Choosing and Evaluating Primary Schools

[mellielyt]

ChiefKiasu\" post_id=\"2128417\" time=\"1706877256\" user_id=\"3:

When are you going for the P1 registration exercise? I assume it'd be next year as doing PV now for this year's exercise will be impossible.

Actually my girl is still only 2 years old. Going for p1 registration in 2028 only. But me being kiasu, started thinking and planning early so there’s time to sign up for PV if needed

[ChiefKiasu]

Oh I see.


1) Nan Chiau Primary
Yes. This school already ballots at nearly 3x oversubscription rate for Phase 2B and 2C. It's hard to get in unless you had some priority for Phase 1 and Phase 2A.

2) Compassvale Primary
If you can do PV for this school, Phase 2B should be no problem for you. If not, you may need to ballot for it in Phase 2C, but it has a manageable 1.3x chance. Some years, the balloting in Phase 2C is for those staying 1-2km away, so you are safe.

3) Rivervale Primary
This school is in general about the same as Compassvale Primary except for last year as its oversubscription rate is 1.9x times compared with Compassvale's 1.3x times. So I will say that it is slightly more popular than Compassvale.

4) Punggol Green Primary
This school is slightly hotter than Rivervale, requiring balloting even in Phase 2A last year.

5) Valour Primary
Valour is probably the least hot of all the above schools, but will still require balloting in Phase 2C for those <1km.

So looking at your options, I think you have made the right decision. Go try to do PV for Compassvale and I'm sure your kid will love the school

[sandwichcastle]

thanks for all the wonderful advice here.

my kid will be entering p1 in 2027. shes a singapore citizien.
im alumnus of RGPS. husband is not singaporean. currently renting a place in siglap, which we are used to.
was thinking of applying to ngee ann primary school, but not sure of our chances. or if its a good school (looking at conducive environment, safety - no vaping, mental health).

just wondering if i could hear some advice. or even other options i might not have considered. we dont rly have much time for volunteering to qualify for phase 2b. im not hokkien, so also cannot qualify for huay kuan. we are christian but not methodist.

[Touch_me_not]

Ngee Ann Primary seems safe for Phase 2C. If you're in Siglap and have a daughter, CHIJ Katong Convent comes to mind.

sandwichcastle\" post_id=\"2129086\" time=\"1708005302\" user_id=\"204059:

thanks for all the wonderful advice here.
my kid will be entering p1 in 2027. shes a singapore citizien.
im alumnus of RGPS. husband is not singaporean. currently renting a place in siglap, which we are used to.
was thinking of applying to ngee ann primary school, but not sure of our chances. or if its a good school (looking at conducive environment, safety - no vaping, mental health).

just wondering if i could hear some advice. or even other options i might not have considered. we dont rly have much time for volunteering to qualify for phase 2b. im not hokkien, so also cannot qualify for huay kuan. we are christian but not methodist.

[sandwichcastle]

Touch_me_not\" post_id=\"2129133\" time=\"1708049037\" user_id=\"187786:

Ngee Ann Primary seems safe for Phase 2C. If you're in Siglap and have a daughter, CHIJ Katong Convent comes to mind.

Thanks for your kind reply
Would anyone be familiar with the culture of naps? Should I be concerned it's not oversubscribed like tao nan?(haha I don't think it's an issue, just that my kiasu colleagues are making me paranoid)
Sounds like it's a good thing that there are so many parent volunteers?
Phase 2c for sc 1-2 km shd be quite OK?

[Not_Kiasu]

sandwichcastle\" post_id=\"2129086\" time=\"1708005302\" user_id=\"204059:

thanks for all the wonderful advice here.
my kid will be entering p1 in 2027. shes a singapore citizien.
im alumnus of RGPS. husband is not singaporean. currently renting a place in siglap, which we are used to.
was thinking of applying to ngee ann primary school, but not sure of our chances. or if its a good school (looking at conducive environment, safety - no vaping, mental health).

just wondering if i could hear some advice. or even other options i might not have considered. we dont rly have much time for volunteering to qualify for phase 2b. im not hokkien, so also cannot qualify for huay kuan. we are christian but not methodist.

Hi. Have you considered applying RGPS for your daughter at Phase 2A since you are an alumni?

[Touch_me_not]

Pleasure!


You may check the risk through this balloting history website:

https://sgschooling.com/school/ngee-ann.html

Am not familiar with the school though an acquaintance's twins went there. She liked the school, as in not much stress and taught her kids good values. Other than that I don't know much. Another friend also considered NAPS last year, she feels it's a good school with affiliation to secondary school, but ended up with Haig Girls instead as much closer to home. Perhaps other parents here can share more abt NAPS. All the best!

sandwichcastle\" post_id=\"2129136\" time=\"1708050075\" user_id=\"204059:

Thanks for your kind reply
Would anyone be familiar with the culture of naps? Should I be concerned it's not oversubscribed like tao nan?(haha I don't think it's an issue, just that my kiasu colleagues are making me paranoid)
Sounds like it's a good thing that there are so many parent volunteers?
Phase 2c for sc 1-2 km shd be quite OK?

