School Of The Arts, Singapore
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pinkapple:
btw, what're the school hours at SOTA?
do the students need to go back on Sats?
Long hours!
Generally, most days finish 4.30pm with some days almost 6pm.
No curriculum on Sat.
Lots of hard work....but they are enjoying the learning process -
Faun:
Hi i assume your child is auditioning for music.ksi:
From people I know whose kids are in SOTA, they are all pleased with their choices. Though they specialise either in Art, Music, Theatre or Dance, they have a choice of moving back to mainstream studies. However, they do about 16 subjects in order to achieve the ability to keep their mainstream choice open.
As far as I know the MOE does not help the SOTA kids to move back into mainstream like it does for Singapore Sports School students. All Sports School kids make the S1 option for their choice mainstream schools after PSLE and they can return to that mainstream school when wish too. I was told by the SOTA admin, their kids have to go appeal for mainstream school to take them if they should decide not the stay there. I think this is because the SOTA academic curriculum is not under the MOE jurisdiction.
Yes, it's true, the kids who go to sPecialized Independent Schools are
mostly very happy to be there. It's a very conscious choice. Some of them had to fight hard to convince their parents to agree with their choice.
What are the 16 subjects that you mentioned? I'm really surprise about this. The problem with SOTa is that they're not very forthcoming with info
during the symposium. If you don't know what detail to ask, they will not
give you the detail.
We are interested in SOTA but we have many questions with regards what they do in their music curriculum. It'd be most helpful if someone can let us know eg:
What kind of music exam do they take?
Are there music competitions
WhAt performance platform do they have for the students.
How are the kids challenged musically other then taking music exam
How many instruments must they do?
aRe they kids allowed to be attached to an external orchestra while in SOTA?
My child is in Yr 1 - music
Exams -internal assessment and they are assessed both in theory, music history, performance (solo), performance (chamber), practical and interestingly confidence. (My child lost marks cos when he did his scales tho he got them all correct, he did not display certainty when playing his scales.)
No competitions, yet, not sure if he'll be good enough for competition.
At this point, my child performed in school's lunch time concert, where student peers attend. Parents and visitors can go too. They have lunch time concerts every Wed.
Every child will do 1 instrument, the one they auditioned for. Some do 2 instruments, with the 2nd instrument going really 'slowly'. Not every student does 2.
External orchestra - Know of few violinists who are with the Youth Orchestra. So that means they can.
Hope that helps -
I know of a Sec 1 girl from SOTA last year who left SOTA for mainstream. I wonder why.
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I have only heard of students not clearing their exams and was asked to retain or to leave. I hv a friend’s son, a senior, who for his Y1 and Y2 was reminded to buck up or be asked to leave n his mom had to appeal to the school’s Principal.
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The girl I heard who left SOTA scored 260+ or 270+ for PSLE, so I guess it’s not the academic aspect that made her leave SOTA. Maybe she realized SOTA wasn’t the school for her.
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momma:
The assessment itself seems similar to that of the MEP (music elective programme) in regular school. At least from what my boy (now sec 2) goes through. They have lunchtime concert performances too, recital performance exams, and if they present chamber performance as part of their exam recital programme, they actually get extra points. And the written exam of course includes aural, theory, composition,plus history, etc. and yes, parents can attend the exam recitals too.
Exams -internal assessment and they are assessed both in theory, music history, performance (solo), performance (chamber), practical and interestingly confidence. (My child lost marks cos when he did his scales tho he got them all correct, he did not display certainty when playing his scales.)
No competitions, yet, not sure if he'll be good enough for competition.
At this point, my child performed in school's lunch time concert, where student peers attend. Parents and visitors can go too. They have lunch time concerts every Wed.
Every child will do 1 instrument, the one they auditioned for. Some do 2 instruments, with the 2nd instrument going really 'slowly'. Not every student does 2.
External orchestra - Know of few violinists who are with the Youth Orchestra. So that means they can.
Hope that helps -
I went to the Open house on 30th Apr. I like the atmosphere, the students look cheerful. My DS would like to try for the DSA.
May I seek help from the existing SOTA Parent group here for some advice:
1.I asked around and noticed about the gender ratio in SOTA, it seems that a cohort is likely to have only one qtr or one-fifth boys? normally a class of 25 only have 4-6 boys. Is this true? any parent here with DS in SOTA? Coping fine? overwhelm by girls?
2.Promotion criteria year on year, I understand is on academic and also Art form, ie they are required to pass their overall academic and also Art form. My DS is very weak in Maths, will he be retained if he fail his Maths but pass the others and also pass overall average and also Art form? Basically how does the results appraisal system works?
3.The canteen looks miserable on food selection, I am not sure was it due to just few stalls opened/less dishes offered during Open House. I guess lots of student just walk to the Cathay building or Plaze Sing to eat. Are they allowed to get out of SOTA building during school hours?
4.IB program, I heard it is better but tougher than A-level? any comments? does your child with average results in Primary school coping well with IB? anybody go for tuition? though looking at the school hours, i guess not much time left for tuition and anyway IB program difficult to find suitable tuition.
