Need Advice on International Schools near Nusajaya
Jul 8th 2013, 2:24 pm
#1
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Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2013
Location: Singapore
Posts: 18
Need Advice on International Schools near Nusajaya
Hi Everyone,
I'm new to this forum.
My family will be moving to Nusajaya in December 2013.
Our biggest concern is finding a decent school. Our children are aged 10, 8 & 3. We can't afford Marlboro College or Raffles American International.
I have read some reviews of Tenby schools around the country, and the reviews were quite appalling. Austin Heights looks pretty far away.
1) Can you share experiences & views on
a)Tenby International
b) Austin Heights International
c) Sri Ara International
d) Pegasus International
I'm especially interested in the calibre of the teaching staff. I'm not expecting expatriate teachers but I do expect teachers to speak English well & have teaching qualifications.
2) Do the schools engage parents & have regular communication with parents?
3) How long is the commute to
-Austin Heights
-Tenby
- Pegasus International
(from Ledang Heights)?
Are the school buses safe & reliable?
Would appreciate any information you can share.
I'm new to this forum.
My family will be moving to Nusajaya in December 2013.
Our biggest concern is finding a decent school. Our children are aged 10, 8 & 3. We can't afford Marlboro College or Raffles American International.
I have read some reviews of Tenby schools around the country, and the reviews were quite appalling. Austin Heights looks pretty far away.
1) Can you share experiences & views on
a)Tenby International
b) Austin Heights International
c) Sri Ara International
d) Pegasus International
I'm especially interested in the calibre of the teaching staff. I'm not expecting expatriate teachers but I do expect teachers to speak English well & have teaching qualifications.
2) Do the schools engage parents & have regular communication with parents?
3) How long is the commute to
-Austin Heights
-Tenby
- Pegasus International
(from Ledang Heights)?
Are the school buses safe & reliable?
Would appreciate any information you can share.
Jul 8th 2013, 2:37 pm
#2
...............
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Far North Queensland
Posts: 17,625
Re: Need Advice on International Schools near Nusajaya
Hi, you've posted the same thread 3 times. Did you know?
Jul 8th 2013, 3:34 pm
#3
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2013
Location: Singapore
Posts: 18
Re: Need Advice on International Schools near Nusajaya
Oh dear. I can't seem to figure out how to remove it.
Jul 9th 2013, 12:59 pm
#4
...............
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Far North Queensland
Posts: 17,625
Re: Need Advice on International Schools near Nusajaya
Looks like one of the Mods has deleted the other one in Malaysia. I think most of us on here look at both the Singapore and Malaysia forums, so you may not get much response to this one. You've already had a lot of answers to,the same thread in the Singapore section, so that's a head start.
There's some other threads in this section on Nusajaya and Johor so do,have a good browse through, and maybe tag on to some existing threads too.
Are you already living in Singapore or elsewhere ? I lived in Singapore from 2005 to end 2007. Seems like a lifetime ago now
There's some other threads in this section on Nusajaya and Johor so do,have a good browse through, and maybe tag on to some existing threads too.
Are you already living in Singapore or elsewhere ? I lived in Singapore from 2005 to end 2007. Seems like a lifetime ago now
Jul 9th 2013, 1:38 pm
#5
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Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2013
Location: Singapore
Posts: 18
Re: Need Advice on International Schools near Nusajaya
Thanks Bakedbean. You are ever so thoughful.
We've lived in Singapore since 1999. We've wasted too much on rent all these years. We decided it was time to get our our own place, but we wanted a home with a backyard. I wish we had made the decision much earlier. We would have saved a lot more money.
I made appointments to see Tenby, Austin Heights, Sri Ara and Cherie Hearts Pre-school today.
Sri Ara was by far, the most professional, and most helpful. And that's just from a phone conversation.
I spoke to the prinicple (Samantha) at Cherie Hearts, and she was also very helpful.
Austin Heights didn't want me to drop by during cirriculum hours, and were not willing for me to speak to the teachers (who would be teaching my kids). That already rasies alarm bells for me. I'm awaiting their return phonecall.
I will give this thread and update once I've personally reviewed the schools.
We've lived in Singapore since 1999. We've wasted too much on rent all these years. We decided it was time to get our our own place, but we wanted a home with a backyard. I wish we had made the decision much earlier. We would have saved a lot more money.
I made appointments to see Tenby, Austin Heights, Sri Ara and Cherie Hearts Pre-school today.
Sri Ara was by far, the most professional, and most helpful. And that's just from a phone conversation.
I spoke to the prinicple (Samantha) at Cherie Hearts, and she was also very helpful.
