Which Secondary school to choose in the East

[Roundeyes]

koguma:

Roundeyes:

We are staying at Simei/Tampines area. Which secondary school should we choose for a boy?

He is in St Hilda's Pri and would definitely get in St Hilda's Sec if he put it at the first choice. His results is average.
If I put:
Dunman High
Victory Sec
Angelican High
Chung cheng High
St Hilda's Sec

Is it a good arrangement? Have to put in 6 schools but I do not know what else to put. Any suggestions?

IMHO, if your son results is average, then it may not be a good idea for your son apply for Dunman High. Its cutoff for this year is 258. Unless you want to let your son apply Dunman High via DSA.

Before you decide which school to choose, suggest you check out the cutoff point for each school.

For my case, I look at what the schools offer to the students in Sec 3. I prefer schools which have lot of choices in their sec 3 subject combinations. Example, I wont' choose schools that only offer 2 Pure sciences instead of 3.

Thanks for sharing, I actually put Dunman High if miracles happen. Someone did mentioned that we should choose many schools and put them according to the COD, ie when the PSLE results out, just throw in the prepared list of 6. However, there is not much schools around my area, only Changkat Sec but I don't want him to go there either.

I tried to look for some with direct bus but only a 2 to 3.

[mrswongtuition]

Roundeyes:

I tried to look for some with direct bus but only a 2 to 3.

Don't limit your choices by 'direct buses'.
Sometimes, a change in bus can be a quick journey too.
Also, in Secondary school, they are more adaptable to long bus rides than we think. I have students who de-stress on the bus ride home by listening to their fave music on their MP3, some even revise notes (which I do not encourage on a jerky bus ride).

E.g. Tampines to Hougang. I used to think that changing bus would take me forever to reach home. However, I take 15 or 8, change 87 and I'm home in 20 minutes if 87 comes quickly, max 40 minutes (inclusive of waiting time at both bus stops).

BTW, most of my students travel by bus/train to school daily. Some of their journeys are even 1hour long on good days!

If the school is suitable (good subject combis at S3, good CCAs and opportunities for your child to excel), then the journey should be secondary. Esp if you are able to send to school in the morning.

[Augmum]

ManU123:

AZWildcat:

[quote=\"ManU123\"]My younger brother 6 choices:

1. Victoria
2. Dunman High
3. Anglican High
4. Chung Cheng High
5. Tanjong Katong Sec
6. Temasek

His results quite good. :lol:

The 2nd choice is not logical. If your younger brother cannot make it into his 1st choice Victoria, he will not be able to make it to Dunman High which has higher COP.

his results quite good...should be able to get into victoria....the rest of the choices quite redundant[/quote]i know what u mean, but sometimes the COP of a school can flunctuate few points (esp Victoria being a newly selected IP sch)
so better use the 2nd choice wisely

[koguma]

Roundeyes:

koguma:

[quote=\"Roundeyes\"]We are staying at Simei/Tampines area. Which secondary school should we choose for a boy?

He is in St Hilda's Pri and would definitely get in St Hilda's Sec if he put it at the first choice. His results is average.
If I put:
Dunman High
Victory Sec
Angelican High
Chung cheng High
St Hilda's Sec

Is it a good arrangement? Have to put in 6 schools but I do not know what else to put. Any suggestions?

IMHO, if your son results is average, then it may not be a good idea for your son apply for Dunman High. Its cutoff for this year is 258. Unless you want to let your son apply Dunman High via DSA.

Before you decide which school to choose, suggest you check out the cutoff point for each school.

For my case, I look at what the schools offer to the students in Sec 3. I prefer schools which have lot of choices in their sec 3 subject combinations. Example, I wont' choose schools that only offer 2 Pure sciences instead of 3.

Thanks for sharing, I actually put Dunman High if miracles happen. Someone did mentioned that we should choose many schools and put them according to the COD, ie when the PSLE results out, just throw in the prepared list of 6. However, there is not much schools around my area, only Changkat Sec but I don't want him to go there either.

I tried to look for some with direct bus but only a 2 to 3.[/quote]You may want to consider Ngee Ann Sec and Dunman Sec, both in Tampines. It shouldn't be far from where you stay since you said Changkat Sec is near where you stay.

[sporemum]

I think Dunman secondary sch is a good choice. Went to their open house last Sat. Was quite impressed with the science prgms. They have this green house on one of their rooftops to do some hydroponics project. And a life sciences module in a designated lab for all students.


Some other pgrms are oso pretty innovative. In lower Sec they combine art music and home econs in one subj - think its called cultural fusion, in which at the end of sec 1, the students are tasked to set up a sch restaurant to serve studnets and staff. They can take on responsibilities of waitering, cook etc.

The school won the School Excellence Award this yr. So i guess it will be increasingly popular. The cutoff is abt 235.

[underthesea]

mrswongtuition:

Roundeyes:

I tried to look for some with direct bus but only a 2 to 3.

Don't limit your choices by 'direct buses'.
Sometimes, a change in bus can be a quick journey too.
Also, in Secondary school, they are more adaptable to long bus rides than we think. I have students who de-stress on the bus ride home by listening to their fave music on their MP3, some even revise notes (which I do not encourage on a jerky bus ride).

E.g. Tampines to Hougang. I used to think that changing bus would take me forever to reach home. However, I take 15 or 8, change 87 and I'm home in 20 minutes if 87 comes quickly, max 40 minutes (inclusive of waiting time at both bus stops).

BTW, most of my students travel by bus/train to school daily. Some of their journeys are even 1hour long on good days!

If the school is suitable (good subject combis at S3, good CCAs and opportunities for your child to excel), then the journey should be secondary. Esp if you are able to send to school in the morning.

Mrs Wong,
Do you think it's wise to travel from Sengkang to VC by bus? I would like to put DS there if he can meet he COP.

[INNOVATE]

If the the contributing factors btw two competing schs are close, then travelling time shoud be the deciding factor.


Those scoring 248 and above should attempt to put their choice schools as 1st choice if they miss by not more than 2 pts(use highest cop ot last 2 yrs as a guide). This is to facilitate the process of an appeal. The 2nd choice must than within their cop.

Value added, ccas, character development are impt factors that must be taken into consideration.

[Megametro]

I worry about sending my son to duman secondary because their results sliding in the last few years. From Band 2 to band 3 then to band 5 this year. Not sure if that is good. Too many activities and distractions as you described in what you see in open house.

[sporemum]

Today I went to Nan Chiau Open house in Sengkang. I am even more impressed by this school. Despite having cutoffs like 231, they managed to glinch Band 1 last yr. There has been a steady improvement of L1R5 grades from 18+ five yrs ago to 10.9 last year.


Went on a student-led guided tour for the classroom experience. There is pretty savvy usage of IT and I see enthusiasm in both the students and the teachers.

The school is turning SAP in 2012, and it is a centre of excellence for chinese in the north. There are many bicultural prgms such as chinese calligraphy, etc. Of cos, that could possibly be a minus point for those less chinese-inclined!

[krazy]

many schs, even neighborhood ones are doing this now.

Some schs I know get teachers to grade their food, decor, and whatever they have designed during design and tech class like menu holder and the winning class gets a prize.

sporemum:

Some other pgrms are oso pretty innovative. In lower Sec they combine art music and home econs in one subj - think its called cultural fusion, in which at the end of sec 1, the students are tasked to set up a sch restaurant to serve studnets and staff. They can take on responsibilities of waitering, cook .