Singapore Chinese Girls School (Secondary)

[calvinchua]

Dear Parents,

My DD got an invitation to take written exam for DSA-Mother tongue stream. Any idea what to expect in the exam?

[Rhino]

Hi Parents,

My DD is currently in Sec 2 OL and I am trying to understand what to expect for Sec 3 ( reg Sec 3 combination subjects and overall gearing up to o’levels)

1) she is not taking HCL, I am wondering if she can take HCL in Sec 3? If she doesn’t, what is the impact for her o’levels?
2) Sec 3 subject combination is subject to preference or any school criteria?
3) Based on her combination, does it mean she will be part of a new class, with a new form teacher? Not her usual Sec 1 &2 classmates?
4) What is the third language criteria for Sec3? If you have not taken any in Sec 1 or 2

There are some good info on this but mostly for the IP track, so appreciate any advice on OP track. Thanks

[phtthp]

Rhino\" post_id=\"2078191\" time=\"1660356242\" user_id=\"188343:

Hi Parents,

My DD is currently in Sec 2 OL and I am trying to understand what to expect for Sec 3 ( reg Sec 3 combination subjects and overall gearing up to o’levels)

1) she is not taking HCL, I am wondering if she can take HCL in Sec 3? If she doesn’t, what is the impact for her o’levels?

2) Sec 3 subject combination is subject to preference or any school criteria?

3) Based on her combination, does it mean she will be part of a new class, with a new form teacher?

Not her usual Sec 1 &2 classmates?

1) school SCGS give chance to Sec 1 students at year end, to start HCL (Higher Chinese) in beginning January (Sec 2), if below conditions or criteria, are met :-

a) Sec 1 OP students did well in pu-hua (Standard Chinese), at end of Sec 1

And

b) Sec 1 OP students also did well overall, in other core Sec 1 subjects, too.

So, the question is -
Why didn't you approach SCGS Chinese HOD last year (2021 October), when your daughter was still in Sec 1, back then ?

If you are still worried, you still can ask your Chinese HOD now : anyway, to let your daughter join Sec 2 HCL class ?

OP : O-level program (track)

Bear in mind,
all Sec 3 HCL students take pu-hua Chinese Oral in July, so you can't possibly be starting HCL come Sec 3, too late. Therefore, if u seriously keen, should have a word with SCGS Chinese HOD now. Just give her a call, to check.

2) Sec 3 subject combination is allocated, based on your few personal choices submitted and also SCGS school also has her own criteria.

Didn't you attend Sec 2 parents briefing , at the beginning of this year (2022) ? School VP would have updated all Sec 2 parents what to expect, concerning Sec 3 subject combination, by the timeline given in each Term.

Check your parents gateway for info and also pose qns inside your Sec 2 parents chat group, because all these are FAQ questions discussed and I believe not just you alone, but other parents inside your Sec 2 same classroom, are also equally concerned with choosing Sec 3 subject combination. So, u do have a common concern, out there.

Of course, when students move up to Sec 3, they are already going by different subject combination, obviously, is a new 2023 Sec 3 class. All Sec 3 (school Teachers + classmates), will change.

Also, if u want to know what criteria to be admitted in for Sec 3, u can always approach, talk to either your Sec 2 current Year head, if not, talk to your VP (Academic).

Example

One ready question, to ask (clarify) is,

If your girl is eyeing Sec 3 \"Triple Science\" next year, can ask the VP (Academic) questions below, like -

1)
For her overall Sec 2 Science this year, must she score (A1 or A2), then can enter Triple Science class ?

Or

2) To enter into Sec 3 Triple Science class, must she score A1 (for both Maths and Science) ?

What if, she scored A2, for both (Maths and Science) ? Still can enter ?


Sorry,
based on your qns posed, u dont sound convincing at all that,
your daughter is indeed a current Sec 2 student, studying inside SCGS. You sounded more like an outsider,
trying to extract info, about Sec 2 or Sec 3 SCGS

Or

Another possibility is, your girl is overseas studying and you trying to let her join SCGS (either IP or OP), in Sec 3.

