Hi there. I was looking around the forum for posts on OCS but found the last one was dated 2011, 6 long yrs ago.


Any parents of OCS cadets here who want to gather here on this forum? My son is currently in the 110/17 batch.

juno99:

Hi all! Anyone has children studying Literary Arts in SOTA? My gal is keen but I am not sure if it is suitable for her.


Would like to find out if the teachers in SOTA are generally more relaxed so the child needs to be self-driven and self-motivated? My gal generally needs to be pushed so not sure if this suits her.

How is it like studying in literary arts? Is it where they enjoy a vast appreciation of literary works and guided by teachers or are they expected to do a lot of reading up and research on their own?

Literary arts is a new art form - starting this year only, if I am not mistaken.

Being in an International Baccalaureate school, one needs self discipline when it comes to studies. Students here are treated as matured young adults, and teachers, or mentors rather, are not known to push students like those in secondary schools. My dd told me a mentor once said to the whole class - I am here to teach, if you want to pay attention, that is good. If you want to do your own thing, don't make too much noise and do not disrupt the class. After all, at the end of it all, you are the ones taking the exam and not me.

Not every child is geared for this sort of study method. Some drop out after yr 1 or 2 or yr 4.

veronica:

How to prepare for SOTA Visual arts?

Someone who got into SOTA Visual arts, please advice on how to prepare the portfolios.

VA is a very unique form, as in, a very personal sort of thing. What a teacher might like, another teacher might not.

I do not suggest going to outside art schools to get a professional to prepare the portfolio. Art has to come from the heart itself, from the student's perspective. When my daughter prepared her portfolio years back, she brought along a craftwork animal she made at home with kitchen towels no less. She also brought along her sketch book - things she doodles at leisure. Along with a piece of rock she painted and another canvas painting. She never had formal art lessons, and honestly, was abit skeptical of getting in to SOTA because at the TA, we saw children bringing in huge, professional looking art paintings and models of buildings some made.

She was more dejected when the judges didn't really look at her sketch book. They just flipped the pages, not more than a cursory glance at what she drew. 3 of her schoolmates, all of whom had formal extra cirricular art lessons, went for the TA too, bringing their best pieces of artworks that their art teachers chosen.I told her at least we tried and we'll just have to wait for the results.

Turned out that none of her schoolmates were chosen. I heard the judges want raw talent, and that is what they were looking for. Not guided art paintings by art teachers outside.

Having said that, on top of the portfolio, the child is expected to draw on the spot as well, and write an essay. That was 4 years ago,so I am not sure if things have changed then.

I have 3 never worn before uniform skirts and 1 PE shorts to sell off. Size 24 x 2 pieces, size 28 x 1 piece, size 30 x 1 piece. PE shorts size 42 x 1piece. All pieces going for $5/piece

That is what we are questioning, among other things.

The school is looking into it because alot of parents and students are not happy with their terms. Will update when I know more.

This is certainly new to me, because 4 yrs ago, I did not receive any forms nor letter to state abt such rights when my child first attended school.

It is definitely this new management’s idea.

This opt-in is new. As in an official form.

We have requested to meet with the sch board to discuss further on that issue and if we need to bring in lawyers. Because we, as parents, should safeguard our children’s interests.

The school has had a change of management and isn’t that geared into the arts as compared to the previous principal and vp.


They now have an agreement that if you opt in, the school takes over complete rights to your child’s works - with no royalties whatsoever. Of course, you may opt out, which if you do, then the school will not consider your child for participation in exhibitions and commissions.

How is this beneficial to the children at SOTA? I do not see it at all. How does this benefit the school? Ahhh! The school will have,in their own words: "perpetual, worldwide, exclusive, royalty-free rights to use, modify, reproduce, display, perform, communicate and otherwise use the students works for all its educational, promotional and other purposes (commercial or otherwise).

The school seems to be going the wrong direction. I ask that parents of would be Sotarians to reconsider.

SOTA has changed its principal and staff, and along with that, the very essence of the school has somewhat changed.


There is now a reduction of arts curriculum timing and more on academic. The reason being some parents are concerned that the students were spending too much time on arts and less on academic.

Good grief. Is this not School of the Arts??? If parents are concerned about that, they should send their children to other secondary schools instead of Sota.

I am pretty disappointed in the current management.

SOTA school fees hike by $23 from July 2013 onwards.


What exactly do school fees cover? Can anyone enlighten me? And no one mentioned why the need in the hike.

Schools need to be more transparent when it comes to money.