school vs kindergarten in Singapore
Nov 3rd 2013, 6:23 am
#1
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Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 1
school vs kindergarten in Singapore
Hi everyone
We are looking for some advice on schooling/kindergarten for at 4 yr old. We are planning a move out to Singapore from the UK in Feb, and our son turns 4 in April. We are trying to decide what to do about schooling. I understand that kids out here start school in the August after they turn 4, but that lots stay in kindergarten until 5 or 6. We are considering putting him in kindy for a year for two reasons - firstly we are worried he may not get into a good school since we've not yet put his name on any lists. And secondly, my husband's company won't be paying for school fees, so we thought we might save some money!
Does anyone have any advice?
Are there better kindergartens/pre-schools? How do they compare to schools? We wouldn't want him to be behind his peers when he did start school. Are there waiting lists for kindys? And how far in advance do you have to put their names down for these, and school?
Thanks in advance!!
We are looking for some advice on schooling/kindergarten for at 4 yr old. We are planning a move out to Singapore from the UK in Feb, and our son turns 4 in April. We are trying to decide what to do about schooling. I understand that kids out here start school in the August after they turn 4, but that lots stay in kindergarten until 5 or 6. We are considering putting him in kindy for a year for two reasons - firstly we are worried he may not get into a good school since we've not yet put his name on any lists. And secondly, my husband's company won't be paying for school fees, so we thought we might save some money!
Does anyone have any advice?
Are there better kindergartens/pre-schools? How do they compare to schools? We wouldn't want him to be behind his peers when he did start school. Are there waiting lists for kindys? And how far in advance do you have to put their names down for these, and school?
Thanks in advance!!
Nov 3rd 2013, 11:58 am
#2
...............
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Far North Queensland
Posts: 17,625
Re: school vs kindergarten in Singapore
Hi there 
just to say welcome to the forum. I'm sure someone will be along soon to advise you but, in the meantime, have a browse through the Singapore section. I'm sure there has been quite a few threads already about schooling on here.
just to say welcome to the forum. I'm sure someone will be along soon to advise you but, in the meantime, have a browse through the Singapore section. I'm sure there has been quite a few threads already about schooling on here.
Nov 15th 2013, 11:43 am
#3
Just Joined
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 4
Re: school vs kindergarten in Singapore
Hi guys
Look for this organization called http://www.pcf.org.sg/
Considered the best local public kindergarten.
Look for this organization called http://www.pcf.org.sg/
Considered the best local public kindergarten.
Nov 17th 2013, 1:12 am
#4
Last resort... format c:/
Joined: Mar 2012
Location: Singapore to Surfers Paradise to... Tenerife... to Gran Canaria!
Posts: 1,627
Re: school vs kindergarten in Singapore
Hi and welcome to the forum.
We live in Singapore with two kids and we checked out numerous kindergartens before deciding on what we believed to be the best choice: Brighton Montessori River Valley. They have a few schools in Singapore but it's the River Valley (370 River Valley Road) location that is the central one.
The school has a great mix of kids from various countries and provides a very good curriculum that will propel them into local schools if that will be your choice in the future. This is important because once your kids reach school age you will have to make a choice whether to send them to a local school or an international one. Local schools kick-off with a much higher level of learning, whereas int'l schools tend to take it slow for the first few years.
If your son "graduates" from Brighton Montessori then he will have no trouble entering a local school, whereas if you visit some of the international schools and look inside the classroom, you will see that the grade one curriculum is probably behind what your son has already been learning at Brighton.
We live in Singapore with two kids and we checked out numerous kindergartens before deciding on what we believed to be the best choice: Brighton Montessori River Valley. They have a few schools in Singapore but it's the River Valley (370 River Valley Road) location that is the central one.
The school has a great mix of kids from various countries and provides a very good curriculum that will propel them into local schools if that will be your choice in the future. This is important because once your kids reach school age you will have to make a choice whether to send them to a local school or an international one. Local schools kick-off with a much higher level of learning, whereas int'l schools tend to take it slow for the first few years.
If your son "graduates" from Brighton Montessori then he will have no trouble entering a local school, whereas if you visit some of the international schools and look inside the classroom, you will see that the grade one curriculum is probably behind what your son has already been learning at Brighton.
