HC is only offered in P5/6. In order to qualify for HC, students must get Band 1 for ALL subjects at the end of P4.


Prior to this however, students in P3/4 are banded for Chinese during subject time, with the better students sorted into 2 classes, 2 classes with kids of average scores, and 1 class of kids that need extra help. The top 2 classes are not officially HC as they all use the same textbook, but they will have more characters for 听写, and they will also have 默写.

TheTeds:

That’s a nice account of your experience with SCGS. We are applying for PV at SCGS with reservations because I have an elder boy with BTPS and experience with BTPS has been wonderful. A good cultural mix from all parts of the world offer a good learning experience for the kids, rather thn a purely Singaporean culture. While SCGS is closer to us, sending 2 kids to the same school is more convenient. But there again, the affiliation into sec is very attractive. And personally, I prefer a single gender school

I've heard many great things about BTPS (and they also seem to have a really fantastic Parent Support Group)! We have an ex-RGPS GEP friend who chose BTPS for her daughter instead. Granted, the location and the fact that the elder sib had a younger sib of the opp gender, but it's more typical that a Singaporean parent would choose to split up the kids.

I'm also in favour of a single gender school particularly for pri/sec levels. Girls & boys learn so differently and at such a different pace during those years that it seems very unfavourable to put them together in a 40pax classroom. I feel very fortunate that we have that choice for the moment.

Gmac:

Hello, we live within 2km of SCGS and am exploring schools for my daughter. Can anyone share how SCGS is in terms of its curriculum/educational focus, whether there’s a balance of academic and non-academic areas, and the culture of the school.

Have 2 girls there, P4 and P1. Am not an old girl, came in via 2C when the elder was registering. I was an RGPS old girl, but chose SC instead because of the affiliation all the way up to Sec 4. Academically, school is very decent - English is very strong and they mark very rigorously. Higher Chinese is offered in P5/6, and banding will be done from P3 onwards to sort the girls according to Math & Chinese ability.

On the non-academic front, everyone knows that SC's strength lies in the performing arts (dance, ballet, choir, handbells, string ensemble, EL/CL Drama), but that also means that something has to give, and that something is sports. I personally feel it is very lacking in this area (only swimming, badminton, gymnastics and tennis, with the latter only available for developmental level and above) are offered, so if sports is where your child's strengths lie, you may wish to select another school, or start figuring out how to support her sport elsewhere/ on your own. Pretty much all the SC swimmers that medal in national competitions D-Division train on their own, and then port out to MGS/RGS come Sec 1 where they have strong teams, because they will need more in-school support and more time to train, not travel, as they grow older.

Culture-wise - the current principal appears to be doing her best to make it a gracious, socially-aware and humble place, and undo the public perception of the school being an elitist institution. She has done away with the annual Charity Golf event, will turn away gifts from parents during festive seasons, and recently, with the launch of extended Wednesdays (dismissal is 2:45pm), only allow students to consume either home-cooked or canteen food for lunch as opposed to allowing catering. I respect her principles, but they do take some getting used to.

Lots of non-alumni girls coming in in P1 these days, so school is a good mix of new and old blood. Unfortunately, it tends to be racially more homogenous than most other schools, which to my mind is a disadvantage as I believe children learn far more when their friends come from all sorts of backgrounds.

Hope that helps.

@jermiez - heard that the bus operator offered a discount between $10-30 for some folks but nothing more substantial than that.

kidsmama:

SCGS confirm balloting <1km. No number/ breakdown given.

Yup, confirmed, went to check at the office. Looks like they’re back to their usual form from 4 years ago where 2C <1km required balloting. Last 3 years were outlier years where even 1-2km don’t need to ballot sometimes.

And with the baby boom in the coming Horse and SG50 batches, it’s likely to continue the trend.

My daughter is in 1SY, and the form teacher wasn’t present that day. Understand from other parents there’s 3 days of PE per week, can someone please verify?

Hi YvonneTham,


I'm an SCGS 2016 P1 mum

KiasuMumOf3, that was a super helpful set of instructions, thank you!


Any chance you have any experience/procedures to share on the process to follow for Filipino maid’s home leave?

SCGS balloting at 9am

AdGirl:

phtthp:

SCGS : how many SC outside 2 km ballot, for how many vacancies ?


Rgps : who has breakdown data ?
how many SC outside 2 km, ballot ?

SCGS ballot for >2km. 30 applications for 15 places, so have a 1 in 2 chance. All the kids within 2km got in.

All are citizens.