I had a conversation with a mother who just enrolled her kid in Ai Tong under phase 2A(1) because she paid the $500 membership fee. But besides this, NOTHING else she was done for the school. Compare those parent volunteers clocked 40 or even 80 hours to the school, or those grassroots leaders spent 2 years serving the committee. Membership fee alone is too little to get the priority.

86 schools balloting @ 2C, the same as last year. So no difference after 30 months rules.


NYPS shares their past years’ admissions data, 60% to even 70% of the pupils are living >2km from the school.

Just heard from a friend that one map may not be accurate. School has its own list of properties. Is it really true?

Since the election is close, guess there will not be any change before the election …

I heard of a case: "A" lives < 100m away from a popular school for more than 5 years, but lost during the ballot. Ended up, she quit her job just to personally send her kid to a school quite far from her home. To save time for the kid, so that the little girl can rest in the car. In the same year, "B" rented a place and got in during the ballot. Apparently "B" will move out after 30 months. Sounds so unfair.

butterwaffles:

:goodpost: phtthp, very enlightening post there.


Am also in a dilemma, as I do not know if i will regret one day, for not trying my best to get my boy into a 'good' primary school. But 'good' primary schools are not near my place. But if my boy studies in a nearby primary school, i can imagine he would have more time to rest, no need to spend so much time on travelling. Would be so tiring on him if he has to travel to and fro everyday.

Anyone here contemplating a nearby primary school just so your child can sleep more and waste less time on travelling? But I also have not submitted my PV application yet. Dateline is October. It is most likely I won't be picked since I do not have any special skills Just wondering if there are any like-minded parents here? That if your child studies smart, he or she will flourish. No matter which school he/she attends.

If you are not living near the \"good\" school, isn't that you don't stand a good chance? Unless you are alumni?

phtthp:

bubbleblue:

By the way, can I seek for advise here? Everyone seems to be flocking to do PV or finding means to get into a \"good\" school?


Is there very big significant difference in education standard between neighbourhood pri school and \"famous, good\" primary school?

it is not easy to get into a good Secondary school, nowadays.
our Sg education system is fast paced, a bit stressful.

based on PSLE T-score -
the child must do very well, in order to get into Top Tier 1 or Tier 2 good, Secondary schools.

if a child fail to receive any DSA Offer before PSLE results are released -
then the only way to enter good, Secondary schools, is by ranking of PSLE T-score, nation wide.
All P6 cohort students' PSLE T-score are computed, up to minute decimal points.
sorted and ranked accordingly (one by one), by computer.
from the first Top student (nation wide), to the lowest T-score last student.

a)
So, if can get into \"famous, good\" primary schools that are affliated to good Secondary schools, people tend to flock to them.
These schools thus become highly sought after.

once a child get in, child can study \"in peace\", for the next 10 years
(from P1 to GCE O level)

if child able to do very well with high PSLE above 260, child can go to Top Tier Secondary schools.
else, child can remain back in good, affliated Secondary schools to do O level Track, if can meet discounted Cut off Point (difference can be wide), due to affliation relationship.

example of \"famous, good\" primary schools that're affliated to good Secondary schools include :-

- Catholic High
- CHIJ St Nicholas
- SCGS

- Maris Stella

- MGS (Blackmore drive)
- Paya Lebar MGS
- ACS Barker

- CHIJ Toa Payoh
- St Joseph Junior

demand is high, in each school, above.
every year, under Phase 2C (open to public) :-
balloting occurred for SC children, within 1 km.

b) another category of good, primary schools that're not affliated to Secondary schools but are still very hot and popular, are SAP schools.

in SAP schools : overall academic rigor is deemed to be high.

example
Pei Chun (Toa Payoh)
Poi Ching (Tampines)

Hong Wen (Bendeemer)

CHIJ St Nicholas (Ang Mo Kio)

Red Swastika (Bedok)

