Choosing and Evaluating Primary Schools

[Superstressed]

UpsydaisyApple:

galaxyraider:

[quote=\"cherrygal\"]

Not sure when your kid was born so do consider the various options.

If you are due to register this year, just apply Nan Hua first since you are a former student. If you can't get the seat, apply Kuo Chuan/Kheng Cheng at Phase 2C. Both are popular schools too.

If you still have lots of time to play with, please join the alumni association of Nan Hua, so you can be eligible for Phase 2A(1). You will need at least 1 year of membership before the P1 registration. http://nhpsalumni.org.sg/membership/

If your kid is turning 4yo this year, apply for PV at Kuo Chuan. If you choose not to go to Nan Hua due to the distance, you can apply for Kuo Chuan at Phase 2B. The seat is safe for you (<1km).

Good advice. Kuo Chuan in Phase 2C usually needs balloting, so it's better to try to do PV to go in Phase 2B. If you can't get in, then you can still go to Kheng Cheng in Phase 2C.

Thanks all for your valuable input. My child is registering this year. Distance is a concern for me but not the Mr.
Called the school bus provider and they don't have services plying to bishan. Hence, have to rely on own transport if get in to NHPS. Worried that this routine will not be sustainable in long run. Been trying to convince the Mr that KCPPS is a reasonably good school though not in the same league as NHPS.

How do ones tell whether a school is good? I base on the balloting results to infer the popularity?[/quote]I go by PSLE results, and how well the cohort does rather than the top few. And reviews from parents of current/former students are impt for the 'heart' factor.

[sembgal]

You cannot say that if you send your children to top neighbourhood schools, they are going to be top in studies. Parents support and extra tuition and enrichment will do miracles for some children as compared to some children who do not get parent support/guidance with school work or tuition/enrichment.


The children can go to the best or top schools and get the worst results if parents do not bother to teach their children or supplement with tuition. On the other hand, children in unpopular and low demand neighbourhood schools with parent support/guidance and tuition/enrichment will get excellent results. Anyway, all the children, regardless of which primary schools they go to, will ultimately take the same PSLE paper as a cohort and be measured against the rest.

[cherrygal]

UpsydaisyApple:

Thanks all for your valuable input. My child is registering this year. Distance is a concern for me but not the Mr.
Called the school bus provider and they don't have services plying to bishan. Hence, have to rely on own transport if get in to NHPS. Worried that this routine will not be sustainable in long run. Been trying to convince the Mr that KCPPS is a reasonably good school though not in the same league as NHPS.

How do ones tell whether a school is good? I base on the balloting results to infer the popularity?

Regarding distance, SG is not that huge so driving from Bishan to Clementi only takes 30 mins?
If your hubs is the one sending every morning and he is not complaining, just apply NHPS first. I know of pple living in Bukit Panjang and East Coast going to primary school in Bishan!

Anyway, with Kuo Chuan becoming so popular these years, it's best you apply Nan Hua and get a seat first. Then watch the numbers for Phase 2C at Kuo Chuan. If it's safe then you withdraw fr Nan Hua and apply at Kuo Chuan. Personally, I will send kid to Nan Hua and move nearer to Clementi.

You've been to Nan Hua yourself. Was it a good experience? If you liked it, then let your kid experience it.

[zzmummy]

Momzilla2:

hi all,

Are there any single session schools that start later in the day like 8 AM?
thank you.

yes.. tampines pri sch

[hquek]

cherrygal:

UpsydaisyApple:

Thanks all for your valuable input. My child is registering this year. Distance is a concern for me but not the Mr.
Called the school bus provider and they don't have services plying to bishan. Hence, have to rely on own transport if get in to NHPS. Worried that this routine will not be sustainable in long run. Been trying to convince the Mr that KCPPS is a reasonably good school though not in the same league as NHPS.

How do ones tell whether a school is good? I base on the balloting results to infer the popularity?

Regarding distance, SG is not that huge so driving from Bishan to Clementi only takes 30 mins?
If your hubs is the one sending every morning and he is not complaining, just apply NHPS first. I know of pple living in Bukit Panjang and East Coast going to primary school in Bishan!

Anyway, with Kuo Chuan becoming so popular these years, it's best you apply Nan Hua and get a seat first. Then watch the numbers for Phase 2C at Kuo Chuan. If it's safe then you withdraw fr Nan Hua and apply at Kuo Chuan. Personally, I will send kid to Nan Hua and move nearer to Clementi.

You've been to Nan Hua yourself. Was it a good experience? If you liked it, then let your kid experience it.

Going to school is one thing, come home le? Unless Mr is in a job that allows flexibility and he can be there at ANY time or your caregivers are mobile and has no issues picking the child up. Kids may have to start staying back after hours for cca, extra classes, etc etc.

