PCF/PAP Kindergartens

[celeste_blur]

Hi,


I am staying nearby that area and my girl is currently in N1 in a childcare. Am thinking of converting her to the PCF Nursery next year but not sure if it is good. Any mommies care to share their experience? Thanks

[jedamum]

discuss pcf here

http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?t=302&start=0

mods, pls merge. TQ.

[mrswongtuition]

aspring:

Hi anyone have children study in the PCF at Punggol blk 105 or 174. As i will be moving there want to switch my DS1 which will be in K2 next to one of the centre. Need some feedback from parent that the child has been or still in the centre for feed back.

Also any pre-nursery to recommed for my DS2 which will be 3 next year.

Many Thanks

You can try the centre at 303A.
It's new (opened in July this year) & I like the teachers there.

They are using Jolly Phonics & some other maths program in their daily curriculum (sorry I can't remember the maths program offhand).

They have 3 sessions to choose from. They've also been given some award for being creative in their teaching. Seems like the kids are happy there

[buds]

aspring:

Hi anyone have children study in the PCF at Punggol blk 105 or 174. As i will be moving there want to switch my DS1 which will be in K2 next to one of the centre. Need some feedback from parent that the child has been or still in the centre for feed back.

Also any pre-nursery to recommed for my DS2 which will be 3 next year.

Many Thanks

Heyya aspring, you may want to read up my posts on a PCF in another
block in Punggol at this link here. > http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?t=302&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=270

mrswongtuition:

You can try the centre at 303A.
It's new (opened in July this year) & I like the teachers there.

They are using Jolly Phonics & some other maths program in their daily curriculum (sorry I can't remember the maths program offhand).

They have 3 sessions to choose from. They've also been given some award for being creative in their teaching. Seems like the kids are happy there.

I see you have found your faith in PCF again, mrswongtuition.
Mrs Wan is really nice and accommodative. The Math programme is
a fantastic approach especially for students who begin from a very
young age. It teaches Math concepts in depth and introduces Math
language in creative and multi-sensory ways to help children develop
the love for Math. The programme is called Growing With Mathematics.

Btw aspring, you can contact her (Mrs Wan) @ this number here on
another one of my postings. > http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?t=302&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=285

Hope this helps.

[mrswongtuition]

Hey Buds,


Yeah, starting to find my faith in PCF after visiting many many many pCFs in HG/SK/PG area. But I’m very particular about many things & so far some are really not up to standard

But my hb also has no faith in PCF & he said that if he were to enrol my boy in PCF, he’ll definitely give him alot of enrichments.

[spring]

Hey mrswongtuition,


Thanks for ur reply regarding blk 103 pcf kindy! I hav only been to blk 124 and 103, and found 103 to be better. Do you hav any pcf kindy to recommend in sk/pg/hg area, so tat i can go hav a look? The one at punggol blk 303, do they hav N1 class?

[buds]

mrswongtuition:

Hey Buds,


Yeah, starting to find my faith in PCF after visiting many many many pCFs in HG/SK/PG area. But I'm very particular about many things & so far some are really not up to standard

But my hb also has no faith in PCF & he said that if he were to enrol my boy in PCF, he'll definitely give him alot of enrichments.

Can share what are the particular things? :evil:

[mrswongtuition]

1. Quality of Principal - Some of them have great love for the kids, but no management skills or forsight. Some of them totally lack the love, can tell from their attitudes.


2. Quality of teachers - Some centres have very old teachers who still cling on to traditional methods of teaching & punishments. Very disturbing.

3. Hygiene - Noticed some centres do not have a proper pantry area to clean the kid’s utensils for tea break. Noticed very dirty food prep areas too. I noticed some centres actually do a ‘wipe down’ before the commencement of the next session. This is more hygienic as the kids need not have physical contact to pass diseases.

4. Classroom decoration/Letters to parents - Spotted many basic spelling errors. I’m alright with the occasional errors but with techonology, letters to parents or publications like newsletters should not have errors in them.

5. Time allocation/classroom management - Some of very terrible timetables. Their activities are in 45min - 1 hour blocks. At that age, the suitable time frame is 30min per activity & move on. Even primary schools tries to keep it to 30min per period! Some centres have great timetables but the teachers do not have good classroom management skills and alot of time is wasted ‘waiting’ for the next activity to happen. Could be due to lack of teacher assistants?

6. Lesson content - I requested to see their lesson plans for the whole year. Some readily dished out a set & explained, some were hesitant (most likely, ill-prepared). Those that were hesitant were not able to give me specific examples of what is being taught in lessons but just kept repeating that they follow PCF’s syllabus and the kids will be well-prepared for P1. Some were very willing to show me student’s works, their workbooks and explain about any external systems they are adopting (Jolly Phonics, Ednoland, etc).

There were some principals that even asked me for suggestions and improvements upon finding out that I’m a teacher. They were very open to suggestions to improve their centre & they were even taking down notes when I suggested that they update themselves on the standards of P1 by looking at assessment books & past year papers. Some even asked me where to get the past year papers and which assessment books they should look at.

So it’s not that all PCFs are not good. It’s highly dependant on the P and the staff there.

[ky_har]

Hi


I’m moving to springside estate. Does anyone know where is the nearest PCF kindergarten ? Preferably with direct bus there. The buses i have are :

167, 169, 980.


Or any other nursery or K that you recommend near there ?

Thanks

[chixchix]

Hii all my boy will be starting first day tomorrow for K1 but I wasnt informed whether he needs to report to school in white shoes or not… i was just told they dont have to bring a bag to school as all worksheets will be in school.


Any idea about the shoes ??

Also, can anyone share what they learn for English & Maths so that I can coach him at home…when I asked the school teachers, they said they were not sure as the whole syllabus had changed.