2019 P1 Registration Exercise for 2020 In-take

[Sfmq]

Destan84\" post_id=\"1912257\" time=\"1558929952\" user_id=\"177998:

Hi all..am staying in Punggol. Only within 1-2km from nan chiau( preferred sch). Wife’s primary school alumni is Hong Wen school. Not sure if should try balloting for nan chiau under the 1-2km category(which I think will be very over subscribed) or just go for Hong Wen.

Any inputs will be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!!

I would go for Hong Wen since low chance of securing a spot in Nan Chiau.

[ChiefKiasu]

Sfmq\" post_id=\"1912591\" time=\"1559119044\" user_id=\"141681:

Destan84\" post_id=\"1912257\" time=\"1558929952\" user_id=\"177998:

Hi all..am staying in Punggol. Only within 1-2km from nan chiau( preferred sch). Wife’s primary school alumni is Hong Wen school. Not sure if should try balloting for nan chiau under the 1-2km category(which I think will be very over subscribed) or just go for Hong Wen.

Any inputs will be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!!

I would go for Hong Wen since low chance of securing a spot in Nan Chiau.

Why not just register for Hong Wen in Phase 2A and monitor the demand for Nan Chiau in Phase 2C to see if it is worth betting for?

[floppy]

ChiefKiasu\" post_id=\"1912594\" time=\"1559119471\" user_id=\"3:

Why not just register for Hong Wen in Phase 2A and monitor the demand for Nan Chiau in Phase 2C to see if it is worth betting for?

NCPS for Phase 2C is definitely < 1km. Hence, let it go... let it go.

[Destan84]

Thanks all for the inputs!! Just want to ask…do u all see significant difference between Hong Wen vs Punggol green/Punggol view/Rivervale in terms of producing better academic results?

[floppy]

Destan84\" post_id=\"1912626\" time=\"1559130280\" user_id=\"177998:

Thanks all for the inputs!! Just want to ask..do u all see significant difference between Hong Wen vs Punggol green/Punggol view/Rivervale in terms of producing better academic results?

In terms of the main differences, Hong Wen is a SAP school (whereas those 3 aren't). In addition to having to start with HCL in P1, the school will have special education programme to promote the Chinese language and culture. This is taken from Hong Wen School website:
Chinese Cultural Programme (CCP) is our school’s SAP flagship programme, where different aspects of Chinese Culture are infused into Chinese Language, Physical Education, Art and Music lessons. It reflects the emphasis the school places on fulfilling its mission of nurturing students to be ‘Rooted in Chinese Culture’.

Academic result is a function of:
Environment + teacher effort + student aptitude + parent kiasu-ness
It's impossible to attribute or say which school will produce better academic results without knowing the different unknown variables

Notwithstanding, in terms of environmental factors, i.e. school's cohort / student mix, the 3 schools are fairly reflective of the citizen's population in Punggol / Sengkang (as majority of their students would be < 1km), i.e. a good mix of gender / race / economic status. Of the 3 schools, I had met PV school leaders before, nice personalities and https://punggolviewpri.moe.edu.sg/our-family/school-leaders (their previous P, Kelvin Tay, is now the P of Singapore International School in Hong Kong). I think the schools' popularity in Punggol / Sengkang is sort of an endorsement by the parents living around there (through voting with their feet).

P/S: I think MOE strategy with regard to these new schools seem to involve staffing them with high flying school leaders.

[ds13]

floppy\" post_id=\"1912575\" time=\"1559115018\" user_id=\"97579:

ds13\" post_id=\"1912571\" time=\"1559113589\" user_id=\"178079:

hi daddies and mommies, please share your thoughts below

only ds registering this year, eligible for 2B in both options below. ds is into chess which both schools have and they also provide after school care that we wanted. main difference is HPPS GEP while PCPS SAP. anyone knows which school produces better academic outcomes? still thinking hard on 2C backup plan.

option 1 - HPPS .. >2km .. acceptable low risk balloting for 2B , almost zero chance for 2C
option 2 - PCPS .. < 1km .. likely no balloting for 2B, but high risk balloting for 2C

Option 2.
Ticks all the boxes plus nearby.
Both schools will produce similar academic outcome.

thanks. would you choose differently if travel time is similar?

