Anglo-Chinese School (Independent)

[ngbrdad]

Hi the S1 posting results tomorrow will only indicate whether a kid is posted to ACSI or not right ?

Will it reveal whether it’s to the IP or express side ?

[autolycus]

ngbrdad: the IP/Express designation is purely internal, since any student in ACS(I) may (or may not) end up doing O-levels or IP track. It’s the only hybrid-track school.

[Snow Crystal]

autolycus:

ngbrdad: the IP/Express designation is purely internal, since any student in ACS(I) may (or may not) end up doing O-levels or IP track. It's the only hybrid-track school.

Oh. The kid will only know officially on Reporting day 22 Dec whether get into IB?
ngbrdad - if so, call up ACSI or MOE hotline tomorrow. Do update us.

[ngbrdad]

Snow Crystal:

Oh. The kid will only know officially on Reporting day 22 Dec whether get into IB?
ngbrdad - if so, call up ACSI or MOE hotline tomorrow. Do update us.

Tomorrow maybe a busy day for me so may not have time to call.
Best thing is my work place phone reception is not too good.
Hope they sms before 9am.

[Snow Crystal]

ngbrdad:

Tomorrow maybe a busy day for me so may not have time to call.
Best thing is my work place phone reception is not too good.
Hope they sms before 9am.

Maybe by tmr you will know COP for IB from KSP haha

[autolycus]

thimberwolf101:

Hi parents of ACSI, or anyone who knows the workings of the schools, I urgently need your advice...Heard many comments. But not sure how true they are...


My son has applied for ACSI for S1 posting, after PSLE. Awaiting posting results on 21 Dec'11. He may just make it to the IB track. But we are also looking at contingency plans.

1. Heard of ACSI teachers being very stretched and do not have time to guide the students. Students get quite a lot of relief teachers too. Though we want our kids to learn independence, we are afraid it is a swim or sink situation. Can anyone verify this please?

2. What's the attrition rate of IP students, ie those who can't continue with IP and has to go back to ACSI 'O' level stream?

3. For the O level track, does ACSI band the students say into high ability class, special subject talents, etc. so as to develope these students who may qualify for IB but who choose the O level track. Likewise, if a student finds IB not suitable n decides to move to O level, will he b streamed into the high ability O level class? Some parents mentioned that ACSI 'O' level track is treated as '2nd class' and results are a miserable band 4. IP schools are not required to report their O level results in detail.

This qn is particularly important as in good O level schools like SJI, 8 out of 10 classes are banded to maximise potential. (All rounder, Maths, Science, Com Science, Arts, Language, etc). I believe that's the reason they could produce good results almost 'effortlessly' as commented by parents in SJI network forum.

4. For kids who play games like tennis n chess but is not at a level good enough for school team, heard that there is no opportunity for them to join in the tennis or chess club. Know of one IB kid who did not have the chance to do chess. He quit IB (among other reasons), went to a JC and was developed into chess captain and even met ACSI boys in the chess competion. Sec school years is the best time to develop. If a school is too focused on winning medals, then only the small handful of sportsmen will enjoy the spectrum of CCAs, and doors are closed to the majority.

I would really appreciate it if anyone can validate some of the views I gathered above. Had been a stressful time in school selection.

1. If a student has a PSLE score around 230+, it will be hard for him to do badly in ACS(I) unless he is very slack or is managing his time badly (which is a concern for some sportsmen, certainly). The ACS(I) hybrid IP-O-level system is unique, which is why it requires manpower which isn't always of the desired level, frankly. It's because of this that the better manpower ends up teaching IP classes, statistically speaking.

2. Less than 2%. However, 'voluntary' lateral transfers may happen a lot in any given year.

3. Technically speaking, IP schools don't have O-level results at all unless they are ACS(I), which is hybrid IP/O-level. IP students don't sit for O-levels, remember? ACS(I) has OK O-level results; if your school has a bottom intake of 235+ and you are looking at the bottom half of such a school, what band do you think the results of the bottom half will be in? Honestly, sometimes I think people don't take time to do analysis.

4. Anybody can join the chess club. Places in the chess team are very competitive though. Yes, ACS(I) does not have recreational tennis. You join the team; whether you play or not is up to the team coaches and manager or teacher i/c. The reason again is resources. If you have to train a national-level championship team, who gets priority for the track, pitch, field or courts? Another point is that participation in CCAs is like specialist banding — students do well because they take part in sports they have high aptitude for; seems funny that you'd encourage academic banding for a small cohort but not CCA banding for a large cohort.

Disclaimer: I'm not an ACS(I) teacher, staff member, parent or student. However, I am a professional interrogator of the SG education system.

[autolycus]

Snow Crystal:

autolycus:

ngbrdad: the IP/Express designation is purely internal, since any student in ACS(I) may (or may not) end up doing O-levels or IP track. It's the only hybrid-track school.

Oh. The kid will only know officially on Reporting day 22 Dec whether get into IB?
ngbrdad - if so, call up ACSI or MOE hotline tomorrow. Do update us.

You'll only know if the student gets into the IB about 4 years from now. The IB Diploma Programme starts in Year 5; it's a pre-university course. The IP (integrated programme) is any course of secondary education which leads to pre-university WITHOUT having to do O-levels. ACS(I) has a hybrid IP-IBDP and Express Stream-O-levels system with possible lateral transfers, hence the common confusion.

[ngbrdad]

Snow Crystal:

ngbrdad:

Tomorrow maybe a busy day for me so may not have time to call.
Best thing is my work place phone reception is not too good.
Hope they sms before 9am.

Maybe by tmr you will know COP for IB from KSP haha

My boy's case may be a bit different because of GEP.

[Snow Crystal]

ngbrdad:

Snow Crystal:

Maybe by tmr you will know COP for IB from KSP haha

My boy's case may be a bit different because of GEP.

:? Pardon my ignorance. I don't quite understand this part. GEP to get into ACSI IB track is different COP from mainstream?

[ngbrdad]

Snow Crystal:

:? Pardon my ignorance. I don't quite understand this part. GEP to get into ACSI IB track is different COP from mainstream?

Maybe should let dear autolycus answer the question.