Affiliated Schools and their COPs

[doodbug]

lee_yl\" post_id=\"2023467\" time=\"1620629270\" user_id=\"17023:

doodbug\" post_id=\"2023442\" time=\"1620623194\" user_id=\"13281:

Yes. Plus the IB is probably and arguably, the most widely recognized pre-university qualification worldwide. Hence naturally, many (globe-trotting) parents do favour the IB.
There are a significant number of S'porean students in ACS/SJI/HC International Schools

If parents are willing to fork out that kind of money, the kids’ academic journey (and even future career path) will be rendered easier. I will think twice cos the fees are high but from examples I have seen, the money is well spent!

In the past, my impression is that the Singaporean kids in Int'l Schools are those who generally did not fare well at PSLE or not thriving in the local schools. But nowadays, I am seeing more professional parents, and senior govt pp sending their kids to int'l schools, and not always because their kids are not thriving academically, but fundamentally, they believe it is a more rounded, less narrow education system, and better exposure.

[MrsKiasu]

doodbug\" post_id=\"2023465\" time=\"1620628815\" user_id=\"13281:

I'm also always thinking of rescue and alternative plans (planning for worst case scenarios - cos anything can happen in one-shot exams like A and O levels). I think in part because my son was a special needs child with developmental delays (he was a KKH patient for some years and we were told to be prepared that he can't join P1 mainstream) so I am always mindful that local mainstream education may not work out for him (more like he may not be suited for mainstream education). For now, I am just super grateful for every additional year the kids can stay within the MOE school system as it is financially a lot easier than having to effect alternative plans.

:hugs: hope everything will be fine..when we were talking over the weekend..dd explained why she needs to listen to songs while studying. I told her cannot focus still do this..her explanation was coz she knows she will do other things so listening to songs is one thing to prevent her from that..again I was like is she really having any issue arh?? hope whatever it is they able to kinda find some control of their 'issues'..

[Dino]

doodbug\" post_id=\"2023472\" time=\"1620629532\" user_id=\"13281:

lee_yl\" post_id=\"2023467\" time=\"1620629270\" user_id=\"17023:

[quote=doodbug post_id=2023442 time=1620623194 user_id=13281]Yes. Plus the IB is probably and arguably, the most widely recognized pre-university qualification worldwide. Hence naturally, many (globe-trotting) parents do favour the IB.
There are a significant number of S'porean students in ACS/SJI/HC International Schools

If parents are willing to fork out that kind of money, the kids’ academic journey (and even future career path) will be rendered easier. I will think twice cos the fees are high but from examples I have seen, the money is well spent!

In the past, my impression is that the Singaporean kids in Int'l Schools are those who generally did not fare well at PSLE or not thriving in the local schools. But nowadays, I am seeing more professional parents, and senior govt pp sending their kids to int'l schools, and not always because their kids are not thriving academically, but fundamentally, they believe it is a more rounded, less narrow education system, and better exposure.[/quote]haha end of the day its still abt money....... if you got money many many, u are already half way there cos you got 1 less thing to worry...... :rahrah:

[Estéema]

zac's mum\" post_id=\"2023461\" time=\"1620628411\" user_id=\"53606:[quote=\"zac's mum\" post_id=2023461 time=1620628411 user_id=53606]

MrsKiasu\" post_id=\"2023453\" time=\"1620627826\" user_id=\"43981:

Is IB in local international schools same standard as say ACS(I)? Interesting to know this option..but assuming we foresee kid wont get good O results, IB in International school got chance to be able to change the kid's fate? Coz in the first place you need good psle score to go into IB...

The curriculum is probably all the same. Since the exams are regulated by the international body IB itself. When we hear about all the perfect scorers, they tend to come from only a handful of IB schools.

Some people like to say that becos ACS(I) takes in the brighter students, that’s why they can produce the brighter results. Other IB schools that have very low entry requirements, may not produce as many perfect scorers at the exit point.

Hence I dunno if it’s the school that is doing the value add, or is it the student himself/herself that has the right traits/personality for producing the excellence.[/quote]

My u’stand’g is ACSI students who are doing IB are guided by the school’s established IP/IB curriculum designed by a Kiasuparent member here, who was previously heading the IB curriculum in the school. Heard they’re in trained to be exams smart to u’stand rqmts of IB studies. IP/IB students go a lot of graded projects & in Year 3 onwards selected for projects with orgn (DSTA, NTU, NUS, Polytechnics, A*Star...) and intern fr Year 4-5. These exposures, IMO are varied & enriched applications of textbook knowledge.

Those who joined from OP in Year 5, wld hv missed the buildup rigor of the requirements Thk not impossible to pickup speed & close gaps. I’ve seen bright girls fr Crescent Girls’ Sec as well as the few scholars fr other Asean countries our family hosts done similarly well.

My PR neigbour who arrived in the year her daughter started ACS Int’l didn’t hv very good grades to barely enter in Year 1. The challenge is for students to be able to keep up grades, Owise Heard- they may not make to mark to continue. Fees are definitely way more heavy on parents’ pocket.

As for local schools offering IP/IB, students who achieved COP for eligibility for ESIS which pays for at least 80% of IB fees. Hence ESIS pays a few hundred in a year, which is manageable for most families. There’s also bursary or financial support given to students who require financial help with confidential discretion extended. No students will be left behind so long as they work hard to achieve good performance.

