All About SAP Schools

[schellen]

I don’t really care about what "kind" of school it is ("kind" = SAP, affiliated, aided, neighbourhood, etc.). As long as I know the school has achievements (both academic and non-academic), the children are happy, the teachers are passionate, the non-teaching staff are committed and the school facilities and premises are well-maintained and adequate, I am satisfied. I think the only "brand" I really care about is "value-added award".


All the schools I went to were all neighbourhood schools with no affiliation. However, this didn’t mean that I received a horrible education. These schools now are reputable enough so this means that from way back, they were already aiming high and working towards that target.

However, if some parents believe that being in reputable schools give them some assurance, then they should go ahead and send/transfer their children there. I just hope that they prepare their children for the transition from kindergarten to elite primary school or from neighbourhood school to more elite school and help them to adjust and adapt. It is unfair if the parents do not do their share and expect their children to wing it on their own. Or worse, prepare the child, and once confirmed got place in the new school, leave child to handle everything on his/her own.

If the children miraculously get in but obviously cannot cope long term, then best is to leave child where he/she is.

Sorry for long rant but I’m quite peeved by parents who "force" their children to get into such schools and stay there, and then brag about it when it’s obvious the children are unhappy and/or struggling.

[wiimum]

As a parent with a P6 last year going to Sec one this year, I realised that if we had been in an affiliated school, perhaps I would not have been so stressed because with affiliation, you get better chance to get into the sec school. So I guess the parent in question must have gotten "wiser" because of some "sound" advice from P6 parents?

[karmeleon]

wiimum:

As a parent with a P6 last year going to Sec one this year, I realised that if we had been in an affiliated school, perhaps I would not have been so stressed because with affiliation, you get better chance to get into the sec school. So I guess the parent in question must have gotten \"wiser\" because of some \"sound\" advice from P6 parents?

Our kids are in SAP schools that are affiliated. But ds1 wants to work on getting to another sec school. So still need to work v hard this year!!!! All his extra school classes hv started this week already, and 1st prelims start in May(?!)

[Picolo]

The competitive edge of the SAP schools to the non-SAP schools using Higher Chinese textbooks since P1, is the fact that they have a strong Chinese heritage. Being the only mother-tongue/ second language available within the school compounds (the few non-Chinese students will have to take their MT lessons elsewhere), Mandarin is used on a wider scale compared to non-SAP schools.

[karmeleon]

Vanilla Cake:

Pls take note of the academic performance of top PSLE students in SAP schools (highlighted in blue colour) based on PSLE 2008 results.

Wee Yen Jean / F 黄彦静 Nanyang Primary School 287
Wong Hong Zhe Gabriel / M 黄宏哲 Catholic High School 285
Yang Yixuan / F 杨艺璇 Nanyang Primary School 284
Tee Yan Chyuan / M 郑晏铨 St. Hilda's Primary School 284
Foo Jie Min, Jamie / F 符杰敏 Yew Tee Primary School 284
Dee Pei Fang / F 吕培芳 Nanyang Primary School 284
Tan Ming He / M 陈明鹤 Anglo-Chinese School (Junior) 284
Ho Jin Yang / M 何槿阳 Nan Hua Primary School 283
Douglas Tan Chang Yang / M 陈长阳 Tao Nan School 283
Heng Yi Xin / F 王翊馨 Maha Bodhi School 283
Ching Hui Qi / F 庄惠棋 Poi Ching School 282
Nicole Tan Su Yee / F 陈思翊 Rosyth School 282
Huang Yu Wei, Chery / F 黄昱玮 Nanyang Primary School 282
Qu Xinyi / F 曲心怡 Elias Park Primary School 282
Oen Qi Xuan, Kellynn / F 温奇璇 Ai Tong School 282

Well, quite a few of these are also GEP students

[Fairy]

karmeleon:

Vanilla Cake:

Pls take note of the academic performance of top PSLE students in SAP schools (highlighted in blue colour) based on PSLE 2008 results.

Wee Yen Jean / F 黄彦静 Nanyang Primary School 287
Wong Hong Zhe Gabriel / M 黄宏哲 Catholic High School 285
Yang Yixuan / F 杨艺璇 Nanyang Primary School 284
Tee Yan Chyuan / M 郑晏铨 St. Hilda's Primary School 284
Foo Jie Min, Jamie / F 符杰敏 Yew Tee Primary School 284
Dee Pei Fang / F 吕培芳 Nanyang Primary School 284
Tan Ming He / M 陈明鹤 Anglo-Chinese School (Junior) 284
Ho Jin Yang / M 何槿阳 Nan Hua Primary School 283
Douglas Tan Chang Yang / M 陈长阳 Tao Nan School 283
Heng Yi Xin / F 王翊馨 Maha Bodhi School 283
Ching Hui Qi / F 庄惠棋 Poi Ching School 282
Nicole Tan Su Yee / F 陈思翊 Rosyth School 282
Huang Yu Wei, Chery / F 黄昱玮 Nanyang Primary School 282
Qu Xinyi / F 曲心怡 Elias Park Primary School 282
Oen Qi Xuan, Kellynn / F 温奇璇 Ai Tong School 282

Well, quite a few of these are also GEP students

Tee Yan Chyuan, the RI boy who had just passed away on Sunday was also a GEP student.

[MMM]

I think the focus of SAP is really the focus on both languages. Eg. in my kids’ school, the principal will also speak in mixture of english and mandarin during talks.

[sgKiasu]

Being a non chinese i would like some feed back on SAP school.


1) Since mandarin is compulsory, does my child needs to take her MT as a 3rd language?
2) Any feedback of sending a non chinese to SAP school? Will they face any descrimination from teachers?

Pls share your experience.

[MMM]

You might need to check but my impression is that SAP schools only offer chinese. They do not offer malay or tamil language.


In my kids school, I heard that they do study malay at some stage. But I think it’s more a conversational thingy rather than exam focus.

Also, we do see Indians or eurasians in my kids’ school. I think so long as the child is able to speak chinese and cope, the teacher will treat them fairly. It should be based on one’s ability rather than race. Singapore is after all a multiracial society.

[phankao]

sgKiasu:

Being a non chinese i would like some feed back on SAP school.


1) Since mandarin is compulsory, does my child needs to take her MT as a 3rd language?
2) Any feedback of sending a non chinese to SAP school? Will they face any descrimination from teachers?

Pls share your experience.

You can be exempted fr Chinese, but have to apply for it, and then study for your own MT for Psle on your own - either yr own tutor or external classes.