Austin Heights didn't want me to drop by during cirriculum hours, and were not willing for me to speak to the teachers (who would be teaching my kids). That already rasies alarm bells for me. I'm awaiting their return phonecall.
I will give this thread and update once I've personally reviewed the schools.
Jul 9th 2013, 1:55 pm
#6
...............
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Far North Queensland
Posts: 17,625
Re: Need Advice on International Schools near Nusajaya
That's 14 years in Singapore...wow...long time. Renting and buying ...it's swings and roundabouts isn't it. We've done a mixture of buying and renting over the years but prefer having our own home. Sounds like you are doing your homework anyway.
Bocat has a wealth of info and do take a look at her meetup groups. Think she is doing one in Johor now (I think).
Yep that would be great if you can update on here any info you find. So many folks moving from Singapore to Nusajaya so it helps others out.
Bocat has a wealth of info and do take a look at her meetup groups. Think she is doing one in Johor now (I think).
Yep that would be great if you can update on here any info you find. So many folks moving from Singapore to Nusajaya so it helps others out.
Jul 10th 2013, 10:04 am
#7
Forum Regular
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 70
Re: Need Advice on International Schools near Nusajaya
Hello mfwarren! My daughter goes to Sri Ara. We chose it because it was walking distance from where we live now. We moved to JB from Singapore late November last year. We've got a similar story. We lived in Singapore since 2000. We love living in Singapore, but after being there for so long we realised the utter economic sensibility of living in Johor whilst working in Singapore. Plus we'd gathered enough cojones to move to the so-called "dark side." Our daughter started attending Sri Ara in Jan this year. You got the same professional and helpful reception we had when we first inquired about it. Have you been there yet? The school is in a couple of black-and-white houses along the road...it is a bit run-down in some places, but the students do not seem to mind it all. So far so good, our daughter absolutely loves it. The teachers (specially her form teacher) are really dedicated to the students. There are at most eight students in each year level so you can imagine the attention they get from their teachers. My only concern is that Mandarin is not really a priority subject in Sri Ara.As such, she is losing the Mandarin she'd learned when she was attending primary school in Singapore... Good luck with the search for the school, and bravo for making the move! If you have any more q's just pm me. Cheers
Jul 10th 2013, 2:06 pm
#8
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2013
Location: Singapore
Posts: 18
Re: Need Advice on International Schools near Nusajaya
Thanks Froggybarnacle2000! Seems like the sort of school I'm looking for. Shame about the Mandarin. I want my kids to keep their foundation. I will have to find a supplementary solution to that if I decide on Sri Ara. I have a visit to the school scheduled for next week.
Still no return phone call from Austin Heights International. Guess that will be off my list. I'm not prepared to consider it if I can't even see the school in session or have an informal chat with the teachers. Perhaps a blessing in disguise, since its apparently almost an hour away.
How are you enjoying life in Straits View?
Still no return phone call from Austin Heights International. Guess that will be off my list. I'm not prepared to consider it if I can't even see the school in session or have an informal chat with the teachers. Perhaps a blessing in disguise, since its apparently almost an hour away.
How are you enjoying life in Straits View?
Jul 12th 2013, 7:21 am
#9
Forum Regular
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 70
Re: Need Advice on International Schools near Nusajaya
Hello mfwarren,
We love Straits View. The houses here are much older and situated on the hillside facing the Straits of Johor. The Danga Bay reclamation and condo construction notwithstanding, we get great views of Singapore, the water, sunsets, and breezes to boot. We are very lucky to have good neighbours who welcomed us to the 'hood when we moved in. The only minor downside is the noise of the ambulance sirens enroute to the nearby hospital and the drag racers in their pimped-up Protons on Jalan Skudai below... otherwise cannot complain much lah! Good luck with the search for a school!
We love Straits View. The houses here are much older and situated on the hillside facing the Straits of Johor. The Danga Bay reclamation and condo construction notwithstanding, we get great views of Singapore, the water, sunsets, and breezes to boot. We are very lucky to have good neighbours who welcomed us to the 'hood when we moved in. The only minor downside is the noise of the ambulance sirens enroute to the nearby hospital and the drag racers in their pimped-up Protons on Jalan Skudai below... otherwise cannot complain much lah! Good luck with the search for a school!
Jul 28th 2013, 3:01 pm
#10
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Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2013
Location: Singapore
Posts: 18
Re: Need Advice on International Schools near Nusajaya
Hi Everyone,
I thought I'd give an update on the schools my husband & I visited last week.
