Raffles Girls' Primary

[CheLee]

Hi!


Recently a mum from another school asked whether I was aware of a selection of P2 girls to attend extra Math Classes. These girls were chosen discreetly to attend advanced Math classes. This is not the usual Learning Support Programme.

I wanted to ask whether there is such selection in school as I am not aware. What are the criteria like? How many such "discreet selections" are there?

Thank you!

[phtthp]

winnieng78:

Hi!


Recently a mum from another school asked whether I was aware of a selection of P2 girls to attend extra Math Classes. These girls were chosen discreetly to attend advanced Math classes. This is not the usual Learning Support Programme.

I wanted to ask whether there is such selection in school as I am not aware. What are the criteria like?
How many such \"discreet selections\" are there ?

Thank you!

This Maths \"enrichment\" programme has got nothing to do with the LSP (Learning Support programme).
LSP is for weak students : those who scored around border-line.

On the contrary, this programme is for those who are strong in Maths.
school will send out email to parents of selected students only, in P2 classes.

criteria ?
Subsequently, for P2 (Term 2, Term 3 & 4) :

I)
school will consider those who did well, in the regular byte-sized Term tests.

eg
those who scored High Band 1 for Maths & display good behavior, will be notified by email.
In the email, school will ask parents whether they're keen to send their daughter for this Maths enrichment Advanced programme ?
(of course, many parents would love to! Who don't want to attend, right ? it is a privilege to be selected)

Band 1 : range is quite wide, lowest start from 85 up to 100
(85, being the lowest)

if a child score 85 for Maths : is considered a low Band 1.
(no doubt 85, is still Band 1)

bear in mind that in Rgps, many students scored Band 1 for Maths, English in P1/P2

ii)
besides scored High Band 1, what else is required ?
having a high Band 1 score in Maths, is insufficient.

over and above high Band 1, the P2 class Maths Tr, will also recommend.
usually, they select pupils who display good learning behavior attitude towards Maths.
After one Term thereabout, class Maths Tr will observe & note down, who are those students in class that display good learning attitude behavior ?

for example
do your child pay attention in class, or not really, like day dream or like to chit chat type ?

your child got do her Maths corrections, properly ?

your child got submit Maths homework on time, or tend to be late in submission, or don't bother to submit (that type), forget to do homework ?

is your child cautious in their + - x working, or tend to be careless, made costly mistakes in their P2 mock tests / actual SA1, SA2 paper?

sometimes, students in class also break out into small mini-group(s), to discuss Maths problems.
around 3 to 4 pupils, per small mini-group.
Do your child show initiative in problem solving, during these little mini-group discussion ?

how is your daughter's performance in her P1 Maths ?
has she been consistent, so far ?


iii)
next question -
so, how many pupils are selected (per P2 class), to join this Maths Advanced enrichment programme ?

Per Term -
out of 30 students (per P2 class) : only 2 students, got selected per class.

since Total have Nine P2 classes, means in Total, per Term :
(2 x 9 ) = 18 pupils got selected across 9 classes, they attend this Maths enrichment programme.


the next Term : another round of 18 pupils, selected.
But, won't select the same pupil again, who had attended before.
Must give chance to other P2 students, too.


1 year ==> there are 4 Term
so, Total (18 x 4) = 72 pupils attend, out of entire Nine P2 classes
(since 30 x 9 = 270 pupils, at P2 level)


iv)
where is the venue selected, to attend this Maths enrichment programme ?

last year (2015) :
we were still at the old, temporary a bit run-down Ghim Moh / Mount Sinai premises, before school shifted back to Hillcrest, only January this year (2016).

venue held (last year), for these 18 students, per Term :
was the \"GEP Resources room\"
(Yes, there is such a room, at the old premises)

during the programme : they played fun, Maths games.
school feel that children learn more, absorb Maths concepts faster in this Advanced programme sub-consciously, during play games when they're having so much fun.

[dardar63]

winnieng78:

Hi!


Recently a mum from another school asked whether I was aware of a selection of P2 girls to attend extra Math Classes. These girls were chosen discreetly to attend advanced Math classes. This is not the usual Learning Support Programme.

I wanted to ask whether there is such selection in school as I am not aware. What are the criteria like? How many such \"discreet selections\" are there?

Thank you!

There's also a Chinese one last term. Each class only selected 1-2. Heard it was very fun. They used jay Chou songs to learn Chinese.

