Hwa Chong Institution (High School)

[ProteX]

Chandelier:

ProteX:

[quote=\"sunflowermom\"]Went to HCI bookshop today to buy 2012 Sec 1 books, uniform and PE attires. Some of the books no stock. The bookshop auntie said next week all books will be in.


Those who want to compare books passed down from relatives/friends/siblings, here is the booklist.

Animal Farm, George Orwell, Longman - $10.90
Mao's Last Dancer, Li Cuixin, Penguin - $22.80
Empire of the Sun, JG Ballard, Harper Collin - $19.50 (no stock now)
Higher Chinese 1A (2011 Edition), CPDD, Panpac - $3.30
Higher Chinese 1B (2011 Edition), CPDD, Panpac - $3.30
Discovering Mathematics 1A Textbook, Chow Wai Keung, Star Publising - $14.35
Discovering Mathematics 1B Textbook, Chow Wai Keung, Star Publising - $14.35
Ambook - DVD (For Windows), Amdon, $?? (no stock yet)
Singapore: From Settlement to Nation Textbook, CPDD, Panpac - $4.60
Singapore: From Settlement to Nation Workbook, CPDD, Panpac - $3.05
Geography Skill for Lower Secondary, M.C.Clarke, Pearson Edu - $12.90
Hwa Chong Song Book - $3
Stationery - $33.70 (consists of sch collar badge & buttons, exercise bk, writing pad, report bk, 稿纸, test tubes)

Price range for the uniform is as follow:
1) shirt - $12.50 to $20
2) short - $10 to $17
3) PE shirt - $7
4) PE short - $8

I was quite surprised to see one of the item in the booklist is test tubes. We are required to buy 6 test tubes ($0.70 each). Wonder is it a must to buy, anyway I bought it cos the auntie said is compulsory. The school doesn't provide test tubes during Sci lab lessons :?

For those existing Y1 parents and students, may I know does the school use the history workbook? I didnt buy cos not sure will be using or not. It seems that all the books are quite thin, not sure is it too brief? On the other hand, it is good cos the boys no need to carry big and heavy school bag.

I did not buy the test tubes as I already have 2 sets at home (passed down from brother). Just asking, do they come in a case or box? TIA

Hi Protex,

e 6 test tubes come neither in case nor box....it is juz wrapped up in a clear plastic bag.[/quote]Ok :thankyou:

[Blur-Block]

Hello all, I jux wanna to ask how many classes does HCI usually open each year? Please reply soon though, urgent!!!

[Chandelier]

Blur-Block:

Hello all, I jux wanna to ask how many classes does HCI usually open each year? Please reply soon though, urgent!!!!

Hi Blur-Block, not too sure how many classes but according to HCI principal dr Hon- total intake of sec 1 students for year 2012 is 450. 225 slot reserved for DSA candidates & e other half of 225 for S1 posting. Do correct me if I m wrong....

[simple88]

Chandelier:

Blur-Block:

Hello all, I jux wanna to ask how many classes does HCI usually open each year? Please reply soon though, urgent!!!!

Hi Blur-Block, not too sure how many classes but according to HCI principal dr Hon- total intake of sec 1 students for year 2012 is 450. 225 slot reserved for DSA candidates & e other half of 225 for S1 posting. Do correct me if I m wrong....

Hi, I was told the cohort size is 450. There are about 4 gifted classes of 25. The rest are class size of about 30+.

[MFQUEK]

Hi all, I was just browsing the last few pages of posts and really, no Science text books for Sec 1 ?? Sounds scary …

With the notes / worksheets provided by school, will that be sufficient? Well, at least a recommended Science text as a reference perhaps, any parents whose boys had gone thru their first year in HCI ? Feels kinda "helpless" without a textbook …

[MFQUEK]

Oh just another quick question with regards to the 3 Literature novels. I know Animal Farm was used previously. But Mao’s Last Dancer and Empire of the Sun… were they used the last couple of years? Easier to get Guide books for Animal Farm, but the latter books seem very tough … Any advise or tips from parents/pupils who had gone thru these 2 books ? ? Many thanks !!!

[MFQUEK]

Sunflowermom -> wow you provided great details … thank you… at least now i know how much to bring.

[sunflowermom]

MFQUEK:

Sunflowermom -> wow you provided great details .... thank you.... at least now i know how much to bring.

I was in a dilemma when I was at the bookshop because I was trying to recall which books do I have at home so that I will not buy again. I did not buy some of the books as I did not bring enough money! I think other parents may face the same problem as me so I decided to share the info here. BTW, they accept both cash and cheque.

Like you, I was rather surprised that there isn't any Sci textbook. Perhaps some helpful HCI parents/students can advise do we need guide books.

[mum42]

Hi sunflower mum, my DS do not have text bk for sec 1&2 sci. Their notes were either fr the teacher or fr the website d teacher posted. This yr I refused to buy any text books for his sec 3 as every yr i gave away totally brand new text bk for math n Chinese :frustrated: ,DS n i have learn d trick only to buy d text bk when d teachers ask for it ,like lit, history . All his senior are doing it this way, cause teachers do not used text but give a lot of worksheets .

FYI. I bought the chem,physic n bio text for o level during the sec 1 bk list , DS has not even use them .

[MFQUEK]

mum42 -> wow … a very daring move there … impressive. If your boy is doing pure Sciences then I think the 3 text books ( phy, chem and bio ) would be useful during his Sec 3 and 4 years, well at least as a reference.


About test tubes … I find it rather "amusing". I remem my time during Science lab sessions, all apparatus were provided. I wonder if this practice of buying test tubes exists only in HCI??? Maybe the school has realised that pupils keep breaking test tubes during experiments that they have decided to ask pupils to buy their own test tubes !!! LUckiLy never ask us to buy things like pipette or beakers etc etc … phew …

Back to the question on Literature from my posts above. Did the current year and past year pupils use the same 3 books for 2012? Anyone can feedback?

Appreciate all responses … cheers.