St James Church Kindergarten

[JanneGoh]

Hi all parents, anyone here keen to transfer your child from session 1 to session 2? We had a slot for PN in 2018 Jan but it’s session 2 and we would like to transfer her to session 1 due to babysitter issue. Let me know if anyone keen to exchange? Many thanks!

[danishapple]

Just to share my experience as a parent.


My child is enrolled in Gilstead campus for Pre Nursery in 2017 because of the many rave reviews about this school. Personally I have quite a number of qualms about the school.

1. The class size (16 students) is too big in my opinion with only 2 teachers to handle them.

2. The food menu is the SAME every week throughout the whole year. When we feedback, the school replies that they are only a 3-hour kindergarten so the focus is not in the food nutrition part.

3. The school doesn’t have any celebration for Chinese New Year when 97% of the students are Chinese and they miss out the good learning opportunity to immerse the children in some cultural activities. When we feedback, the school replies that if they were to celebrate Chinese New Year, then they have to celebrate Hari Raya and Deepavali too.

4. The teachers did not clean my child properly and thoroughly whenever she pooed. There were a few occasions that I found out that there was still poo stain in the new diaper and on her clothes, even after I feedback.

5. The teachers often look tired and worn out for session 2. Sometimes when I want to ask them questions about my child, they seem to lack the energy and zest to answer my questions. They also seem to be rushing off to meetings or not very willing to speak more than 5 minutes. The English teacher was rude and tactless when I took some videos and photos of my child during gym play. She warned me about the surveillance cameras installed along the corridor when all she could just say was no video/photo taking is allowed. The teachers are from Harding.

6. The lack of updates to parents what the children have learnt in school. I was expecting some weekly updates so that we can follow up with our child at home but no, there isn’t any weekly update at all. Not even monthly or termly.

So my question to all other parents, what exactly is so good about this school? The only thing I can see is that the school has a very strong school culture.

[Isabella Seah]

Hi danishapple,


I’m sorry to hear about your bad experience. My daughter is also enrolled in Pre Nursery at Gilstead this year, Session 1. While I wouldn’t say the school is perfect, I have to say I am overall quite pleased with how patient and accommodating they have been in helping my daughter to settle down in school. My daughter was one of those hysterical screamers who had severe separation anxiety. She cried for a whole month before she eventually settled down, and now she looks forward to school and adores her teachers. It is proof to me that the teachers have successfully bonded with her and gained her trust.

Her class teachers have also always made themselves available whenever we called the school to speak with them, which at the beginning was very frequent (we called every other day). They were able to provide me with a relatively detailed account of how my daughter did in school, which activities she enjoyed or did not enjoy, her strengths and areas of needs etc.

I agree that the food menu is mediocre, which is why we pack our own lunchbox everyday. I see that as a small part of the overall nursery experience. The most important things to me are ensuring she has a smooth easing into school life, is in a loving and safe environment and where I know the teachers genuinely care for my child. With regards to these, the school has met/ exceeded my expectations.

[danishapple]

Hi Isabella,


Thanks for sharing your experience with me!

My child cried for one whole term, and even till the last day of school, she was still crying badly when I dropped her off. However, she was always fine, and smiling when I picked her up. Well, I guess the teachers didn't really gain her trust, and bond with her. My girl has never looked forward to school. Anyway, we had withdrawn her already.

Well, the food menu could be a small part of the whole nursery experience. But imagine the children are going to be studying there for 4 years from Pre Nursery to K2, and they will be eating the same food every week for 4 years. I also enquired another church kindergarten, which they serve different food menu for odd week, and even week in a month, and they change the food menu every term. If a smaller scale church kindergarten is able to do it, I don't see why a larger scale, and well known church kindergarten like SJCK is not able to do it.

[danishapple]

Hi Isabella,


Thanks for sharing your experience with me!

My child cried for one whole term, and even till the last day of school, she was still crying badly when I dropped her off. However, she was always fine, and smiling when I picked her up. Well, I guess the teachers didn't really gain her trust, and bond with her. My girl has never looked forward to school. Anyway, we had withdrawn her already.

Well, the food menu could be a small part of the whole nursery experience. But imagine the children are going to be studying there for 4 years from Pre Nursery to K2, and they will be eating the same food every week for 4 years. I also enquired another church kindergarten, which they serve different food menu for odd week, and even week in a month, the same food menu for morning snack and lunch (eg pumpkin porridge, rice with spinach soup & minced chicken, etc) and they change the food menu every term. If a smaller scale church kindergarten is able to do it, I don't see why a larger scale, and well known church kindergarten like SJCK is not able to do it.

Maybe because yours is in session 1 so the morning snack is not really a big issue. For session 2, they are taking a meal (lunch) in school for the day. If they don't eat or don't eat much, we have to supplement after school.

[Isabella Seah]

Hi danishapple,


I hope your girl settles down in her new school!

[Lunalune]

Hi! Is there anyone in Bishan (around Junction who wants to share a cab to and fro Harding Campus?


My son is attending in morning session and I am sending him and picking him up by taxi since the school bus does not allow the parent/caregiver to ride with the child and I don't want to let my son take the school bus on his own.

I have been using on call taxi service and it's really hard on rainy days. So just wondering if there might be a fellow mom in Bishan area who wants to share a cab to send/pick up her child to/from Harding Campus, and we'll be able to opt for a daily taxi service which is a bit more expensive but less hassle on rainy days.

Thanks!

[dolphin87]

Hi Parents,


My child is offered a place in 2018 Pre-Nursery Session 2 and I’ll like to find out if anyone will like to make a swap from Session 1. Reason being he wakes up very early in the morning (5am) and will be very sleepy during the hours in session 2. Will appreciate if you can contact me if interested. Thank you.

[MumOfClara]

Hi anyone able to share experience ? Thanks

[silverdusk]

MumOfClara:

Hi anyone able to share experience ? Thanks

I've got a K1 child attending session 1 at Harding, and I've just registered my second child for session 1 for Nursery starting term 3.
At first I was not used to not getting daily/weekly/monthly updates from teachers which we used to get from full-day childcare center before. But now we, especially my husband love this school. So far the two sets of teachers, especially the main English teachers we had last year and this year were warm and very caring, and each time we pop by which wasn't too often, they were listening to us and giving us detailed feedback about our child. Our child also seem to like the school a lot and always runs to the school bus every morning. Unlike the very modern childcare my kids attended before, the Harding campus has a rather rustic feel to it which we sort of like as well.
The only downside, especially as full-time working parents is that the hours are short, and that there are school holidays following the MoE calendar! For working parents, I suppose the better option could be session 2 followed by enrichment classes at school which means the child will be in school 11:30~4pm. Oh, there are also enough holiday enrichment class options as well to keep the kids busy during long school holidays if that's anyone's concern.