St Gabriel's Primary
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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 -
Hi Zeedoo
Don’t have a good impression of the current bus operator. They’ve provided the services from 2009, and I’ve personally seen certain things that I don’t like about them. After a few months taking the bus operated by these guys, my then P5 son said “Enough! I’m not taking the school bus anymore!” and he got his courage up to take the public transport to his grandparents’ place in Ang Mo Kio. This year he’s in the school’s after school care services with his brother.
You are referring to the zebra crossing in front of the MRT station right? The few times that I had to be at the school at dismissal time, I’ve not seen any traffic wardens or anyone from the school there. But I’ve seen a whole group of boys walking together to the train station. If I remember correctly, my son mentioned a couple of months back that there was an accident involving a student (he doesn’t know from which school) further away from the zebra crossing - the student was jaywalking when it happened.
I would think the school will consider stationing a traffic warden there if enough parents requests for it.
The blue shoes? These are the old design. The new ones with the school logo is light grey and white. Shoes with school logo are optional, as long as the shoes are white - I checked this with my son’s teacher at the P1 orientation last year. -
Hi BlackVelvet
Thanks for your very detailed info. Really appreciate it
The shoes...I was hoping that it would be the blue shoes going forward. My P4 daughter is wearing black shoes, and we never have to wash it :lol: , bcoz any dirt is camouflaged!
BTW, is there some sort of ranking of classes (eg best students in one particular class)? -
Hi Zeedoo
Actually, I find the new grey-white shoes are not that bad. It changes to a darker grey when it gets dirty - not all that obvious. I bought sneaker shampoo from Bata, and so far I’ve only washed the shoes once.
The boys are streamed at the end of P2 based on their SA2 results. The better boys will be in the first class and so on… They are streamed again at the end of P4 and P5. -
Hi BlackVelvet
Thanks very much for the info! -
My son will be in P3 next year. I am looking for English home tution. please let me know if you know any good teacher.