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To define a good preschool, its curriculum, commitments from principal and teachers, and school environment should be taken into consideration. 1. Curriculum: Most of the preschools are based on thematic learning. Montessori school, Reggio Emillia, For myself, I believe in Montessori teaching approaches where students learn based on their own pace and respect for a child’s natural psychological, physical, and social development. 2. Principal and Teachers. Commitments from principal and teachers are very important to ensure the quality of a preschool. Afterall, they are the one who take care and educate our children while studying in school. Also, they should be opened to feedback and communication. Normally during the visit I will ask how will be the two ways of communication method adopted by the teachers. However, this will only be known after your child has started school. There was once, I am very satisfied with the school but in the end I withdraw my daugther as the teacher communication is in chaotic. 3. School Environment: It depends on your preferences. Some parents prefer non-aircon, own outdoor compound for children to run around and close to nature, cleanliness of the school, safety measures taken by the school e.g. safety gates, meals (in-house or catering), size of the school and etc. In Singapore, there are a few Montessori preschools adopt 'pure Montessori', which include: Greentree Montessori and P&J Montessori. Most of the Montessori preschools adopt mixtures of thematic learning and Montessori learning materials to fulfill MOE's preschool requirements. Some good preschools which are very popular and have long waiting list include: -Barker Road Methodist Church Kindergarten (Kindy) -Nanyang Kindergarten (Kindy) -Chiltern House Preschool (Kindy) -St James Preschool (Kindy) -Etonhouse International (Childcare) -Caterpillar Cove (Childcare) -Mindchamps CC (depends on which branch)
Subjective question - esp since Singapore has moved towards not publishing results of schools, in an attempt to make it a more equal society. However, if we look at historical data, you can grade schools based on the PSLE scores produced by the kids for primary school as well as the number of awards the school has gotten. I reckon the 5 best primary schools in Singapore are 1. Raffles Girls - 8 awards. PSLE Top score for 2013 was 275 2. St. Hildas Primary School - 8 awards. PSLE Top score for 2013 was 274 3. Catholic High School - 8 awards. PSLE Top score for 2013 was 272 4. Rulang Primary - 8 awards. PSLE Top score for 2013 was 268 5. Pasir Ris Primary school - 8 awards. PSLE Top score for 2013 was 268 For preschool, I guess I would rank it according to the waiting line for entry? So that would definitely be Nanyang Kindergarten. The waiting list can be over 700 kids in que! It's not unusual for parents to register their babies 3-4 years in advance for a spot. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Long and celebs like Jim Rogers, sent their kids to Nanyang. Other top preschools in Singapore include St James Church Kindergarten, Barker Road Methodist Church Kindergarten, and Maris Stella Kindergarten. I believe the most expensive preschool is Eton House though. :)
Like what the rest have mentioned, whether or not the school is the best is rather subjective. To determine which preschool is the most suitable for you, here are some factors you could consider (just a few I could think of, definitely not exhaustive): - Whether you have a preferred curriculum? - Whether the location matters (distance from home/work)? - Whether cost is a factor? - Is having outdoor play area important? - How did you feel about your interaction with the teachers? How did your child react during the visit? Just to share, I have a friend whose top criteria were cost and having outdoor play. She was very keen on The Odyssey as the school has huge campus which provides ample opportunities for outdoor play. However, the cost was a limiting factor. She finally decided on Global Tots (at Holland, 3 Jalan Hitam Manis). The campus included an outdoor play area that includes a traffic park, trampoline, assorted playground and water-play equipment. She brought her daughter down and she seemed comfortable during the initial visit. It fits her criteria and her daughter enjoyed her time spent there. I think that was the best school for her (but that may not be the case for others since location may be a factor for some).
I have went from Private to PCF. From PCF to Private. Then to MOE Kindergarten. We stay at MOE now. Child is happy, mentally n physically. Me as a mother, i am happy mentally - cos child is happy, physically - travel distance, financially - reasonable sch fee, and distance - no need wake up early or travel to far. When child is happy, with right teachers, right teaching method, school with right culture. All is good. At Private, you expect what u pay n result. But i realise they dont meet expectations when you pay so much money. Teacher dont speak proper language, dont use proper method or way of teaching, etc.. anyway is my personal experience it dont represent all school. So i rather pay small amount to achieve child, what needs to learn, be happy, then top up with enrichment and focus on what important. Prepare for Primary. As the children in this era, has better quality of life, dont worry no exposure. N1 - Berries (till now. i think is good. not hurry to be clever, more on recognise words, can read and write will do) K1 - Kumon - English (my son can read story book now dont over do with enrichment, do what is needed for them to recognise word, read and write. rest leave it to primary school teacher to teach them
I guess this is really subjective becos it largely depends on your personal preference and definition of a good preschool. I sent my daughter to Odyssey Preschool at Fourth Avenue and I personally think that is one of the best preschools I have seen. They have one of the priciest school fees though but their lessons are engaging, focusing on creativity and building a child's independence and foster problem solving skills. My daughter flourished in that school and was given lots of opportunities to showcase and build on her leadership qualities. I highly recommend you to go schedule a visit with the school to understand more about what they offer. I am confident you won't be disappointed. http://theodyssey.sg
Ask yourself what factors are most important to you. Consider: curriculum, learning environment, location, teaching team and culture of the school, and of course budget. All of us have different experiences at different schools. Instead of making assumptions, I think a visit to the school of your choice is really important so that you can see the facilities and children in action, get a ‘feel’ of the school and a chance to interact with the staff and ask any questions you may have. All the best! Personally, my son is at EtonHouse and we're really happy there.
There's no best or perfect sch... it all depends on where you stay and what you want for your kids or what they want... my older boy in neighbouring sch which is not the best in this neighbourhood bc ppl all don't crowd to this sch but as long he can do his best and perform why must it be top sch but he cannot perform and he feel inferior..... as for childcare... it also do not need to be branded... it must be an environment that they like and love.... even if branded but they drag themself to sch also not healthy.... that's my personal view..
Personally it depends on individual preference. For me, I came from a SAP school and naturally I will put my child in the same school. Neighborhood schools to me are just normal schools but maybe only good in that estate if many people chooses it. Having said that, I know of many neighborhood schools that are currently improving and I think it may be good as the stress level aren't so high.
Agree with the mommy above, while some pre-schools have the legacy and reputation of providing a better holistic education but just because a child did not attend that pre school, it doesn't mean that they are at disadvantage. Lots of us went to pre-schools that didn't have a famous name and we went on to do well despite that. Personally, I don't believe there is such thing as the "best" pre-school.
as a teacher to 13-16 year old high ability boys, I would say the best school is home itself. it doesn't matter which school you send your child to as long as you possess a growth mindset towards your child's aptitude and character development. aim to develop resilience and responsible risk taking in your child, and he can soar anywhere :)