Pat's Schoolhouse

[watermum]

Anyone visited both Jubilee and Alexandra branch, any feedbacks? I managed to book an appointment for Jubilee branch but heard that the waiting list is quite long.

[Peonies]

Does anyone know the address of the Taman Jurong premise yet?

[GTGT]

Hi Pancake77


Which class is your child in ?

My boy is in Halifax branch

[Kabby]

Peonies:

Does anyone know the address of the Taman Jurong premise yet?

not yet...
but i did check the online maps and seems like if it is in tmn jurong, there is only the possibility of the Corporation Drive area houses or the Fairway Country Club area, right?

[Peonies]

kabalevsky:

Peonies:

Does anyone know the address of the Taman Jurong premise yet?

not yet...
but i did check the online maps and seems like if it is in tmn jurong, there is only the possibility of the Corporation Drive area houses or the Fairway Country Club area, right?

The principal said the school is accessible by bus number 240. It's a building, not a house. Wish they can announce the new address ASAP.

[Kabby]

Peonies:

kabalevsky:

not yet...
but i did check the online maps and seems like if it is in tmn jurong, there is only the possibility of the Corporation Drive area houses or the Fairway Country Club area, right?

The principal said the school is accessible by bus number 240. It's a building, not a house. Wish they can announce the new address ASAP.

hmm, that's quite a hint? cos i'm v familiar with the 240 route in Tmn Jurong, and hmm, not many places with outdoor playgrounds are along that route are there? unless they are taking over current schools?

there's a Gracefields there, a Evergreen Montessori (at Fairway Country Club)... There's this Agape building too.. and there are several pte apartments, not sure if their ground floor has suitable space for schools... :? :scratchhead:

[pancake77]

GTGT:

Hi Pancake77


Which class is your child in ?

My boy is in Halifax branch

Not nice to mention the name of his class lah. Although the teachers have room for improvement in terms of PR skill, they are quite good in engaging the children. (maybe only naughty boys like mine get scoldings...) Probably the lack of update is more like administrative hiccup I think. The weekly newsletter is not given out promptly at the end of the week. Sometimes it can be 1 month late! So I've no idea what he has learn in school at the end of the week. I've already given feedback to his class teacher but I suppose there's nothing much she can do since it's a administrative problem. The Chiltern House teachers are very diligent in updating the parents the children's progress in the communication book. But we can't compare because CH teachers have 3 hours in between classes to update the communication book everyday.

[pancake77]

To be fair Pat’s Schoolhouse @ Halifax has many good points. It is one of those better childcare centres (do not call Pat’s as childcare in front of their teachers…they may get offended hehe)


To list a few good points on Halifax
1) Professional teachers - The teachers are dedicated and very well trained in childhood education.
2) Approachable principal Ms Lengna
3) Big playground with many tricycles, sand pit etc.
4) Spacious classroom with aircon. Also fully ventilated with lots of windows
5) They cook their own meal now.
6) Good curriculum. They use i Maths. I think at Nursery level, they do right brain training or IQ training. Children bring back their i Maths book on friday for parents to see. Most of the questions are IQ related. Another good point is maths is conducted in chinese.
7) Swimming class - outsourced to external trainers
They use Letterland to teach letters and phonics. This is quite an expensive system.

Not so good ones are
1) swimming conducted 3pm till 4.30pm when it’s super hot! Given feedback to principal about the risk of skin cancer to long term exposure to sun b4 4pm. She said sun is good for the kids :-I
2) steep staircase
3) lack of update. I’m still blur what they do during FastTrack Kids, Harmony Road, ABC music. Both Harmony Road and ABC music are music classes. I wonder why they have so many music classes

Nevertheless, Pat’s @ Halifax is superb. For a full time working mother like me, Pat’s Schoolhouse really give me peace of mind, knowing my boys are learning in school and not just wondering around doing nothing in "childcare".

But not all Pat’s schoolhouse branches the same. How good the school is depends on the quality of the teachers.

[caydenmum]

Any comments abt the branch at Arena? Whats the fees like for Playgroup ? Appreciate your inputs thks!

[omgmum]

pancake77:

Any parents with kids at Pat's halifax?


Before Pat's, my child was at Chiltern House. I find that the teachers at Pat's are very much occupied with childcare duties such as showering the children, feeding and preparing the children for afternoon nap. Moreover, their working hours are quite long, from 9am till 6pm. The teachers are not very focused on academics. There is also lack of update from teachers on my child's development and academic milestone. When my child was in Chiltern House @ East Coast, the teachers are very approachable and friendly. Their update on my child's academic progress is detailed and meticulous, coupled with many photos documentation. Unlike Pat's, the teachers at Chiltern House do not scold or physically punish my child. Very often, I always find only one teacher in class, but in Chiltern House I observe there are always two teachers around.


Any feedback from parents?

I agree with you that the teachers are quite preoccupied with childcare duties, but then again, it is a childcare. Is the Chiltern House at East Coast more of preschool or childcare? Cos if I'm not wrong, the one at Turf club doesn't really have the childcare aspect.

I find that the administration part is very haphazard. E.g. I'm not supposed to take my child in to school earlier for the pm session, even though by right, kids can choose to have lunch at 12.30pm. I actually got told off by a teacher when I brought my child in at 12.30. And apparently, it caused a big hooha cos my child's teacher asked me about it.

It's very strange because my girl's classmates turn up at 12.30 or even earlier sometimes, and they do it on a regular basis. I only drop off my girl early once in a blue moon. After the scolding, I have to take pains to make sure that I drive very slowly so that it will be after 1pm before we arrive at the school.

First time I've heard of a parent being scolded for dropping the kid off at school early!

And I don't even want to start on the safety aspect- e.g. gates being open etc.

But my girl likes her teachers and that's good enough for me for the time being.