Hong Wen

[Xriver]

hquek:

Xriver:

Is there anywhere that can get past year paper or any practise questions for the kids?

Anyone can share?

My gal in Primary 1 this year and seems lagging due to insufficient practising. But not knowing where can i get the material for her.

Please advise.

If you are keen, just buy those top school past year papers, should be more than enough practise for your child.

Intend to go popular this weekend to get the past year papers. Just to make sure i'm not wasting my trip down... Popular at Bras Basar should have right?

[hquek]

Ehhh I see these selling everywhere near centrals (Toa payoh, ang mo kio etc). Just have to keep a lookout. There are some whose names mentioned in ksp forums that deliver also. If bras basah is convenient, then can sure find at the bookshops on second or third level (up escalator can see, hard to miss). I don’t think popular stock these though.


Btw I assume your weekend is sat. Am not sure if they are open on sun.

[reiner]

Xriver:

Thanks for the reply.


Went to the HWS 95th anniversary concert preview today and was very impressed by their performance especially the Drum & Wu Shu.

But my gals just can't make up her mind on which CCA to join. Headache...

I saw that the school website had changed. Can take a look if interested.
Below is the link.
http://hongwen.moe.edu.sg//

i was at the concert preview too... like the \"combination\" of guzhen and the wushu performance.. which is something diff...

loved the girl in the Choir yah... very pleasant, steady, clear voice... n her smile....

[Zing]

Is the 9th anniversary this Friday?

Drove past the school and saw the banner…
Am going for my P1 registration via 2A2 next Monday. Mixed feelings and emotions now.

[hquek]

Zing:

Is the 9th anniversary this Friday?

Drove past the school and saw the banner..
Am going for my P1 registration via 2A2 next Monday. Mixed feelings and emotions now.

Eh, 95th. Today got concert, no lessons; kids released at 10am.

DS2 very shiok! :imcool: :imcool:

[Zing]

Finally done with phase 2A2, my son is confirmed a place in HWS.

Now the headache starts... When we went to the school, I realized the school compound is situated right at the end.. A few concerns to discuss with fellow parents here.

May I check with parents here how and where do you drop off or pick up your kids? Will there be a jam along e stretch of road leading to the school? And anyone tried walking from HWS to the nearest bus stop or to Boon Keng MRT? How long will it take?

For P1 kids, will the school stream those stronger in Chinese in 1 class and vice versa for the weaker ones during Chinese lesson? How do they allocate each student to a class, by random? How do you find the SAP school culture in HWS and how has it influence your child thus far? More Chinese homework and reading materials?

Is the school academic driven or the focus is on elsewhere? Anyone has any idea on the aggregate score of the top student for last 2-3 years and the percentage of students going to express stream? On average how many spelling words a week for both Eng and Chi? Is there a lot of homework everyday? Roughly how many student get to stream to GEP at P3? Does the student converse more and better in mandarin after studying in HWS?

How much do you give your child for recess everyday? I have checked the canteen stall prices, noodles cost about $1/bowl while mixed rice is slightly more.

I saw on website that they only offer 8 CCA, and Chinese orchestra is not included, thought it was one of the strength of the school?

Sorry, a lot of Qs to ask cause I have a mixture of emotions right now.
Appreciate all your input. Many thanks.

[hquek]

Hi Zing,


Congrats on getting a place!

Eh....you didn't visit the school to see where it was before your registered?

Although I don't do it, I see during school release time, there are many who walk with their children to Boon Keng Mrt. I tried once, leisurely, it took me about 15-20 minutes - this is fairly slow walk through the hdb blocks. it could be faster along the road (from Sikh Temple in).

In the morning, traffic used to be way worse. it depends on what time your child is arriving. Mine reaches school about 640am and traffic is a breeze - no jam. Should you be after 7am, there may be times when there is a traffic line up from Kwong Wai Shu Hospital. Alternatively, if you are coming down from Balestier side, there are side roads you can turn into McNair (??) and then be very near school already.

For P1/2, it's all luck of the draw. Kids stay in the same class throughout the 2 years. If a child is extremely weak, they may pull the child out for special classes (ie same time different classrooms with the rest of the class). If the child is specially strong, he/she stays with the class.

My kids do not like chinese although strangely they can do better in chinese exams than english (at least at the lower levels). Being in a sap school has done nothing to make them like it. They are however exposed to stuff like wushu during pe class, guzheng/er hu, chinese tea appreciation and chinese calligraphy - all these are during classtime. However i see some kids take to chinese like fish to water - so it's very kid dependent (and probably family culture).

School focus is on overall development of a child - not just academic. I get the feel they rather a child grows up morally right than just academically strong. THis is one appreciation many parents have. Sorry no clue on the psle results - as a wise person told me before, our kids' psle results will not be impacted by what the top student gets, but rather what we do with/for our kids.

Spelling wise, weekly. First year for chinese is mostly hanyu pinyin (can't recall if they reduce after term 2). English spelling words (fairly easy) for P1. There is unseen dictation (can't recall if P2 start) for English. Homework....depends on how fast the child does. I would say the level is very manageable - my P3 does his very quickly and oftentimes in school. For past 2 years, only a few cleared round 2; probably about 10 cleared round 1 (I'm only guessing, no specific numbers for round 1). I don't get the sense that these kids are prepped in any way. School does not provide any type of gep prep. Anyway, if your child can make it, he/she will clear. No worries on that.

On recess, it depends on how much your child needs. $2 should be very plentiful unless child has to stay back.

Chinese orchestra is definitely a CCA but kids may probably have to clear selection. Totally unclear. CCAs are strongly encouraged in the school, note strongly encouraged.

[Zing]

Hi Hquek,


Thanks so much for all the valuable info and experience shared here.
Seems like HWS is not really an academic driven school, sounds pretty manageable for the child. Which is good.

I know where my boy stands, he is those who needs to be pushed to thrive, if you leave him to play, he will just play and learn nothing and go downhill from there. But if you push him abit, he will achieve or Even excel further… Not sure if this is good or bad for my boy to study here. During my time at HW, the good students are all in the 1 & only best class, and for sure, most did well and move on to good secondary schools. On the other hand, the other 3 classes has students who just made it to express stream, while most of my friends are sandwiched (they can choose to go express or normal), and the rest normal stream… Not sure if the trend is still as such now hence am curious to find out the percentage of students going to express after psle here.

Another concern is the teachers and peers… Is there any cases of bullying in school? Children fighting etc?
What is the assembly time and class end time? Is there a lot of remedial or CCA classes for P1?

Pai sei for all these Qs, I am a kiasu mummy, just mentally preparing myself. Haha.

[Zing]

Oh. I also have another burning Qs, saw that the school uniform is all tucked out… And the material like no need to iron? Is it true? Then how about PE attire? Do they wear the same shirt for class and PE? Or is 2 separate sets? Learned from parents of other schools that on PE lesson day, the kids can just wear PE attire to school, no need to bring to change. How is it like in HWS? Domt seem to see any pictures of their students in PE attire.

[hquek]

Hi zing,


On uniform, one uniform for all occasions. Very relaxed, no nid iron Somemore.