All about Transferring to Other Primary Schools

[phtthp]

hi jor,


another reason to stay put is - since your son has already settled down and excelling academically at CHS, if you uproot him suddenly and go somewhere elsewhere, not sure if may upset him (emotionally + academically). Because another school, face another different school culture, another different teaching and learning environment, where competition is different!

[jor]

thanks for your wonderful input, i share the same concerns and advice.


The problem is, looking at this year’s P1 registration, my Dd will have no chance in getting in to most/all (1st choice school) as well live >1.5km from almost all school:)

The only way i can think of is to transfer Ds to a Co-ed school and enroll Dd in Phase 1…btw Dd is in k1 and is learning mulitiplications and chinese proverbs already, so thinking of a better school for foundation.

[phtthp]

can understand the dilema you’re in …


think no choice, since you stay >1km.

for the sake of your daughter, maybe just go ahead apply for transfer first. Your desired school of transfer may also have a long waiting list.
if you successfully got the transfer, then decide later.

perhaps in the meantime, to help prepare yr son mentally & psychologically for transfer one day:-

a) explain to him the situation why you’re doing all this - because he’s helping mei mei go in. Tell him he’s a great gor-gor,

b) bring him down more often to visit the school - see how he feels, listen to his feedback, his emotion, his feelings, about the school, etc.

for example
=========
you may bring him down to attend some useful, good SFE (Singapore Family Education) talks at your desired school of transfer. When he’s there attending the SFE talk with you (parent),

i) he can see the school premises for himself - as he’s already physically there. Listen to his feelings, his feedback.

ii) at same time, mingle and network with parents with kids who’re already there, inside the school studying.

iii) the person who give the SFE talk is very often a trained professional Counsellor. You may seize the chance to ask the counsellor - how to prepare your son mentally, etc ?

you may google or call up the school yourself - find out when is the next SFE talk to be conducted in that school. Different school, different topic.

[janet88]

jor:

Need help!!


My Ds P1 is in CHS and is doing very well in class. (full marks for most tests).

I am thinking of transferring him to another popular co-ed school so that Dd can enroll in Phase 1.

Hi Jor,
1) There is no guarantee you can transfer your son to a co-ed school.
2) Your son is doing so well in CHS. Why do you want to transfer him out ? He would need to adjust to new environment again.
3) I hope my kids can enter schools with affiliated sec, at least have safety net. (So far, only my younger one is in a school with affiliation, now I hope affiliation stays :xedfingers: )

[jor]

True, no guarentee that popular schools have vacancies, and even they do, does not mean it will be offered.


Anyway, will try cold knocking on afew doors to see the reactions.

[MandyMummy]

Hi, jor,


If you transfer your son from a GEP school to a nonGEP school and if he makes it to the GEP program, you will need to transfer again. Your son will need to adapt to the environment again.
I can see from your earlier post that your dd is doing pretty advanced stuff for her age. It may be better to transfer her to a better school using her P1 results.
JMHO.

[phtthp]

true ! jor’s son doing well in CHS.


If transfer son over to Ai Tong to help Mei Mei get in and later if he’s offered GEP - son got choice to go back CHS or pick Nanyang.

If pick Nanyang GEP, later can also transfer Mei Mei over from Ai Tong to Nanyang.

[phtthp]

i think now transfer may be more difficult than in the past, because now P1 no more exams.


also, how do you measure ... how good is good ?

eg: school X's standard very high, yes very good ... but after transfer into School Y - may only be average. I think for transfer cases - fairest way of measure is to let children sit for entrance proficiency tests, like what SCGS is doing. Yes, many kids on transfer WL, but only after sitting for common tests like what SCGS doing, then you know whether child can transfer or not.

some of my friends' daughters sat for SCGS entrance proficiency exams in P2, P3 ... they said the papers were tough!

Admission entrance proficiency tests into SCGS are held twice a year:-
http://www.scgs.edu.sg/content/view/116/154/

http://www.scgs.edu.sg/content/view/22/25/

[phtthp]

hi jor,


another route out is - wait until your son P3.

if he can get into GEP, transfer him out to Nanyang directly, once and for all. Then transfer your daughter from whichever primary school she’s enrolled in by then - into Nanyang. This way, bypass that temporary Ai Tong school. Cut down the lesser number of transfer for yr son.

[MandyMummy]

phtthp:

i think now transfer may be more difficult than in the past, because now P1 no more exams.


also, how do you measure ... how good is good ?
eg: school X's standard very high, yes very good ... but after transfer into School Y - may only be average. I think for transfer cases - fairest way of measure is to let children sit for entrance proficiency tests, like what SCGS is doing. Yes, many kids on transfer WL, but only after sitting for common tests like what SCGS doing, then you know whether child can transfer or not.

some of my friends' daughters sat for SCGS entrance proficiency exams in P2, P3 ... they said the papers are tough!

Hi, phtthp, thanks for highlighting the differences in using P1 results to transfer then and now.
My son belong to era of P1 exams so a little outdated.
I guess it is not easy to take the entrance exams now to transfer.