Over the years, I’ve seen aspiring students who had nvr been exposed to GEP curriculum joined ACSI IB/IP in Yr 2 & Yr 3 after keeping their goal in sight. We’ll be seeing ano wave in Year 5 & those fr other affiliated schools (MSG) as well as non-affiliated schools joining in for the final lap finishing off IB exams.

[Estéema]

MrsKiasu\" post_id=\"2023473\" time=\"1620629689\" user_id=\"43981:

:hugs: hope everything will be fine..when we were talking over the weekend..dd explained why she needs to listen to songs while studying. I told her cannot focus still do this..her explanation was coz she knows she will do other things so listening to songs is one thing to prevent her from that..again I was like is she really having any issue arh?? hope whatever it is they able to kinda find some control of their 'issues'..

Sounds like DS at one time. We counseled that habit is not ideal, the dependence might subconsciously affect them when they do this on the roads. 😬

[SG_KP1]

Just curious, when looking at Year 5-6, do people still prefer the IB curriculum/teaching style or is it more that you (may) have a broader range of outcomes depending on the results?


I see the different teaching and assessment style in say years 1-4, and see why this is attractive to some. But I thought the IB diploma points (Year 5-6) are still basically riding on 1 written exam? It’s not quite 100% like the A-Levels but I thought the vast majority of the score is coming from the final exam and not other classwork/projects (in contrast with the earlier years).

[floppy]

SG_KP1\" post_id=\"2023482\" time=\"1620632312\" user_id=\"188234:

Just curious, when looking at Year 5-6, do people still prefer the IB curriculum/teaching style or is it more that you (may) have a broader range of outcomes depending on the results?

I see the different teaching and assessment style in say years 1-4, and see why this is attractive to some. But I thought the IB diploma points (Year 5-6) are still basically riding on 1 written exam? It's not quite 100% like the A-Levels but I thought the vast majority of the score is coming from the final exam and not other classwork/projects (in contrast with the earlier years).

Haha. I always thought the preference is because IB is marked and graded INTERNATIONALLY. Therefore, in any examination, there will be some weaker students from some unknown countries acting as cannon fodders. As a result, Singapore students tend to do well in the exam.

On the other hand, by the time one sits for the Singapore's A Level, a lot of the weaker students would have already been filtered out by the system. Hence, you are really having competent students competing against one another in a LOCAL exam. It can be difficult to outscore some of them.

[sharonkhoo]

I’d like to interject to say that I don’t think IB should be seen to be a "rescue" route. As others have said, it’s a reputable pre-University qualification, which means that it is of comparable standard with A levels. The differences are in the curriculum, style of assessment, etc., and one way may suit a child better than the other. But in general, a strong student will do well in both, and a weak student will struggle in both. Just because some of the schools in Singapore produce very good IB results, it is not likely that if all Pre-U level students in Singapore take IB instead of A levels, the same proportion of them will get those IB results.


Also note that IB requires more writing, even for science students, more project work and more consistent work because the grades are more "continual assessment" (not exactly sure what proportion, but based on the way the kids in my church work, should be significant). Not all students will do well under that kind of system, and might well get better grades taking A levels.

And for students who find JC too fast and pressurising, let me recommend MI - A levels in 3 yrs, with exams spread over 2 yrs. It was great for my daughter who would never have survived JC.

Another thought about "rescue" routes - the parents who can afford to send their kids to the international schools (local or otherwise) are also the ones who can afford to send them to overseas universities. So international school may well be less stressful because the kids know that they can always find an overseas university to take them if they can’t get into a local university.

[SG_KP1]

Dino\" post_id=\"2023469\" time=\"1620629441\" user_id=\"6726:

MrsKiasu\" post_id=\"2023457\" time=\"1620628181\" user_id=\"43981:

[quote=doodbug post_id=2023455 time=1620628049 user_id=13281]

What do you mean by same standard? The academic profile of students that local international schools admit is far more varied than ACS(I) so naturally, the IB results range is far more varied as well. However, I would say that even with 38 points, you have access to a good range of overseas universities.

Coz my thinking is since you need good score in order to go into IB in the first place..so for a kid that is average in OP, go get a U turn to IB can help ?

i think its a matter of demand and supply? becos there are just that few local schools doing IB and so many pple wants, that's why the cop sure is high?[/quote]I've always wondered how many people actually pick the curriculum vs. just picking the school (and then accept whatever curriculum they are offering)? I would think the schools that are offering IB would likely have a high COP regardless.

And I don't think the IB itself is better suited to any particular scoring range. It just happens that only the better scoring students can qualify directly after PSLE. I think that is part of the question (hope) as to whether a broader range of schools can offer IB (although I always assumed the answer given above was the reason why we don't see other options).

[sharonkhoo]

SG_KP1\" post_id=\"2023486\" time=\"1620633027\" user_id=\"188234:

I've always wondered how many people actually pick the curriculum vs. just picking the school (and then accept whatever curriculum they are offering)? I would think the schools that are offering IB would likely have a high COP regardless.

And I don't think the IB itself is better suited to any particular scoring range. It just happens that only the better scoring students can qualify directly after PSLE. I think that is part of the question (hope) as to whether a broader range of schools can offer IB (although I always assumed the answer given above was the reason why we don't see other options).

The blue bit refers to non-international schools, i.e. those with PSLE COP. That's partly/mainly because demand > supply. For the local international schools, at least for 1 school, they only require that the child is eligible for Express. And while they publicise their top IB scores, I don't know about the rest of the students. I would hazard a guess that not that many would make it to local universities even if they were Singaporeans, and since many probably are foreigners, they won't even be trying (because it's harder to get in if you aren't Singaporean).