[sandwichcastle]

Not_Kiasu\" post_id=\"2129190\" time=\"1708073572\" user_id=\"202508:

Hi. Have you considered applying RGPS for your daughter at Phase 2A since you are an alumni?

Good point. Absolutely considered it. Except it requires a move to the west. And we probably can't afford a large enough home along the dunearn stretch so we definitely won't be <2km. Not a criteria for admission under phase 2 a but certainly a downer for day to day travel

I also didn't have the best of memories of rgps as being an inclusive place but my daughter is a lot more confident and extroverted than I ever was at that age haha

Certainly I would consider rgps in the end since the idea of possibly needing to ballot makes me a bit nervous. Tho there wasn't balloting for sc in previous years

[Mum_of_CS]

Hi! I need some advice for my daughter’s P1 registration this year.


I am a SC and hesitating between these two schools.

- Poi Ching (within 1km)
- Junyuan (1 to 2km)

I failed in my PV application for Poi Ching last April. I have been feeling very troubled since then as I know Poi Ching required balloting for <1km every year.

I had personally checked out Tampines Pri & Junyuan Pri by hanging around during dismissal and speaking to parents outside the schools. To my surprise, I pretty like Junyuan Primary and seriously thinking of choosing it for 2C (1-2km, but good chance to get it).

However, I keep feeling torn between Poi Ching and Junyuan. I feel that if I choose Junyuan without even giving a shot for Poi Ching at 2C, I am denying my girl a chance to study in a coveted SAP school. On the other hand, if I am unsuccessful in the ballot for Poi Ching, I can only go for Yumin Primary (1-2km) in 2Cs, which I am not so excited for. (I am not keen on Angsana & Tampines North too.)

Background:

🔹 Is my girl good in Chinese?
I am not sure how to define ‘good’, but at least she can hold a simple conversation with me in Mandarin, read her Berries book entirely by herself and write Chinese words neatly (due to my drilling). Does she like Chinese? I would say ‘At least for now, maybe because Berries is fun’.

🔹 Balloting Stats:
Poi Ching - 2C (ballot for <1km)
Junyuan - 2C (safe for all), 2Cs (ballot for <1km, which means no chance for me)

Which one should I choose for 2C? Risk or be safe?

[Starxyz]

Mum_of_CS\" post_id=\"2129579\" time=\"1708625283\" user_id=\"204124:

Hi! I need some advice for my daughter’s P1 registration this year.

I am a SC and hesitating between these two schools.

- Poi Ching (within 1km)
- Junyuan (1 to 2km)

I failed in my PV application for Poi Ching last April. I have been feeling very troubled since then as I know Poi Ching required balloting for <1km every year.

I had personally checked out Tampines Pri & Junyuan Pri by hanging around during dismissal and speaking to parents outside the schools. To my surprise, I pretty like Junyuan Primary and seriously thinking of choosing it for 2C (1-2km, but good chance to get it).

However, I keep feeling torn between Poi Ching and Junyuan. I feel that if I choose Junyuan without even giving a shot for Poi Ching at 2C, I am denying my girl a chance to study in a coveted SAP school. On the other hand, if I am unsuccessful in the ballot for Poi Ching, I can only go for Yumin Primary (1-2km) in 2Cs, which I am not so excited for. (I am not keen on Angsana & Tampines North too.)

Background:

🔹 Is my girl good in Chinese?
I am not sure how to define ‘good’, but at least she can hold a simple conversation with me in Mandarin, read her Berries book entirely by herself and write Chinese words neatly (due to my drilling). Does she like Chinese? I would say ‘At least for now, maybe because Berries is fun’.

🔹 Balloting Stats:
Poi Ching - 2C (ballot for <1km)
Junyuan - 2C (safe for all), 2Cs (ballot for <1km, which means no chance for me)

Which one should I choose for 2C? Risk or be safe?

You’ll have to ask yourself if you are okay with the backup plan? Because there aren’t many choices for the backup plan; either Yumin, East Spring, Tamp North. Others, likely need to ballot within 1km eg. tamp pri & Junyuan.

If fail in 2CS, you can be ‘thrown’ into any schools that MOE deem you are near. Stay 800 plus, I heard most were posted to St Anthony’s Canossian/St Stephen. 600 plus, either Yumin, Meridian. I also got hearsay that someone got assign to a school in SK.