St Gabriel's Primary
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Hi eetsc
My eldest boy used to take the school bus when there was no after school care in the school. However, did not like the current bus service provider (if they are still the same). In my eldest son’s 6 years there, the school has changed 3 service providers! In the end, when my youngest started P1, I got them both into Morning Star, amidst their grumblings. But once they started going there, they were happy, especially when they get to play soccer during outdoor games.
School buses are provided after school at 1.15pm (school starts at 7.45am, but students have to be in school before that). There’s school bus after CCA at 3.15/3.30, and that’s it. But I could be wrong, since I have not been using their services for the past 2 years. -
Hi Jacsplace
Checked with my son about Tamil. He said the boys taking Tamil lessons would have supplementary/remedial classes too, up to 3.15 pm on certain days. However, they do not have such intensive extra lessons as the Chinese. Guess it all boils down to the department head’s / teacher’s discretion.
I think it’s most important that we should not give our children the impression that we too are giving up on them. Although I’m sometimes very disappointed by my eldest son’s results, I try not to show it to him. His father shows his disappointment in him – and it has somewhat affected his esteem. It mattered a lot to him that at least one parent did not give up on him.
Sometimes teachers can be so insensitive. My niece is in one of the top primary schools - and not doing as well as the rest of her cohort - her P2 teacher actually told my sister that my niece “can’t make it!” She’s now in P4.
So far I have not heard of such things being said by the teachers at St Gab’s.
I’m sure you’ll know what’s best for your son, in terms of language. -
Thanks Blackvelvet for the prompt reply.
btw, just a couple more question - hope it is not too much trouble:
1) any advice for 1st time moms putting the kid thru P1 at st gab - what are the things we should do to make it an easier transition into P1 edu in the sch? Like bag? Things to pack in the sch bags? How many sch uniform etc etc to buy?
2) Golf as CCA - not sure if your son has tried this before. But my son would like to join golf as CCA for P1. Any charges involved?
Thanks. -
Hi eetsc
I bought 3 sets of uniform + 2 sets PE shorts & Tee. This is enough, cos PE 2ce a week, and the boys can go to school in their PE Tee and shorts on days the have PE.
Shoes and socks with School logo/name - this is optional.
Art bag - the bookshop would tell you that this is compulsory if you ask them. Don’t waste money on buying this as the boys don’t need to carry it to school on art days, unless your son really wants it and/or you don’t mind getting it.
School bag - whatever your fits your son. There is no English textbooks. And usually the teachers will get the boys to keep their workbooks in school so that they don’t need to carry too many books. Even the Health Ed book is kept in school.
Notification Folder - get your son to put letters from school / notices, etc in here.
School diary - when the time comes for homework, etc, the teachers will tell them to write it down in here. You may also write notes to the teacher. Usually there is only 2 teachers - Form teacher who will take charge of subjects, and the mother tongue teacher.
All above will be sold in school on Orientation day, usually the Saturday after school closes.
On the nametags that the boys have to wear - indicate that he is going to Morning Star, even if there is no option pre-printed on it. And it is most important that your son tells this to the teacher / parent volunteer when they are q-ing up for dismissal.
I’m saying this because although I did indicate on the name tag that my son is going to Morning Star, the parent volunteer did not bother to check the name tags - they just took the child’s word. I don’t know what happened, but my son ended up with the “Car Line”! Good thing I was there, and when he did not report to Morning Star’s Q, the in-charge called me (parents have to wait in the canteen) – and i went hunting for him.
First week of school just a notebook / pencil case and maybe a storybook to read before class starts, when you report to the class on Orientation Day, the Form Teacher will brief you on what to bring.
There is a buddy system with boys from P4 and/or P5 for the first 2 weeks during recess. Boys would sit according to their classes in the canteen, and the form teacher would be with them too.
Parents are allowed into school the first 3 days (unless they are changing this next year), but we are encouraged to stay in the canteen, and during recess, to try not to help them - to let their buddy help them.
Don’t worry, the boys will be well taken care of in school.
Morning Star - bottle of shampoo and soap, comb all clearly labelled with your son’s name and a pair of slippers, also labelled as these will be left in Morning Star. Shoes schools need to be labelled too so that the younger boys will not wear the wrong shoes home.
Golf - charges are involved as it is by an exterior provider. The boys will take the bus to a golf course and then sent back to school at about 5 or 6pm. My sons did not take this up as after finding out the cost, they said it’s to expensive, although i told them it’s ok if they were really interested. can’t remember what the cost is like.
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Hi Blackvelvet,
Thanks for the detailed info. Very useful for me. Keep in contact! -
Thanks for asking your son about Tamil, BlackVelvet. About PE, you mean on PE days, they don’t need to wear the uniform over the PE attire? Won’t they be sweaty after PE?
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Hi Jacsplace
Yes, they go to school in their PE attire on PE days. However, the boys can bring an extra PE tee or their uniform to change into if they wish to. -
Hi Blackvelvet
I am considering whether to transfer my son to St Gab's, so it would be great if you can share some info with me
Do the students have a lot of homework? Is there more emphasis on academic studies or is there a good mix of academic and non-academic development?
I was trying hard to find the PSLE results of the school, but could not do so. I saw a banner outside the school, though, saying that they achieved above-national averages for most subjects. Curiously, Chinese was missing from the list of \"achievements\" - do you know how the students did in Chinese in recent years?
Sorry for the many questions, and thanks in advance! -
Hi Zeedoo
Not sure about the PSLE results. The Principal gave the P6 parents a presentation at the beginning of the year, but I did not really pay attention to that. From my conversations with the Chinese teachers at meet the parents sessions - the boys are generally quite weak in the language, and the teachers are doing all they can to try and improve the standard of Chinese in the school. The Chinese HOD is very dedicated to improving the standards, and she’s doing everything to help the boys.
Homework from P1 - P5 (at least from my experience) is manageable. The P6 boys are loaded with worksheets / homework during school holidays, and during the second half of the year.
The CCAs are compulsory for P3 upwards, and optional for the P1s and P2s. The school’s 8 virtues - Self Discipline, Generosity, Perservance, Sincerity, Loyalty, Orderliness, Respect, Diligence - are instilled in the boys from P1 onwards, and the classes are named according to the virtues, eg., P1 Self discipline, P1 generosity, etc.
In my opinion, there is a good mix between the 2. You may want to speak to the principal / vice-principal before making your decision - they are both very approachable and friendly. -
Hi BlackVelvet
Thanks so much for your response! I have a couple more questions, if you don't mind
Firstly, do you have any experience with the school bus operator? I tried contacting him but the call is always received by his family members who are not so friendly. This is really a worry bcoz we would want to communicate with them quite often in the future
Secondly, I plan to let my son go home on his own when he's older. But I notice that between the school and the MRT station, there is this turning from Lor Chuan into Serangoon Ave 3. Is this turning safe for crossing? I'm wary of errant drivers. Are there traffic wardens at this junction perhaps at the end of the school-day?
One last trivial question. I noticed from their online photo gallery that the boys wear both blue shoes and white shoes. Do they have a choice between the two?
Thanks once again for your time! I am beginning to have more confidence in the school