PCF/PAP Kindergartens

[RRMummy]

sleepy:

This is good for info, list down every PCF school fees


http://www.moe.gov.sg/education/preschool/files/kindergarten-profile.xls

Hi sleepy :goodpost:

Thank you for sharing!

[buds]

tranquil:

Hi,


Understand that different PCFs have different class duration. If that's the case, does this meant that diff PCFs wd hv diff curriculum to follow?

Heyya tranquil, different class durations usually means lesser hours for
the playgroup and nursery hours. Or in other instances, there may be
an additional time given for enrichment hours like Phonics or Speech &
Drama and so on... Yes, different PCFs will have different curriculums &
approaches. A few PCFs may adopt the learning through play method ie.
PETAL and others may be more academic based like the one tamarind's
girl attends. Fees vary accordingly too of course depending on the wealth
of the methods used in teaching..

tranquil:

Planning to register my girl in a PCF@Punggol for Nursery, its class duration is 2hrs. Still very undecided.. many questions. Haiz..

Can anyone share with me ur comments? Thanks!

There's a new PCF in Punggol @ Block 303A. They're opening one class
of each level soon ie. Nursery, K1 and K2 for starters... You can already
contact them for inquiries on enrolment. They were still setting up when
i visited. Being new, the place is spanking clean and was sooo jealous to
see soooo many educational toys and teaching aides in place. This parti-
cular PCF will be adopting the Jolly Phonics programme for their Phonics
lessons. Impressive the PCF nowadays.

This centre has pretty teachers too. Young ones.. hehee... My personal
note is that the staff here are very warm and nice.. Go check it out if
it's within your vicinity, aye... Dun worry unduly... At Nursery stage your
child should have fun, ok? Oh? Did i mention Punggol PCF has beautiful
learning centres?

[tranquil]

Hi buds, thanks for the advice!

Seems like PCF hv change a lot.. dun rem last time has enrichment hours.

In this case, then 2hr nursery meant no enrichment? Hmm..

Hee.. have been pretty \"relax\" with my girl so far. .

No idea where 303A is.. wd go chk it out. Thanks!
Do u live ard Punggol too?

[mrswongtuition]

303A is my block


It's opp Punggol Grove (blk 290+, the ones with security gate at the lift lobby).
It's at the junction of Punggol Central & Punggol Road (5min walk from MRT).

You can take bus 136, 82, 83, 85, 34 to the bus stop directly in front. Or take any bus to the interchange and walk over (from MRT you will see brown blocks still under construction, tt is Coralinus 2, 303A is at Coralinus 1).

I've lost faith in PCF. I'll be registering my son at private kindy but will consider 303A's PCF if they are really using Jolly Phonics and if their feedback is good. Maybe morning let my son go to the private kindy and afternoon go to PCF.

[buds]

tranquil:

Hi buds, thanks for the advice! Seems like PCF hv

change a lot.. dun rem last time has enrichment hours. In this case, then 2hr nursery meant no enrichment? Hmm..

You're welcome, tranquil!

Please hor.. N2 don't need enrichment hours hor.. :lol:
Take it easy... The 2 hours is sufficient for the attention
span of a 4 year old, for starters... okie?

Ooh yes, PCF has changed quite a lot. Investing in
international programmes like Jolly Phonics and having
the teachers all trained is quite a change to the times
when PCF was solely academic and drill-based... rote
learning, teacher directed and with lots of penmanship
exercises...

PCF Punggol Centre @ 303A, i observed had learning
centres in the classrooms, a couple of Montessori
materials, concrete math and many many wonderful
toys of good quality for the children.

tranquil:

Hee.. have been pretty \"relax\" with my girl so far. .

It's okay.. build up the work slowly and progressively instead of doing
work with her only on and off. There must be consistency to your
involvement, which will show her that you are as much into it as
she's going to be...

tranquil:

No idea where 303A is.. wd go chk it out. Thanks!
Do u live ard Punggol too?

Punggol Road if i'm not mistaken... my friend drove us there.
No, i am a Westie dear... but in this industry, we know people
lah. Hehee..

[Imp75]

sorry to barge with perhaps a not so relevant qn but since we are on the topic of PCF, I am wondering if there are any P1 teachers here who can share on the "quality" of pupils who came from PCF ( I mean the mainstream PCF and not the one that Tamarind sent her gal to) vz those who came from private kindies and branded kindies or childcare. Is it really true that children from PCF tend to be lesser performers in P1 academically (bearing all things equal ie no enrichment etc)?

[mrswongtuition]

Imp75, based on my personal observations comparing kids who do not have any form of enrichment and family background almost the same, only difference is the kindies they attend, those who come from private kindies do tend to do better than P1-P2. But those who come from PCF kindies, if they work hard (got tuition as extra help), they usually catch up by P3.


But it’s quite hard to compare cos most parents choose PCF cos of their cheap prices and their family background would be quite different from kids who come from ‘branded kindies’.

Kids who perform well and studied in PCF usually have strong parent support from home like Tamarind. Tamarind really enforces learning at home and going to any kindy won’t really matter cos her kids are independant learners already!

I personally believe school plays an impt role, but how parents nurture at home is also impt!

[Imp75]

Thanks Mrs Wong for your reply. Btw, are u a current Primary School teacher?


Maybe I should provide more colour, what I am trying to say is, bearing all things equal, why would a child coming from a private kindie do better than from PCF? Are we then saying that the curriculum offered by private kindie or childcare is better?

Perhaps I should share the reason why I am asking, I am a FTWM and unfortunately do not have much time to teach my kids and out of convenience, I have placed them in PCF rather than private kindie (none near my place). Weekends are really precious time for us and we do not want to send our kids to enrichment when they already have 5 days of school during weekdays. I am really worried if my gals would be prepared for P1 (cos they are in PCF) and contemplating putting them in CC centre (which I dont really need cos I have nanny + maid). So the qn of CC over PCF for me really boils down to "which is the better one to nurture my kids" and whether is there a need for me to change their existing school to a full day CC?

Appreciate advice from mummies too who have encountered this thanks

[mrswongtuition]

Imp75, I think different PCF are run by different principals and have different teachers, therefore, it also depends on which ‘branch’ you send them to.


At private centres, they are usually ‘franchises’ of certain well-known and established curriculums/pedagogy. With established curriculum in place, children usually tend to do better as the teachers would be able to guide them better.

That’s my dilemma too. PCF or Private?

My hb & I decided to send my boy to both private and PCF kindy. Reason being the private kindy we are considering offers a different curriculum from PCF and we think it’s good for him to be exposed to both. And my son has endless energy. He is currently in full day childcare with loads of indoor and outdoor activities which I find are very engaging and stimulating but he still has loads of energy to unload at home! Putting him in 2 different 3-hour sessions will definitely still leave him with tonnes of energy.

Finances-wise we just need to work harder for him. Logistics-wise I have a trustworthy maid and my parents/siblings are always ever ready to help, plus my hb’s work is quite flexible to ferry my boy ard if need be.

Btw, my weekends are spent teaching my boy. I’m trying to keep all his upcoming enrichments to weekdays so that weekends will be purely family time.

[sleepy]

My girl attended PCF in K1, private kindy in K2.

To me, work load & syllabus not much difference. Only difference is private kindy fees more steep.

My only complaint about PCF is watching cartoon during class time. I don't mind if it's educational DVDs. However, I can't figure out how would cartoons like 'Tom & Jerry' be educational?

Both private kindy teacher & PCF teacher are good although my girl prefers her PCF teacher. Perhaps PCF teacher recognised her leadership capablities whilst her private kindy teacher was more interested in asking her to hand in homework on time