All About SAP Schools

[vividlaurel]

csc:

Hi parents,

Juz sharing my own experience since I've 'been there, done that.\"

I totally agree with the Straits Times article on last Sat that mentioned parents should seek to choose a GOOD OR BEST primary school for your child and not the TOP school.

Hi CSC,

I totally agree with you. I too believe that as long as you are in a reasonably good primary school, it is fine. But it is the secondary school/jc that is more important. So for my kids who are now in K2, I am choosing a neighbourhood school, its a new school, quite untested but I feel it is a good school. What I would like for them to be is the best here, so that they ace their PSLE and get a good, reputed school for the secondary education. That is when a good school will enhance their capabilities and help mould who they are. After that a good jc and uni will only enhance this.

I am glad that there are other parents around who think like me!

Vividlaurel

[sleepy]

csc:

That's what we did. We chose a good neighbourhood school a short distance from our home. It's slightly beyond 2 km so Daddy has to do PV which in this school, do PV - almost 100% can get in. I remember some of our friends questioned why we didn't PV at a more reputable school then. But distance was a major concern for us - we wanted our young children to have more sleep to have a better quality of life - so that's the decision.

err...outside 2km still consider a short distance? :?

My top criteria in choosing a school is it has to be within walking distance. 3 bus stops away considered far liao. I also PV in the school, within 1km very good chance mah, don't want to risk my convenience & beauty sleep. No way I can wake up at 5am to prepare breakfast!

Because the school is so near, my girl can go CCA in the morning, come home to bathe & eat lunch, then pop back to school again

MMM:

What would be your preference in this case?

Just 4 days into P1, a mum came to speak to me about this. They did PVwork and move closer to school to get their child in the SAP school. She has the sudden realisation recently that it's probably better for her child to be in a reputable affiliated school. So she said that probably they should try to groom their child to be top 10% of cohort and then do the transfer after SA1.

IF distance wasn't my top criteria, I would opt for affliation. Make sense mah, lower cut off point.

However, the school I chose has no affliation to secondary school because I prioritize distance (convenience) over affliation.
Hope I will not be kicking myself for my 'short term' view few years down the road.

[sleepy]

jedamum:

How do you actually place a tag on which primary school is 'Top', 'Neighbourhood' or 'Reputable'? 'Top' as in produce top students? 'Reputable' as in has several awards? 'Neighbourhood' as in situated near HDB neighbourhood?

maybe can use this as criteria?

Quote:
schools who have at least 1 student having a T-score of 275 or more points in PSLE

http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/content/singapore-primary-schools-ranked-academic-excellence

If the school doesn't produce a student above 275 then we can classify it as neighbourhood school :idea:

[jedamum]

sleepy:

If the school doesn't produce a student above 275 then we can classify it as neighbourhood school :idea:

'a' is too little - then there will hardly be any neighbourhood schools left in SG . 3 and above then not consider neighbourhood schools ba. wink:
but even with that, people will hardly refer to CHIJ or St. Joseph's Institution Junior or Holy Innocent Pri as neighbourhood schools. :evil:

[girlizz]

jedamum:

sleepy:

If the school doesn't produce a student above 275 then we can classify it as neighbourhood school :idea:

'a' is too little - then there will hardly be any neighbourhood schools left in SG . 3 and above then not consider neighbourhood schools ba. wink:
but even with that, people will hardly refer to CHIJ or St. Joseph's Institution Junior or Holy Innocent Pri as neighbourhood schools. :evil:

SJIJ results has not been very impressive but I heard the P1 entry was no easy either. Why is that so? Any idea? :idea:

[jedamum]

girlizz:

SJIJ results has not been very impressive but I heard the P1 entry was no easy either. Why is that so? Any idea? :idea:

1) christians/catholics/religion-based schools usually have a strong following cos parents with similar beliefs want their children to grow up in such environment.
2) considering these people taking up most of the first few phases (alumni route or particularly phase 2B), there are limited seats left in Phase 2C for the 'commoner'.
3) affiliation reasons.

[girlizz]

jedamum:

girlizz:

SJIJ results has not been very impressive but I heard the P1 entry was no easy either. Why is that so? Any idea? :idea:

1) christians/catholics/religion-based schools usually have a strong following cos parents with similar beliefs want their children to grow up in such environment.
2) considering these people taking up most of the first few phases (particularly phase 2B), there are limited seats left in Phase 2C for the 'commoner'.
3) affiliation reasons.

Thanks for the clarification jeddamum. Boy oh boy.. 3 years to go my boy is due for registration and I'm already fretting...

[csc]

A good neighbour school would be one which is only well-known in the neighbourhood.. that's how I see it.


You juz need to mention the name of the school to someone living outside your neighbourhood zone, and if the person has no clue where it is or \"what' it is - the chances is ,that is a neighbourhood school - It is a good neighbourhood school if that community thinks so and most would choose to register their children there.

My kids' pri school belongs to this category as my sister who lives in the East has not even heard of this school in the West until I registered my children there.

Top schools would be those schools where parents would use all sort of ways and means to get their kids in. Most of these schools produce good PSLE results - as I think, these schools already have a distinct advantage of a cohort of students with very educated and usually affluent parents who are professionals. Some may want to use the term \"Elite Schools\".

As I look around at the examples of cases around me, I realise that ultimately, the most important school/institution is the last one one attends and not the first one.

I read a story of a boy who did badly for his PSLE and ended up in a Normal Technical stream in a neighbourhood secondary school. Subsequently, he managed to get into a polytechnic and was awarded the Top student in his course. This award in fact over-rides all his results and he succeeded in obtaining a scholarship to pursue his University degree. :salute:

[san76]

[Moderator's note: Topics merged.]


Please advice....

My son is currently in one of the SAP sch. It is really very far from home. It will take him 1hr to travel to sch and another 1hr back home which will be 11am to leave and 7.40pm back. He is doing well in all his 3 subjects. He had no breakfast as his lunch is at 10.30am. Is there a difference in education standard between SAP sch and neighbourhood sch? Will sending him to a neighbourhood pri brings down his standard?

Thank you.

[sleepy]

You can consider moving nearer, if distance is the only obstacle?


If his result is good, can also consider applying for transfer to another SAP school nearer to your house.

SAP schools offer higher Chinese. I heard some neighbourhood schools offer higher Chinese too.