Pat's Schoolhouse

[Flower Power]

DesertWind:

empressplace:

If we are not even happy with what premium chains provide, imagine what it is like further down the price range.

Hi empressplace,

I used to think like this too hence at one time was shopping along the premium names you mentioned. I was hoping for the price they charge I would get better quality like good teachers and good cirriculum etc. In fact I have put down a deposit and most eagerly registered with Pats but later on changed my mind did not follow-through.

It is not the fees because I definitely can afford to pay. But I was remembering the small teacher-children ratio they had when I first read about them in the newspapers long ago (many years back already). But when I visited them, small class ratio is certainly not for now. The K1 or K2 groups were huge!

Secondly, when I spoke to one Chinese teacher, she was new to Pats and hence I wondered how much of training and philosophy of Pats. she can implement? Furthermore, the time-table looks good but somehow I seriously doubt whether they actually implement all of them.

During the visit to the Pats branch nearest to my home, I saw that the main gate control was terrible! The metal gates were unlocked and visitors who left would usually leave it unlocked. Furthermore, the lock was too low and kids can always open it and step outside right onto the road. The kids playground was also just inside the main gate and it was a great possibility that the kids could just step outside the unlocked gate. I wrote in almost immediately to the P but got no answer.

Of course not all Pats branches are like this and there are many excellent ones around judging by the long queues. But I won't have the chance to find out simply because I got turned away immediately upon enquiry.

So I got to look for alternatives and got to change my mindset on those \"lower down the price chain\". But it is not as bad as I thought. Actually I find that kindies that charge lower fees may not be due to hiring \"lower quality\" teachers or have lousy premises. It can be due to church affiliation whereby they have already obtained fantastic lands long ago and since they own the premises, need not charge parents astrocious fees to cover rental.

Many of these church-based kindies have got teachers who speak really well plus they have an extra touch of love for kids from their religion. Plus they could have other voluntary help from the church so that they got cleaners/ cooks hence it is one area they can save too? Or public kindies could be heavily subsidized by the garmen hence the fees are lower.

I don't mean to talk badly about Pats or seems like sour-grapes to existing mummies here but to give my 2-cents worth just because I was, at one time, seriously considering sending my kid to Pats.

Hi DesertWind

Reading your post gives me a sense of deja vu.

I believe being parents we each have our own set of priorities to meet on curriculum, school surroundings, teachers, principal etc before we make the decision. Such priorities will also change according to the child's age. At the end of the day as long as the priorities are met satisfactorily, parents are naturally happy to pay for their child's education, within their means. Anything less, I guess it is very much up to each individual to decide whether their money is well \"invested\".

[smurfy]

hmm


for those with kids in nursery and above

just wondering, do you send your kids to outside english enrichment program as well (if so, which and where?)? is letterland curriculum good n suffice for them? i am starting to get worried coz he seems "weak" in english?

mine is currently in nursery.

[smurfy]

muah 350 kids in serangoon branch ~ :!:

[empressplace]

Thanks Desertwind for highlighting your issues with Pat's Schoolhouse. I have since paid more attention to the issues you have highlighted in the past week.


Indeed it is true that the published ratios are not strictly adhered to. The answer I got from their management is that it is just a recommended ratio. Whatever ratio you see, you should expect to add a couple more.

Pat's premises, unlike other bigger kindergartens or international kindies, are not spacious generally. I find it quite cramped for so many little kids. It isn't the idyllic picture of little children playing happily at different stations that you see on the MCYS website, especially the section on physical premises.

At the end of the day, the thinking is that if your kids' teachers can handle the class size and your kid is developing well, that is all that matters.

That is true to a certain extent but that may not be good enough for some parents. However it may be PSH's business decision that the current price point versus their product offering is optimal for themselves and the target audience. Feedback is really just to express parental wishes but I am not too confident from my own encounters that they would be taken seriously as ultimately there are business decisions involved and currently there are no shortage of takers.

Other parents I have spoken to have expressed their concern that there is not much parental engagement. We do have the half yearly review with the teachers and you always have the option to ask the teachers for feedback. Many expat parents feel that it is odd there is so little parental involvement in the course of the year. I have always imagined that I would get to see my kid perform a little something but there is none of that so far.

The individuals I have met so far have seemed genuinely nice. However when I speak to management, I feel the business pressures behind the scenes. Let's face it...PSH today is of a scale that you can't expect only the warm and fuzzy stuff.

Of course we all like to think that we have done the best for our kid by putting our child in the \"best\" and expensive preschool. But as omgmum and desertwind pointed out, we do still need to keep a close watch.

[empressplace]

Desertwind I actually get your point about kind and loving teachers from the church kindies. I think all of us hope for that warm and loving preschool for our precious little ones, where they will spend their innocent childhood years before the pressures of primary school pile on. It’s just not right for things to get too commercialized and business oriented for this age group.

[debpch]

Hi,

My kid has started school for close to 1 month and have been sick twice already... it has come to a point where the number of days she is at home is more than that in school...

Is this normal? :?:

[empressplace]

debpch - yes, that’s common.

[zeroyee]

Dear all,

I am very new to the forum.

I am putting my gal (2008) to Pats serangoon starting 1 April 2011. Any one in this thread from same level, same school?

[debpch]

hi empressplace,

It has been a tiring 1 month. My kid fell sick after 1 week and stayed at home for 1 week (during which time, I caught the virus from her), then she went back to school for 1 week, fell sick again and stayed at home for 2 weeks (and again, I got the flu from her)..

it is like a vicious cycle that refuses to end (will it ever end?).. It has gotten to a point where hubby is considering pulling her out..

Any advice?

[empressplace]

My suggestions are to let your daughter take cod liver oil and sambucus and not to put her back to school so soon after recovery. Take it easy initially.


For yourself, you may want to wash/disinfect hands frequently and get all caregivers to wear masks when caring for her. My kid even caught chickenpox and HFMD from school and spread the diseases to sibling. The problem was worse for us because it is just very hard to prevent spread to the younger sibling. I have tried separating the kids and rigorously disinfecting door handles etc like a mad woman. For adults, it is more possible to prevent catching the disease if you are disciplined. The steps I have mentioned do work to a certain extent.

I also went through the same struggle of whether to pull my kid out of school. Unless the doctor advises you otherwise, it may be worth persevering. However you do need to equip yourself with the surgical face masks and surface and hand disinfectants to prevent spread in the household to adults and other children.