Choosing and Evaluating Primary Schools
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Thank u, that’s very useful to know.
While we are on the topic of the disparity in what is taught/expected in each school, at P1 level: CHIJ Kellock Convent is already training/expecting the kids in picture compositions of 3-5 sentences. ACSJ kids are only required to write 1 sentence with 3 guiding adjectives to choose from.
For Chinese, St Nicholas (SAP school) has SA1 written exams, ACSJ only simple oral & listening bite-sized assessments and their fortnightly Tingxie written Hanzi only 5 out of 8 MOE syllabus words are tested. Hanyu pinyin just circle the correct one out of 3 choices. Learning Lab teaches to HCL standard and tingxie is 5 weeks ahead of MOE syllabus.
Some schools teach very little (and brief very little), then set very difficult papers for the exams. Other schools teach according to the syllabus, then set very easy papers. Some schools provide remedial lessons for P1s if they can’t cope, other schools simply tell the parents to pay for external tuition.
And lest anybody has the misconception that neighborhood schools are "easy" academically, many of them have the traditional CAs and SAs. Queenstown Primary, Bukit Timah Primary, Kong Hwa. Now I finally understand why those tuition centres that drill kids in English & Chinese composition are so popular with worried parents! -
phtthp:
Agree with zac's mum, bravo phtthp :goodpost:1)some schools are very secretive over the level cohort academic performance... An example of this secretive school is Raffles Girls primary...In contrast, other schools are very open, about cohort level performance. Form Tr will simply place the level (cohort) performance, inside students' SA1/ SA2 report card...An example of an open school is CHIJ primary.
2)some primary schools do not return SA1 / SA2 English composition nor zuowen scripts... An example of such school is St Anthony Canossian primary. (Bedok)... In contrast, other schools are very open, about returning the child's Eng compo/zuowen scripts to parents, to keep at home. An example is Chij St Nicholas primary.
3) Some schools tend to emphasise teach more Zuowen, than Eng composition... An example of such school is Maha Bodhi primary, at lower primary (P1 to p3)
4) some primary schools conduct P4 (CA1, SA1, CA2, SA2)...One example of such a school, at 2017 P4 : is St Anthony Cannosian primary (Bedok)...In contrast, other schools get stressed twice per year : they have P4 (SA1 and SA2), but no CA, whatsoever. CHIJ St Nicholas primary, is one example... -
zac's mum:
:goodpost:
Some parents didn't know of the academic stress until the child got into the school. Some parents erroneously thought the spelling & tingxie and tests would matter but the school emphasized more on character development & behaviour in class. Some were shocked at the heavy amount of homework daily. Some were equally shocked at the lack of homework given.
Perhaps, these are the things parents want to know? It would be good if there is such discussion in the forum.
first timer parents who register their kids would need to find out all these details before registration and not register because it is popular. this is very crucial because it will affect their kids for the next 6 years.
you know your child best, so decide properly or you will be sucked into the academic stress. -
zac's mum:
Just to add, so far P1 & P2 students in ACSJ do not have many homeworks. Tuition is not necessary either as the test are based on what they teach in class. As someone else had pointed out, Chinese here is relatively easy compared to some neighborhood schools.Thank u, that's very useful to know.
While we are on the topic of the disparity in what is taught/expected in each school, at P1 level: CHIJ Kellock Convent is already training/expecting the kids in picture compositions of 3-5 sentences. ACSJ kids are only required to write 1 sentence with 3 guiding adjectives to choose from.
For Chinese, St Nicholas (SAP school) has SA1 written exams, ACSJ only simple oral & listening bite-sized assessments and their fortnightly Tingxie written Hanzi only 5 out of 8 MOE syllabus words are tested. Hanyu pinyin just circle the correct one out of 3 choices. Learning Lab teaches to HCL standard and tingxie is 5 weeks ahead of MOE syllabus.
Some schools teach very little (and brief very little), then set very difficult papers for the exams. Other schools teach according to the syllabus, then set very easy papers. Some schools provide remedial lessons for P1s if they can't cope, other schools simply tell the parents to pay for external tuition.
