2010 DSA(Direct School Admission)

[mummyjoyce]

ningy:

thanks, Mathsparks. Just had the meet the Parents session with my dd1's form teacher. when I asked her if she can prepare a testimonial if the DSA school requested for it; she went \"hahaha ! why go thru DSA if ur daughter can do well in PSLE then she can get into any school she wants...... testimonial is just a standard pc of thing that is not useful at all !\" I was quite upset that she's not supportive at all and left after 5 mins 'cos her next comment was : \"I have no issues/complaints abt ur daughter and I believe u have nothing to ask me.\" :x

Actually dont need testimonial if you have already so many certs (of cos much be good result) to show. There are std forms to fill during DSA from schools and I feel that the Personal Statement is more impt to show the strength and passion of the child.

[ningy]

mummyjoyce, thanks for the listening ear and advice. guess better "skip" her testimonial if the teacher is not too willing to write. anyway will only be trying for 1 or 2 schools. just see how it goes. hopefully my dd1 can do well in this yr’s maths olympiad - in april.

[mummyjoyce]

ningy:

mummyjoyce, thanks for the listening ear and advice. guess better \"skip\" her testimonial if the teacher is not too willing to write. anyway will only be trying for 1 or 2 schools. just see how it goes. hopefully my dd1 can do well in this yr's maths olympiad - in april.

Sharing my experience of last year. My DD got into a school via DSA(average result but via CCA); but her PSLE result was so good and I was stressed for a month trying to appeal to better schools - it was really a stressful and frustration Dec last year and taking loads of time running from school to school - didnt even enjoy my yearend holiday at all! Thanks goodness my appeal was successful.
So you should only try the top schools (only 1or2 anyway).

[ningy]

Mummyjoyce, glad ur DD did well in her PSLE !! :celebrate:

that's the thing with DSA, if we apply to 2 schools and one of them accepted her(not the first choice); then we'll also have headache.

[phankao]

ningy:

thanks, Mathsparks. Just had the meet the Parents session with my dd1's form teacher. when I asked her if she can prepare a testimonial if the DSA school requested for it; she went \"hahaha ! why go thru DSA if ur daughter can do well in PSLE then she can get into any school she wants...... testimonial is just a standard pc of thing that is not useful at all !\" I was quite upset that she's not supportive at all and left after 5 mins 'cos her next comment was : \"I have no issues/complaints abt ur daughter and I believe u have nothing to ask me.\" :x

It could be useful but not essential. But I suppose the testimonial has to be different from the usual and sound sincere as well. One of my ds' teacher wrote him a v genuine testimonial last year (not his form teacher). His CCA instructor also wrote a testimonial. My ds did not use CCA for his DSA though.

[verykiasu2010]

ningy:

thanks, Mathsparks. Just had the meet the Parents session with my dd1's form teacher. when I asked her if she can prepare a testimonial if the DSA school requested for it; she went \"hahaha ! why go thru DSA if ur daughter can do well in PSLE then she can get into any school she wants...... testimonial is just a standard pc of thing that is not useful at all !\" I was quite upset that she's not supportive at all and left after 5 mins 'cos her next comment was : \"I have no issues/complaints abt ur daughter and I believe u have nothing to ask me.\" :x

what school is that ??

[turquoise]

ningy:

thanks, Mathsparks. Just had the meet the Parents session with my dd1's form teacher. when I asked her if she can prepare a testimonial if the DSA school requested for it; she went \"hahaha ! why go thru DSA if ur daughter can do well in PSLE then she can get into any school she wants...... testimonial is just a standard pc of thing that is not useful at all !\" I was quite upset that she's not supportive at all and left after 5 mins 'cos her next comment was : \"I have no issues/complaints abt ur daughter and I believe u have nothing to ask me.\" :x

Hi ningy, I can understand your frustration with the form teacher. However, testimonials aren't absolutely necessary for DSA applicaton and some primary schools actually have a blanket rule that no testimonials will be given. So you dd won't really be at a disadvantage.

[verykiasu2010]

and some schools are so proactive that by Feb, forms are distributed to collect info on pupils achievements for the purpose of DSA testimonial.

[phankao]

verykiasu2010:

and some schools are so proactive that by Feb, forms are distributed to collect info on pupils achievements for the purpose of DSA testimonial.

Don't they have info on their own students? Our kids' schools send a form to collect/confirm info at the end of every year, so it'd appear in the report book. Any events they participated in or had awards/achievements while representing the school would show in their report book as such.

Our kids' schools do not practise giving testimonials for p6s.

[verykiasu2010]

phankao:

verykiasu2010:

and some schools are so proactive that by Feb, forms are distributed to collect info on pupils achievements for the purpose of DSA testimonial.

Don't they have info on their own students? Our kids' schools send a form to collect/confirm info at the end of every year, so it'd appear in the report book. Any events they participated in or had awards/achievements while representing the school would show in their report book as such.

Our kids' schools do not practise giving testimonials for p6s.

the schools does every year but there are still some miss-outs. I had to spend a week matching those certs & trophies with what is recorded in the report books, and of course there are those CIP matters that we parents are not aware of but is in the report books. Thank goodness I scan a copy at the end of each term before returning it to school. things like NSW, ABRSM, and math olympiad are not recorded in the report book - yet

surprised that some schools don't give out testimonial