[Geylang] Primary Schools

[BigDevil]

denang:

Just want to check something about Maha Bodhi School...


1) Is it a single session school?
2) What mother tongue languages does the school offer?

Can't seem to find anything from their website. Would appreciate any help, thanks.

http://app.sis.moe.gov.sg/schinfo/SIS_SearchDtls.asp?strCode=5601&snm=MAHA%20BODHI%20SCHOOL

[MMM]

denang:

Just want to check something about Maha Bodhi School...


1) Is it a single session school?
2) What mother tongue languages does the school offer?

Can't seem to find anything from their website. Would appreciate any help, thanks.

It is not yet a single session school. MBS being a SAP school only offer Chinese for MT.

[denang]

Thanks everyone for the helpful replies…

[susu3]

need some advice. i have 3 girls. im an old girl of rgps. but im worried about the distance. im between 1-2km from haig girls. Anyone knows whether the chances of my girl getting into haig girls without ballotting is gd? Wld u put yr girls in Raffles or Haig girls?

[phtthp]

susu3:

Anyone knows whether the chances of my girl getting into haig girls without ballotting is gd? Wld u put yr girls in Raffles or Haig girls?

go back RGPS under phase 2A.
persevere minimal 1 year in RGPS first, then see how.

reasons:-
i) RGPS from P1 kick start with Higher Chinese.
Haig Girls P1 only Normal Chinese.

if you target yr child enter SAP Secondary school next time (example: Nanyang Girls High or CHIJ St Nicholas Integrated Programme, etc. Higher Chinese exposure from as early as P1 is better.

ii) academically - RPGS standard stronger than Haig Girls.

iii) if you want to transfer from RGPS next time to Haig Girls, is easier.
vice versa is tougher.

iv) from 2016 onwards -
after school goes single session, Principal going to introduce new changes & improvement to the school. (to be announced in due course)

v) when your daughter coming in P1 ?
if 2013 - still at Hillcrest, Bukit Timah.
if 2014 / 2015 - is at Mount Sinai (Holland).
if 2016 onwards - go back Hillcrest.

currently, my friend whose girl P1 this year staying at Marine Parade also sent her girl back to RGPS. Quite a # of pupils staying in the east also take school bus. If you want to know what timing school bus fetch kids around yr area, can call up school to check; school website has the telephone # of school bus operator.

Haig Girls
As of previous years, Haig Girls did not have to conduct balloting at Phase 2C. All applicants were successfully registered.

Balloting was only conducted in Phase 2C Supplementary for those residing more than 2km from Haig Girls.

however, this year may change.
since new ruling gives priority to SC, PRs slim chance for hot, popular schools. So they may divert / switch attention onto schools like Haig Girls, St Margaret, Marymount, Cannosa Convent .... these are the few \"All Girls\" gem schools to look out for this year. The demand for these few schools might surge.

[phtthp]

2013 P1 intake: Geylang schools


http://www.moe.gov.sg/education/admissions/primary-one-registration/vacancies/#geylang

11 classes (330 pupils): Maha Bodhi

9 classes (270 pupils): Kong Hwa, Geylang Methodist


6 classes (180 pupils) : Haig Girls, Eunos, Macpherson

4 classes (120 pupils): Canossa Convent

[susu3]

Thanks phtthp! Jus saw yr reply…aft I posted on the 2014 intake page. Thanks for yr sound advice. I had kinda decided on rgps then I read some posts abt girls fr rgps having 2 wake up by 520 n leave house by 550 n tat jus put me off. But yr idea of trying it out for a yr sounds rite…ESP since I have 2 more girls due 2 start p1 in 2016 n 2017:)

[phtthp]

for P1 and P2, your daughter will study Afternoon session, not morning session immediate. For Afternoon session, she can wake up later, no need to rush.


regarding early morning school bus issue - morning session only start from P3 onwards.
Thus perhaps you may try out RGPS initial 2 years first. Later on, then see how.

if your girl goes there 1 year - she acquire 1 year of Higher Chinese grounding.
if she goes there 2 years - she acquire 2 years of Higher Chinese grounding.

Jan 2014 to Dec 2015 - RGPS shift to Mount Sinai temporarily.
perhaps for 2 years, consider rent a house nearer to Mount Sinai (Holland).

here is an example of a parent staying in Punggol sending her girl to RGPS - because she personally feels it is worth it.
http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=193&start=990

another P1 friend of mine staying in Yishun - also sent her girl back there.

besides distance, there're other factors to consider during evaluation of schools.
if you free one day, perhaps visit Haig Girls premises. Observe overall general disciplinary behavior in the school (can tell quite a lot about the school). In terms of discipline, does the school management teach / guide her pupils to behave well properly, from young ? Observe following clues / sign:-

- do the lower primary girls sit down quietly in the canteen try to read or try to do something to occupy their time, while waiting for their school bus / care taker to fetch them home ?

- do the pupils talk quietly in low volume voices gently, taught to be polite / considerate so as not to disturb other classes still having lessons on, while walking along common corridoor ?

- or do they run around noisily in the canteen, along pavement making a lot of noise, shout or talk loudly around common area(s) ?

- any school bullies (if any) ?

- find out what was the average / mean psle score of both schools, for minimal past 3 years ?

Since RGPS is a gifted school, you need to find out the overall performance of the Mainstream students, to make a comparison.
No matter what, at the end of the day, RGPS is still academic in nature: grades count! The pupils studying inside are competitive, hence the academic stress.

From P4 to P6, the girls compete to enter into top 2 Mainstream classes (E, F). A number of them attend high end tuition. eg: TLL (The Learning Lab) To be able to do Higher Chinese, minimum score consistently in Chinese tests: 85

depends on what you're looking for.

- CCA.
is there any particular CCA or Sports category that you wish your girl to pursue that is available in Haig Girls, but absent in RGPS, or vice versa ?

you may attend Haig Girls Open House, clarify all concern with Principal :-

4 to 5 July 2012 (Wednesday & Thursday)
Time: 8.30am to 12 noon
http://www.haiggirls.moe.edu.sg/

[garanmum]

Hi all,


I’m a parent of HGS. I’m very glad my girl is in the sch as it is holistic and have very good culture beieving in every girls’ potential. The principal is personal n motivating to the girls n teachers. The teachers are mostly caring n personal too. One of the reasons of no balloting cos it is located in an estate with lesser hdb thus lesser population and only girls are eligible. furthermore the estate around has lesser parents with young children compared to those newer estate. Hope this helps!

[phtthp]

may we hear further experience / opinion from more parents (both ex and current) of Haig Girls school ?