I have ever paid for school bus service and DS only use once a week. Note that for school buses, if DS take the later service, he has to pay $2 for EACH trip (this amount not cast in stone) - notwithstanding we paying the monthly.

[Superstressed]

hquek:

cherrygal:

How do ones tell whether a school is good? I base on the balloting results to infer the popularity?

Regarding distance, SG is not that huge so driving from Bishan to Clementi only takes 30 mins?
If your hubs is the one sending every morning and he is not complaining, just apply NHPS first. I know of pple living in Bukit Panjang and East Coast going to primary school in Bishan!

Anyway, with Kuo Chuan becoming so popular these years, it's best you apply Nan Hua and get a seat first. Then watch the numbers for Phase 2C at Kuo Chuan. If it's safe then you withdraw fr Nan Hua and apply at Kuo Chuan. Personally, I will send kid to Nan Hua and move nearer to Clementi.

You've been to Nan Hua yourself. Was it a good experience? If you liked it, then let your kid experience it.

Going to school is one thing, come home le? Unless Mr is in a job that allows flexibility and he can be there at ANY time or your caregivers are mobile and has no issues picking the child up. Kids may have to start staying back after hours for cca, extra classes, etc etc.

I have ever paid for school bus service and DS only use once a week. Note that for school buses, if DS take the later service, he has to pay $2 for EACH trip (this amount not cast in stone) - notwithstanding we paying the monthly.[/quote]

And he has to do it for a min of 6 years if you have more than 1 pri sch going child.

[jetsetter]

UpsydaisyApple:

Hi

I am living in Bishan. My choice of schools are :
1) Nan Hua Primary School under 2A2 (caregivers living with 2km)
2) Kuo Chuan Presbyterian pri sch under 2c (within 1km)
3) Kheng Cheng Pri School under 2C (within 1km)

Which school should i choose?

I think many have given their 2 cts wrt your choices.

Have you checked NHPS' balloting history for the last 2 years? 2 yrs ago, I recall my gf was feeling very nervous, despite tt she was in 2A1. That was the same yr when 40 seats were taken out for 2B and 2C. NHPS being a co-ed school has more alumni members/applicants than other single-gender ones methinks.

You might wish to check last year's balloting history for 2A2, as I presume most alumni would have joined to qualify for 2A1 after the 'heart attack' (cliffhanger) 2 years ago? So 2A2 might be quite challenging, even if you live <1km from school.

[cherrygal]

Superstressed:

hquek:

Going to school is one thing, come home le? Unless Mr is in a job that allows flexibility and he can be there at ANY time or your caregivers are mobile and has no issues picking the child up. Kids may have to start staying back after hours for cca, extra classes, etc etc.

I have ever paid for school bus service and DS only use once a week. Note that for school buses, if DS take the later service, he has to pay $2 for EACH trip (this amount not cast in stone) - notwithstanding we paying the monthly.

And he has to do it for a min of 6 years if you have more than 1 pri sch going child.

Hi SS,
Do be careful when putting quotes in your earlier post. Hquek and I were both given wrong quotes.

Anyway, yes I agree with both hquek and you for the advice on distance, hence I advocated moving nearer to Clementi if NHPS was chosen. She also mentioned she has caregivers within 2km of NHPS so the going home part is settled?

Whichever school she chooses, my final advice for UpsyDaisy is to have a back up school at Phase 2C Supplementary as well.

[UpsydaisyApple]

cherrygal:

Whichever school she chooses, my final advice for UpsyDaisy is to have a back up school at Phase 2C Supplementary as well.

Thank you parents for your insightful and sound advices. The additional sch bus charges for cca day is something new to me. Cherrygal has also aptly pointed out the need for contingency plan. :thankyou:

[Superstressed]

cherrygal:

Superstressed:

[quote=\"hquek\"]
Going to school is one thing, come home le? Unless Mr is in a job that allows flexibility and he can be there at ANY time or your caregivers are mobile and has no issues picking the child up. Kids may have to start staying back after hours for cca, extra classes, etc etc.

I have ever paid for school bus service and DS only use once a week. Note that for school buses, if DS take the later service, he has to pay $2 for EACH trip (this amount not cast in stone) - notwithstanding we paying the monthly.

And he has to do it for a min of 6 years if you have more than 1 pri sch going child.

Hi SS,
Do be careful when putting quotes in your earlier post. Hquek and I were both given wrong quotes.

Anyway, yes I agree with both hquek and you for the advice on distance, hence I advocated moving nearer to Clementi if NHPS was chosen. She also mentioned she has caregivers within 2km of NHPS so the going home part is settled?

Whichever school she chooses, my final advice for UpsyDaisy is to have a back up school at Phase 2C Supplementary as well.[/quote]Oops, noted with thanks!