And lest anybody has the misconception that neighborhood schools are \"easy\" academically, many of them have the traditional CAs and SAs. Queenstown Primary, Bukit Timah Primary, Kong Hwa. Now I finally understand why those tuition centres that drill kids in English & Chinese composition are so popular with worried parents! -
Thanks a lot for these valuable pointers, zac's mum, phtthp
:goodpost:
As first timers, we had no clue about all these things. Now have to scout around for info on these points to decide btw De la salle and Yew tee primary!
:xedfingers:
Any other info also appreciated! -
Hi all mummies/daddies
New in this forum so need advise from all of u out there. Am considering enrolling my girl in either of the following schools and am hoping if any parents can provide some feedback on the schools n their culture, whether is it more academically inclined or more well rounded (ie: academic n character building)
(1) Saint Anthony’s Canossian Primary
(2) Radin Mas Primary
(3) Temasek Primary
(4) Canossa Convent Primary
(5) St Hilda’s Primary
My only concern bout the convent sch is cos I have a boy n girl, which means I will have to go thru balloting for my boy if my girl gets into the convent sch. -
Lene05:
1. All schools will tell you that they provide a well rounded education; andHi all mummies/daddies
New in this forum so need advise from all of u out there. Am considering enrolling my girl in either of the following schools and am hoping if any parents can provide some feedback on the schools n their culture, whether is it more academically inclined or more well rounded (ie: academic n character building)
(1) Saint Anthony's Canossian Primary
(2) Radin Mas Primary
(3) Temasek Primary
(4) Canossa Convent Primary
(5) St Hilda's Primary
My only concern bout the convent sch is cos I have a boy n girl, which means I will have to go thru balloting for my boy if my girl gets into the convent sch.
2. One man's meat is another man's poison; and
3. Such is the nature of selective internet discussion about schools, you won't be hearing anyone bashing any schools, even if it's the worst of the lot.
In conclusion, better to visit the school and see it for yourself.
P/S: you have listed schools all over the island (well, except the north, which you may want to add, so as to complete the circle). Some of them are unrealistic choices if you don't live within 1km or have no affiliation. -
Lene05:
Hi I thought I posted a reply this morning but it has disappeared. Anyway I reply u again...Hi all mummies/daddies
New in this forum so need advise from all of u out there. Am considering enrolling my girl in either of the following schools and am hoping if any parents can provide some feedback on the schools n their culture, whether is it more academically inclined or more well rounded (ie: academic n character building)
(1) Saint Anthony's Canossian Primary
(2) Radin Mas Primary
(3) Temasek Primary
(4) Canossa Convent Primary
(5) St Hilda's Primary
My only concern bout the convent sch is cos I have a boy n girl, which means I will have to go thru balloting for my boy if my girl gets into the convent sch.
(1) is having an \"open house\" coming up soon, please visit and talk to the teachers to find out more: http://stanthonyscanossianpri.moe.edu.sg/p1reg2017/
What I heard is that this girls school is strong in the arts. My friend's girl who is very artistic is loving her time there. It is also a small school so it's easier for the girls to get to know & encourage each other.
(1) and (4) are Catholic schools, (4) is co-ed
(5) is the only Anglican co-ed school in Singapore, hence its popularity. I don't think u have a chance unless <1km.
(2) I heard this is an academically stressful school. What I don't like is they screen the kids (in front of their fellow classmates!) during Orientation/first week of school for basic English and Math competency. Those who cannot write their name or count to 20 are put into the Learning Support Program for remedial lessons. MOE guidelines are for all schools to do this screening sometime during the P1 year. But different schools conduct this screening using different methods and at various times. Some better schools do it discreetly, after all the emotional upheaval of settling into a new school.
(3) I haven't heard anything about this school. -
zac's mum:
May I confirm this is indeed the school that you heard of? When did you hear of this?
...Lene05:
...
(2) Radin Mas Primary
...
(2) I heard this is an academically stressful school. What I don't like is they screen the kids (in front of their fellow classmates!) during Orientation/first week of school for basic English and Math competency. Those who cannot write their name or count to 20 are put into the Learning Support Program for remedial lessons. MOE guidelines are for all schools to do this screening sometime during the P1 year. But different schools conduct this screening using different methods and at various times. Some better schools do it discreetly, after all the emotional upheaval of settling into a new school. .. -
SAP schools and even some non-SAP schools are more academically inclined. So in deciding on a primary school for the child, the parent would have to know if the child is willing to be pushed and whether the parents have the time to coach. Frankly speaking, the more popular the school is, the more parents have to be involved.
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