After the months of deliberation between international schools and local primary schools and finally deciding to register my boys in the latter, I must admit that the issue lingered at the back of my mind now and again.
Friends and strangers who know I have a K2 boy will ask me of my backup plans in the event that Marcus doesn't get into our school of choice, especially when they heard that we are going to register him in a popular school at Phase 2C of the Primary School Registration Exercise.
Some friends even told me that we should be prepared to cast our vote on another school instead of risking balloting.
I did think long and hard on the matter at the end of Phase 2A in July, after studying the statistics and past-year histories of three schools I have shortlisted, and re-looked the details of another few schools that are farther away and definitely of a different (and less desirable) league.
But I don't want him in School Y or Z. In my mind, only School X fits the bill!
The places in our one and only choice were disappearing fast by then. But after discussing with E (again), we decided to be firm and if we had to risk balloting, we shall take that risk. We joked every other day about keeping our fingers and toes crossed. :>
Our only two reasons for placing the boys in a local primary school are to put them through a tougher Chinese curriculum when they are still young, with the belief that it will lay in them a strong foundation in Chinese; and secondly, to instill in them a positive work (and studying) ethic that is in line with our beliefs.
While we think it is not important for the boys to be in the best school (I have a lot to say about this, but shall reserve for a different post when I have more time), we do want them to be in a good school. What this means, we believe, is that they will be in a good learning environment that comes with higher chances of being surrounded by peers who are equally motivated in learning and possess positive attitude towards life in general.
My main criteria that resulted in our choice of school is really the academic achievements of the recent batches of graduating cohorts. But I am not interested in the grades of the few top students, a selection criteria used by many, that I deem as too misleading. So what if a school produces top PSLE students every year, if majority of the cohort doesn't do quite as well anyway.
What fascinated me the most is the % of Primary 6 students with grades A/A* in each of the four subjects. If over 70% of the cohort bagged A/A* for every subject, and for several years recently, it seems logical to assume that the school has a sound teaching system (including staff, method, support) and good learning culture in place.
So anyway, after all the hype and crossed fingers and toes, I jumped up and down with joy on the morning of Thursday, 5th August when we knew for sure that Marcus has a confirmed place in school X. Which means Nicholas will go there too. :D
We didn't have to ballot at Phase 2C because of the proximity (though it was a close shave). Lady Luck must be smiling at us and those who got a place in the school that day.
So now, I can't wait for my boys to be part of that big family. I have heard tons of good stuff from parents whose kids are already in that school. Interestingly, everyone has only the most positive things to say about their experience so far.
The best bit that I have heard so far is that the school has a 'no-homework-on-weekdays' policy and the very fun and creative ways used to inspire a love for the Chinese language!
I am counting down to the Orientation Day when Marcus will check out this place, which he refers to as 'the big school', for the first time. Already, I can imagine him in the school uniform, making new friends and having tons of fun learning new things.
Here's my baby, all grown up and almost 6-year-old.
Just a few more months and we will enter another phase of his life.
11 comments:
Congratulations. Do you have to do parent volunteer for your son's school?
Thanks! I didn't do any volunteering work which is why we registered at Phase 2C. As I mentioned in a previous post before, I didn't know about PV early enough to register to be one, but even if I had known about it early enough, I would NOT have applied to be one because it is against my principle (felt like bribery of some sort). I think the whole phase 2b should be scrapped.
Congratulations on getting the school of your choice! I share your excitement about this new phase into which our children are entering. I think I am more excited about it than Sarah.
So happy for M. It's a new phase in their life as well as ours. And it's only couple of months more and I'm definitely more anxious than my girl.
Hi there again!
I read with great interest about your primary school selection. For my two boys - both not SG citizens nor PRs - we are left to fate!
Call it scrapping the bottom of the barrel or it'll be what it'll be, MOE will decide our fate.
