Pat's Schoolhouse

[debpch]

hi empressplace,

my kid will be starting playgroup next year so i am very interested in feedback of existing parents…

sounds like your expectations were not met @ Pat’s… which branch are u from and is he in full-day? given a choice, would you have opted for a 3-hour kindy instead?

i am still undecided on whether to go full-day or not… weighing the pros and cons…

[empressplace]

No, no, I need to clarify that I am not unhappy with Pat’s. My son seems very happy there.


My expectation is not met only in terms of the admin support and ease of getting updated information. I kind of expected that all the information that parents looking at premium childcare would need is all there in one place without us having to chase around for information. As a working mother, I don’t want to spend extra time collecting information patiently. I am approaching this as how people would approach things at work. Would you let your client waste time asking questions and collecting information that you should have provided in the first place? Perhaps I expected more because it is "premium" childcare. Otherwise, I don’t have any major issues so far.

The choice of preschool/childcare really depends on the individual’s circumstances. For example, I won’t choose 3 hour kindy because there is no one to fetch my son to school if school starts at 9 a.m. And when my son was younger, he was quite tough to feed. It was important that the school has meals supplied so that they help him to learn to eat better. The timing of Pat’s and location (Claymore branch) also work well for us.

Pat’s and similar "premium" preschools like Chiltern House and Etonhouse are not cheap. If you start to analyse the fees paid versus the results you get, I can’t say for sure that the kid will develop a lot better because you pay more. I have friends who prefer to pay less and go to St James or Barker Road Kindy and they seem happy with their choice.

If you don’t need full day childcare, then opt for half day first to let your child adapt. I don’t see the point of exposing the kid to more germs than necessary at that tender age.

[DesertWind]

empressplace:

Pat's and similar \"premium\" preschools like Chiltern House and Etonhouse are not cheap. If you start to analyse the fees paid versus the results you get, I can't say for sure that the kid will develop a lot better because you pay more. I have friends who prefer to pay less and go to St James or Barker Road Kindy and they seem happy with their choice.

Thanks empressplace!
I enjoy reading your posts and tend to agree with your comments. For the fees charge I would expect a lower student/teacher ratio and see the kaleidescope of activities being implemented on daily basis. The ratio is not much different from the other CCC and the activities/time-table somehow I do not have much confident of it being implemented (dunno why!) I was considering putting my son into Pats but changed my mind will be going to Marymount Kindy instead. It has a huge compound with natural environment so in terms of premises will not loose out, caring teachers, same ratio so no difference, although it is a kindy but it provides breakfast for morning sessions and lunch for the afternoon session. As for transport, will be using the school bus although the thought of putting my 3yo into one actually sucks. But due to its enormous reputation, I still would like to try out Pats, and will consider when I have a 2nd kid!
:celebrate:

[yummy_pie]

hi empressplace, tks for yr feedback. i totally agree with u. i went to pat school house but wasnt able to find out much. they do not even hv a handbook that i can refer to. as compared to chiltern house, i went to julia gabriel to find out about chiltern house n was vry impressed by the admin staff. hopefully the teachers are as gd as the admin staff:)

[mtdt]

yummy_pie:

hi empressplace, tks for yr feedback. i totally agree with u. i went to pat school house but wasnt able to find out much. they do not even hv a handbook that i can refer to. as compared to chiltern house, i went to julia gabriel to find out about chiltern house n was vry impressed by the admin staff. hopefully the teachers are as gd as the admin staff:)

Hey... when i went to Whitley to view. I was given a booklet with their info, which explains their extended day program and enrichment programs, their ratio etc then the \"price list\" of the various option and also their T&C like no withdrawal from oct for K2 kids etc etc. The info given to me were quite comprehensive. only thing i had to asked were their closing days/timetable - which they inform will \"paste\" on my comm book.

maybe becos whitley is new... so all these are stock up. old centres they tot do not need already

[smurfy]

arrggh i got a slight complaint…


my boy’s form teacher is…
1) a senior teacher, so she has a trainee teacher sitting in every friday.
2) teaching d-story club on saturdays, and when the toddlers started on half day/full day toddlers class in september, she goes over to help out every few days
3) going to be a VP, so some times she is not ard in his class.

my boy’s chinese teacher is …
1) on maternity leave and there is no fixed assigned chinese teacher in his class… he got all different kinds of relief teachers… from trainee teachers to the principal -_-’

my boy’s classmates is …
1) very happy… playing catching and hiding under the tables…

my boy’s classmates’ parents n i had a shock when we start comparing wat we know about his class arrrangement…

am i asking too much? shld i just let it be??? since…
1) the whole class is happy (obviously right?? i would, if my form teacher is not ard?:P)
2) exposure to different teachers n such
3) end of the year already?

[yummy_pie]

hi smurfy, so sad to hear that. did u chk with the school y is this happening? i think u hv the right to get an answer frm them. may i know which branch is ur son attending? i m in the midst of checking out the different branches.

[mtdt]

smurfy:

arrggh i got a slight complaint..


my boy's form teacher is...
1) a senior teacher, so she has a trainee teacher sitting in every friday.
2) teaching d-story club on saturdays, and when the toddlers started on half day/full day toddlers class in september, she goes over to help out every few days
3) going to be a VP, so some times she is not ard in his class.

my boy's chinese teacher is ...
1) on maternity leave and there is no fixed assigned chinese teacher in his class.. he got all different kinds of relief teachers.. from trainee teachers to the principal -_-'

my boy's classmates is ...
1) very happy.... playing catching and hiding under the tables..

my boy's classmates' parents n i had a shock when we start comparing wat we know about his class arrrangement..

am i asking too much? shld i just let it be??? since..
1) the whole class is happy (obviously right?? i would, if my form teacher is not ard?:P)
2) exposure to different teachers n such
3) end of the year already?

think u can still ask what is the plan and how long will it takes to implement

Eng tr - so the senior tr is going to be VP. when she is not ard, is it the relief teacher taking over? how qualify is this relief teacher? she sits in the class with the senior tr for a period of time already?

Chi Tr - when will she be back from maternity? if still a few mths more, think it's only right tat the sch gets a \"perm\" relief tr instead of trs popping in and out. we are paying for \"bilingual environment\" right?

since it's really end of the yr... maybe their plan only will applies next yr. but at lesat u know there is a plan in place in time to come?

[Busymom]

Koolmama:

Hi Augmum!!


The graduation ceremony will be at Jubilee Hall (same as for yours, rite? )

i think they are doing Oliver 'cos my son keeps singing the \"tomorrow\" song... He is going to be Oliver!! Ha ha :lol:

Hmm... So is your son Bxxx or Gxxx?

[Busymom]

Koolmama:

Btw remember we were discussing about the standard of Chinese at Pat's and i was saying how good the pronunciation of my ds became after he was at Pat's for a few years?


Anyway, recently his class was selected by Patricia Koh to perform at a convocation ceremony for educators... There were about 400-500 in the audience!! i didn't quite like the first English item ('cos some of the kids have a very strong singlish accent and did not pronounce their words properly) but i was very impressed with the Chinese items!! Very nice songs and their enunciation was almost perfect!! One of the kid's parents is the chinese curriculum specialist at Pat's HQ so i guess that's (one of) the reason why standard must be high?! Heh heh....

Anyway if anyone of you wants to view the video on youtube pls PM me... not so convenient to post it publicly here

Hi, Koolmama, do you mind giving me the link please? We went last minute and did not have a video cam with us, so the quality of our recording with our handphone was not too good. TIA!