PCF/PAP Kindergartens

[tamarind]

kaitlynangelica,

I have been \"studying\" P1 assessment papers from the top primary schools. My conclusion is that english reading skills is most important, not only for english, but also for maths. For the maths paper, the child only need to know the basics of counting, addition, subtraction, but he/she needs to read very well in order to understand the question.

So I think most important is enrichment for english and chinese. I will have to sacrifice other classes like music because I cannot afford it

I just paid the fees for both my kids Chinese enrichment at Berries, cost me total about $750 for 2 kids for one term ! Sian... but no choice for the sake of their education.

[kaitlynangelica]

Hi Tamarind,


My gals fees at Faith Montessori already cost me $575 for just half a day. But I am okay to pay because it blends both Montessori style as well as the MOE curriculum and I have to say that she has improved a lot. Mathematics and langueage is woven into the montessori learning. But everday, they have 1 hour of English Worksheets and 1 hours of Chinese. I tot that was sufficient already. But I wanted to speed up her reading so I sent her for additional phonics at CS ontessori and that cost another $140. Altogether in a month, I spend $715 on her. Really sian with all the rising costs.

How much do each of your kids cost you a month for just their education alone?

[tamarind]

kaitlynangelica,

My girl's K1 school fees is about $220+, my boy N2 about $160, total about $380 a month. I am already feeling tight financially

[kaitlynangelica]

I feel super-tight too. Thats why have to work. At least you can be a SAHM.

[tamarind]

I am also working full time ! Don’t have the luxury to be an SAHM.

[kaitlynangelica]

OIC…then how come you have time to blog and teach your kids?

[tamarind]

I spend a few hours with my kids every day after work and also during the weekends. I have a maid and my mother lives with me, so I don't have to worry about housework.

[kaitlynangelica]

Honestly, I didn’t know that PCF had such a good standard. Almost everyone I have spoken to has given negative feedback on it. My husband has friends who only sent the kids there and when they reached primary one, couldn’t read at all!


Had I know that there was such a good centre,I would have sent my kid there. Instead of spending more than twice what you are paying now. I am sure that a lot of parents will agree.

The whole idea why we send the kids to expensive schools like Pat’s Schoolhouse and Lorna Whiston is because we think that they do a much better job preparing the kids for p1.

[lovebearsallthings]

Actually my husband feels that PCF Kindergartens are all right. He always says that in our days, we all come from PAP kindergartens, what is the big deal? Haha. We also toyed with the idea of sending my boy to PCF Kindergarten, and then supplementing with enrichment classes like Speech and drama and art class etc. But we decided that our working hours even in weekends are too unpredictible, so it's probably more 'convenient' to find a week-day school with the enrichment classes built inside. Having said that, I still enrolled my son in kindermusik during the weekend as he loves singing and dancing so much. I wanted to capture this window, as I am not sure how long it will last too

[kaitlynangelica]

Actually, that’s what I did last time. Sent her to church kindergarten and then supplemented with phonics ( from the school ) and then sent her to Berries on Saturday. Actually, added up, is about the same as what I spend now at Faith.


My expenses are more now simply because I wanted to speed up her reading. Once I think she is fine, will stop. I think it is sufficient.

Of course, there is swimming added on because i want her to be water-safe.

Anyway, I think if you send to PCF alone is not good enuf because I don’t they are able to prepare the child well for p1. Also, tend to pick up a log of singlish there.