Henry Park Primary

[pellias]

Hiaweh:

Does the school stream the students for P3 level? Are there high ability classes or just all mixed ability classes?

AFAIK, top 160 students are banded into top 4. Not sure if they rank and put into ABCD. I would hope they will mix top students into the top 4.

[pellias]

Electronic Chinese dictionary listed as optional item in P3 booklist.


In P4 booklist, its a mandatory item.

So, parents of current P3, P4 students. Would you recommend involving your child to rely on the electronic dictionary so early on ?

[Hiaweh]

pellias:

Hiaweh:

Does the school stream the students for P3 level? Are there high ability classes or just all mixed ability classes?

AFAIK, top 160 students are banded into top 4. Not sure if they rank and put into ABCD. I would hope they will mix top students into the top 4.

Thanks for the info. Some schools already stream them into HA and MA based on their P2 results.

[Hiaweh]

Are there any difference in the booklist for the top 4 and the next 4 classes?

[pellias]

Hiaweh:

Are there any difference in the booklist for the top 4 and the next 4 classes?

i doubt, higher chinese class selection also not firmed up yet.

btw, to confirm, P3's in 2015 will start school 1 day later right?

[Hiaweh]

pellias:

Hiaweh:

Are there any difference in the booklist for the top 4 and the next 4 classes?

i doubt, higher chinese class selection also not firmed up yet.

btw, to confirm, P3's in 2015 will start school 1 day later right?

So far, no such advise. Assume all start on 2 Jan.

[mum2k]

Anyone can advise where to get the booklist for 2015?

Do we get it online or the students supposed to have the hardcopy?
I don’t see it in my P1 kid’s schoolbag.
So wondering how to buy the books.

[Sun_2010]

pellias:

Hiaweh:

Are there any difference in the booklist for the top 4 and the next 4 classes?

i doubt, higher chinese class selection also not firmed up yet.

btw, to confirm, P3's in 2015 will start school 1 day later right?

Pls call school and check. P4 students were told school starts on 5th jan.

[DSMolly]

hi I have 2 gals, aged 6 and 2. The elder one will be entering HPPS P1 next year, and we are all excited with her progress into a new phase. I join this KSParent forum hoping to learn from everyone about primary school education and things happening in schools.


I came across a rather shocking book purchase experience recently that I hope other parents in this thread, especially parents whose children are entering P1 next year could share info with me. 2 weeks back, I went to the school to buy textbooks. In this Primary 1 textbook and stationery form given to us by Pacific Bookstore, there are 18 items listed as compulsory exercise books and stationery items (including PVC exercise bk cover, color palette, nylon brushes, sketch book oil pastels etc). I was told by the bookshop assistants that I have to purchase the entire set of items as part of the textbook orders as this is required (‘compulsory’) by the school. I was taken aback by this instruction because it came to me as hard sell of the bookshop’s own merchandise because there were many items there that we already have at home, we can just pack them in my gal’s school bag. But they insisted that I need to purchase the entire set otherwise they could not sell me the rest of the textbooks. Given no choice, I paid for everything. That 18 items totalled $68. I checked the list, the only ‘required’ items were the school exercise and jotter books, report book, name tags and subject files.

Can parents share if this has happened to you? The school management responded that this is not the case and is trying to evade my other queries.

I have also brought up a few issues here.
1) is the school is aware of the bookstore’s actions? Has the bookstore been using the school as an excuse to make profits without the school’s knowledge
2) Or has this practice been allowed by the management all along, which could suggest some sort of profit sharing?
3) items such as PVC exercise book covers, pocket refills, nylon brushes, A3 art bag, in my opinion, are good to have stationery but not essentials. There is no school mandate that all exercise books have to be wrapped or protected with covers. With regards to the art bag, i find it puzzling to insist on the same model, make and color. but fundamentally is there a significant difference for a child to use a similar sized tote bag or canvas bag to carry his or her artworks to and fro school? Or if the child’s ability to paint would be largely affected by the use of nylon or natural haired brushes or a particular brand of oil pastels and poster colours (the shop listed "Omni" brand for these 2 art materials).

sorry if this is too long for your reading, just airing some views. Thanks for sharing too.

[pellias]

DSMolly:

Can parents share if this has happened to you? The school management responded that this is not the case and is trying to evade my other queries.

Thanks for bring this up, I have the same experience when my kids joined P1 a few years back. They did not go so far as to say not sell you any books, but they pressure you to buy things that I would deem as optional. They hard-sell me composition books that were even printed years ago and totally not relevant to P1 students' current syllabus.

Eventually when my younger went P1 (and i was wiser), I bought the P1 books together with the older ones. Because they knew you are not new P1 parents, they did not bother to cross-sell/up-sell anything.