We visited Tenby International, Sri Ara International, Tumble Tots, Cherie Hearts Pre-school & Hilltop Pre-school last week. Just to qualify again, we did not consider Marlborough College or Raffles American, as we can't afford it. Distance was also a consideration as we will be living in Ledang Heights. We have 3 children, with 2 in primary school and one in nursery. Austin Heights was part of my consideration but they did not want us to visit during curriculum time or to be able to have a quick chat with any teachers.
We liked Sri Ara but it is certainly not the school for everyone. It is physically old, utilizing 2 old bungalow houses and the only facility is a big field. But it is quirky, and we had a very good impression of the teachers. It looked like the school took education seriously. We definitely have a positive feel about the environment. Feels like a big family. The school has 90 children in total, with 24 teachers. Yes, 24! A number of teachers have been there for years, which is very reassuring. It looks like a down-to-earth, caring and cosy environment.
The small class size is certainly a bonus. But one concern we had was if the class size was too small & not enough competition for our kids. Our children come from a local Singapore school, and there is always the possibility that they may one day have to go back to study in Singapore. Hence, we feel they need to keep a competitive spirit. The other concern was the limited Mandarin lessons during the week.
We didn't think much of Tenby. We had a 12 minute conversation with the administrator, of which she spent approximately 6 minutes talking about fees! She had no knowledge on the teachers backgrounds, or whether they had teaching experience. She offered the assurance that the "principle hired them". She couldn't really share much about the curriculum either. In a tour of the school, one of the science labs didn't look like it was being used. On observing one class, the teacher had absolutely no control of the class, with kids running around, all doing their own thing.
We didn't like Tumble Tots Pre-school. The lady that received us looked like the owner but she didn't look like an educator herself. On the day we had visited, they had combined two classes into one, so we saw the pre-nursery kids with the kindergarten kids in the same class. We were told it was because many of kids were on holiday. I'm a believer in learning through play but they didn't look like they were set up well as an educational environment.
We had a good impression of Cherie Hearts. Samantha, the principle was lovely, and it has a good set-up as a learning environment with play. Mandarin was also very much part of the curriculum, which was important for us. We were a little disappointed it was in a shophouse, but we were still comfortable to send our 3 year old daughter there.
Then we visited Hilltop and decided, this is the pre-school for our daughter. A long established non-profit pre-school in JB, you cannot help but be impressed with Jenny Ho, the principle, who has been there since 1973. She is well known and well respected in JB. Many of the teachers have been there for more than 10 years. The school does not have fancy facilities, but it has a well established educational environment with a large garden and a lovely playground. It is a popular school, so there are quite a number of children in the school. You will need to sort out transport arrangements though as there are no bus services.
For our two primary school going children, we are now weighing the option of either keeping the kids in local school in Singapore or Sri Ara International.
There is one other school I may consider called Excelsior, but it is in Shah Alam. It is probably closer for my kids to study in Singapore, and at a fraction of the cost.
I thought I'd give an update on the schools my husband & I visited last week.
We visited Tenby International, Sri Ara International, Tumble Tots, Cherie Hearts Pre-school & Hilltop Pre-school last week. Just to qualify again, we did not consider Marlborough College or Raffles American, as we can't afford it. Distance was also a consideration as we will be living in Ledang Heights. We have 3 children, with 2 in primary school and one in nursery. Austin Heights was part of my consideration but they did not want us to visit during curriculum time or to be able to have a quick chat with any teachers.
We liked Sri Ara but it is certainly not the school for everyone. It is physically old, utilizing 2 old bungalow houses and the only facility is a big field. But it is quirky, and we had a very good impression of the teachers. It looked like the school took education seriously. We definitely have a positive feel about the environment. Feels like a big family. The school has 90 children in total, with 24 teachers. Yes, 24! A number of teachers have been there for years, which is very reassuring. It looks like a down-to-earth, caring and cosy environment.
The small class size is certainly a bonus. But one concern we had was if the class size was too small & not enough competition for our kids. Our children come from a local Singapore school, and there is always the possibility that they may one day have to go back to study in Singapore. Hence, we feel they need to keep a competitive spirit. The other concern was the limited Mandarin lessons during the week.
We didn't think much of Tenby. We had a 12 minute conversation with the administrator, of which she spent approximately 6 minutes talking about fees! She had no knowledge on the teachers backgrounds, or whether they had teaching experience. She offered the assurance that the "principle hired them". She couldn't really share much about the curriculum either. In a tour of the school, one of the science labs didn't look like it was being used. On observing one class, the teacher had absolutely no control of the class, with kids running around, all doing their own thing.
