Pat's Schoolhouse
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dfstan:
These r only sin born babies... Dun forget we had a great no of PRs these 2 yrs. Govt relaxing the FT rules think also has a great impact on the no of kids here....I heard that Halifax, Seranggon and Buckely are having the long wait list esp those born in 2007 and 2008. Maybe you would like to share more about what are the unpleasant stuff you encountered at Arena? Have you raised your concern to the principle ......[/quote:[quote=I heard that Halifax, Seranggon and Buckely are having the long wait list esp those born in 2007 and 2008. Maybe you would like to share more about what are the unpleasant stuff you encountered at Arena? Have you raised your concern to the principle ......
Interesting...
2008 has a higher amount of live birth in recent years or more parents willing to spend? here is the result excerpt from Statistics.
1999: 43,336
2004: 37,174
2005: 37,492
2006: 38,317
2007: 39,490
2008: 39,826
2009: 39,570[/quote] -
empressplace:
My DS started his preschool at 3 yo (born in 2007) as well. When he was 2 month old, a distance relative took care of him. Both our parents are old so we didn't want to burden them to take care of our kid. This distance relative of mine, charged us at market rate ($600) excluding other daily necessities (eg milk, diaper, wet tissue, shampoo, body form, laudry wash, fish, etc). When DS reached 18 months, I wanted to find a good full day CC but couldn't find any good one nearby. Available CC either pathetically cramp or small with partitions only or without good programme. Good CC always on waitlist, so in the end I didn’t start him earlier. He was entrolled at pat's school when he turned 3 for full day palygroup. What I am trying to say here is, without any domestic help, if I given a choice, I would rather pass the cost to a good CC and start him earlier to learn new stuff.I don't think most kids start preschool at 2. My older son started with Pat's this year - the year he turned 3 (2007 born).
My observation is that parents generally start the kid with Pat's at 2 if they need the childcare. Most kids at this age just attend some classes but are still cared for at home.
If you start the kid too young, she would be exposed to diseases much earlier and probably expose the younger sibling (if any) at home. Separation anxiety also tends to be higher at younger age.
My personal preference is not to expose the kids to a school environment too much too early.
Before he joined pat's full day play group, he wasn't toilet trained and didn't eat or handle foods by himself. After 2 months, all these have changed. He has learned to control his toilet needs and handle the food by himself. He has also become less picky over food and willing to try various foods. On academic aspect, he started recognizing A-Z beginning this year only. After 10 months since he started school, he knows all letters well, vowels and able to read simple sentence stories. For character, he used to be self center, not willng to share, yelling and throwing tantrums for not getting things he wanted. Bad temper behaviour has also gradually changed, he is able to negotiate, reason and discuss through. All these changes are effort from school teachers working with parents. Only common problem face here is, he tends to fall sick almost every month. But I think if health is not a long term issue, I feel that it is still good to start a child earlier for the benefits on social interation, academic learning, self estem / confidence. -
mtdt:
These r only sin born babies... Dun forget we had a great no of PRs these 2 yrs. Govt relaxing the FT rules think also has a great impact on the no of kids here....
I do not have a statistic to show but I also feel that there are more PRs in recent years intergrated into our city. Without prejudice, particulary the China, India and Malaysia nationalities........Thus, maybe one of the reason that more CC are needed, with same popular CC on long waitlist. I didn't realise the trend that earlier CC registration was required when DS still a baby, I only noticed it when he reached 18 months, min. plagroup enrollment age. -
dfstan:
These r only sin born babies... Dun forget we had a great no of PRs these 2 yrs. Govt relaxing the FT rules think also has a great impact on the no of kids here....I heard that Halifax, Seranggon and Buckely are having the long wait list esp those born in 2007 and 2008. Maybe you would like to share more about what are the unpleasant stuff you encountered at Arena? Have you raised your concern to the principle ......[/quote:[quote=I heard that Halifax, Seranggon and Buckely are having the long wait list esp those born in 2007 and 2008. Maybe you would like to share more about what are the unpleasant stuff you encountered at Arena? Have you raised your concern to the principle ......
Interesting...
2008 has a higher amount of live birth in recent years or more parents willing to spend? here is the result excerpt from Statistics.
1999: 43,336
2004: 37,174
2005: 37,492
2006: 38,317
2007: 39,490
2008: 39,826
2009: 39,570[/quote] -
DC Mummy:
What I am trying to say here is, without any domestic help, if I given a choice, I would rather pass the cost to a good CC and start him earlier to learn new stuff.
My own experience is that childcare (premium or not) does not replace domestic help. At any point, you need alternative childcare help. In home is still the best. I normally take my kid out of class for a few days if there is a HFMD case in class. If you add up the Pat's Schoolhouse holidays and some days the kid falls sick, the parents' leave would not be enough. I can understand why some parents prefer to send their kids to premium childcare as early as possible if there is no alternative stimulation at home.
However the bigger schools like Pat's have many children and the exposure to infectious diseases is much higher. In the past 10 months, my son has picked up chickenpox and HFMD and passed them to my younger boy. It can get stressful coping with 2 kids. Between dealing with these and slightly later stimulation, I think it is better to \"delay\" preschool till 3.