Appreciate your help. TIA. -
art_n_i:
Lock:
May I know what are the options available once the kids graduate from SOTA? Do they go on to local Uni and what are the chances like compared to 'A' level students? Heard IB is more popular overseas, so does it means after SOTA can only go overseas for further education?
In the SOTA's chart, the path for the students is local uni or overseas uni.
Like the fully academic track, a handful of highly talented students can win themselves scholarships to study overseas.
In fact, the SOTA students actually have a wider choice than the IP student. They do the full pure science as well in their 4th-6th year granting them the ability to apply to Medicine if they do well. They also do economics and the arts subjects so as long as their academic results are good, they actually get a chance to go to the mainstream's choice of university courses.
For the majority they can further their training widely in any of the university of choice for the discipline they are keen in and
for those who want to pursue passionately in their talented areas, they can apply locally to:
For music:
NUS - The Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music
NAFA
For Visual Fine Arts(Bachelor & Masters degree):
NUS - School of Design and Environment
LaSalle Asia School of Arts
NAFA
Cavalry Italian Design School, Singapore
Raffles Design Institute
I think there are some misconceptions regarding university studies after you grad from SOTA,
Firstly i am from NUS, according to what i know, in school of design and environment, they dun take in SOTA students, they dun have a visual arts course in school of design and environment. only architecture and industrial design.
From my personal experience in NUS as a current student, local universities are still inclined to take in JC students from the mainstream tracks, they are slowly letting in poly students as well in recent years, but from my experience is capped at ~10%, from the past it was 5%
Whelter they would open up and admit SOTA students is unknown and its dangerous to bank on the fact that SOTA students can get in easily in the future. Well, they may or may not open up in the future...
Simply said, if local university education is ulimately what you inspire your child to go to, then i will not suggest SOTA.
Obviously, another alternative is to take up ARTS degree from NAFA or Lasalle, but from my experience from a friend who went there to study for a degree in Arts and graphic design, job prospects are not exactly ideal, nor it is that recognised. -
I realised that there are many young parents in this discussion, many of those who shares an open mind, however, we were all young once, and obviously asking a primary six kid to decide what carrer path or interest path he/she would like to take is too early (IMHO).
I am still largely against this, as i think children at such a young age should be keeping their options open.
But obviously, an arts education is very different from a mainstream education. I have first hand experiences of this as a architecture student in NUS. Having interest in arts and pursuing arts is two different matters.
The thing is that arts students required to be nurtured from young in order to so-called develop an artistic mind. Hence, i could understand the rationale of setting up such a school to take in students at such a young age, but be aware that this comes at a price, only so little students can actually make it. so what happens to the other 90%?
Going back to the mainstream education? This could be hard as the current SOTA students have to cope with the burden of both the academic and art curriculum. Some parents also talked about taking 16 subjects to keep their options open.
But be realistic, we know that education is tough in singapore, how high are the SOTA students’ chances of competing with the mainstream students after being burdened to this extent?
So, IMHO, if you are taking this less travelled path, then you should go with it 100%. else you will end up neither here nor there.
Arts is still relatively new in singapore, its a tough path to pursue. -
art_n_i:
Lock:
May I know what are the options available once the kids graduate from SOTA? Do they go on to local Uni and what are the chances like compared to 'A' level students? Heard IB is more popular overseas, so does it means after SOTA can only go overseas for further education?
In the SOTA's chart, the path for the students is local uni or overseas uni.
Like the fully academic track, a handful of highly talented students can win themselves scholarships to study overseas.
In fact, the SOTA students actually have a wider choice than the IP student. They do the full pure science as well in their 4th-6th year granting them the ability to apply to Medicine if they do well. They also do economics and the arts subjects so as long as their academic results are good, they actually get a chance to go to the mainstream's choice of university courses.
For the majority they can further their training widely in any of the university of choice for the discipline they are keen in and
for those who want to pursue passionately in their talented areas, they can apply locally to:
For music:
NUS - The Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music
NAFA
For Visual Fine Arts(Bachelor & Masters degree):
NUS - School of Design and Environment
LaSalle Asia School of Arts
NAFA
Cavalry Italian Design School, Singapore
Raffles Design Institute
If medicine is the place which you want your children to go, then JC is the only way.
Even if you go JC, only a handful make it. From what i know, even if you score a perfect score in A level, you are NOT confirmed of such a place, you have to go pass rounds of interviews and selections.
Obviously is still possible for a SOTA student to take 16 subjects like one parent have mentioned in order to keep all options open, but i think theres a limit to human capacity.
Its possible to score full marks in 16 subjects, but i dun think getting into such a situation and completing with the elite raffles, hwa chong, ... JC students with less subjects to cope is wise, if you are opting to single mindedly do well to qualify for mainstream after six years.
If you have intentions to go main stream, then maybe you should still keep your options open.
SOTA is really for those who want something different. Not sure being different for the better or the worst...
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