The boys do not qualify for any phases, and we'll wait till everyone has had their turn, then we'll get posted to the nearest school with a vacancy.
In a way, this is good, I am not stressing out about our options and plotting tactical approaches to the phases!
On the other hand, we are subjected to 'fate' and being posted to a school we may not like.
Such is the two sides to our coin!
Good luck to your eldest! I can only hope my eldest (currently only 3!) will get a good 'fated' spot and his little brother (at wee 3 months old presently!) will follow suit.
All the best!
Sharon
Precious Moments/Handydog, thanks! I think it is the same with most families. The parents are the ones celebrating. :> I don't think Marcus understands what to expect too. That is why the orientation is so important. I am expecting some big culture shock in our case actually. Hopefully, he will adapt well.
oh we must update each other on how well our little ones are adjusting, in a few months' time. :D
Oh Sharon, i admire your positive thinking. :>
For us, I realized early this year that if we did not get a place in the school of our choice in phase 2C, we would end up balloting in phase 2C supplementary. All the schools near us would have been filled by phase 2c and anything else that I would choose will require balloting for sure.
if we didn't get it, we would have to wait for phase 3, like your boys.
I dreaded the thought that my boy could end up in a faraway school (the nearest available by then is still >2km away) which has an undesirable reputation. I was pretty sure which one it would be, looking at the past years' data.
Our plan was to seek transfers before school year begins and if nothing could be done by then, let him enter school anyway and monitor closely and evaluate then. If we didn't see a fit, I would continue to seek transfers. i was told transfers are easier to come by when a student is strong academically (so yes, we do have quite a bit of faith in Marcus here).
If all fails and we think the school is a bad fit, we would rather pull him out of it and put him in the international school (I have also decided which one!).
So that was our backup plan.
I suppose in your case, you still have plenty of time to think about it and who knows, maybe by the time your older son is ready for enrollment, there may be changes to the rules.
I can't call it optimism, more fatalistic!
I thought about the transfer route, but blessed with a 'daydreamer' boy, that may be wishful thinking....
International schools, possible. The Big Man is keen, but I have since convinced him to try out the local system before waving a white flag (plus, it makes so much 'cents'!).
Which international school have you zeroed in on? I would appreciate that insight and your reasons, if you won't mind sharing!
Thank you.
Sharon
Sharon, I totally agree that it makes more 'cents' to give local system a try first.
While there are many things that aren't great in the local education system, there are 3 factors that I really like:
1. daily Chinese and Maths lessons and (hopefully) tougher curriculum,
2. regular assessment vs. the non-existent assessments in international schools
3. easier for us to instill the desirable work ethic and study habits if kids have been to local system first (international schools are way too relaxed according to many people I spoke to who have experienced both systems)
I am aware that above points could very well be the very reasons for some to run straight to international schools, but we see these as strengths of the local system.
So because of the 3 points above, I would send my boys to SJI International if we have to in future. It is the one school which I think has the merits of both IB PYP and our local system. Another noteworthy point is the origins of their great staff (principal and large % of staff came from UWC) and that they follow Singapore Maths and Science curriculum and has daily Chinese lessons!
:>
Hah! SJI-I would be our likely choice as well. We have heard good reviews about their junior section.
We have agreed that if the local route (or bad fit of 'fated' school, or transfer doesn't work out), we would fall back on SJI-I.
However, have also heard that SJI-I senior appears to be more of a 'dumping ground' for local kids who couldn't cut it after PSLE.
I'm not entirely convinced of this, though I can see why as Singaporeans make up a large percentage of the secondary section.
Have you heard of this?
Sharon, I have not heard feedback about the SJI seniors, but I won't be too concerned.
Even if I place the kids in SJI Jr, it doesn't mean that they have to stay in the same place when they are older.
Though I have not spent much time comparing the international schools for the older kids, I like what I saw at UWC Middle school and I have heard great reviews on ACS Independent. But I have not given it much thought just yet.
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