I am well aware of these issues as I have heard from my girlfriend. So I was quite sure I would not put my older boy in Pat's when he's 2 as his younger brother was under one year old then.
If the mother is pregnant or there is a under 6 month old infant at home, I generally don't recommend that parents start preschool at 2 years or younger. The work is generally doubled when there is a younger sibling at home because it is very hard to control the spread.
If the child is very young and prone to sickness when attending CC, it can be a waste of money. Every week away from school costs the parents at least $200 in cash!DC Mummy:
Before he joined pat's full day play group, he wasn't toilet trained and didn't eat or handle foods by himself. After 2 months, all these have changed. He has learned to control his toilet needs and handle the food by himself. He has also become less picky over food and willing to try various foods.
My son is also very picky and I like the fact that Pat's Schoolhouse provides breakfast and lunch. He learns to eat better under peer pressure.
The teachers help with toilet training but it hasn't progressed to the point where he is toilet trained!DC Mummy:
Hmmm my son is not really able to read simple sentences yet after 10 months.On academic aspect, he started recognizing A-Z beginning this year only. After 10 months since he started school, he knows all letters well, vowels and able to read simple sentence stories.
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hi all mummies, anyone able to share between pat school house and chiltern house, which is better? in a dilemma now.
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I think both Chiltern House and Pat’s have good reputation. The main differences from the little research I did were:
1. Chiltern House does not have a Chinese teacher in the class all the time providing bilingual immersion after Nursery 1. Chinese is a subject as in primary school starting from Nursery 2.
2. Chiltern House provides a "hot snack" for the half day a.m. class, not lunch. The kid is supposed to go home for lunch.
3. Chiltern House seems to have better marketing materials and information pack with a centralised enrolment process and admin person.
4. Chiltern House has a uniform.
I find it quite hard to get information from Pat’s Schoolhouse when considering preschool. I didn’t get an updated brochure with detailed information on the curriculum or the daily routine. Class ratio information is also by verbal enquiry until recently when the website is updated.
Even after the website is recently updated, the admin staff do not know the class ratio already stated on the website and I wonder if it would be adhered to. I think Pat’s Schooolhouse’s admin process and curriculum information dissemination needs to be more transparent, centralised and organised. If more detailed proper information is prepared for dissemination for prospective parents or existing parents, the principal, teachers and admin staff would not be burdened as much and can focus on other matters.
Eventually I chose Pat’s because of an ex colleague’s strong recommendation, supposed bilingual immersion and lunch (LOL…yes, this is a consideration for a picky eater). If I don’t know anyone personally who vouches for Pat’s, I may not have considered the school given the umimpressive admin process in the initial interaction. -
hi empressplace,
my kid will be starting playgroup next year so i am very interested in feedback of existing parents…
sounds like your expectations were not met @ Pat’s… which branch are u from and is he in full-day? given a choice, would you have opted for a 3-hour kindy instead?
i am still undecided on whether to go full-day or not… weighing the pros and cons… -
No, no, I need to clarify that I am not unhappy with Pat’s. My son seems very happy there.
My expectation is not met only in terms of the admin support and ease of getting updated information. I kind of expected that all the information that parents looking at premium childcare would need is all there in one place without us having to chase around for information. As a working mother, I don’t want to spend extra time collecting information patiently. I am approaching this as how people would approach things at work. Would you let your client waste time asking questions and collecting information that you should have provided in the first place? Perhaps I expected more because it is "premium" childcare. Otherwise, I don’t have any major issues so far.
The choice of preschool/childcare really depends on the individual’s circumstances. For example, I won’t choose 3 hour kindy because there is no one to fetch my son to school if school starts at 9 a.m. And when my son was younger, he was quite tough to feed. It was important that the school has meals supplied so that they help him to learn to eat better. The timing of Pat’s and location (Claymore branch) also work well for us.
Pat’s and similar "premium" preschools like Chiltern House and Etonhouse are not cheap. If you start to analyse the fees paid versus the results you get, I can’t say for sure that the kid will develop a lot better because you pay more. I have friends who prefer to pay less and go to St James or Barker Road Kindy and they seem happy with their choice.
If you don’t need full day childcare, then opt for half day first to let your child adapt. I don’t see the point of exposing the kid to more germs than necessary at that tender age. -
empressplace:
Pat's and similar \"premium\" preschools like Chiltern House and Etonhouse are not cheap. If you start to analyse the fees paid versus the results you get, I can't say for sure that the kid will develop a lot better because you pay more. I have friends who prefer to pay less and go to St James or Barker Road Kindy and they seem happy with their choice.
Thanks empressplace!
I enjoy reading your posts and tend to agree with your comments. For the fees charge I would expect a lower student/teacher ratio and see the kaleidescope of activities being implemented on daily basis. The ratio is not much different from the other CCC and the activities/time-table somehow I do not have much confident of it being implemented (dunno why!) I was considering putting my son into Pats but changed my mind will be going to Marymount Kindy instead. It has a huge compound with natural environment so in terms of premises will not loose out, caring teachers, same ratio so no difference, although it is a kindy but it provides breakfast for morning sessions and lunch for the afternoon session. As for transport, will be using the school bus although the thought of putting my 3yo into one actually sucks. But due to its enormous reputation, I still would like to try out Pats, and will consider when I have a 2nd kid!
:celebrate:
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