Pat's Schoolhouse
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Just started my son at Pats Serangoon in K1 this year. It’s such a change - he’s so happy to go to school! He had been attending a popular kindergarten for two years and coping reasonably well, but he has never been so cheerful and looking forward to school as he is now. I have no idea what the teachers and principal at Pats have done to garner this change in my son’s attitude towards school, and I am both mystified and impressed…
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hi...
Very disappointed to recevied call from Pats School both (Serangoon and Aroozoo) no vancanies from 2013-2014.
Am on long waitlist...
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hi…
Very disappointed to received call from Pats School both (Serangoon and Aroozoo) no vacancies from 2013-2014.
Am on long waitlist…: sweat: -
Hi,
It's been a month in Tanglin branch & we r very encouraged to see our DS exhibiting these following positive traits:
a) improved listening during circle time
b) remember his friends' names
c) opportunities to share his interests verbally
d) fun & meaningful activities in & out of e classroom
e) more independent
It's true they have an effective Bilingual immersion prog. However, I think e few things parents need to include could be introduce Math & Science @ a young age... But still too early to say as he is only in N2...it's great they tie in w a book supplier for early reading...
Seeing e older kids enjoying e enrichment activities makes me heartened to know that they r interested in e holistic devt of e kids, not just solely academic focus...
E best part is that e teachers over there exude much warmth n care; I witnessed how e P & teachers helped one another readily with no reference to titles n many of them take turns to soothe or calm e fussy, tantrumy or even rowdy ones when they r in sch. They know just how to relate to them... :thankyou:
:hi5: :hi5: :hi5: -
Momlicious:
Good that you are so enthusiastic and experienced good teachers.
Seeing e older kids enjoying e enrichment activities makes me heartened to know that they r interested in e holistic devt of e kids, not just solely academic focus...
E best part is that e teachers over there exude much warmth n care; I witnessed how e P & teachers helped one another readily with no reference to titles n many of them take turns to soothe or calm e fussy, tantrumy or even rowdy ones when they r in sch. They know just how to relate to them... :thankyou:
:hi5: :hi5: :hi5:
I have just seen 2 reminders stuck on the communication book which really ticked me off. First, \"gentle\" reminder on the late pick up fees. $10 for every 15 minute increment. Second, reminder of payment and withdrawal policy. $10 administrative fee for late payment of fees. Ohh and get this, \"Repeated late payments may result in the termination of enrolment\". \"A full month's fee is payable monthly regardless of attendance, as your child's name is maintained in the class register and a place is reserved until he/she returns. We are unable to pro-rate, provide discounts or make any partial fee refunds for absence from the centre or in the case of centre closures.\"
The \"reminders\" are not just for new or prospective children, mind you. But for long term existing customers.
And it was dated Christmas Eve, 24 Dec 2012 (almost like a last minute thing) and only pasted on communication books today. Even credit card companies have more tact than to highlight the late payment fee in the face of their customers this way.
While we are now paying increased fees, I am wondering whether KU Education has invested in updating the programme and curriculum to meet the increasingly demanding standards of primary school. If they did, they need to communicate with us. I am more interested in reading about that than \"terms and conditions\". -
Wow!
Care to share which branch wrote these T&Cs in 2012?
Somehow, increase in fees is always a contentious issue amongst the parents. The least they can do is to exercise some tact and choose words wisely. Guess this probably gave a bad aftertaste to the parents in the form of a stern warning? -
Hi,
My kid has also had a month @ Tanglin now, but I have some nagging concerns.
Wonder if any Pat’s-seasoned parent can enlighten?
1. Why do the teachers not check temp/ HFMD at the door?
Currently, the parents take their kid’s temp, self-record and that seems to end there. I have not seen the teachers checking the kids before they enter the classroom either.
How do they then keep the suspect cases at bay?
2. Is there a set curriculum, like this-term-we-learn-about-the-weather?
Or having fixed activity (e.g. Water play) days?
So far, I have seen stuff pasted in the communication booklet, but there is no individualized observation. Apart from hearing my kid’s enthusiasm to go school, I know very little else about what kiddo does there.
My kiddo’s teachers are nice and gentle with the kids, but I honestly don’t feel like they connect with me as a parent on an individual basis.
Is one month too short to be making observations like these? What is the steady state like, esp at other Pat’s branches?
I had signed up on the strength of Principal Ada, but as it is, I rarely see her at afternoon drop-offs this month. -
The reminder about payment and withdrawal policies (printed on blue paper on Knowledge Universe letterhead) was signed off by Monica de Silva Lim, Managing Director and the reminder about pick up times was in a separate, more casual small white slip signed off by the centre principal but pasted together with the first reminder into the communication book. I do not think the reminders are centre specific. At least the blue reminder looks to be meant for distribution to all parents of PSH.
