[Bukit Merah] Primary Schools

[ChiefKiasu]

That's a pretty comprehensive list you have selected :). Here's the research:


(i) http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/school/fairfield-methodist-primary-school
Mixed, single-session. Started to get good progress in PSLE since 2004, and did very well last year in 2007. Good mix of sports, aesthetics and academia.

(ii) http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/school/queenstown-primary-school
Mixed, single-session. Good performance in PSLE last year (finally :)). Strong focus on court-based sports and aesthetics.

(iii) http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/school/new-town-primary-school
Mixed, single-session. Did very well in PSLE in 2004 and 2007. Strong emphasis on sports and aesthetics. Seems to have quite a bit of focus on creative writing with its good performance in such competitions.

(iv) http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/school/river-valley-primary-school
Mixed, double-session. Excellent performance in PSLE in 2006 and 2007. Good emphasis on character development and aesthetics.

(v) http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/school/radin-mas-primary-school
Mixed, double-session. Good performance in PSLE in 2000 and last year in 2007. Good support for uniformed groups and cultural dances.

(vi) http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/school/zhangde-primary-school
Mixed, double-session. Good emphasis in character development and aesthetics. Average PSLE performance.

(vii) http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/school/gan-eng-seng-primary-school
Mixed, double-session. Strong focus on aesthetics with a brass band, choir, and traditional dances. Average PSLE performance.

You will get a better chance of getting the morning session in single-session schools. For double session schools, usually P1-P2 are in the afternoon while P3-P6 morning.

titank:

So do volunteer as a Grassroot Leader or School is better?

Grassroot more permanent and demanding. School is limited to a couple of years. You decide.

titank:

How can we dertermine the percentage of Chinese, Malays & Indians in the school?

Other than Radin Mas, all the other schools should have a pretty normal balance of races in Singapore. You will have to call up the school individually to find out more.

[titank]

Dear ChiefKiasu,


Thank you for the information!Where do you get it like the PSLE scores? I can't seem to find it in the MOE website. I understand that New Town would be merging with Ghim Moh & currently the new school premises would near Commonwealth MRT!

Looks like I have to target at the following school for morning session:

(i) Fairfield Methodist
(ii) New Town Primary
(iii) Quenstown Primary
(iv) River Valley & Radin Mas (Afternoon Session)

Normally we should look at the Principal or The Teachers profile? Best performance Principal that can charge out the best?

So Radin Mas tends to have more Malays & Indians Community against the Chinese?

[ChiefKiasu]

titank:

Dear ChiefKiasu,


Thank you for the information!Where do you get it like the PSLE scores? I can't seem to find it in the MOE website....

.... Normally we should look at the Principal or The Teachers profile? Best performance Principal that can charge out the best?

So Radin Mas tends to have more Malays & Indians Community against the Chinese?

Some schools publish them on their websites such as http://www.radinmasps.moe.edu.sg/. As stated, Radin Mas' 2007 PSLE results are 99.2% passes, with 1 student scoring 276/300. The national primary school average is usually around 96%. Normally, a school's PSLE performance is correlated with the highest scorer in the school - so if the highest scorer exceeds 275, the school should be doing relatively well as a cohort. Unfortunately, this is the best tool we parents have nowadays since MoE stopped publishing school's overall PSLE performances, leaving it to the individual schools to decide. So the schools with good results will publish, while those without will probably not do so.

Also, I may stand to be corrected with Radin Mas, since it has shed its \"Malay\" roots since a while back. It even has a pretty good chinese orchestra! If it matters that much to you, why not just give the schools a tinkle?

[titank]

Wow in that case we have to write to individual school to ask for the PSLE Results? Since my child would be entering in 2010, I should ask for past 5 years PSLE results for reference good enough?


Beside PSLE results, what other parameters can we look at it?

Guess it is much better to perfrom 40 hours in School Volunteer instead ogf Grassroot Leaders.

[ChiefKiasu]

You can try asking the schools for their results, but there’s no guarantee they will release the results to you. But if you manage to get it, hey, don’t forget to share them with us!

[titank]

Possibel if we can ask MOE to release? Like what you had mentioned, the good ones sure published at their website.

[bluemoon]

I’d like to find out more about Queenstown Pri yet I donno what to ask. Will you give up a place in Catholic High for Queenstown just becoz its nearer?? I’m really lost.

[ChiefKiasu]

titank:

Possibel if we can ask MOE to release? Like what you had mentioned, the good ones sure published at their website.

MoE is unlikely to release the information. Actually, my estimate is that about half of the schools actually release the overall passing rates on their websites... if you have time to hunt for it. But as you say, perhaps it might be easier to just call them up and ask them straight.

[ChiefKiasu]

bluemoon:

I'd like to find out more about Queenstown Pri yet I donno what to ask. Will you give up a place in Catholic High for Queenstown just becoz its nearer?? I'm really lost.

Catholic High is in Bishan and Queenstown is in ... Queenstown. If you have the means to get into Catholic High and have no nearer choice than Queenstown, keep in mind that http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/school/queenstown-primary-school's overall PSLE passes in 2006 is 93.1% while http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/school/catholic-high-school is a GEP school and so likely to have achieved well above 99% (they did not publish their results) every year.

It's a difficult choice, kind of like when you have to choose whether you want a high paying job in another part of the world or a lower paying one right next to your home. But unlike a job, your child's future is permanent.

So take your time to carefully evaluate your options.

[titank]

bluemoon:

I'd like to find out more about Queenstown Pri yet I donno what to ask. Will you give up a place in Catholic High for Queenstown just becoz its nearer?? I'm really lost.

Queenstown Primary the PSLE std dropped since it had take in 2 Primary School in 2004. Perhaps in another few years the standard would go up.
I think there is an Open House in July.Let me check & let you know.