We didn't like Tumble Tots Pre-school. The lady that received us looked like the owner but she didn't look like an educator herself. On the day we had visited, they had combined two classes into one, so we saw the pre-nursery kids with the kindergarten kids in the same class. We were told it was because many of kids were on holiday. I'm a believer in learning through play but they didn't look like they were set up well as an educational environment.
We had a good impression of Cherie Hearts. Samantha, the principle was lovely, and it has a good set-up as a learning environment with play. Mandarin was also very much part of the curriculum, which was important for us. We were a little disappointed it was in a shophouse, but we were still comfortable to send our 3 year old daughter there.
Then we visited Hilltop and decided, this is the pre-school for our daughter. A long established non-profit pre-school in JB, you cannot help but be impressed with Jenny Ho, the principle, who has been there since 1973. She is well known and well respected in JB. Many of the teachers have been there for more than 10 years. The school does not have fancy facilities, but it has a well established educational environment with a large garden and a lovely playground. It is a popular school, so there are quite a number of children in the school. You will need to sort out transport arrangements though as there are no bus services.
For our two primary school going children, we are now weighing the option of either keeping the kids in local school in Singapore or Sri Ara International.
There is one other school I may consider called Excelsior, but it is in Shah Alam. It is probably closer for my kids to study in Singapore, and at a fraction of the cost.
Aug 25th 2013, 1:47 pm
#11
Just Joined
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 3
Re: Need Advice on International Schools near Nusajaya
Hi Everyone,
I thought I'd give an update on the schools my husband & I visited last week.
We visited Tenby International, Sri Ara International, Tumble Tots, Cherie Hearts Pre-school & Hilltop Pre-school last week. Just to qualify again, we did not consider Marlborough College or Raffles American, as we can't afford it. Distance was also a consideration as we will be living in Ledang Heights. We have 3 children, with 2 in primary school and one in nursery. Austin Heights was part of my consideration but they did not want us to visit during curriculum time or to be able to have a quick chat with any teachers.
We liked Sri Ara but it is certainly not the school for everyone. It is physically old, utilizing 2 old bungalow houses and the only facility is a big field. But it is quirky, and we had a very good impression of the teachers. It looked like the school took education seriously. We definitely have a positive feel about the environment. Feels like a big family. The school has 90 children in total, with 24 teachers. Yes, 24! A number of teachers have been there for years, which is very reassuring. It looks like a down-to-earth, caring and cosy environment.
The small class size is certainly a bonus. But one concern we had was if the class size was too small & not enough competition for our kids. Our children come from a local Singapore school, and there is always the possibility that they may one day have to go back to study in Singapore. Hence, we feel they need to keep a competitive spirit. The other concern was the limited Mandarin lessons during the week.
We didn't think much of Tenby. We had a 12 minute conversation with the administrator, of which she spent approximately 6 minutes talking about fees! She had no knowledge on the teachers backgrounds, or whether they had teaching experience. She offered the assurance that the "principle hired them". She couldn't really share much about the curriculum either. In a tour of the school, one of the science labs didn't look like it was being used. On observing one class, the teacher had absolutely no control of the class, with kids running around, all doing their own thing.
We didn't like Tumble Tots Pre-school. The lady that received us looked like the owner but she didn't look like an educator herself. On the day we had visited, they had combined two classes into one, so we saw the pre-nursery kids with the kindergarten kids in the same class. We were told it was because many of kids were on holiday. I'm a believer in learning through play but they didn't look like they were set up well as an educational environment.
We had a good impression of Cherie Hearts. Samantha, the principle was lovely, and it has a good set-up as a learning environment with play. Mandarin was also very much part of the curriculum, which was important for us. We were a little disappointed it was in a shophouse, but we were still comfortable to send our 3 year old daughter there.
Then we visited Hilltop and decided, this is the pre-school for our daughter. A long established non-profit pre-school in JB, you cannot help but be impressed with Jenny Ho, the principle, who has been there since 1973. She is well known and well respected in JB. Many of the teachers have been there for more than 10 years. The school does not have fancy facilities, but it has a well established educational environment with a large garden and a lovely playground. It is a popular school, so there are quite a number of children in the school. You will need to sort out transport arrangements though as there are no bus services.
For our two primary school going children, we are now weighing the option of either keeping the kids in local school in Singapore or Sri Ara International.
There is one other school I may consider called Excelsior, but it is in Shah Alam. It is probably closer for my kids to study in Singapore, and at a fraction of the cost.
I thought I'd give an update on the schools my husband & I visited last week.
