NAFA Arts Kindergarten
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Just some feedback from the graduating class of 2008.
* whether you are well prepare for P1 depends much on the individual. as I mentioned earlier, Nafa is not very academic. however, they offer you exposure in many other areas.
* DS would cope quite well in P1 as his learning and focusing is strong. that was why I did not worry much when I decided to put him in Nafa cos I know he is able to cope on his own. thought the additional exposure would do him good.
* there are a few of his classmates who are struggling with P1.
* kids love going to Nafa cos the school environment is good. teachers are caring. and the school offers alot of fun.
teacher turn over rate is low
academic wise. I think they are improving. cos Allison the principal is very on the ball.
* the students have very strong bond. they are in the same class from Nursery to K2. even the parents also know each other quite well. till now DS still miss his Nafa friends though he is coping well in P1 too.
* group project is very interesting as teachers really go in depth and provide alot of information to the students.
* however, for DS2, I did not put him in Nafa. He needs more reinforcing in learning. therefore I feel a Montessori environment is more suitable for him instead.
* in DS2 school, it’s just drop and go. I do not know any of the parents whereas in Nafa the parents will tend to linger around outside the classroom and chit chat. -
My kid is now schooling in NAFA, I think that the way the school function is quite organised and the Principal, Alison seems to be someone quite on the ball type. Sometimes she will go into the classroom and mingle with the children, the children seem to like her. However, for my kid’s nursery class, I feel there is a lacking of communication between the teachers and parent, we don’t really get much update of our kid’s progress in school unless we find chance to speak to them. The teachers seem very busy, not sure is it becos they have to conduct both morning and afternoon session, so during dismisal of class, it’s difficult to talk to the teachers becos they have to attend to the afternoon session.
As compared to my experience in my previous childcare centre, the teacher always keep us update of my kid’s progress in school whenver we pick up our kid up in the afternoon (on half day childcare), the teacher will make an effort to inform us about what my kid do during lesson time, and if there is any behaviour issue, the teacher and parent will try to work together as there is 2-way communication. We need not wait till “teacher & parent feedback session” which is usually in June or December, which would be too late if there is any behaviour issue. And in the previous childcare center, all the teachers know the names of each student regardless whether they are the teachers in charge, as you will see them calling out to the children, saying hello or bye bye. However, in Nafa, it doesn’t seem so.
Of course, one is childcare and the other one is a kindergarten, not sure is it becos of this difference, the standard of teachers varies ? -
Hi, I am a new member. Trying to get some feedback on NAFA Kindergarten. My child is currently in Chiltern house and she is doing fine. But currently i got a slot in Nafa and thinking if i should switch her over. CH is good but i would like her to have more exposure in Music , Art and Craft and Dance etc …
Really in dilemma dont know how to make a decision…can someone advise me? By the way, are the kids always sick at NAFA? For CH, the kids tend to fall sick quite often… -
ninenine:
============================================Hi, I am a new member. Trying to get some feedback on NAFA Kindergarten. My child is currently in Chiltern house and she is doing fine. But currently i got a slot in Nafa and thinking if i should switch her over. CH is good but i would like her to have more exposure in Music , Art and Craft and Dance etc ...
Really in dilemma dont know how to make a decision.....can someone advise me? By the way, are the kids always sick at NAFA? For CH, the kids tend to fall sick quite often.....
C H is not bad , If she is happy there and has a good all round curriculum stick to it. she may not like changes as she has already settled down. About nafa kindergarten, i nearly signed my grl there but was in k2 when nafa kindergarten first started, btw now shes in p3. It was popular when it started, after 2 yrs, some parents mentioned that by sending their kids there ,they need not send their kids to art classes and music, others say that the emphasis on art and music is insufficient thus they land up sending their kids back to nafa arts, while some feel that they are not academic enuff. My grl has been with nafa arts since k2 and still is today.
I do c quite a number of nafa kindergarten kids there on weekends too.
Iused to wonder why nafa kinder kids still attend weekend classes till i spoke to their parents and rcvd the above feedback.
I dont know how old yr kid is but as its been a few years back that nafa kinder started, that was how it was then...I also understand how u feel as i wanted my kid to be the same initially, such that i exposed her to speech and drama, nafa arts, music, board games etc...all in different places. She was happy moving frm one class to another. I took every opportunity to sign her into any short holiday class/camps too, all just to expose her, but TODAY my mind is geared towards her academic progress as school life can be stressing n competitive. I had a good mind to stop her art at nafa next yr. I posted my dilemma under ARTs in K.S forum. u can check out my post. I dont know how its like todayat nafa kinder. Perhaps things have changed a lot by now. If you find that u prefer their exposure to arts etc.. then check it out with yr child,she may /maynot like the changes or do like i did, sign her up with nafa arts and stick to C.H. afterall its a good kindergrten and Ive heard lots of good abt them. My advice is to give yr child all the activities u can now,( of cos not neglecting the academic areas ) cos as she progress to primary school, there may not be enuff time. Somehow, childhood life in spore is very short.
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Hi Moonee,
Thanks for the repy and advice. I still have not got any decision as yet.
My child is coming to 4 yrs old next yr.