[floppy]

ds13\" post_id=\"1912651\" time=\"1559141477\" user_id=\"178079:

floppy\" post_id=\"1912575\" time=\"1559115018\" user_id=\"97579:

[quote=ds13 post_id=1912571 time=1559113589 user_id=178079]hi daddies and mommies, please share your thoughts below

only ds registering this year, eligible for 2B in both options below. ds is into chess which both schools have and they also provide after school care that we wanted. main difference is HPPS GEP while PCPS SAP. anyone knows which school produces better academic outcomes? still thinking hard on 2C backup plan.

option 1 - HPPS .. >2km .. acceptable low risk balloting for 2B , almost zero chance for 2C
option 2 - PCPS .. < 1km .. likely no balloting for 2B, but high risk balloting for 2C

Option 2.
Ticks all the boxes plus nearby.
Both schools will produce similar academic outcome.

thanks. would you choose differently if travel time is similar?[/quote]Hypothetical? Maybe, but most likely not.

Both schools have their pros and cons. And I would assume both schools have similar number of caring, as well as not so caring teachers. If you had ask me 3 or 4 years ago, I would probably pick HPPS as the old PCPS compound is, unfortunately, pretty run down. Thankfully, it's not something you have to worry about about as PCPS will be moving back to an upgraded compound from July 2019.

Personally, I see value in SAP more than GEP. GEP affects a small, select group of students and if you are not in it, you don't reap much benefits. Regardless of primary school your child is in, he / she will be 'screened' for GEP in P3 via a 2 stage process. Assuming your child is successful, he / she will be invited into the programme (which means you will be transferred to a GEP centre like HPPS). GEP only tests English Language and Mathematics (and General Ability at the 2nd stage).

On the other hand, SAP is a school-wide programme that will affect a larger group of students (for better or for worst). Given the challenges that most children have with CL, hopefully, by immersing them in a Chinese school, they can develop a keener interest in Chinese.

[skii]

zac's mum\" post_id=\"1912576\" time=\"1559115216\" user_id=\"53606:[quote=\"zac's mum\" post_id=1912576 time=1559115216 user_id=53606]
Word on the street is that HPPS has more caring teachers than other schools. Maybe u can ask around more...[/quote]

new P leh
the previous P was definitely very very kind (from what I heard)

If P is kind = teachers are kind = your kids also kind.
I must agree on this.

[skii]

floppy\" post_id=\"1912658\" time=\"1559151137\" user_id=\"97579:

Personally, I see value in SAP more than GEP. GEP affects a small, select group of students and if you are not in it, you don't really reap much benefits. On the other hand, SAP is a school-wide programme that will affect a larger group of students (for better or for worst). Given the challenges that most children have with CL, hopefully, by immersing them in a Chinese school, they can develop a keener interest in Chinese.

thats not exactly true as:

SAP = P1 takes higher mother tongue
non-SAP = takes higher mother tongue later if the kid is good enough

So the difference is that the kid is exposed to higher MT earlier only. However, if the kid is inherently weaker, this might be stressful to a certain extent as he is not given a chance to learn at his pace.


Next, GEP's resources like, teaching staffs, materials, curriculum, mentality, the conversation topics among kids during recess should be rubbed off each other day in day out in school. How significant that is, I don't know but I think mainstream students will benefit a little.

(Imagine you are in the same swimming school as Joseph Schooling, won't that encourage you to set your personal bar a little higher and thinking that \"If he can do it, why can't I?\")


My 2 cents only....

[skii]

ds13\" post_id=\"1912571\" time=\"1559113589\" user_id=\"178079:

hi daddies and mommies, please share your thoughts below

only ds registering this year, eligible for 2B in both options below. ds is into chess which both schools have and they also provide after school care that we wanted. main difference is HPPS GEP while PCPS SAP. anyone knows which school produces better academic outcomes? still thinking hard on 2C backup plan.

option 1 - HPPS .. >2km .. acceptable low risk balloting for 2B , almost zero chance for 2C
option 2 - PCPS .. < 1km .. likely no balloting for 2B, but high risk balloting for 2C

last year was a fluke situation whereby:
2B HPPS 19/21 (one person from 2A1 withdrew thus increasing the vacancy for 2B from 20 to 21)
thus all got in, regardless of distance.

That said, the same assumption that 2KM got chance to the ballot will be too risky for this year's registration.


My advice: (Assuming that you die die wanna try to get into HPPS)

If I were you, go to PCPS, register Day 1 morning under 2B.
Go to HPPS, check all docs during Day 1 afternoon and speak to the staff to let them know you personally.

Monitor the situation during Day 2 and see if there is any opportunity.
If no, enjoy PCPS in 2020.
If yes, then execute.