CHIJ Primary (Toa Payoh)

[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.

[janet88]

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

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.

So it's confirmed that CCA is compulsory from P4 onwards. Extra classes from P3 ? Isn't that the unhappiness going on now ? Personally, I'm not for supplementary lessons other that P5/6.
I heard that P1 teachers are the more senior ones as some parents can be hard to handle.

[esmummy]

Hi Honey,


I would love to be able to get my girl into IJ (TP). I'm an old IJ girl but fr the now-defunct siglap branch which has merged with katong.

I stay closer to IJ Katong so logically, I should send my girl there and be done with all the stress. But I think IJ (TP) has better academic performance. Besides, I think if KSP forum is anything to go by, IJ (TP) girls' parents are more involved with their education. I tried to look for input on IJ Katong but no many parents on this forum... not kiasu enuf :lol:

And own mum says God forbid she winds up at Katong Convent for her secondary school! Some reputations are hard to live down even after donkey years

So my game plan would be to get a place at Katong under phase 2A and see what the figures are at the end of 2B to see if we wanna take the gamble. Silly hubby is absolutely clueless and so all the decision making is mine..... stress ++.

Do you know who the ballet teacher is in IJ (TP) and do the P1s do ballet? Also, is the gymnastics team strong? I'm asking because these are my DD's first 2 loves in life.

One thing I find quite heartening in this forum is that even though it is a self-declared kiasu site, the parents are keen for their kids to pursue non-academic goals. SOTA is spoken of highly whereas in my time, I think no parent would wish their child to enter an arts-dedicated school. It was always be a doctor or lawyer or some other professional.

[janet88]

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.

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 .

Hubby likes the principal as she is caring and warm. When I emailed her regarding the temporary holding school and morn/afternoon session, she replied me promptly and in a very friendly way.
Daughter's FT is also very caring to her young students. No regrets registering daughter in IJ.

[moom]

Thanks Beanstalk and ladies for your comments.


I read that other schools have things like inline blading,speech and drama etc incorporated into the Pri 1 curriculum… does IJ TP have any ‘extras’ meshed into the curriculum like that?

On their website, they state they have ‘internal enrichment programmes’- what are these?

The only external enrichment is Ballet? any others?

Thanks

[janet88]

moom:

Thanks Beanstalk and ladies for your comments.


I read that other schools have things like inline blading,speech and drama etc incorporated into the Pri 1 curriculum.. does IJ TP have any 'extras' meshed into the curriculum like that?

On their website, they state they have 'internal enrichment programmes'- what are these?

The only external enrichment is Ballet? any others? Thanks

For P1, I only know of ballet after school. But there are not many takers although teachers have been trying to ask the girls to take it up. Prob there are several parents like myself who do not want the girls to take up CCA at P1.
Yes, some schools like MGS has exciting CCAs.