Raffles Institution (Year 1-4)

[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? :?

[lowmama]

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? :?

The students have to go for trial sessions to get into sports CCA so I guess they do have to be pretty good in that sport that they want to join, esp if there are good school team players that year. But my friend's son did get into squash altho he's never played squash before going to RI.

[CrazyDad]

lowmama:

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? :?

The students have to go for trial sessions to get into sports CCA so I guess they do have to be pretty good in that sport that they want to join, esp if there are good school team players that year. But my friend's son did get into squash altho he's never played squash before going to RI.

Some bad thing about RI...Chinese will de-prove...

[vlim]

thanks lowmama…what if the student is no gd in any sport cca and can’t manage to get into any cca???

[sleeping beauty]

Just wondering if taking up many CCAs has anything to do with logging LEAPS points as quickly as possible, other than passion and interest of course.


Can anyone enlighten me about the importance and significance of the LEAPS score in IP schools? As far as I know, this is only important for gaining entry into a JC of one's choice, from a mainstream sec.school. Is the LEAPS score taken into consideration for scholarship applications after the A levels ?? :?

:thankyou:

[mathsparks]

Dharma:

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.

at least mine doesnt hv to worry abt 3rd lang. he's not strong in lang.

[mathsparks]

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.

Thanks lowmama for sharing. Congrats on qualifying for RA! Hope mine can do just as well.