Catholic High (Primary)

[Hendon]

zac's mum\" post_id=\"1915809\" time=\"1561461010\" user_id=\"53606:[quote=\"zac's mum\" post_id=1915809 time=1561461010 user_id=53606]

Careermum\" post_id=\"1915796\" time=\"1561453656\" user_id=\"22005:

I agree. You get 2 tries at the lucky draw. If both times balloted out, then just take it as a sign God says the school is not suitable for your boy.

Sometimes not getting in is the blessing

[s8010337i]

Hi,

I am looking to register my boy in 2019 and looking at transportation to the school and after school from Woodlands.The school bus company i called said pick up is around 5.50am.Hoping to find an alternative which is later .Thanks

[kiasu-kel]

Any not so positive experience from placing your boy in Catholic High (Pri)?

For example: impatient teachers, classmates are excessively competitive, regimental environment, school being run through forms, deviations require strong justification?

Did your boy manage to make good friends? Are they scared of going to school (even after a few months)?

[Careermum]

kiasu-kel\" post_id=\"1917071\" time=\"1562122431\" user_id=\"131123:

Any not so positive experience from placing your boy in Catholic High (Pri)?
For example: impatient teachers, classmates are excessively competitive, regimental environment, school being run through forms, deviations require strong justification?

Did your boy manage to make good friends? Are they scared of going to school (even after a few months)?

All my 3 sons went through CHS Primary. Those were the happiest days of their childhood.
All 3 did well for PSLE and could have made it to other well known secondary schools, but the 2 older ones strongly fought with me (haha) to return to CHS secondary due to the fond memories they had during primary school days & the strong friendships they forged.
(And to be honest, their T-score is just slightly above the COP of the well known secondary schools, and they didn't want to be near the bottom of the cohort haha).
DS1 is now in NS but still went back to CHS to help out in his previous CCA.
Only DS3 went to the other well known secondary school near CHS as his t-score is way higher, and he wanted to challenge himself in a more competitive environment. But he still visits his former teachers at CHS Primary regularly, and still goes out socially with his friends from CHS Primary, although they have all gone to different schools.

Although CHS Pri is one of the top primary schools, the environment is relaxing and enjoyable.
The teachers are also very nurturing, treating the boys like their own kids. The whole place is like a family.
The boys are also given opportunities to develop their fullest potentials eg leadership qualities.

[anitaray]

Dear CHS parents,


May I ask some advice on post school student care options? any review on the centers available? many thanks!!

Also, would any parents have P1 textbooks (higher Chinese, Eng and Match) if possible? or to guide me where to source and have a look?

Best regards!!

[littleprince]

Careermum\" post_id=\"1917148\" time=\"1562136195\" user_id=\"22005:

kiasu-kel\" post_id=\"1917071\" time=\"1562122431\" user_id=\"131123:

Any not so positive experience from placing your boy in Catholic High (Pri)?
For example: impatient teachers, classmates are excessively competitive, regimental environment, school being run through forms, deviations require strong justification?

Did your boy manage to make good friends? Are they scared of going to school (even after a few months)?

All my 3 sons went through CHS Primary. Those were the happiest days of their childhood.
All 3 did well for PSLE and could have made it to other well known secondary schools, but the 2 older ones strongly fought with me (haha) to return to CHS secondary due to the fond memories they had during primary school days & the strong friendships they forged.
(And to be honest, their T-score is just slightly above the COP of the well known secondary schools, and they didn't want to be near the bottom of the cohort haha).
DS1 is now in NS but still went back to CHS to help out in his previous CCA.
Only DS3 went to the other well known secondary school near CHS as his t-score is way higher, and he wanted to challenge himself in a more competitive environment. But he still visits his former teachers at CHS Primary regularly, and still goes out socially with his friends from CHS Primary, although they have all gone to different schools.

Although CHS Pri is one of the top primary schools, the environment is relaxing and enjoyable.
The teachers are also very nurturing, treating the boys like their own kids. The whole place is like a family.
The boys are also given opportunities to develop their fullest potentials eg leadership qualities.

Hi careermum, I read your post with great interest esp because of your no 3 who went to the other well known secondary in the same area. How did your son cope when he switched there?
My son is in p4 and doing well since p1. If he keeps up the good work, going to that secondary school is not going to be out of our league. However, I am treading with much caution because i do believe in big fish/small fish , big pond/small pond theory.
So I am also afraid to let him go to such a huge pond and he ends up struggling with lowered self esteem. If he can remain top of Cat High, it is quite good already. However, he has been expressing interest in that school, so we are in a dilemma

[littleprince]

Does your son feel the competition is a lot stiffer there or is he still doing as well as before?

[grace03]

Hi! Based on the stats today, 89 applicants for phase 1. What are the chances of 2a1 (>2km)?

[Careermum]

littleprince,

I think if your DS aspires to go the other well known secondary school, it should be encouraged especially if he has the confidence and he wants to challenge himself.

I agree with the fish/pond analogy, but personally I feel that a small fish can mature faster in a big pond.
Due to the following reasons, haha:
1, The bigger pond may have more plants, plankton and other feeds (resources).
2, The existence of other big fishes will motivate this small fish to want to grow bigger to match the size.
3, The possible predators in the big pond (competition) will force this small fish to learn coping strategies (life skills).
No doubt there are examples of fishes not surviving, but overall, I think it is a good environment.

At the end of the journey, it may still be a relatively small fish in that big pond (coz the pond is so big & it makes this fish looks small). However, it may grow to be bigger & stronger than a fish that remained in a small pond, even though they started with the same size (t-score).

Ultimately it depends on the character of the child. Your DS still has 2.5 years to develop his character, and he may mature to become one who is suitable to be in a big pond.

My DS3 is enjoying himself in that big pond, coz that is exactly the environment he wants. He likes to challenge himself, and he likes to immerse himself amongst the best, the brainiest & the most compassionate (in his own words). It lets him learn a lot from them. And not just in academic. Some have already invented mobile phone apps, some have already started their own social enterprises to help the underprivileged.
DS3 is in Year 2, has no tuition so far, and he’s coping well on his own. The teachers are also helpful and willing to meet the students outside class hours to explain concepts that they did not grasp during classes. DS3 is also very impressed by his teachers eg the way they carry themselves, the way they speak and their presentation skills. He is also impressed by their credentials such as PhD or from Harvard, haha.

He did feel the competition. This is unavoidable in such a big pond. In CHS he was amongst the top even if he sometimes lax a bit. Now when he gets an A, in a class of 40, he is 1 out of the 30+ who gets A. even the other 6-8 students who didn’t do well get a B at worst. But I see the good in it. It makes him not be too complacent. He also realises that "one mountain is higher than another mountain" (a chinese idiom), and he’s very much humbled.

I will share about my other 2 DS life in CHS Secondary below, otherwise this post becomes too long, haha.

[littleprince]

Wow, Careermum, thank you so much for your kind sharing. I look forward to read more about your elder 2 boys’ experiences!