HFMD and temperature checks by a teacher on duty occur at the entrance every morning. I am not sure of the practice for the afternoon kids.
In the past, we received paper bulletins about the week’s activities in English and Chinese. Now, there is a parents’ portal where such bulletins (under "Friday Feedback") are uploaded. There is definitely a fixed curriculum.
Teachers only meet with parents twice a year in June and December respectively to discuss the individual child and to give you a personalised scrapbook (now in electronic form) for the child. If you expect a more regular and detailed feedback about your child, it doesn’t happen on a formal basis unless you ask specifically or a particular teacher is more enthusiastic. I think some other preschools may provide more regular feedback than this.
Personally, I have not found PSH’s administration and parental communication to be very organised and it hasn’t quite improved even with the parents’ portal or with feedback given to them. Mommee - did PSH inform you of the parents’ portal?
Initially with the launch of the parents’ portal, there were a few PDFs or scrapbook pages done by class teachers showing photos of kids doing certain activities. Thereafter, no more! I don’t think PSH enforces such work among their teachers very strictly. A yearly or half yearly scrapbook is nice but generally parents like more timely feedback. It would have been nice if the teachers could show a couple of pictures of the kids for each outing or to highlight any particularly interesting class activity at least once a month. There is no need to spend too much time preparing a fancy write up. Is that too much to ask?!
As for connection with the teachers, it is the luck of the draw. I have experienced teachers who are very personable and able to communicate enthusiastically and effectively with the parents and some who are less so in PSH. With the latter, it makes you wonder how well the teacher knows and cares about the kid and how effective the teacher is in teaching a child to communicate and to help a child in character development. Ultimately good communication skills are critical to achieve these. -
empressplace, thank you for your sharing
Yes, we dropped him off at morning class starting today, and there was a teacher on duty at the door - although parents were still waltzing in and out without temperature declarations or hand sanitizing.
At afternoon drop-offs, the gate is unmanned. Parents are asked to take kid's temp and record on their own. I have seen parents signing in \"37.7\", \"37.8\"!!
My child's shoe cubby was not ready, we were left wondering what to do next until we grabbed one of the admins to ask.
We weren't told about the portal either - though I know of it existing based on forum discussions and from friends.
I fully agree that they aren't particularly well-organized.
With regards to child updates.
My child spent 17 months at MFS before switching over to Pat's.
At his old school (which charges about 25% of Pat's fees), we had daily updates when we went to pick him up, despite the bigger cohort.
The teachers also conscientiously compile a portfolio of artwork/ progress observations and photos for the half-yearly PTM. Really quite impressive considering they have to mind more kids with longer hours (typically 9-7pm)!
I guess, at the back of my mind, the subtle comparisons are inevitable.
I was expecting a bit more, given the hefty price tag.
And you are probably right in that I have to sharpen my own communication skills - to sound less complaining and soliciting feedback in a less aggressive manner
It's just quite a lot of kids and chaos at Pat's. I feel sometimes I have to repeat/ speak up in order to understand what is happening. -
Mommee:
What is MFS? Sigh....even a cheaper school can do more in terms of feedback. Another pet peeve of mine is that PSH does not organise many events or performances for parents. Yes, they have the mega graduation concert. But to me, I find it more meaningful to have mini class concerts/events more regularly when my kid is very young. It would be so cute.
With regards to child updates.
My child spent 17 months at MFS before switching over to Pat's.
At his old school (which charges about 25% of Pat's fees), we had daily updates when we went to pick him up, despite the bigger cohort.
The teachers also conscientiously compile a portfolio of artwork/ progress observations and photos for the half-yearly PTM. Really quite impressive considering they have to mind more kids with longer hours (typically 9-7pm)!
I guess, at the back of my mind, the subtle comparisons are inevitable.
I was expecting a bit more, given the hefty price tag.
And you are probably right in that I have to sharpen my own communication skills - to sound less complaining and soliciting feedback in a less aggressive manner
It's just quite a lot of kids and chaos at Pat's. I feel sometimes I have to repeat/ speak up in order to understand what is happening.
So Mommee, sorry to burst your bubble. I had not found any particularly premium treatment even though PSH is supposed to be a \"premium\" preschool. And to this day, after years in operation, there is no central hotlline for parents to call for information on enrolment, unlike, say, Chiltern House. For days after my kid starts a new school year, I have no idea what the name of the class is until it is pasted on the Communication Book as I had forgotten to ask. It would have been more proper and organised for the principal to issue a letter to each student by post, explaining which class the child is progressing to, the teachers assigned with contact details and the schedule of the extended lessons. The website is also outdated. For example, there are no cookery lessons for some years for the \"enriched curriculum\" but it's still listed on the website.
With regards to communication skills, I wasn't referring to yours.
I meant the teacher's communication skills are critical in helping a child develop his or her communication skills and character. We are the customers haha....
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