[Alexandra/Bukit Merah/Queenstown/Tiong Bahru] Preschools

[Yi.03882cloud]

Hi Tiggermummy,

Your kids currently studying at Artskidz right, any special issues? How e teachers in there? Any extra comments?

[Yi.03882cloud]

Hi I knew the fees of JHS Montri is around $1,800 inclusive GSt right? I also checking the Montessori school fees, which I think e Halifax Montri quite good, is around $1,300. Have a US consultant. Just share w you.

[TiggerMummy]

1. I don't really like the food they served for lunch. Feels that it is not nutritious enough.

2. Owner of the school is quite visible. You can always see her around. Good also. Cause she will definitely wants to see things run smoothly.

Teachers wise, for the pre-nursery, we quite like one of the teachers, Carolina, as we find her the most attentive and caring. We also like the Chinese teacher, Miss Zhang.

[stardust25]

Hi Yi@cloud,


Thanks. I went down to LW @ Winchester and really love the sprawling grounds. The teachers also engaged the students very well. They looked spirited. And the sch has weekly themes so students explore geography, social studies along these themes. I didnt like the East Coast premises as much maybe becos it's more enclosed.

For Arts Kidz, the selling point for me is the native speaking as well as expat teachers (curriculum aside, I think teachers make alot of difference) but so far I've only seen Singaporean teachers the 2 times I went down. Tiggermummy and mummies who have kids in Art Kidz put my mind at ease that the native speaking and expat teachers in Art Kidz really exist as the sch claims? Can I also know do the kids really learn how to play the violin eventually or they are just holding?

Yi@cloud, for preschs at Halifax Road, heard that the lease for the entire row of hses is up end of this year...so gd to confirm with the sch and ascertain their new add...if u are interested to send your kid there.

[TiggerMummy]

Hi stardust25


Each of the languages like Japanese, Korean and Mandarain do have their own native speaking teachers. As for the English teacher, she looks Spanish to me. The lead teacher is Indian. I can only speak for Pre-nursery. You may want to talk to the admin staff with regards to your concern.

The most important thing is you must feel comfortable with the school.

I think the kids get to hold the violins when they reach N2. Before that a violin teacher will come over once a week to give them exposure to the music played using violin.

Every week, the lead teacher will send out a weekly communication letter to the parents to inform us on what the kids will be learning for this week. I feel this is important as we know what the school is teaching and we can reinforce them at home. Everyday they will update their communication file, which we bring back home daily, to let us know how much food he had during lunch, how long was his nap etc.

There is a blue little notebook which allows parent to write down their questions. This is useful to working parents as most of the times it is our helpers who picked up the kids.

[shandee]

Gosh! Eaton @ Outram is at $5k per term !!?? I am very skeptical abt these \"branded\" schools.....will the kids turn out much better than kids who goes to \"normal\" sch....wat set them (branded sch) apart, allowing them to charge such exorbitant fees ??


I called JHS sometime in Jan (b4 CNY) and was told that they are moving to Valley Park & that their fees is ard $1.9k per term....I asked if I can view the place after they hv moved & settled-down and the lady (Nicole?) told me that she will give me a ring in early/ mid feb to arrg...hv not heard fr them yet....in comparison to ArtsKidz, JHS is a bit more expensive on a per-hr basis.... JHS seems to hv quite a fair bit of expat kids....how well does JHS kids transit to P1, anyone w experience to share on this?

So far, little pen & paper at ArtsKidz.... lots of art & craft....DD (N2) came back singing a lot of phonics songs \"Ah Ah, ants on the arms; Ah Ah ants on the arms\"........\"S S, snakes in the grassss; S S snakes in the grassss\"

At ArtsKidz, teachers would observe the child & detail the observation in the child's folder (which parents would receive @ yr-end)..... very real observation for DD last year (N1)! Reading the teacher's observation/ comments, I can really visualize DD saying all that she said !! This really impressed me. My concern w ArtsKidz would be how well the kids transit to P1.....anyone w experience to share on this?

how abt Chinese Kindergarten & YMCA ? Anyone can share....?

[cloubhappy.05320live.05320com]

Parents who are more concerned with preparing their child well for p1 definitely has to send their children to eng, math n chinese enrichment if their child is art kidz. It is not enough. Lots of interesting arts n craft. Minimal writing n few sheets of simple worksheets. Sch dun believe in academic focus. So it is gd for nursery level but once k1, parebts hv to do a lot at hm unless u share the same belief as the sch. But teachers are really good. Apart from getting too crowded n noisy, the environment is quite good. Concern is how safe is the gate? Any1 can enter the Sch.


Cos mainly jap kids, their eng std can’t go fast n far. But good thing is no singlish. Gd place for exposure to chinese but definitely not enough for p1.

Dun really ur expect ur child to b able to play a song or so from the violin after k1. Of course it depends on individual child again.

Kids love the Sch cos outdoor play every morning and lots of interesting activities n arts with nice teachers.

[stardust25]

Thanks all for your advice. Most helpful

[shandee]

Hi xk,

Fr yr reply, ur kid seem to hv studied in Artzkids.
Did ur child graduate fr Artzkids? If not, where did ur child graduate fr?
U happy w the K2 school ? Wld u recommend it?

[sunshine_06]

Hi


Mummies looking for childcare can visit Little SkoolHouse At Alexandra Hosptial. Before that, I had combed through almost every childcare center in Tiong Bahru and Bt Merah; had even visited Art Kidz. So i can understand the frustration.

Yes, for Art Kidz, I do have concerned over the school time and mainly whether my kid can cope with the P1 work since I already have an older kid in primary school. Because foundation in reading and writing is very very important.

But then finally settled in LSH and my kid is there for more than a year already.

The principal, Felicia is a nice and patient lady, so are the teachers there. The staff are mainly very caring towards the children. And every staff(even the cooking auntie) knows every child in the center as it is a pretty small centre.

Just that not sure is there a long waiting list.