Primary One School Orientation

[tanzyjac]

Dear Strawberry Milk,


You can ask your colleague to try to request to be placed on waiting list at the other school.

We were in our 1st choice school’s waiting list immediately after we failed to secure a place on Phase 2C (they were already full on Phase 2C, hence not open for 2CS). We got our area MP to help, school called me later to verify my details, but till now still not able to offer us a place.

As I have told you earlier, the school we had successfully registered at Phase 2CS was not our ideal school, but we had no choice. As time passes, we got more and more disappointed in the school. We were still hoping that our 1st choice school will call us soon.

When I still didn’t get any updates from the 1st school, I went to our next choice school in the 3wk of Oct to request to be placed on waiting list. The administrator told us they had a huge stack of people in their wait list and we would not stand any chances. I told myself I can’t just wait, I must get my only child into this school. So after spending about 2 days drafting my email, I sent it to the school principal on the 1st week of Nov. She didn’t reply me but she got one of her vice-principals to call me the next day, followed by the administrator calling me an hour later to tell me that the school is offering my daughter a place in their school.

I felt that as long as we take that extra mile to ask and try for our little ones, even if we are not successful but at least we have tried out best and done our part as a parent. And we will live with no regrets.

[tanzyjac]

By the way, the school we finally gotten a place had balloting at Phase 2CS. It had 23 places left on 2CS with 30 applications.


I reckon we got a place because someone has pulled out. I believed there may be some withdrawals in some schools now after parents successfully gotten their children into another school.

Just try.

[Strawberry Milk]

tanzyjac:

Dear Strawberry Milk,


You can ask your colleague to try to request to be placed on waiting list at the other school.

Hi tanzyjac,
Thanks for your advise; my colleague is gathering more information on the other neighboring schools before she decides which school she will put her child under the waiting list. I understand that the area she is staying has not many choices so she is doing her homework now to get as much information as she could. Maybe abit too late but at least give it a try. With the help of my other colleagues, I hope she can make a right choice.

Thank you :lol:

[mstan]

Strawberry Milk:

Hi All,

I am helping a colleague to post this topic to check with parents whose children have attended the Primay One School Orientation.

My colleague's child has gone for the orientation last saturday. Both parent and child did not actually get much information form the orientation:-
1) There is no mention what is the school reporting time on the 1st day of school? The school is a single session school
2) What is the child expect to bring on the 1st day of school?
3) Are parents allow to enter the school premise on the 1st day of school?
4) Where is the assemble place?
5) Certain school does not allow child to use \"trolley\" schoolbag; there is no mention of this too.

She was so frustrated with all these adminstrative issues and was at a loss what to do. I can only share my view on what my gal's school has given on the guidelines. Can any parents help?

Btw, my colleague's child school is in the Western part of Singapore (Jurong).

1) My daughter will report school at 7am wor... so school bus will be more early liao... gosh!
2) Students are given a list on 1st & 2nd day on what to bring to school... I think 3rd days onwards, will have a time-table bah.
3) Parents are allowed to go on 1st & 2nd day from 7am to 8am & 915am to 1015am
4) Assembly place, never mentioned also... mostly will be in the hall with bags as I've asked that bags are not allowed to be in class before the assembly
5) Strictly recommended - NO Trolley bags...

Just that school din announced that can the books be kept in the school or not.. heard many school allows that... Have sent email to ask liao but no reply... maybe due to school holiday bah...

[HAPPYH]

Hi, I was just wondering what kind of test will be given for the P1 kids on the orientation day?

[jedamum]

Harishita:

Hi, I was just wondering what kind of test will be given for the P1 kids on the orientation day?

you can check the school's website. sometimes it is stated there what are the LSP (learning support programmes). if not, you can network at the http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewforum.php?f=38 to find out more.
Generally, it should be literacy test (eg A-Z, simple Cat, bat), and numeracy test (eg numbers) to sieve out the weaker students for LSP (i guess especially for neighbourhood schools whereby there may be a portion of lower income families who may not have prepare their kid in this aspect or even send them for preschool); not so sure for popular schools). Some schools' test is to group kids according to abilities so that teachers can teach better and kids can follow according to the pace suitable for their standard.

[zoan]

Does anyone know that on the day of registration can other parents go in and see?

[jedamum]

zoan:

Does anyone know that on the day of registration can other parents go in and see?

:? what registration are you referring to??

[corneyAmber]

lovekidsverymuch:

Is it required for the child to attend the orientation of the school? or one of the parent can just attend?

It is Orientation for the child, for the child to familiarise himself/herself with the new school, surroundings/form teacher etc. It is okay if only one parent is present, both need not be there unless of course, one parent wants to join the super long Q for books, uniform etc while the other parent takes care of the child, be it meeting the teacher in the class, settling paperwork etc. But do bear in mind that the Orientation programme varies from school to school, be it for Primary or Secondary levels.

[qms]

lovekidsverymuch:

I am asking for primary 1 orientation and I know its good for the child to come but is it compulsory for his to attend cause there is a possibility that I and him might be travelling and just his dad might have to attend so asking

Of course it is not compulsory for the child to attend the orientation. Just that it may be a good opportunity to walk around the school.

The parent attending the orientation will not be able to substitute the experience the child has if he were to attend the orientation personally. For some schools, the form teachers will be the ones bringing the children to the different places within the school.