Paya Lebar Methodist Girl's School (Secondary)

[zhenx]

limws1:

DD will be starting sec 1 at PLMGS. The school waste no time in administering tests to band students accordingly to their ability. First day of school will be ability banding test. Second day will be English banding test. Wow...


I guess due to a wide range of students from both their primary sch and outside sch, they have to do all these banding exercise. Just hope the sch give equal attention to all students regardless of their abilities.

Is your DD in the express stream and is she your first child to enter sec sch? If so, I have some tips for you.
If her literature book is 'Sing to the dawn', do get the guide book for her, available from Popular. It's very useful to help in understanding the characters.
Prepare early for exams because with so many new subjects on hand, one can hardly find time to revise work. There will be numerous class tests before CA/SA so take the opportunity to learn seriously though the marks for these tests usually takes up only 5/10% of the total CA/SA. Also, other than SA2, the rest are to be taken during curriculum time and lessons will resume after each paper instead of able to go home early. So there is little time left for her to prepare for the following day's exam.
It's a must to memorise History and Geog if she wants to score well. Most S1 pupils are not used to memorising but just understanding the texts aren't enough.
For MT, the scope is very wide though the textbook's vocabs seem simple.
As with many other sec sch, most S1 teachers are MOE trainers so your DD may see new face(s) every term. Do practise maths from assessment books. She may be caught by some challenging questions in exams.
God bless!

[UnLuckyOrLucky]

Hi Zhenx,

Thanks for your inputs, it’s very helpful indeed. Somehow, not many amongst my friends and acquaintances have much to share other than just saying it’s a good school. It’s first time someone in our family joins a mission school and we find their early morning devotion something that is quite refreshing. By the way, how do you know their cut-off point for non-affiliated students last year was ‘233’? Is there is a link somewhere that has already published the COP for various schools for last year’s S1 posting?

[zhenx]

UnLuckyOrLucky:

Hi Zhenx,

Thanks for your inputs, it's very helpful indeed. Somehow, not many amongst my friends and acquaintances have much to share other than just saying it's a good school. It's first time someone in our family joins a mission school and we find their early morning devotion something that is quite refreshing. By the way, how do you know their cut-off point for non-affiliated students last year was '233'? Is there is a link somewhere that has already published the COP for various schools for last year's S1 posting?

Oh, one of my friends called up the MOE hotline during the S1 posting day and feedback to us. She got the number from the kiasuparents psle 2011 discussion forum page.
Ya, the morning devotion is indeed very encouraging for my DD (S2 this year)
and she has exercised much more self-control nowadays. Prior to that, she's a typical adolescent that flares easily. :xedfingers:

[UnLuckyOrLucky]

Hi Zhenx,

Do you have past 2-3 years of statistics showing the % of good "O" level students entering into good JCs like ACS JC o St Andrews JC in Paya Lebar Methodist Secondary? What’s your plan for your Sec 2 girl? Which JC would you like to see her join in another 3 years from now?

[zhenx]

UnLuckyOrLucky:

Hi Zhenx,

Do you have past 2-3 years of statistics showing the % of good \"O\" level students entering into good JCs like ACS JC o St Andrews JC in Paya Lebar Methodist Secondary? What's your plan for your Sec 2 girl? Which JC would you like to see her join in another 3 years from now?

Our plan is to get her to aim for CJC.
We start her on eng tuition now so hopefully her eng can improve.
We hope she can take the JC path i/o Poly path.
How about you and your girl?

[UnLuckyOrLucky]

Wow, Zhenx, you surely do plan ahead.


I happen to chance upon this Kiasu website, and going by all these accounts and discussion threads posted, I think I can be regarded as the most \"Boh Chap\" parent. Not sure if there's such a website otherwise I surely come in top. My eldest never gave me any worry at all since P1 (T-score 257) but the same can't be said of my 2nd. So when my \"couldn't care less\" attitude got carried into my 2nd child, you can imagine what kind of rude shock I had later.

I came from good schools in the past so naturally, it is my aspiration that my girl can get into top-tier JCs like ACJC but this is just my wish only. She has to work every hard if she wants to join in this JC. I'd finally come to terms with the fact that our expectations on our children has to be realistic and not base upon what \"I\" can achieve if \"I\" were her.

Take a look at this link ==> http://www.plmgss.moe.edu.sg/
Just wondering why mostly from Nanyang Poly?

[zhenx]

Lol! I was fairly 'boh chap' too until my girl was in P6. As reality unfolded itself, I knew I couldn't afford to laze. There are so many kiasu parents out there and competition is stiff and the result is harsh :stupid: .

You are right, we have to lower our expectations of our kids. My sec sch and jc are both IP schools now but in my time, I just got in effortlessly. Minimal competition then.
On hindsight, I think I have to 'buck up' and prepare my girl early (practise kiasuism).
Ya, I think those PL alumni that do well are mostly from poly. Those who join JC will probably be overshadowed by other schools' top pupils.
PL is able to produce pupils with 7A1s/ 8A1s. We have to be optimistic! Try our best but not at the expense of our kids' quality of life. My girl is very happy in her school and this is already a battle half won. :rahrah:
You are vey blessed to have a very bright elder one.
Btw, it seems we are the only 2 'chatting'. Hope more parents will appear on this link.

[zhenx]

Hi unluckyorlucky, did you visit the link for PL ‘O’ level 2011 results? There are 3 who got 8A1s, 20 with at least 5A1s, 4 who got 9As (A1 + A2) and 45 pupils who managed 7As (both A1 and A2), which I think is impressive.

[UnLuckyOrLucky]

Hi Zhenx,

Go get a copy of the Newpaper today. This year PLMGSS did very well. My gal came back yesterday said there was a 100 % jump in the number of pupils scoring 7 As this year. School will be off next Wednesday.

Sharing with you this link for your girl's preparation ==> http://www.post1.net/biow/entry/2010_o_levels_cut_off_point_to_jc_junior_college_in_singapore

Which school /JC were you from btw? Hope you're not from my alumni ?!

[UnLuckyOrLucky]

Oh yes, can share with me the link where you got those statistics on 2011’s ‘O’ level performance of PLMGSS? I can’t find it on school’s website