North Vista Primary

[Mammoth]

Hi jollybeans,


For the transfer students, yes. Just checked with my wife to confirm. This year's PSLE only has 1 class of transferred students. Next year think around 2-3 classes. The circumstances leading to their transfer to this school is anybody's guess.

Those students that really started from P1 with the school will take their PSLE in 2 years time. Cross your fingers then.

As for the learning environment, the sitting arrangement differs from traditional schools of lining up tables and chairs in rows and columns where each child sits alone. They actually sit together in a round table which promotes interaction between them. Good for disciplined kids but pretty bad for those who are not, in my opinion.

Teachers are based on your luck, as usual. My experience with his P1 form teacher was ok, responsible and responsive. Will call up if my son never turn up for school due to sickness and set up an email link for parents. P2 was a nightmare. No calls and even when the MC was brought to school, the teacher didn't even bother to take it.

For the teaching methods, I was initially glad that my son has some childhood to enjoy since there isn't much homework to do. But as time goes by, this became a worry as the scores seems to be dropping. Currently looking for good home tuition to cover what the school is lacking. Personally, I still feel that certain subjects need constant practice in order to be good at it. Well, old-fashion thinking. Spoke to the teachers during the meet the parents session but they were unable to help as this is the school's policy to give less homework. My opinion is the school concentrates too much on IT usage and new teaching methods without actually delivering the results that I have expected. Oh by the way, guess this answers to luddite query also. At the end of the day, no system fits every child as each is unique. That is when parents intervene to provide additional coverage beyond what schools provide.

For the netbook, it connects to the school network. The school forbids playing of games in school, though educational types are allowed. So, there are some websites that are blocked by default, i.e. Facebook. However, some ingenious students of our age have since found various other websites to feed their gaming habits in \"dark\" corners of the school :). It was precisely this reason that I have resisted buying the netbook for my son. The netbook is supposed to last till P6 (provided it is still working after 4 years of handling by a kid) and afterwhich they will erase all the MOE software inside before returning to you.

I guess there is too much written about the principal so u can refer to those comments. I tend to agree to those negative ones without elaborating more on what my wife and myself have observed personally. The basic rule is dont bother to complain to him unless you want to bring it higher beyond school level to MOE or police (if really that serious).

[verykiasu2010]

Based on their staff list for 2011 :


Pri 1 = 9 classes
Pri 2 = 9 classes
Pri 3 = 6 classes
Pri 4 = 4 classes
Pri 5 = 2 classes
Pri 6 = 1 class

There was an opportunity to make that one class to shine.....just one class to manage .... :siam:

[Mammoth]

verykiasu2010:

Based on their staff list for 2011 :


Pri 1 = 9 classes
Pri 2 = 9 classes
Pri 3 = 6 classes
Pri 4 = 4 classes
Pri 5 = 2 classes
Pri 6 = 1 class

There was an opportunity to make that one class to shine.....just one class to manage .... :siam:

LOL....we shall see how the 4 classes of P4 will do in 2 yrs time. I seriously hope it will be good. My son's future is at stake here also

[verykiasu2010]

Mammoth:

verykiasu2010:

Based on their staff list for 2011 :


Pri 1 = 9 classes
Pri 2 = 9 classes
Pri 3 = 6 classes
Pri 4 = 4 classes
Pri 5 = 2 classes
Pri 6 = 1 class

There was an opportunity to make that one class to shine.....just one class to manage .... :siam:

LOL....we shall see how the 4 classes of P4 will do in 2 yrs time. I seriously hope it will be good. My son's future is at stake here also

your PSLE preparation actually starts now - when you son is going Pri 5 in Jan.....effectively you only have one and half year to get it right.

All the best !

[Mammoth]

Oh, my son is P3 next year, already indicated in earlier post. Anyway, which is why I’m sourcing for a good home/small group home tuition now. But seems like nobody respond in the forum on this. Sad.


I’m pretty concerned on the P4 batch as this is their P1 to P6 through-train batch without much transferred students. And the full effects of their teaching methods can be judged.

[verykiasu2010]

Mammoth:

Oh, my son is P3 next year, already indicated in earlier post. Anyway, which is why I'm sourcing for a good home/small group home tuition now. But seems like nobody respond in the forum on this. Sad.

O I C .... :rotflmao: :rotflmao: I misread that you son in the Pri 4 .......hahaha

[jedamum]

verykiasu2010:

Based on their staff list for 2011 :


Pri 1 = 9 classes
Pri 2 = 9 classes
Pri 3 = 6 classes
Pri 4 = 4 classes
Pri 5 = 2 classes
Pri 6 = 1 class

There was an opportunity to make that one class to shine.....just one class to manage .... :siam:

on the contrary, it is not easy to make one class shine. it depends on the calibre/foundation of students. if they really only have a handful of better students, they cannot work miracles with their PSLE performance no matter the size of the cohort. MHO.

[Mammoth]

jedamum:

verykiasu2010:

Based on their staff list for 2011 :


Pri 1 = 9 classes
Pri 2 = 9 classes
Pri 3 = 6 classes
Pri 4 = 4 classes
Pri 5 = 2 classes
Pri 6 = 1 class

There was an opportunity to make that one class to shine.....just one class to manage .... :siam:

on the contrary, it is not easy to make one class shine. it depends on the calibre/foundation of students. if they really only have a handful of better students, they cannot work miracles with their PSLE performance no matter the size of the cohort. MHO.

Yes, agree. I would tend to believe that there wasn't too many bright sparks in P6 this year to make the results shine. So, all hopes pinning on P4 this year to shine in 2 yrs' time.

[luddite]

i really hope they do not get carried away with this IT push… Kids will pick up IT skills later on very quickly, no need extra help esp from school. In primary school, the foundations are the most important, hope that the school will stick to the basics and concentrate on bolstering the children’s foundation in various subjects. IT should be relegated to an additional subjects for interested pupils at most. MHO.

[piyopica]

P1 confirmed class is out. Can refer to school website.