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-   -   How difficult is it to have an expat child placed in a local school (https://britishexpats.com/forum/singapore-131/how-difficult-have-expat-child-placed-local-school-904286/)

johnarsu Oct 8th 2017 6:37 am

How difficult is it to have an expat child placed in a local school
 
Hi


Looking to move to Singapore in the near future, but a deal breaker may be schooling. Expat packages are in the decline world wide now so I may not be able to have schooling included. If this was to happen does anyone have any experience on trying to get their children into the local government schools, or government subsidised schools?


Thanks

sayang Oct 9th 2017 6:11 am

Re: How difficult is it to have an expat child placed in a local school
 
Priority goes to citizens, then PR, then others. There is a test required, the maths portion of which is reasonably tough

https://www.moe.gov.sg/admissions/in...ional-students

Surveys show that about 1 in 3 get a place

johnarsu Oct 9th 2017 7:38 am

Re: How difficult is it to have an expat child placed in a local school
 

Originally Posted by sayang (Post 12356796)
Priority goes to citizens, then PR, then others. There is a test required, the maths portion of which is reasonably tough

https://www.moe.gov.sg/admissions/in...ional-students

Surveys show that about 1 in 3 get a place

Do you have any idea what happens to the 2 in3 that don't get a school place, or do they just get no education :eek:

sayang Oct 9th 2017 7:50 am

Re: How difficult is it to have an expat child placed in a local school
 
Their parents cough up the fees to go to international schools, or get sent back home (live with grandparents/ relatives). One of my Malaysian colleagues for example has her kids at school in Ipoh, and commutes back there at the weekends. Another Australian colleague has his wife & daughters down in Oz, but that was more because their specific interests (horses & drama) couldn't be fulfilled in SG. Not ideal, but with skype/ facetime do-able.

Homeschooling is an option too I guess.

johnarsu Oct 9th 2017 10:10 am

Re: How difficult is it to have an expat child placed in a local school
 

Originally Posted by sayang (Post 12356820)
Their parents cough up the fees to go to international schools, or get sent back home (live with grandparents/ relatives). One of my Malaysian colleagues for example has her kids at school in Ipoh, and commutes back there at the weekends. Another Australian colleague has his wife & daughters down in Oz, but that was more because their specific interests (horses & drama) couldn't be fulfilled in SG. Not ideal, but with skype/ facetime do-able.

Homeschooling is an option too I guess.

Thanks for the update.


I take it that the state assisted private schools have to take locals first and then by PR status and everyone has to fight for the spaces that are left?

sayang Oct 9th 2017 10:34 am

Re: How difficult is it to have an expat child placed in a local school
 
There are no state assisted private schools - unless you mean thing like Lycee Francais that get some funding from parent government?

There are either government funded schools which act as you say (locals, then PR, then anyone else) or private (mostly international) schools.

There are a few private schools that are associated to prestigious Singapore govt schools, and follow local curriculum, so that foreigners that want SG education for their kids can have access - but they are not subsidised. Probably a bit cheaper than international schools though

e.g. Fees | ACS International Singapore - 17,000 quid a year or so.

johnarsu Mar 7th 2018 9:59 am

Re: How difficult is it to have an expat child placed in a local school
 

Originally Posted by PlummyMummy (Post 12457783)
johnarsu, did you make the move in the end? My brother and his wife and kids moved to Singapore at the end of last year. His daughters were both just about to start GCSEs at school and they were quite worried about them missing out on education, as we hadn't heard great things about the schools over there- very expensive private schools, and not sure about the quality of education in a lot of the other ones. We signed up for online schooling, which is basically the same as school but the teachers teach the kids on Skype. My brother has said it's been really great so far as the kids started their GCSEs with English teachers. They both want to study in England when they're older so this was perfect for them. It freed up more time for them to do all the extra curriculars too. there are lots of online schools out there but my brother used myonlineschooling.com, quite a small school compared to bigger ones so they have had loads of lessons either one on one or in small classes, and they've really grown in confidence since starting in September. Think quite a lot of British expat parents are starting to go this way

Not managed to make the job move yet, but I did visit at the end of last year. I have been warned about home schooling though. Some schools do not accept them unless they are registered back in the U.K. If you were to move back to the U.K before they sit the exams they may declare these years of tutoring invalid. This was more about Malaysia I was warned though not Singapore. Its still worth checking if they are registered to U.K exam bodies.


Do you have any website links that I can review?


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