2018 PSLE Discussions & Strategies (Born in 2006)

[Tokidoki]

NervousMummy:

Can anyone please help ! My DS scored 244+2

Should we put SJI as first or Nan Hua? Which sxhool has better school culture and produce better O level results? Would appreciate if someone can advise . Thanks .

Nan Hua High achieves 100% of their cohort qualify for JC with 58% with 6 distinctions and better. See school link for more details.

https://nanhuahigh.moe.edu.sg/pride/student-achievements

[cherryc]

Hi lindatlc88,


I have just pm you . Some humble opinions

Let me know if you didn’t receive it cos I have not pm for years not sure if I did it correctly.

[valiant88]

lindatlc88:

valiant88:

[quote=\"lindatlc88\"]Cedar Girls is our first choice but she was upset and disappointed telling us the hard work she put in to PSLE to go RGS and now she cannot go . We told her about the stress etc and she says she can manage


Yes she wanted RGS but relented on NYGH after sharing with her about the Chinese culture etc..

Now we tell her we are still considering ..tough decision .

We want her to be happy for the next 6 years and not stress up

Which primary school is your girl from? My girl also considering both RGS and Cedar girls. Wondering if they know each other.

She is from a neighbourhood school[/quote]Ok guess you not comfortable to share. Mine is from Cedar primary. If you feel like sharing let me know otherwise all the best.

[cherryc]

I find it interesting that many people mentioned about hoping the kids will not be stressed up in the schools they go . At the end of the road they will all be taking A levels exam ( some IB) and it is a highly stressful exam ! More so than psle ! So opt for the school that can max out yr kids potential rather than thinking which school potentially can be stressful . If they have good friends going with them to the TOP schools all the more encourage them else they will spend the rest of their lives listen to the stories of the schools they wanted to go ( if they are still friends!)

[jtoh]

lindatlc88:

mommyNg:

[quote=\"lindatlc88\"]Dear Parents ,


Will u put NYGH as first choice If the cop for NYGH is 264 and your child t score is 264. Will the child be stressful if she goes in as she is competing with the t score students who scored 270 plus - 280 plus ? Will she be lag behind and stressful trying to catch up ?

Lastly , she has tuition to get t score of 264

I thought your dd wanted to go RGS, but your preferred choice is Cedar? Somehow you managed to convince her to try NYGH? :?

There are girls who score 250+ and did reasonably well in nygh (with a lot of hard work of course), and there are girls who score 264+ and did not do well and went to O level class. So, it really depends on your child how hard she is willing to work and how well she can manage the stress.

Yes we are not decisive which school to put her now . I think I confuse all of u too . because we worry that she cannot take the stress[/quote]Let your child decide. You are confusing her by pushing Cedar one moment and NYGH the next, when she's mentioned that she wants RGS. Just let her know the pros and cons of each school and let her decide. She is the one who has to study in the school for 6 years. As I mentioned in an earlier reply, stress is in all schools. It's how you cope with it that matters. If she's in an environment she prefers, she will be able to cope better.

[floppy]

cherryc:

I find it interesting that many people mentioned about hoping the kids will not be stressed up in the schools they go . At the end of the road they will all be taking A levels exam ( some IB) and it is a highly stressful exam ! More so than psle ! So opt for the school that can max out yr kids potential rather than thinking which school potentially can be stressful . If they have good friends going with them to the TOP schools all the more encourage them else they will spend the rest of their lives listen to the stories of the schools they wanted to go ( if they are still friends!)

TBH, I feel A Level is not really stressful. Most students (non-IP) can afford to have fun in the first year, buck up in the 2nd year, and still make it past the finish line.
That said, most of the syllabus and exam materials are built upon what you have learnt in the O Level. Hence, a strong foundation and sound fundamentals for the subjects are important (which is where pure sciences and double maths students have an advantage).
O Level, on the other hand, if you have 8 subjects or more, can be a real nightmare.
It's good that the IP route takes away some of these O Level stress / issues.

[cherryc]

It is stressful In the sense that it is bell curved like psle. And they keep increasing the difficulty and changed the syllabus or exam questions like chemistry paper last year. From what I heard some jc were better prepared than others . No prize guessing which one

[jtoh]

valiant88:

Hi all,


A question which I am not sure anyone knows. Does any student in RGS drop out because they cannot make it? If so, when will the school let them know and where can they go given that RGS does not have O level track.

I called the school and they say as far as they know there are no such cases. Sounds very good but still a little doubtful given things I have read online saying about 5% cannot make it.

Someone with insight to share would be good.

As far as I know, the school will try its best to help the students to bring them up to par. There are remedial classes for those who need it. Those who might not do well at Years 5/6 are identified early as well so they can be brought up to speed. I don't think the school has asked students to go. There might be a very small handful who choose to leave of their own accord for whatever reasons, including going overseas for studies.

[floppy]

cherryc:

It is stressful In the sense that it is bell curved like psle. And they keep increasing the difficulty and changed the syllabus or exam questions like chemistry paper last year. From what I heard some jc were better prepared than others . No prize guessing which one

Every exam is a bell curve, be it PSLE, O Level or A Level.

The problem with the A Level is that you are no longer competing among the entire cohort, where there are always weaker students (no offence) to cushion the base. Even if you are among the 'top' scorers in O Level, have to be aware that the O Level does not include the top 10~20% of the cohort in the IP (O Level somewhat eliminates both ends of the bell curve, albeit more so on the top end as NT is usually a very small group). Thus, the real position may be somewhat lower when everyone is being accounted for - a possible stress factor when he / she realises that he / she isn't as 'strong' as he / she imagines in JC.

Another problem with A Level is not so much in the difficulty or changing of syllabus (happens all the time), but having most secondary schools / students getting street-smart. They design or choose their subject combinations / options not necessarily in the pursuit of knowledge but for easy scoring. E.g. instead of offering 2 or 3 pure sciences, many picked a combined science option, or L1R5 that doesn't include all the 'real' exam subjects for A Level but with FNA, DNT, etc instead. While it may be easier to get that A1 or A2 at O Level, or a low score for O Level, that weaker foundation would be exposed in A Level - another possible stress factor. The better prepared JC also tend to have the better students with the better foundation

[doodbug]

Hmm does this mean it may be more advantageous to read the IB instead of the A levels as the curve, if any, would be an international pool (and not among the streamed Singapore kids)?