Preschool/nursery near Sommerville Park

[keating19]

We will be moving to Singapore this June. Our housing is not set yet, but we are hopeful to rent a place in Sommerville Park. I have started looking into preschool/nursery options for my 3 year old daughter and would love recommendations for schools in that area. Here in the States she goes 3 mornings a week and we would love to keep up a similar part-time program. We won't have a car so that is a factor, although I think I heard that busing is provided for preschool. Is that right??

Thank you in advance for any ideas and tips!

[malcontent]

Hi there, and welcome to Singapore. I'm one of a small handful of Americans who live in Sommerville Park - an excellent choice for families. You won't have any shortage of great preschools nearby, but getting a place in those preschools will be the challenge (eg. Little Oaks just down the road, last I checked had a 2 year waiting list). I have had my daughter (now age 5.5 years old) in a lot of different preschools here. After trying about 5 or 6 schools (both local and international), we finally settled on Barker Road Kindergarten and have been happy there for the past 2.5 years. It is a local school, but is well-rounded, with good facilities and has at least a few international students in each class. The fees are very reasonable and my daughter has picked up Mandarin really well too. My son, who is almost 3, has just started there. If you want something more expat-oriented (and much more expensive), check into Chiltern House at Turf City or Eaton House off Napier - both come highly recommended. Watch out for imitation preschools which are nothing more than glorified baby sitters. Good luck!

[keating19]

Thank you so much for your reply! We did secure a lease in Sommerville Park and are really looking forward to getting there in June. So glad to hear that you are happy there!

There is a spot available at White Lodge at Loewen Garden for our daughter. My husband is planning to check it out when he is there for a week in May. Do you have any experience with or heard anything about that school?

Thanks again for posting!

[malcontent]

Hello again, glad to be of help. Yes, I know a little something about White Lodge. It is a locally run franchise that has tried to make themselves out to be an international preschool. However, actual experiences with the school have been varied, depending on which school and which teacher - and even if you end up with a good teacher, turnover there can be high. Loewen Gardens itself is a nice little area, and we bring our kids there once in a while.

I wouldn't rule out White Lodge just yet (I'd imagine it's better than many schools back home) but I would at least check out the tried and true schools like Chiltern and Eaton House before making a decision. And, if you're open to it, Barker Road is one of the best local options in my opinion, and it's about 1/3 the cost of international preschools. Good luck!