Anglo-Chinese School (Independent)

[BeContented]

autolycus:

Snow Crystal:

Hi Autolycus or anyone who can help answer:


Please may I know the advantages and relevance of taking HCL for ACSI IP program... *snip*

There is one MAJOR advantage — if you have passed HCL (or any other HMT), you have met MOE's mother tongue requirements. This means that when you enter the Y5/Y6 IB Diploma Programme, you can take another language at 'ab initio' level (e.g. German, Spanish) which may be much easier for your son, give him additional functionality, and also extend the breadth of his education.

Hi autolycus,
DS will be taking up HCL & still considering a 3rd Lang.
You have mentioned that after passing HCL at 'O' levels, at Y5/Y6 IB one can take another language at 'ab initio' level (e.g. German, Spanish). For those who took 3rd Lang & persisted, what would their options be at Y5/6. Still 'an initio' level?
Am also thinking perhaps should not do the 3rd Lang now but wait till Y5/Y6, just in case my child can't cope with so many subjects at start of sec life.

If the child do start 3rd Lang at Sec1 & drop it subsequently. Can he still choose it again as a 'ab initio' level in Y5/6?

In addition, if we are overseas during the reporting day, do you know what are the actions to be taken to indicate that we are definitely joining ACSI ? (We have accepted via DSA).

Thanks.

[autolycus]

BeContented:

Hi autolycus,

DS will be taking up HCL & still considering a 3rd Lang.
You have mentioned that after passing HCL at 'O' levels, at Y5/Y6 IB one can take another language at 'ab initio' level (e.g. German, Spanish). For those who took 3rd Lang & persisted, what would their options be at Y5/6. Still 'an initio' level?
Am also thinking perhaps should not do the 3rd Lang now but wait till Y5/Y6, just in case my child can't cope with so many subjects at start of sec life.

If the child do start 3rd Lang at Sec1 & drop it subsequently. Can he still choose it again as a 'ab initio' level in Y5/6?

In addition, if we are overseas during the reporting day, do you know what are the actions to be taken to indicate that we are definitely joining ACSI ? (We have accepted via DSA).

Thanks.

The Latin phrase 'ab initio' means 'from the beginning'. So if you have done German (for example) as a 3rd language prior to entering the IB course, you're no longer allowed to do it 'ab initio'. These subject courses are designed for people who've never had any contact with the language before. So technically, doing it for a full year in Sec 1 would be a problem (although I suspect they'd let you do it anyway).

If you have accepted Phase 2 DSA and not withdrawn by 5 Oct 2012, you are automatically in the school. Hopefully you've not accepted more than one offer (in which case all acceptances are void). No further action is required; just turn up and bring your documents. Do however send an email to the school office to keep in touch and ask if anything else needs to be prepared in advance.

Cheers!

[Tentacles]

Tentacles:

Thank you autolycus for the prompt and informative response! :rahrah:


Another question: Can a student take 2 ab initio subjects? (in lieu of a Group 6 subject) Something for me to consider, since the study of new languages is an area I will whole-heartedly delve into. (picked up a 3rd language in secondary school).

Thanks for the great help!

Technically you are allowed to, but the school will not allow because of timetabling issue.[/quote]

Thanks! Any chance of appealing over this decision? I only asked this because such was possible in my secondary school (such as appealing for 'oddball' triple humanities combinations).

[autolycus]

Tentacles:

Thanks! Any chance of appealing over this decision? I only asked this because such was possible in my secondary school (such as appealing for 'oddball' triple humanities combinations).

You can appeal, but it's unlikely to be successful for two reasons:

1) The practical basis is that all such timetabling slots are concurrent. This allows everyone with an ab initio slot to have their timetable fit nicely into the already complicated system. In a secondary school, the majority of the subjects are fixed — for example, a standard 2Lang 2Sc 2Math 2Hum combination + 1 discretionary slot. In the IB system, the combinations are more fluid; it's harder.

