CHIJ Primary (Toa Payoh)

[Honey]

We drop our daughter off around 6.50am. The traffic at that time is quite managable. The school allows parents’ cars to drive in after 7am to drop off the girls, otherwise, just drop the girls outside with an uncle opening the car doors for the girls & even help to shelter the girls with an umberlla on raining days & they walk in.

[janet88]

Honey:

We drop our daughter off around 6.50am. The traffic at that time is quite managable. The school allows parents' cars to drive in after 7am to drop off the girls, otherwise, just drop the girls outside with an uncle opening the car doors for the girls & even help to shelter the girls with an umberlla on raining days & they walk in.

My hubby drops daughter inside the school...one thing is to have remember what time parents can drive in.

[moom]

Hi Janet and other mummies,


I've been following the IJ TP thread with interest and I was hoping some of you can share some of your views on the school

How is your daughter enjoying school so far? Do they have other things in their curriculum like dance, IT, various sports incorporated in it or only offer these as CCA?

How abt the teachers? are they good, caring? My criteria for my girls are that they go to a school with caring teachers which also has a balanced curriculum; i'm not too fussed abt the academic finesse of the school per se, but how well they teach the other aspects with emphasis on a balance of work and play.

I am actually IJ KEllock alumni and I have heard good things abt Kellock, problem is that it's really far for us and TP is better, proximity wise.

Would really appreciate hearing your views on the school

Thank you

[beanstalk]

I would say IJ TP gets progressively academic with each level. Some girls, however, can magically handle schoolwork, enrichment classes and CCA well (eg school team material), so it really depends on the innate ability of the girl.


I know a girl who transferred from IJ Kellock; her mother did say that Kellock was more balanced, and was more encouraging about CCAs and other non-academic pursuits, regardless of whether you are school team material or not. Having said that, the IJ TP curriculum does attempt to give a rounded education within curriculum time. Besides the usual PE and Music classes, every girl has lessons in tennis, handbells and gymnastics.

BTW, the transfer girl in question did settle into IJ TP well, eventually churning out a very good PSLE score among other non-tangibles.

I would say distance is a very important factor to consider in choosing schools. There are girls in IJ TP - daughters of alumni - who live really far away. Besides the high cost (IJ school bus charges are not low), it is very tiring for the girls, especially when they start staying back after school, which is from P3 onwards for most.

[janet88]

beanstalk:

I would say distance is a very important factor to consider in choosing schools. There are girls in IJ TP - daughters of alumni - who live really far away. Besides the high cost (IJ school bus charges are not low), it is very tiring for the girls, especially when they start staying back after school, which is from P3 onwards for most.

I thought compulsory CCA is from P4 onwards :? just read that in her planner the other day.

Daughter is in P1 and she loves the feeling of being in an all girls' school after 3 years of pre-school co-education. Since she just started P1, I don't want her to stay back for CCA after school yet.
I am an old girl of IJ TP but have an older son in a co-ed school within walking distance. Hubby decided to register her in IJ TP bcos of the all girls environment and affiliation.

Agree it's far and we thought of transferring her to another all girls' school nearer home, but can't bear to give up the idea of my gal leaving the school.

[moom]

beanstalk:

I would say IJ TP gets progressively academic with each level. Some girls, however, can magically handle schoolwork, enrichment classes and CCA well (eg school team material), so it really depends on the innate ability of the girl.


I know a girl who transferred from IJ Kellock; her mother did say that Kellock was more balanced, and was more encouraging about CCAs and other non-academic pursuits, regardless of whether you are school team material or not. Having said that, the IJ TP curriculum does attempt to give a rounded education within curriculum time. Besides the usual PE and Music classes, every girl has lessons in tennis, handbells and gymnastics.

BTW, the transfer girl in question did settle into IJ TP well, eventually churning out a very good PSLE score among other non-tangibles.

I would say distance is a very important factor to consider in choosing schools. There are girls in IJ TP - daughters of alumni - who live really far away. Besides the high cost (IJ school bus charges are not low), it is very tiring for the girls, especially when they start staying back after school, which is from P3 onwards for most.

Thanks beanstalk.. so it's good they have tennis, handbell and gym lessons as well. How do you find the teachers there? are they motivated and do they care abt the kids?

it's interesting what you shared abt the transfer Kellock girl. any idea why she transferred since Kellock is quite good as well, in her mother's opinion?

Appreciate your help

[esmummy]

Thanks for the replies on the timing. Wow, 6.50am is really ungodly compared to the preschool timing that we are used to :). So I can see why lots of mums say that distance is paramount.


The other factor is that looking at the balloting history, for phase 2B, chances of getting in if >2km is not good. Sigh....

[janet88]

[quote="beanstalk"]I would say IJ TP gets progressively academic with each level. Some girls, however, can magically handle schoolwork, enrichment classes and CCA well (eg school team material), so it really depends on the innate ability of the girl. \quote]


Yes, I just heard from a friend few days ago about the academic level increasing with each level. This friend of mine has a friend’s whose 2 daughters are in IJ TP…P2 and P3. The 2 girls couldn’t handle the homework given and my friend had to answer a SOS phone call to help coach the girls.

[Honey]

esmummy:

Thanks for the replies on the timing. Wow, 6.50am is really ungodly compared to the preschool timing that we are used to :). So I can see why lots of mums say that distance is paramount.


The other factor is that looking at the balloting history, for phase 2B, chances of getting in if >2km is not good. Sigh....

It's good that your take time to find out about the schools now for your daughter before enrolling her. If distance isn't too much of an issue, go for IJ (TP) .... ok I am biased here cos my daughter is there

For us, we are happy with the sch's programmes. It offers a more holistic approach to education. The teachers are a dedicated lot. The admin staff are very helpful. Principal is caring & nurturing. The girls are a happy lot .

The reason why we drop our daughter off at 6.50am is because we have to drop our son off at his school after that.

[beanstalk]

moom:

Thanks beanstalk.. so it's good they have tennis, handbell and gym lessons as well. How do you find the teachers there? are they motivated and do they care abt the kids?

it's interesting what you shared abt the transfer Kellock girl. any idea why she transferred since Kellock is quite good as well, in her mother's opinion?

Appreciate your help

The ex-Kellock girl lived closer to Kellock at the time of registration. They moved house later so she transferred to TP. The mother was an IJ girl and did not consider other non-IJ schools in her area.

Many of the teachers are motivated and caring, especially those who were IJ girls themselves. There ARE poor teachers but my feel is that they are a minority; also these tend to leave after suffering complaints from demanding parents :oops: Poor teachers generally do not teach P1.

CCA is compulsory from P4 but after-school extra classes begin in P3. Also girls chosen for niche CCAs begin training in P1/P2.