Raffles Institution (Year 1-4)

[Fairy]

mathsparks:

Hi, can any parent confirm if schedule below for athletics means the child stays back a total of 9 hours just for this cca? or is it like either dates? once a week?


Practice Schedule (from website)
Day Start End
Monday, RI(JC) Stadium 3.30pm 6.30pm
Wednesday, RI(JC) Stadium 3.30pm 6.30pm
Friday, RI(JC) Stadium 3.30pm 6.30pm

What about for Maths club?
Practice Schedule
Day Start End
Friday 1.30 pm 3 pm
Friday 3 pm 4.30 pm

Do most parents join the RPA?

btw, thanks luckystar for giving me the idea to start checking out ccas.

If you wish to join RI, be prepared to spend a lot of time in your CCA(s). Most students have more than 1 CCA, on top of their 3rd Lang & the various Electives.

All sports CCAs requires students to stay back at least 3 times a week with one of the sessions on a Saturday for some.

Uniform Group CCAs have training twice a week with extra activities (camps & etc) now and then. The training sessions almost always last longer than the time indicated on the website.

Merit CCAs are usually on Fridays. Some Merit CCAs require a lot more time commitment.

I am aware of students having 4 CCAs, including a sports CCA! Some of these guys are also in the RA and continue to win prizes in competitions. It's amazing how they manage their time. My son has 2 CCAs, and I'm already making a lot of noise regarding the disproportionate amount of time he has spent on his CCAs.

RPA membership is optional. At $60 for 6 years, it is very reasonable. However, the only time you'll see RPA member in 'full force' is during the year 1 subject briefing by the school teachers, arranged by RPA and for members only!

[vlim]

inorder to qualify for scholarship such as those from 'psa' (hope I did not remember wrongly), is there minimal number of cca student has to take up. :?

[mathsparks]

Thanks fairy for the info.


Now I’m worried if son can cope with such long hours. I’m sure it’ll be a shock to his system…from used to having so much me-time and slowing down after 9:30pm to rushing daily. Hope he can manage and remain sane as well.

So the RPA of $60 is per parent or both? I’m sure both of us kiasu parents will not want to miss the subject briefing. Any idea if most students take up a core and a merit cca? Or is merit cca not so common?

How about the class size?

[luckystar]

The kids in RI are really fantastic ! The parents ought to know how these kids manage ! :salute:

[Dharma]

mathsparks:

Thanks fairy for the info.


Now I'm worried if son can cope with such long hours. I'm sure it'll be a shock to his system..from used to having so much me-time and slowing down after 9:30pm to rushing daily. Hope he can manage and remain sane as well.

I believe, only 1 core CCA is compulsary.

[mathsparks]

Thanks dharma. I was just wondering if most kids get by with just a core or do most take up additional merit as well.

[Dharma]

mathsparks:

Thanks dharma. I was just wondering if most kids get by with just a core or do most take up additional merit as well.

Hi mathsparks,

In RGS, core CCA is compulsory and requires 75% minimum attendance. No such requirement for merit CCA. Pupils take up merit CCA cause of passion and interest, mainly. Most girls take up 2 CCA at the most, though there may be some taking more.

RI/RGS places a lot of emphasis on CCAs and child needs to be committed to CCA he/she is involved in terms of practices and trainings. These sessions can last 2 ~3 days. If the child is doing 3rd lang, that’s another evening gone. Just before competitions, the CCA practices can be a daily affair.

[lowmama]

Hi all

Am new here but have been following the forums for a month plus. Would like to share the experience of my elder boy who is in RI Sec 2 this year. He was from a mediocre neighbourhood primary school and got into RI thru DSA (Science) but didn’t do fantastically well in PSLE (<250 :x ). In RI, he’s just an average student (great at science, sucks in Chinese), participates in only 1 CCA but I can see that he really enjoyed himself there. I’ve seen him become more sociable & motivated. He doesn’t study terribly hard (I think most of his studying is done during his 40 mins bus journey in the morning and before in classroom b4 morning assembly), sleeps at decent hours (in bed by 10pm), plays computer games when I’m at work (I suspect), and I just have to supervise him to practice his math on weekends and memorise his Chinese ciyu a couple of weeks before CCT/exams, and to check occasionally that he finishes his projects/PTs on timr. I would think Sec 1 was a year of adjusting (first term results was terrible!) and this year, he did pretty well (good enough to qualify for one RA subject next yr). I really think that RI is a great school for boys (this is also becos I’m an ex-Rafflesian :lol: ) and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that my younger boy will do well enough in this year’s PSLE to qualify.

[Fairy]

mathsparks:

Thanks fairy for the info.


Now I'm worried if son can cope with such long hours. I'm sure it'll be a shock to his system..from used to having so much me-time and slowing down after 9:30pm to rushing daily. Hope he can manage and remain sane as well.

So the RPA of $60 is per parent or both? I'm sure both of us kiasu parents will not want to miss the subject briefing. Any idea if most students take up a core and a merit cca? Or is merit cca not so common?

How about the class size?

Most boys take up merit CCAs. Of course, there will be some who signed up but were not regular in their attendance due to crashes with their core CCAs or lack of discipline. They may be ''expelled'\". According to the head of sports during the year 1 CCA briefing for parents, participation in CCAs in RI is not recreational, got it? :roll:

I strongly feel that taking up a merit CCA should be out of interest/passion, not peer pressure! Otherwise, life at RI will be miserable, what with core CCA commitments, projects, assignments, compulsory match support activities, tests, exams & time spent preparing for competitions.....

I guess the muggers will spend minimum time on what is not compulsory to free up time for their studies so as to continue to achieve sterling results. Those who are more particular about enjoying their journey at the instituion will busy themselves with activities they love, spending just enough time in their studies to get by. I'm not condoning such behavior, but they are usually the happier boys with fond memories of their school life!

Class size is around 30.

[vlim]

so much good things about RI.. can't wait to see my son get into RI 3 yr later haaa...So does one need to be very gd in a sport cca such as badmintion then he can be enrolled in it? :?