[babyA]

Hi

Can experienced parents share: how do we know our P1 girl is doing well (or not) at P1?
What kind of scores indicate they are 1) doing very well 2) average 3) not doing well?
Eg I think I read previously even if the child gets Band 1 but if it’s not above 95, the child is still probably only average as most girls in Rgps are strong.

[CheLee]

Thank you very much for the detail! at least now i have a better idea what this is about.

[CheLee]

may I ask one more question: so normally when will the girls be selected? for example, now that we are going into term 3, when will the selected girls be informed?

[phtthp]

winnieng78:

may I ask one more question: so normally when will the girls be selected?


for example, now that we are going into term 3, when will the selected girls be informed?

since now is June school holiday, email will be sent out to selected parents in P2 classes, sometime beginning of Term 3. This was what happened, last year.

since Two Term had already passed, Maths Tr have in mind who to invite (2 girls per P2 class), based on their observation (for past 2 Term).
The girls selected, are usually HA (High ability) in Maths.

The email content will specify from which week onwards in Term 3, school going to start this Advanced Maths enrichment programme. The lesson is held once a week only, per Term.


for parents who are keen to let their daughter join :
perhaps just drop an email to alert your Maths Tr first, just say that you're keen to let your dd join this enrichment programme, & if by any chance, hope that she be selected, given a chance to attend ?
(can just write in to ask, is ok, to prepare your daughter to be selected, come Term 4)

actually, dont understand why per class, only select 2 girls to attend ? So few ! I am sure there are many girls who scored Band 1, for Maths.

perhaps you may want to feedback -
write an email to your Maths Tr, cc Principal of Rgps keep her in the loop, ask them whether is it possible to increase the number of girls, or not ?

our school (Rgps) have so many P2 students scored Band 1, not just in Maths, but also in all 3 subjects, as well.
surely in each P2 class : one can readily find more than 8 girls, that scored Band 1, for Maths?

Since the program is enriching, it is good to benefit more than 8 girls, per P2 class ? .

[CheLee]

Thank you so much Dardar63 and phttp.


so the classes actually started in Term 1 of P2?

[phtthp]

babyA:

Hi


Can experienced parents share: how do we know our P1 girl is doing well (or not) at P1?

What kind of scores indicate they are
1) doing very well
2) average
3) not doing well ?

Eg
I think I read previously even if the child gets Band 1 but if it's not above 95, the child is still probably only average as most girls in Rgps are strong .

==============================

band 1 : 85 and above

band 2 : 70 to 84.9

band 3 : 50 to 69.9

inside your Rgps report card : notice that when the Tr report, they report up to 1 decimal point, after rounding up ?

===============================

try to find out from your class Form Tr -
what is the average mean & standard deviation (per subject), across entire P1 / P2 / P3 cohort ?

if know the average mean at cohort level, by comparing against your daughter's own score in her report card, you'll know how far she is below or how far she is above the mean of cohort (per subject).

knowing the cohort mean, shows where your daughter stand. How ?

for example
suppose here are three P2 Rgps students' score, for Maths.
X: scored 85 (in band 1)

Y : scored 70 (in band 2)

Z : scored 66 (in band 3)

suppose the P2 cohort mean for Maths subject turn out to be rather high, say A* (above 91), say at 93.
maybe Maths paper was set easy, as a result many P2 students did well, hence level mean shot up.

What does this indicate?

in this case -
even though X just scrape through band 1, but did you notice that she is still below average of P2 cohort ?
No doubt X (at 85) had done well, but as the cohort mean is higher than 85 : imply that there are many others who had done better than her.

thus, doesn't mean that if one is in band 1 : one is above average.
need to see in relation to overall performance of all students, across Nine P2 classes.
(270 pupils, classes 2A to 2I)

only when the student's score go above the level mean, then is considered ... above average


How about Y ?
Y (at 70), deviate too much from the level mean.

How about Z ?
Z (at 66), also far from the mean.

both Y and Z are ... below average.

find out, what's the cause ?
If Maths paper is difficult, then ok.
But, if Maths paper been set easy, ... hmmm.

was it because Y and Z are careless (add, subtract, multiply, divide wrongly), or din read question properly, or no time to complete answering all Section of the paper, or miss out answering certain questions or miss out certain pages ?
or was it because child was sick, on exam day ?

if just plain carelessness : can remind child to be more careful, next time.

