Local Primary Schools...please help!

[kylie81]

Hi everyone,
Just wanted to find out from those of you whose kids go to local schools, how you managed to get your child into one, as it's such a difficult process if one isn't a PR or citizen. Which schools do your kids go to? I have a daughter who will be going to Primary 1 and the admission process will start in June right? But i think foreigners can only apply in August? I am looking for a good local school...the River Valley Primary is extremely close to my house, just walking distance...but when i called them up, they told me that its almost impossible for non local people to get in due to less seats and more demand. Are there any other good local schools which would be near to my house?...Will still try for River Valley tho...but just in case. I really want my daughter to get into a local school as International ones are way too expensive as hubby is employed on local terms and we have 2 kids. One more thing, if the school is far from the house, can the kids go in a school bus? ...I have no idea if there even is a school bus system in the local schools..
Thanks so much guys! hope to hear from you all soon..xxx

[elbi]

check the moe's list of schools by constituency and narrow down your list to those in the tanjong pagar area. call them one by one and ask if they have open houses (usually conducted in june/july) or if you can see the premises (june is school holiday, though, so maybe ask to see them in july) so you get a feel of the place. ask their balloting history to have an idea if there will be spots available for phase 3. all schools follow the same curriculum so, academically speaking, they're all almost the same (except for the so-called "elite" schools, where you probably don't have a chance of getting in anyway). if you would like a school where there are other expats, i know that st margaret, new town, and queenstown, have american/european/aus pupils. probably the others, too. maybe another question to ask when you visit the schools.

all local schools have schoolbuses (privately run), so it shouldn't be a problem, unless you end up in a school halfway across the island. think about that later. get your daughter in a school first.

[Chey10]

If you are not a PR , which means non - citizen -- your child will have to wait for all the S'poren & PR status to get their placement of school first there after is for Non Citizen...