Choosing and Evaluating Primary Schools

[phtthp]

Brandon.yf.goh@gmail.com\" post_id=\"2017433\" time=\"1615554100\" user_id=\"152383:

Dear Zac's mum,

Thank you for your advice and sharing.

As our boy is currently attending ARC, an associate school of Pathlight, we have been advised on the criteria and procedure for Pathlight registration.

If we were given a choice of the following two options:

1) Put him to Pathlight and transfer to mainstream primary 1-2 years later.

2) Send him to mainstream primary directly.

our concern for option 1 is that it will be difficult to transfer him out from Pathlight to a decent mainstream primary.

Thank you again.

If your child were to study in Pathlight, assuming that your child managed to clear & pass Pathlight \"Entrance\" test, been offered a place there -

all Pathlight students
are automatically exempted from Mother tongue.


But,
if you decide to enrol your child into a Mainstream primary school, think not all autistic children can be exempted from Mother tongue.

1) perhaps, find out from Pathlight-

based on past years,
roughly,
how many cases so far (If any), have students successfully transferred out of Pathlight into Mainstream schools, at the end of their P2, and how have they coped so far with the
-
much faster, demanding pace in Mainstream schools, compared to the more comfortable learning pace set inside Pathlight, because the professionals inside Pathlight are experienced, fully understand the type of challenges these children face / encounter ?


2)

Before even applying to exit Pathlight to enter a Mainstream school at the end of P2,

please weigh & consider very carefully the consequences, if after transferred out of Pathlight at end of P2 -

A) your child has been exempted from Mother tongue, but each (P3 to P6) classes have around 40 students, per class


B) MOE did not approve any exemption of Mother tongue at all, for your child

[bibibaba84]

Dear all


i intend to move to within 1km of Nan Hua primary. As i am currently doing community voluntary work in my current RC and most likely I can try to apply for Nan Hua in 2B next year. Any suggestion if 2B for Nan Hua worthy trying？if didn’t get in 2B, what is the good option for 2C? I understand 2C balloting chance for Nan hua is too low to try.

[F3parent]

zac's mum\" post_id=\"2017510\" time=\"1615641237\" user_id=\"53606:[quote=\"zac's mum\" post_id=2017510 time=1615641237 user_id=53606]
I took a further look at Pathlight’s website. The kids do not take Mother Tongue lessons at all, [although they do seem to follow the mainstream syllabus for the other core subjects]. So that may be an issue when transferring to mainstream primary (I do not know whether u can apply for and obtain MT exemption from MOE on the sole basis of ASD).

The suggestion of enrolling into mainstream first & see whether he can cope - I’d be very careful to stay away from the so-called competitive schools. The academic pace there is far too fast & the P1 kids there likely have had years of tuition since N2 age.

Better to pick a 2C school that is compassionate towards special needs kids & has good allied educator support (you may still need to hire a shadow teacher out of your own pocket as the schools’ teachers usually aren’t trained in special needs). If u go straight for a school that is undersubscribed even in 2CS, likely the class size will be smaller too.

Personally I’d suggest a co-ed school. Boys schools tend to have bullies that pick on the weak or odd. Some neighborhood co-ed schools like Pei Ying, Zhonghua, Elias Park come to mind; they have been in the news as supportive of & inclusive with special needs:

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/primary-1-students-behavioural-difficulties-transit-moe-14322192[/quote]

zac's mom, i thought boys schools have less bullies and serious incidents of bullying?
specially at P1 where everyone is green

[zac's mum]

Generalizing here…Boys have more testosterone - which tends to cause more aggressive / violent tendencies. If not taught taught correct behavior by parents, the boys tend to act out physically when emotionally stressed.


In a P1 class, transitioning from relaxed kindergarten days, there will be tough days getting used to new instructions & envt etc. Bullies who don’t know how to cope with this will tend to lash out at vulnerable victims around them.

The girls tend to be more emotionally able to cope. Even if they bully, tends to be verbal, no physical injuries involved.

Class of size 30, assuming half boys and half girls even ratio, still smaller chance of being punched/kicked/called nasty names compared to all 30 boys.

[Joelmum]

Shuqun primary

[stephie- 0]

Question:

If I choose to register for a school using parents address via Phase 2C (1-2km), the criteria is that I have to stay at parents address for minimum 30 months.

If I move house after 30 months, is it still possible to remain in the school or I will have to choose another school?

[floppy]

stephie-\" post_id=\"2021049\" time=\"1619087328\" user_id=\"190640:

Question:
If I choose to register for a school using parents address via Phase 2C (1-2km), the criteria is that I have to stay at parents address for minimum 30 months.

If I move house after 30 months, is it still possible to remain in the school or I will have to choose another school?

If you are using the caregiver address, the caregivers have to stay at their address for 30months.

[stephie- 0]

floppy\" post_id=\"2021051\" time=\"1619087702\" user_id=\"97579:

stephie-\" post_id=\"2021049\" time=\"1619087328\" user_id=\"190640:

Question:
If I choose to register for a school using parents address via Phase 2C (1-2km), the criteria is that I have to stay at parents address for minimum 30 months.

If I move house after 30 months, is it still possible to remain in the school or I will have to choose another school?

Thanks for the clarification!
If you are using the caregiver address, the caregivers have to stay at their address for 30months.

[MummyY]

Hello!


If waiting for new bto to be ready and it is near our primary school(means eligible for phase 2a):
waiting time is 3 years for bro to be ready to move in;
Eldest boy is registering 2022 for P1;
Should we register him in the school near we stay now? And do a sch transfer 3yrs down the road?
Will kids be able to adjust such changes? Lol like will they feel sad they they are leaving their friends 🤣🤣

[zac's mum]

MummyY\" post_id=\"2021330\" time=\"1619403172\" user_id=\"184520:

Hello!

If waiting for new bto to be ready and it is near our primary school(means eligible for phase 2a):
waiting time is 3 years for bro to be ready to move in;
Eldest boy is registering 2022 for P1;
Should we register him in the school near we stay now? And do a sch transfer 3yrs down the road?
Will kids be able to adjust such changes? Lol like will they feel sad they they are leaving their friends 🤣🤣

It depends on how popular your alma mater is. If it’s one of those that are perpetually full house, I don’t think u can work on the assumption that it’ll be so easy to transfer in later on.

As for being able to adjust, kids are very adaptable & they have short memories actually. He will eventually have to leave kindergarten. That’s one big change. They all get over it. Your whole family will be moving house. That’s another big change. The kids will also adapt. Brand new rooms & beds to look forward to. New school, new friends, also can be taught to look forward to them. So changing schools midway is not a big adaptation problem.

U may want to consider distance from current place to new place. If u enrol at 2A, if need >1 hour travelling time then may not be good for the child to sacrifice the sleep.