Choosing and Evaluating Primary Schools

[Yuki Chua]

Hi mums, I would like to know academic feedback/review for Wellington Primary School and Endeavour Primary School.


I am aware that Canberra primary shcool might be best among 3, but it’s competitive.

Searched the latest (2020) primary school ranking, not sure why Wellington primary school ranking had improved(so much) from 177(Y2019) to 76(Y2020). We are still confusing which one better. Unfortunately, there is no open house for us to visit the shcool now.

[mummyvolk]

zac's mum\" post_id=\"2027614\" time=\"1624175909\" user_id=\"53606:[quote=\"zac's mum\" post_id=2027614 time=1624175909 user_id=53606]

mummyvolk\" post_id=\"2027610\" time=\"1624172525\" user_id=\"192657:

Read up more here: https://www.99.co/singapore/insider/tenancy-agreement-breaking-lease/

Make sure all your desired special clauses are written into the Tenancy Agreement after negotiation with the landlord.

For private property, the usual lease is 1 year. If 2 years, landlord may give you discount. Many parents I know signed 3-year lease (since they wanted to move in few months earlier, before P1 registration started). This sweetens the deal for the landlord since they don’t need to look for new tenant for 3 whole years. Some willing to give good rental price due to this, depending on the market conditions.

Standard is 1-month notice, either side. But check carefully as most online templates don’t have this. If u want even shorter notice period, maybe u can be upfront during the negotiation phase. If the property is <1km of good school, usually the landlord has dealt with plenty of parents intending to join the ballot. He may understand the need to terminate if balloting fails. Or he may not. If he has a potential non-parent wanting to rent for 2-years straight confirmed, he may pick them instead. It’s a risk unless u speak out to test the waters.

Thanks zac mum!

Do these parents usually rent a room with lowest rental price first? And later on if ballot successfully than they look for a bigger accommodation? Because if rent start in July, at least 3 months rental will be wasted as unlikely to move in until results are out, or move in Nov-Dec.
move in there

[zac's mum]

Hi mummyvolk,


MOE rules say that you have to be physically living at the address that you use for P1 registration.

Therefore u cannot wait till after registration is successful then move in.

And it’s not advisable to rent just a room. Does that mean just the child and one parent live there? What happens if the other non-related tenants also use the same address for P1 registration? MOE will probably come and spot check, why are 2 separate families using the same address for P1 registration?

U can choose to rent a studio unit (if your family size is 3 pax). Or rent a 2BR unit. Those are more affordable. Or smaller budget can pick a 3-room HDB flat (but HDB flats more commonly have max 1-2 years tenancy agreement).

[mummyvolk]

hmm, but moving in earlier will mean that we are moving away from our two kids schooling, so we need to send them to and fro from their current kindergarten and child care when we in during that uncertain period. How do you cope during all these uncertainty period?

[zac's mum]

mummyvolk\" post_id=\"2028177\" time=\"1624757522\" user_id=\"192657:

hmm, but moving in earlier will mean that we are moving away from our two kids schooling, so we need to send them to and fro from their current kindergarten and child care when we in during that uncertain period. How do you cope during all these uncertainty period?

U can choose to find another kindergarten nearer the primary school. The advantage is your child will make new friends, who are potentially future P1 schoolmates.

If you choose to stick with the old kindergarten, then you have to settle the transport. Some parents choose to make the drive for the ~6 month period till K2 graduation.

I guess you have to weigh how important it is to you, to get your kids into that primary school. It affects the whole family, so discuss thoroughly with your spouse.

[mummyvolk]

wow OMG it really takes a lot of planning, organising and coordination for the change! Did anyone went through that? Please share your experience!

[Touch_me_not]

mummyvolk\" post_id=\"2028180\" time=\"1624759034\" user_id=\"192657:

wow OMG it really takes a lot of planning, organising and coordination for the change! Did anyone went through that? Please share your experience!

Yes mummyvolk tonnes of planning involved. Currently, I am in a quite but not exactly similar situation as yours. But when the time comes, I will most likely bite the bullet, tahan the logistic and finish off the last 6 mths preschool journey without moving school.

[mummyvolk]

Touch_me_not\" post_id=\"2028185\" time=\"1624761449\" user_id=\"187786:

mummyvolk\" post_id=\"2028180\" time=\"1624759034\" user_id=\"192657:

wow OMG it really takes a lot of planning, organising and coordination for the change! Did anyone went through that? Please share your experience!

Yes mummyvolk tonnes of planning involved. Currently, I am in a quite but not exactly similar situation as yours. But when the time comes, I will most likely bite the bullet, tahan the logistic and finish off the last 6 mths preschool journey without moving school.

Can share with me what are your plans? Is the new location far like more than 5 MRT stops away (as a gauge)? You are renting a studio one room apartment first, then rent out your current house later? And also consider moving again to a bigger place if balloting is successful? Any family help? Your spouse is in it all the way with you?

[Touch_me_not]

Hi mummyvolk,


My hubby has left the entire planning to me and he'll just support us (within reason). The primary school we have in mind is about 7-8 MRT stops away from current preschool. As there is no guarantee to get in, plan is to rent a new place that allows break lease policy, but will not rent out current place and leaving it empty first, so we could have more flexibility if things were to fail.

By one room studio, you mean a whole apt to yourself? Or rent one room inside a 2/3/4 bedroom condo? If the former, I believe not all areas near schools happen to have studio for rent, so if you go that route, need to do early research. If the latter, then I feel is quite risky and not worth. How far along in planning and how firm are you in your school choice now?

mummyvolk\" post_id=\"2028192\" time=\"1624764313\" user_id=\"192657:

Touch_me_not\" post_id=\"2028185\" time=\"1624761449\" user_id=\"187786:

[quote=mummyvolk post_id=2028180 time=1624759034 user_id=192657]wow OMG it really takes a lot of planning, organising and coordination for the change! Did anyone went through that? Please share your experience!

Yes mummyvolk tonnes of planning involved. Currently, I am in a quite but not exactly similar situation as yours. But when the time comes, I will most likely bite the bullet, tahan the logistic and finish off the last 6 mths preschool journey without moving school.

Can share with me what are your plans? Is the new location far like more than 5 MRT stops away (as a gauge)? You are renting a studio one room apartment first, then rent out your current house later? And also consider moving again to a bigger place if balloting is successful? Any family help? Your spouse is in it all the way with you?[/quote]

[floppy]

mummyvolk\" post_id=\"2028180\" time=\"1624759034\" user_id=\"192657:

wow OMG it really takes a lot of planning, organising and coordination for the change! Did anyone went through that? Please share your experience!

This is a high-risk ‘game’ and frankly speaking, not for the faint hearted.

IMHO Renting / shifting house for a chance to ballot, especially for Phase 2C, is unwise. The cost and time involved can be extremely high, and in many cases, it’s a all-or-nothing shot. The worst case scenario is after all that effort to get into the school, you realize that the most suitable school could just be next to your old place.