Hokkien Huay Kuan affliated schools also included, like -
Ai Tong
Chong Fu

Nan Chiau

Kong Hua
Tao Nan

Buddhist affliated schools also included, like -
Maha Bodhi
Mee Toh


c) some GEP schools may not be affliated to any Secondary school.
Yet they are highly sought after, due to the attraction and lure of the presense of GEP programme
(from P4 to P6).

example of (non-SAP + GEP) schools :-
Henry Park
RGPS
Rosyth

St Hilda
ACS Barker

example of (SAP + GEP) schools :-
Nan Hua
Nanyang
Tao Nan

Catholic High

d) some new neighbourhood schools that are getting popular -
are those helmed by leadership coming from new Principal(s) who were ex Principal(s) before, from good, primary schools in the past.

parents believe that since this new Principal was an ex Principal of some \"famous\" primary school before -
then this Principal should have the leadership capability to scale this new, Neighbourhood school, to greater height(s) & glory.

example
Alexandra primary

current Principal and VP of Alexandra primary were ex Principals from -
CHIJ St Nicholas and Maha Bodhi primary.

as such, in parents' mindset -
demand for \"famous, good\" primary schools is always high,
vs. neigbourhood primary schools.

\"good\" schools are often over-subscribed :-
http://www.edvantage.com.sg/content/pri ... nts-places

:goodpost: :goodpost: :goodpost: :thankyou:

Vanocas:

You beta check with SHHK on your chances cos Ai Tong is a very hot school. Traditionally, one has to score very high on their internal scale (either long tenure member - 1/2 years is very hard) or maybe do a lot of volunteer work etc in order to qualify for the recommendation letter. Pls note, SHHK will not be able to tell you definitively that they can issue you the letter - it will depend on supply and demand at end of day.

Ai Tong is jus one of the school under SHHK...i am also aiming for Chongfu which is within 1km fr my house. Aitong is nearer to my boy's school in bishan. Definitely I will check with SHHK before deciding to join or not. Nothing is definite...jus trying our best to get our kids in good school afterall. Fail also no regret...as least i tried.. [/quote]

Why not you consider to join grassroot?

Wondering how effective is this min 30 months after the P1 registration. A lot of parents said already rule requires those got in primary school based on distant priority to remain staying nearby the school. Now just made it official by putting a min period.

My boy was in LV (in my office building) from toddler to early N1 this year, since we moved home, it's not so convenient to travel long distance, we decided to move him to the Carpe Diem just next to my new home to reduce his travel time. Now I get the opportunity to compare these two childcare base on his experience:


1. Curriculum: generally I feel the curriculum is no different between the two. Both are bilingual, all teach letterland phonics. But since CD is located in a landed property, they have outdoor water play once a week, also have class in the park next to the school once a week.

2. Environment: as mentioned, CD is very close to nature but LV is just in office building. Pros and cons apply. Nature is sunny, so need to apply sun block, nature has bugs and mosquito, also need to prepare repellant. But it's alway good for kids to be close to nature I guess. Their mind is more open? The LV was open concept with low partitions. The centre looks bright and spacious, but it's noisy. CD is in landed property, close door class rooms can illiminate noises, kids intent to focus more but it's space constrains. They need to keep moving to other rooms (eg. Labs, gym, play area, dinning are are separate). But in LV, they eat, teach and play in the same area.

3. Classmates: not sure why, but see lots of Caucasians in CD but all Asian in LV. Asians are more disciplined but in CD, always see kids running around, crying, etc but teacher encourage them to express themselves and respect their feelings.

4. Teaching facilities: since their prices are exactly the same, I'm expecting the same teaching facility as well. But the biggest plus point is, no TV or computer in CD. Unlike LV, we always spotted teachers playing YouTube videos for kids, yes, kids can be settled easily in this way but it's obviously not good for their eyes, also this way is too passive.

I guess in overall, both centers have their unique point, the most important is the convienence and most of all, kid must be happy