Choosing and Evaluating Primary Schools

[rains]

Hi slowcoach,


No school practises school visits for the purpose of letting parents find out more about the school. The only time you can find out more about the school is through their open house.

The administrator appears unwilling probably bcos nobody has made such a request before. By entertaining such requests, it will open the floodgate to potential parents’ enquiries and teachers would have to set aside time just to make time for such talks.

Actually, open house is only good for touring the school. I would say word of mouth or hearsay is possibly more reliable than what the school showcases on that all-important day.

[mummydarling]

Any feedback between PLMG and St Nick?

[sunnyisland]

Dear All,


I am a SAHM overseas and will be returning for my daughter's P1 in 2015. (registration in 2014)
Right now, we are looking around for schools we can shortlist for her registration next year. Really daunted by the registration process.
Here are my thoughts:

(1) register in my old school (radin mas pri)
(2) register in new school (frontier pri)
(3) register in rulang pri

I stay in Jurong west and hope to have some advice.
Out will the parent volunteer programme as we are still overseas; no affiliation, won't be available for any visit to schools.

Are we doomed to the last phase of registration? and minimal chances of a choice school?

thanks,

[qms]

sunnyisland:

(1) register in my old school (radin mas pri)

(2) register in new school (frontier pri)
(3) register in rulang pri

For School #1, you will be in Phase 2A. For the other two schools, you will be in Phase 2C.

What is the distance between your house and Schools #2 and #3?

[sunnyisland]

qms:

sunnyisland:

(1) register in my old school (radin mas pri)

(2) register in new school (frontier pri)
(3) register in rulang pri

For School #1, you will be in Phase 2A. For the other two schools, you will be in Phase 2C.

What is the distance between your house and Schools #2 and #3?

We will be within 1km of both schools as
(1) hubby's address is at JW str 51 opposite Rulang pri.
(2) our own residence is just beside frontier primary.

The thought of it is just daunting.
How do the three schools compare up?

[qms]

sunnyisland:

We will be within 1km of both schools as

(1) hubby's address is at JW str 51 opposite Rulang pri.
(2) our own residence is just beside frontier primary.

The thought of it is just daunting.
How do the three schools compare up?

For your information, during P1 registration, you should use the address that you will be staying when your child starts schooling.

Academically, Rulang has so far surpassed the other two. What is your criteria for school selection?

[sunnyisland]

qms:

sunnyisland:

We will be within 1km of both schools as

(1) hubby's address is at JW str 51 opposite Rulang pri.
(2) our own residence is just beside frontier primary.

The thought of it is just daunting.
How do the three schools compare up?

For your information, during P1 registration, you should use the address that you will be staying when your child starts schooling.

Academically, Rulang has so far surpassed the other two. What is your criteria for school selection?

We weren't aware of the address thingy. Hubby's address is actually our in-laws residence. Will that be an issue? I read somewhere that it is possible to use the address of grandparents?

I hope that the choice school provides a more rounded education. Frontier pri is convenient but has no track record. Old school (radin mas pri) is great but no before / after school care services and the traveling distance is further.

I have a second child and hope to make a wise decision so that the second registration will not be a headache.

[qms]

sunnyisland:

We weren't aware of the address thingy. Hubby's address is actually our in-laws residence. Will that be an issue? I read somewhere that it is possible to use the address of grandparents?

You may use grandparents' address if they will be your child's caregivers when he starts schooling. However, please note that, should you go by the caregiver route, your child will be classified under the 1-2 km category, even though they may stay next to the school.

sunnyisland:

I hope that the choice school provides a more rounded education. Frontier pri is convenient but has no track record. Old school (radin mas pri) is great but no before / after school care services and the traveling distance is further.

Distance is important especially when your child reaches higher levels as he will need to stay back for CCAs and/or extra lessons.

I am not familiar with Frontier Pri. but perhaps you may like to go to the parents' networking thread for this school to find out more about the school? Even though Frontier is a new school, you may like to know that there was balloting for this school in P2C last year for SCs staying less than 1 km away.

So, what you may like to do is to register with RMPS at P2A first and monitor the situation for Frontier/Rulang when it comes to P2C. If you think that RMPS is really too far, then, you may like to consider other schools in Jurong West as your backup.

[sunnyisland]

qms:

sunnyisland:

We weren't aware of the address thingy. Hubby's address is actually our in-laws residence. Will that be an issue? I read somewhere that it is possible to use the address of grandparents?

You may use grandparents' address if they will be your child's caregivers when he starts schooling. However, please note that, should you go by the caregiver route, your child will be classified under the 1-2 km category, even though they may stay next to the school.

sunnyisland:

I hope that the choice school provides a more rounded education. Frontier pri is convenient but has no track record. Old school (radin mas pri) is great but no before / after school care services and the traveling distance is further.

Distance is important especially when your child reaches higher levels as he will need to stay back for CCAs and/or extra lessons.

I am not familiar with Frontier Pri. but perhaps you may like to go to the parents' networking thread for this school to find out more about the school? Even though Frontier is a new school, you may like to know that there was balloting for this school in P2C last year for SCs staying less than 1 km away.

So, what you may like to do is to register with RMPS at P2A first and monitor the situation for Frontier/Rulang when it comes to P2C. If you think that RMPS is really too far, then, you may like to consider other schools in Jurong West as your backup.

Thank you for enlightening me on the caregivers route. That was something new to me. Does that mean I can enroll in RMPS in phase 2a and subsequent go for Phase 2C if we decide to switch schools? What other schools in Jurong West are good?

I can't seem to find the thread for Frontier Pri networking though.

[qms]

sunnyisland:

Thank you for enlightening me on the caregivers route. That was something new to me. Does that mean I can enroll in RMPS in phase 2a and subsequent go for Phase 2C if we decide to switch schools?

You are allowed to enrol in RMPS in P2A. However, you need to withdraw your application with the school should you decide to enrol with another school in P2C. Once you have withdrawn from RMPS, you are not able to go back to the school to claim the place should you be unsuccessful in P2C. So, plan your move wisely.

Actually, have you considered moving closer to RMPS?

sunnyisland:

What other schools in Jurong West are good?

You may like to read the Jurong West thread located within this Primary Schools - Selection and Registration section for more information.

sunnyisland:

I can't seem to find the thread for Frontier Pri networking though.

I see that you have found your way to the thread. There must be a reason why this school was so hot in last year's P1 registration even though it was a new school. So, talk to the parents there. Am sure you will get the information you have been looking for. :celebrate: