 August, last day of p2C), if you had withdrawn earlier from sch A ?

adopt this strategy :
only if you have confidence that upon return to sch A to enrol under 2C this time round (if suppose rgps > 2 km : no chance to even ballot), your chance under 2C with sch A is still safe, because of your distance.

if not safe, due to your distance : meaning that you need to ballot in sch A upon return under 2C, then forget about it.

Example
a parent, who is an SC > 2 km

p2C duration (public) : open for three days
first day : Wed (30 July 2014)
second day : Thur (31 July 2014)
last day : Fri (1 August 2014)

scenario 1

suppose this parent : SC > 2 km, stay less than 1 km from CHIJ OLGC (Lady of Good Counsel) : whose dd had already successfully enrolled under Phase 1 (sibling), but parent is keen to try her luck at Rgps.

suppose on first day (Wed) :
this parent withdraw from CHIJ OLGC Phase 1 (earlier phase), re-register into Rgps, under 2C.
the moment she withdraw : that Phase 1 seat which she had given up, is quickly given to some other children, keen to register into OLGC.

then, on last day of p2C (Fri), between 3.45 pm to 4.30 pm :
if she discover that SC > 2km no chance to ballot at Rgps,
(because a lot of \"less than 1 km\" plus those \"1 to 2km\" last minute commotion stomped back from (Nanyang + SCGS) : if their odds look gloomy at Nanyang / SCGS), but her husband on emergency standby had already obtained a queue number at OLGC : now waiting for her to return fast, husb inform P1 officer at CHIJ OLGC that wife is on the way back, to re-register under 2C. Pls wait for her to come back.

This is possible :
because this SC parent stay < 1 km from OLGC, unlikely to ballot under 2C. (where OLGC is concerned)

In other words, if the situation is favorable to > 2 km : she can proceed to ballot at rgps.

but if situation un-favorable :
then rush back to OLGC before 4.30 pm, re-register under 2C.
Her dd can still enter back safely into OLGC, if no balloting is involved, for her distance from OLGC.

scenario 2

suppose another parent : SC > 2 km, stay greater than 2 km from CHIJ OLGC (Lady of Good Counsel) : whose dd had already successfully enrolled under Phase 2A2 (ex-students), but parent is keen to try her luck at Rgps.

she is like scenario 1 parent above.
withdraw on first day, but her situation is slightly different.
she is risky : because she is > 2 km from OLGC.

Suppose rgps > 2 km no chance to ballot, then she must ask herself -
should she return to OLGC, or go another school whereby confirmed very safe, no need to ballot, definitely can enter at p2C ?

If she call up OLGC around 4 pm last day (Friday, 1 August) and OLGC school confirm that Yes, SC > 2 km from OLGC must ballot, then no point for her to return OLGC.

Unless OLGC reply that SC > 2 km safe : no need to ballot, then she can return.
So, depend on what is OLGC reply then: next Friday, around 4 pm.
again, her spouse must be on standby at OLGC, help her get a queue number, & inform P1 officer that wife is on her way back.

according to last year (2013) data -
OLGC : SC > 2km : need to ballot.

in this case -
this parent might as well enrol into another school (eg: Marymount Convent), since SC > 2 km at p2C : no need balloting at Marymount, based on past years' trend, as a rough guide.
(this year we not sure)

SC > 2 km
parents who wish to withdraw from earlier Phase, and subsequently have the intention to go back to earlier Phase school under 2C this time : if Rgps > 2km no chance to ballot at the 11th hour, pls do yourself a great favor.
because this is very important !

Pls call up your earlier Phase school A now -
confirm whether can withdraw and then come back register to under 2C : is this practice allowed, and what is the latest time you need to rush back, to re-register under 2C ?

That is why once you withdraw from an earlier Phase school, it is very risky.
Try not to withdraw unnecessarily on the first 2 days of p2C, unless really necessary, for whatever reasons.
Hold onto your earlier Phase school, for as long as possible.
Unless you're confident that you can secure a seat, even after you withdraw and can come back to sch A: ie. can avoid balloting.

[CuriousMummy111]

Thank You so so much for the detailed explanation phtthp Really appreaciate your response

[xuanting]

hi parents with kids in rgps (afternoon session): if you live around 1km from the school and your child takes the school bus, what time do they reach home in the evening? what about school bus pick-up for school earlier in the day?

[wyx]

hi parents with kids in rgps (afternoon session): if you live around 1km from the school and your child takes the school bus, what time do they reach home in the evening? what about school bus pick-up for school earlier in the day?

Hi, the school bus comes between 12-12.10pm. She is the last to be picked up. And she is the last to be dropped off after school. So she reached home at abt 7.10pm.

[ansari635]

Many many thanks phtthp for the very very detailed plan you have chalked out for SC>2km. your inputs are indeed valuable and appreciate your time for us.

[dardar63]

wyx:

xuanting:

hi parents with kids in rgps (afternoon session): if you live around 1km from the school and your child takes the school bus, what time do they reach home in the evening? what about school bus pick-up for school earlier in the day?

Hi, the school bus comes between 12-12.10pm. She is the last to be picked up. And she is the last to be dropped off after school. So she reached home at abt 7.10pm.

What's the afternoon session hours ?

[phtthp]

dardar63:

What's the afternoon session hours ?