At Chiltern House it empahsis alot on language, building confidence and speech & drama. She is very comfortable and happy there.
Hi Chayee 123,
I read about your comments, dont mind if you can answer me a few questions
1) You said your child is in nursery class, can you share more about the curriculum becos i do have a list of curriculum from the school and somehow some of the items have been thought in chiltern house already.
2) When you menetioned that the teachers from your child previous childcare knows all the children name is your child from CH too? becos CH teachers also know all the children names and will greet hello and bye bye... very friendly and warm environment.
3) Care to share about the Arts, Music , Dance cless for now ?
Hi Nafe Kindergarten,
Your child is in which level at Nafa?
For those sch event, is there any addidtional cost involved?
I walked through your live journal very informative! Thanks! -
I have a son in K2 and a daughter in nursery at NAFA Kindergarten, and I must say that so far we have had a very positive experience at the school. My kids' teachers are very keen, I have good rapport with them and there has been no lack of communication. They are very happy there, and I continue to be impressed with what they have learned from their many teachers (2 in class, 2 for art, 1 music, and 1 dance ).
I do know of a couple of parents from the nursery classes who intend to withdraw their kids. The main reason they give is that they expect more from the school in terms of academic work. Because NAFA does not have a pre-nursery level, the curriculum that other preschools cover for that age would only be covered at nursery (N2). I can understand that those parents are concerned that their 4yos are not 'catching up' if you compare to other preschools. So, for e.g., for English, if you subscribe to the belief that kids should learn the letters of the alphabet and phonics (at school) at 3yo, learn to read individual words and sentences at 4yo, you will probably be disappointed about that at NAFA. However, the K1 and K2 curriculum would take care of the reading and writing well enough to make up for the 'loss' of one nursery year. Btw, for those interested, there is no spelling and ting-xie until Term 3 of K2.
For music, the program is taught by SYT teachers who are certainly very well qualified, but they cannot transform your little one into a music prodigy if he is not one to begin with. (They can spot a talented one from a mile away, though :D)
I have heard parents lamenting (after half a year at the school) \"How come my child cannot play very well yet?!?! I thought these are SYT teachers!\" I really think this is an unrealistic expectation.
What you can expect is that the teachers will focus on music appreciation (especially for the younger ones) and provide theory knowledge, sight reading, and aural training. They would lay the groundwork very well, especially for theory, so by the time the K2 year concludes, your child should be ready to do the Gr1 theory exam. But how fast/far your child progresses really depends on his aptitude, readiness, as well as discipline. In my DD's nursery class the standard varies a lot, ranging from those who can already play a simple melody on the keyboard accompanied by solfege singing, to those who cannot even locate where middle C is. I think a lot also depends on the parents' support at home, to reinforce what is being taught in class.
Typically by K1/2, many kids would be going for one-to-one private lessons. The training done by the SYT teachers should enable your child to pick up Gr1 work very fast, at least based on what some parents tell me. That has been my experience too - my son has started private lessons a few months ago and by now has completed all Gr1 work after about 3.5 months. -
Hi ninenine,
1) my boy is at nursery level.
2) Yes, additional $$ needed. But if you provide your own transport, prepare your own lunchbox, the school will not charge anything. That is, if the event doesn’t require entrance fee or what naught.
FYI, I don’t have much preschool experience to talk about, NAK is the only formal preschool that I send my child to. So, my feedback is plainly about my feel towards NAK, no comparison to any other centres… which in a way, I guess is not very "comprehensive".
- Teachers seem passive in providing feedbacks/updates on child’s progess. But I took it as, my child has no major issue(s) that render urgent attention.
- Teachers do take the time to talk to me when I ask them questions.
- Teachers seem to know all the names of the children in their own class. I doubt teachers from other classes will know my boy’s name.
- My boy is learning and picking up knowledge. I’m not aware what’s the "right amount" to know at this age, I’m just satisfied that he is learning.
Seriously, I can’t say that I like everything about NAK, but for a lazy mum like me, this is the ideal under-one-roof solution. -
Hi Parents whose kids is in Nafa Arts Kindergarten,
How is the cases of HFMD , H1N1 or chicken pox cases in the school?
How does the school react to the above cases? Do they inform the parents through email or communication book etc? -
Hi ninenine,
So far (only 2.5 terms for us), I am not aware of any chicken pox case in NAK.
There was 1 case of HFMD in May, which the school informed via communication booklet. And reiterated their commitment to ensure cleanliness in school compound and classrooms’ materials.
As for H1N1, travel declarations were necessary for both June and Sept school hols. Teachers even called before school reopens to check if we made any changes to our travel plans and if we were in contact with anyone with/suspected of H1N1 and/or received anyone from affected countries.
Unfortunately, a child from a class was suspected (I think) to be infected. And the whole class, plus the school bus, plus the students from other classes sharing that same school bus were told to not come to school for x days. We, who are not affected, were informed via communication booklet and small talks amongst family members.
Temperature has been taken and recorded daily. And children were given hand sanitizer & applied mosquito repellent every morning.
Hope these helps. -
Hi
the NAFA nursey class 2010 is for kids born in 2006 or 2007?
Chief
Schoolhouse by the bay conduct full day classes for N1 (born in 2007)?
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