[emoh]

Rhino\" post_id=\"2078191\" time=\"1660356242\" user_id=\"188343:

Hi Parents,
My DD is currently in Sec 2 OL and I am trying to understand what to expect for Sec 3 ( reg Sec 3 combination subjects and overall gearing up to o’levels)

1) she is not taking HCL, I am wondering if she can take HCL in Sec 3? If she doesn’t, what is the impact for her o’levels?
2) Sec 3 subject combination is subject to preference or any school criteria?
3) Based on her combination, does it mean she will be part of a new class, with a new form teacher? Not her usual Sec 1 &2 classmates?
4) What is the third language criteria for Sec3? If you have not taken any in Sec 1 or 2

There are some good info on this but mostly for the IP track, so appreciate any advice on OP track. Thanks

3) Almost all schools would have students move to different classes from Sec 2 to Sec 3 based on subject combinations

4) Don't think it would be possible to start on a 3rd Language from Sec 3 when the student did not do it in Sec 1 and Sec 2, u can always check with MOELC

[JaniceHazel]

Hi there - any parent with experience for DSA Dance to SCGS? What do they specialise in for Modern Dance and if any certification/exams are needed?

[phtthp]

In IP (SCGS), HCL is optional, not compulsory -


https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?f=48&t=101834&start=3620

[Tatum]

I have a newbie question.


Have found it difficult to understand why non-affiliated O level and IP cut offs are the same at AL8.

This would imply that a AL7 non-affiliated kid would select O levels SCGS instead of IP SCGS. Why would they do that ? Either:-
- They like SCGS Secondary, but really dislike Eunoia JC
- Because at AL7, they can attend a host of other IP programmes as well
- And given that MOE requires at least 20% non-affiliated students in O level cohort, it would imply quite a number of these students !

Not sure if its a distance consideration as well ie SCGS is in Bukit Timah, while Eunoia is in Bishan area. I see that (similarly affiliated) CHIJ St Nics IP cut off is at 7M vs 8M for O levels. Maybe its because CHIJ St Nics is quite close to Eunoia JC, hence the affiliation is "more valuable" to a CHIJ St Nics kid than to a SCGS kid.

Anyways, appreciate insight from insiders.

[phtthp]

During past years’ Tscore era -


SCGS also had the same " 252 " admission Cut off point, for both (O level and IP) track. Is been practised, before.
So, now that been switched over into new AL score from year 2021 onwards, those born in year 2009 onwards, SCGS also have the same AL Cut off point.

Is up to the girls, which curriculum they feel, is a better fit for them. Not everyone likes IP, nor is IP suitable for everyone. Parent(s), don’t always push your kid, into IP. For some, the O level curriculum actually benefit them more, better !
Moreover, at the end of Secondary 2, two years later, at aged 14 years old, if the girls themselves really feel very strongly or desire to switch over into IP, this opportunity is always opened for them to explore, to consider. Two years later, the girls are older, more mature, know which track they themselves really want (prefer), compared to 12 year old back then that time when more often than not, is the parents who decide for them at P6 (PSLE).

Some girls much prefer O level track, because 4 years later, they can have the flexible option(s) to

1) change to another Junior College (not fixated to Eunoia JC)

or

2) can go to join some other IB institution,
in year 5 and 6 (eg. ACSI or SJI)

or

3) can go to a Polytechnic, to study in some specialized Diploma

Eg.
Diploma in Bio-medical Science

or

4) can go to a " bridging " overseas University in (USA, Canada, UK, Scotland, Australia, Europe, China), to prepare for the actual University course.


See!
There are so many path(s) wide open, available for the girls to walk upon , if they opt for O-level,
instead of being narrowly restricted, "confined to" one and only one IP- Eunoia Junior College !

=============================

By the way,
school fees costs the same, at $300+ per month in Independent school (SCGS), regardless of whether study (O level or IP) track.

In contrast,
if study at St Nick,
school fees costs approximately $30, per month.

[Tatum]

Thank you for the insightful post, as always !

[Tatum]

Kudos to phtthp for a great post above.


That said, I did some digging (out of curiousity) and it appears that SCGS IP / O levels is the only one that exhibits this dynamic.

The most obvious comps, St Nics and Catholic High have 1 point gap at 7M/8M and 8M/9M respectively. Others ACSI 7/9, Cedar 8/9, MGS 6/8, SJI 8/10, Victoria 8/9.

Interesting relativities !