2015 P1 intake (2008 born)

Reach school, by 12.30 pm, for assembly
Fleet of School buses will reach school, by 12.20 pm, or earlier

Daily Assembly in school hall : 12.30 pm to 1 pm

Lessons (Mon - Fri) : 1 pm to 6.30 pm

Recess time : 3 pm to 3.30 pm

For initial first two weeks in January 2015 -
P2 (2007 born) will be P1 (2008 born) buddies : guide P1s how to buy food & drinks from canteen, how to count $, teach P1s to check if the change given back to them is correct, guide & lead P1s to carry a bowl of noodles back to the canteen table to eat, be Their guidance if P1s have any questions to ask.

For initial first 3 days in January 2015 -
P1 parents can only stand at one corner inside the canteen, observe their daughters come down for recess time, class by class.
P1s will sit at canteen table, class by class, in an orderly manner.
No running around, inside canteen.
Form Tr and co-form Tr will bring them down for recess time, to their respective canteen table designated, accompanied by their P2 buddies chirpily, holding P1s hands together as they walked in twos into the canteen.

P1 parents not allowed to intervene, help their dd buy food.
They can only stand at a corner, to observe their own dd.
P2 buddies will do this job well, on behalf of P1 parents.
Principal and Form Tr will brief P2s what they are supposed to do, to help the P1s ease in.
P1s supposed to learn independence, from day 1 Term 1 when step into Rgps.
P1 parents : not to worry.
P2s will be an excellent buddy, to your dd.
Our P2s are mature in helping P1s, inspite of their young age.

[phtthp]

okie:

Does anyone have rgps balloting statistics before 2013 and 2012?

got ! over here (from 2006 to 2013)
http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/content/bukit-timah

from the Percentage figures : just convert back into numbers, for each year (from 2006 to 2013 last year):
you'll know how many got into Phase 1, 2A1, 2A2, 2B, 2C.

okie:

Wondering is this year's 102 vacancies in phase 2c an anomaly, never happen before?

this year (2014) is an exceptional, abnormal year.
past years not like this. never happen before.
in the past, usually not many seats left at 2C.

this year, under Phase 1 : not many siblings born in the year of the Rat (only 69)

under 2A1 (alumni) : 41 (a handful, but not many)

under 2A2 (ex students) : 38, a big drop from past years, normally around sixties 2A2 or more.

under 2B (PV / GRL) : Total 21 enrolled : comprise 20 PV, 1 GRL from Moulmein-Kallang GRC.

past years used to see a lot of PV, sometimes more than 40+ PV.
now no more.

okie:

Just wondering would it be possible that places will not be fully taken up during phase 2c and goes into phase 2cs?

Maybe unlikely .... bcos rgps is a well known good school, so many >2km may want to place their bet in phase 2c n try their luck...

if still have vacancies left : SC > 2 km, will seize them.

if no more SC > 2 km want them, PRs will snap them up.

SC > 2 km , stay alert

due to many vacancies left at Phase 2C (102 left ) -
some staying within 1 km or within 2 km from Rgps : may treat her like a backup school.
(although there are yet others within 1 km : who may regard Rgps as a 1st choice school)

for some parents : Rgps was never their first choice school.
Their first choice school in their heart, soul & mind, is an affliated primary school : (Nanyang, SCGS, MGS)
These parents prefer an affliated school.

if they stay within 1 km from (Nanyang, SCGS, MGS) -
chances are : they are also staying within 2 km, from Rgps.
some parents (bolder ones) are mentally prepared to ballot, in one of these 3 affliated schools.
but some dare not, may back out to avoid balloting, last minute.

Some just go there on Friday (last day): look see look see, find out how is the response / condition like over there in these 3 schools, and if the balloting ratio is high (very risky), they may trot back last one hour (3.30 pm to 4.30 pm).

in their mind, they are fully aware that with 101 vacancies left :
Rgps is a sure, confirmed place, esp. those staying in condo less than 1 km from (Nanyang + Rgps), concurrently.
Same goes for (SCGS + MGS) targeting parents < 1 km, but within 2 km from Rgps.

Ironically, it is those SC > 2 km, who regard Rgps, as their first choice school.

SC > 2km : have your emergency backup plan, all ready.
if > 2 km really no chance to ballot during last 45 minutes : execute backup plan, immediately.
By hook or by crook, make sure you enrol your daughter, into a Phase 2C school, successfully.
Don't get cornered, stay alert.

[xuanting]

thanks for the info, wyx and phtthp!


what’s the workload (homework) for p1 like? do they have weekly spelling and tingxie and how many words/sentences are these like? my friends keep telling me that rgps is academically very rigorous and i should be prepared to send my child for all kinds of enrichment if i decide to try to send her there.

[justmummy90]

thanks for the info, wyx and phtthp!


what's the workload (homework) for p1 like? do they have weekly spelling and tingxie and how many words/sentences are these like? my friends keep telling me that rgps is academically very rigorous and i should be prepared to send my child for all kinds of enrichment if i decide to try to send her there.

I personally feel that our girls at P1 and P2 girls have very, very little homework or none. Frankly, my friends' kids in neighborhood schools had much more homework than my girl in P1 and their spelling list or ting xie were tougher Last year, my P1 girl hardly had homework. Every Math chapter, there is only one set of supplementary worksheets.