2) The theoretical or philosophical basis is that all IB students are supposed to have a broadly distributed education, not an overly specialised one. If you're doing three language subjects, that's as bad as doing three sciences (or that old A-level geek combo of double Math + CS)!

Cheers!

[Tentacles]

Thanks autolycus!

[BeContented]

autolycus:

BeContented:

Hi autolycus,

DS will be taking up HCL & still considering a 3rd Lang.
You have mentioned that after passing HCL at 'O' levels, at Y5/Y6 IB one can take another language at 'ab initio' level (e.g. German, Spanish). For those who took 3rd Lang & persisted, what would their options be at Y5/6. Still 'an initio' level?
Am also thinking perhaps should not do the 3rd Lang now but wait till Y5/Y6, just in case my child can't cope with so many subjects at start of sec life.

If the child do start 3rd Lang at Sec1 & drop it subsequently. Can he still choose it again as a 'ab initio' level in Y5/6?

In addition, if we are overseas during the reporting day, do you know what are the actions to be taken to indicate that we are definitely joining ACSI ? (We have accepted via DSA).

Thanks.

The Latin phrase 'ab initio' means 'from the beginning'. So if you have done German (for example) as a 3rd language prior to entering the IB course, you're no longer allowed to do it 'ab initio'. These subject courses are designed for people who've never had any contact with the language before. So technically, doing it for a full year in Sec 1 would be a problem (although I suspect they'd let you do it anyway).

If you have accepted Phase 2 DSA and not withdrawn by 5 Oct 2012, you are automatically in the school. Hopefully you've not accepted more than one offer (in which case all acceptances are void). No further action is required; just turn up and bring your documents. Do however send an email to the school office to keep in touch and ask if anything else needs to be prepared in advance.

Cheers!

Thanks for the explanation.
DS has accepted ACSI & it's reflected on the S1 form. Just a bit kancheong cos we would not be around during the sec registration period. Thanks. I'll inform the office.
One more query, do you happen to know if French/German is held in ACSI compound or elsewhere. Thanks.

[Labrador]

Can anyone help with a comparison between acsi express and acs barker. My ds is from feeder school and his score comfortably exceeds both cop. Which of the two produces better o level results? Does barker have the same two cca policy as acsi?

[autolycus]

BeContented:

Thanks for the explanation.

DS has accepted ACSI & it's reflected on the S1 form. Just a bit kancheong cos we would not be around during the sec registration period. Thanks. I'll inform the office.
One more query, do you happen to know if French/German is held in ACSI compound or elsewhere. Thanks.

You're welcome!

French, German and Spanish are all held on the ACS(I) campus itself. I do recommend German as a technical language and Spanish as a useful global language in particular.

[autolycus]

Labrador:

Can anyone help with a comparison between acsi express and acs barker. My ds is from feeder school and his score comfortably exceeds both cop. Which of the two produces better o level results? Does barker have the same two cca policy as acsi?

The two courses both produce results that overlap in terms of quality. Of course, the mean intake for ACS(I) non-IP tends to be slightly better, so you would expect better results, all things being equal. In your son's case, the most important thing is that getting into ACS(I) provides him a clear opportunity to enter the IB programme via IP at an earlier point, thus avoiding the JAE later.

My personal feeling is that you should allow him to go for which ever school he feels most comfortable with. Not all quality is quantifiable, and in the past when there was only one secondary school at 60 Barker Road, success was achieved by students from all over the spectrum, from the '9-subject pure science' people at one end to the '7-subject humanities' people at the other end of the 14 or so classes.

Cheers!

[pixiedust]

I have read through the >100pages on this thread.

I would appreciate some help to understand the general makeup of the students in ACS(I).

What is the rough breakdown of students who are from GEP or via DSA ?
Those via DSA, are they usually talented in sports or academic ?

How do those boys from PSLE-non-affilated schools cope and fare ?
Is there much comradery among the boys ?