But, if is something else knotty, eg : don't understand Mathematical concepts, need to resolve problem quickly, before the next SA paper.


don't be disappointed & sad, strive harder next Semester : try to get back into band 1 from band 2 or from band 3, try to clinche \"Good Progress\" award.


fyi, at year end (Term 4) -
Form Tr are on alert look out : see which student in the class show \"Good Progress\" made, from last year to current year, then recommend this pupil to Rgps Principal, to receive a \"Good Progress\" award. Yes, our school do encourage pupils, this way.


you may also ask your class subject Tr, following questions :

a)
what is the highest maximum score, in the entire cohort level ?
for Maths & Science :
it is possible for someone (or more than 1 pupil) inside the cohort level, to achieve perfect score.

but, for languages (English & Chinese) -
harder to achieve 100 marks : due to say, component Oral or Composition pulled down, being marked subjectively, by invigilators.
(languages : got a lot of component, to mark)


b)
within your own class, can also ask your Tr :
how many students scored Band 1, for each particular subject ?

for P1/P2 : ratio is 1 class to 30 students

for P3 to P6 (Mainstream) : ratio is 1 class to 40 students


for example

if your P2 Maths Tr, feedback that :
\"Oh you know! in your class, there are more than 15 students (ie. majority in P2 class, out of 30 students) scored Band 1 (while say, one girl in the class happen to score Band 2 or Band 3)\", that means with more than half the class size strength scoring Band 1, this girl is likely to be below the mean of her own class, for Maths.


for lower primary (P1 to P3), we use the Banding system.
but for Upper primary (P5 / P6), we start using the Grading system, for PSLE purpose.

A* 91 to 100

A 75 to 90

B 60 to 74

C 50 to 59

D 35 to 49

E 20 to 34

U Ungraded (below 20)



c)
swing in standard deviation

if your Form Tr able to provide parents the standard deviation info for 4 subjects, at cohort level -
that subject with the highest or widest deviation from the average mean (cohort) : is often the subject, where many students tend to encounter difficulty in, esp. if the swing (like a pendulum, or like stock market swing) is very huge.

that means can be extreme :
either students do very well, or do badly, in this subject.


which subject is vulnerable, to swing ?
Maths (from P3, onwards) : vulnerable


at Upper primary : Science & Chinese, vulnerable to swing

[phtthp]

GKK:

dardar63:

[quote=\"Oh My Gosh\"]P1 registration coming... parents with kids in RGPS, can you provide a overview of how you feel about your kids there?


Any regrets or re considerations if given another chance?

I think the main thing you need to consider if you still considering ... Is that there is no affiliation secondary school.

Would there be a chance that there will be a change in system, that affiliation could be set in?

What would it takes to make such changes happens?
Either from RGS or RGPS top management..?

It would be all so wonderful if such changes could be possible! [/quote]RGS Secondary is an IP school, not an \"O\" level Secondary school.

IP offer a \" through-train Integrated program curriculum all the way 6 years from Sec 1, directly up to GCE \"A\" level, bypassing major \"O\" level exam\".

once a Secondary school convert her status into an \"IP\" school : unlikely to be affliated.
They admit students for Sec 1 entry based on Merit, via PSLE T-score (until 2020), or via DSA.
2021 onwards : new PSLE Banding system, replace T-score.

notice that many other IP Secondary schools also practise the same trend as RGS , ie. no affliation ?
These IP schools ( No affliation ) are -
Dunman High,
River Valley High,

National Junior College,
Temasek Junior College,

Victoria Junior College (intake from Cedar Girls / Victoria Boys Secondary),
Eunoia Junior College (intake from SCGS / SNGS Girls / Catholic High Boys),

Raffles Institution (intake from RGS Girls / RI Boys Secondary),
Hwa Chong Institution : boys, no affliation


Other \"IB\" or \"Diploma\" ( but do not lead to \"A\" level) offering IP Secondary schools, where entry to Sec 1 is by Merit or via own in-house conducting Tests, that also do not allow affliation, include -
ACSI (intake from MGS Girls / ACSI Boys)

NUS High

conclusion ?
majority of IP schools ( except for one feeder \"All Girls\" Secondary school ) do not allow affliation, to be fair in admitting Sec 1 students, they enter based on Merit.


via PSLE T-score route :
RGS Secondary is taking in all the bright, Top girls (with high T-score above 261), from more than 100+ primary schools, throughout Singapore.
RGS management is happy with current arrangement.