We visited Tenby International, Sri Ara International, Tumble Tots, Cherie Hearts Pre-school & Hilltop Pre-school last week. Just to qualify again, we did not consider Marlborough College or Raffles American, as we can't afford it. Distance was also a consideration as we will be living in Ledang Heights. We have 3 children, with 2 in primary school and one in nursery. Austin Heights was part of my consideration but they did not want us to visit during curriculum time or to be able to have a quick chat with any teachers.
We liked Sri Ara but it is certainly not the school for everyone. It is physically old, utilizing 2 old bungalow houses and the only facility is a big field. But it is quirky, and we had a very good impression of the teachers. It looked like the school took education seriously. We definitely have a positive feel about the environment. Feels like a big family. The school has 90 children in total, with 24 teachers. Yes, 24! A number of teachers have been there for years, which is very reassuring. It looks like a down-to-earth, caring and cosy environment.
The small class size is certainly a bonus. But one concern we had was if the class size was too small & not enough competition for our kids. Our children come from a local Singapore school, and there is always the possibility that they may one day have to go back to study in Singapore. Hence, we feel they need to keep a competitive spirit. The other concern was the limited Mandarin lessons during the week.
We didn't think much of Tenby. We had a 12 minute conversation with the administrator, of which she spent approximately 6 minutes talking about fees! She had no knowledge on the teachers backgrounds, or whether they had teaching experience. She offered the assurance that the "principle hired them". She couldn't really share much about the curriculum either. In a tour of the school, one of the science labs didn't look like it was being used. On observing one class, the teacher had absolutely no control of the class, with kids running around, all doing their own thing.
We didn't like Tumble Tots Pre-school. The lady that received us looked like the owner but she didn't look like an educator herself. On the day we had visited, they had combined two classes into one, so we saw the pre-nursery kids with the kindergarten kids in the same class. We were told it was because many of kids were on holiday. I'm a believer in learning through play but they didn't look like they were set up well as an educational environment.
We had a good impression of Cherie Hearts. Samantha, the principle was lovely, and it has a good set-up as a learning environment with play. Mandarin was also very much part of the curriculum, which was important for us. We were a little disappointed it was in a shophouse, but we were still comfortable to send our 3 year old daughter there.
Then we visited Hilltop and decided, this is the pre-school for our daughter. A long established non-profit pre-school in JB, you cannot help but be impressed with Jenny Ho, the principle, who has been there since 1973. She is well known and well respected in JB. Many of the teachers have been there for more than 10 years. The school does not have fancy facilities, but it has a well established educational environment with a large garden and a lovely playground. It is a popular school, so there are quite a number of children in the school. You will need to sort out transport arrangements though as there are no bus services.
For our two primary school going children, we are now weighing the option of either keeping the kids in local school in Singapore or Sri Ara International.
There is one other school I may consider called Excelsior, but it is in Shah Alam. It is probably closer for my kids to study in Singapore, and at a fraction of the cost.
Aug 25th 2013, 2:18 pm
#12
...............
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Far North Queensland
Posts: 17,625
Re: Need Advice on International Schools near Nusajaya
Hi tjames. Just to say Welcome to the forum . I'm sure our Nusajaya experts will be along shortly
. I'm sure our Nusajaya experts will be along shortly
Aug 26th 2013, 9:31 am
#13
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2013
Location: Singapore
Posts: 18
Re: Need Advice on International Schools near Nusajaya
Hi tjames,
Hilltop is in JB Town. There aren't alot of pre-school options in Nusajaya as yet.
Hilltop is in JB Town. There aren't alot of pre-school options in Nusajaya as yet.
Aug 26th 2013, 1:29 pm
#14
Just Joined
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 3
Re: Need Advice on International Schools near Nusajaya
Thanks Mfwarren. Don't really want to travel all the way to JB. Looked at Cherie Hearts today and quite liked it apart from not having an outdoor play area. Am only sending my son for a half day and may even consider flexi. Thanks for the tips
Sep 4th 2013, 3:18 pm
#15
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Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 8
Re: Need Advice on International Schools near Nusajaya
I am moving soon to Nusajaya for work and I need to find a good place where to leave my 2 yeard old son. Here in Houston, where we currently live, he goes to an amazing pre-school, full of activities indoor an outdoor.
Can a 2 yeard old attend any of the pre-schools mentioned above? Sri Ara, Austin Heights, Cherie Hearts, Hilltop? Doas anybody know the minimum age required to attend? What are more or less the tuition fees?
Can a 2 yeard old attend any of the pre-schools mentioned above? Sri Ara, Austin Heights, Cherie Hearts, Hilltop? Doas anybody know the minimum age required to attend? What are more or less the tuition fees?