Local schools -east Coast area

[lukeduke]

Good evening all,

If anyone has any experiences of local schools in the east Coast area could you please let me know. My family are joining me in Singapore in Feb/ March 2012 and although I have heard good things about International Schools in the area such as Chatsworth I still want to investigate this area. My daughter will be 7 and my son 6.

Many thanks in advance

[Bedoky]

hi lukeduke, we are also new here, and looking at local schools in east coast (bedok, siglap) area. depending on how old your children are they may be eligible for the primary 1 admissions for admission in Jan 2012, and for foreigners (non PR) the application to your school of choice is next Thursday. Although looking at the phase results alot of the nearby schools won't getting that far!
PM me for more details, although being a newcomer my advice is limited!

[newjob]

hello there..
we moved here over 6 mnths ago into the changi area and got our 6 yr old into the local school Loyang Primary..He absolutly loves it there the teachers are brilliant (iv even got her mobile num ).. He has made lots of new friends and is doing excellent at his school work and chinese as his second language .. They have there own dentist lots of clubs and is a very respective HAPPY school .. We are very pleased our child is part of the community school
Hope that helps
good luck

[sarah&chester]

Hi, we moved to the East Cost 3 weeks ago and are findin it hard to find a local school for my 6 year old boy who should be starting P1 in Jan 2012, anyone else having problems or have over come this, International Schools are a bit pricey and we would prefer him to go to a local school at first and see how he get on. any advise would really help thanks Sarah.

[boffenl]

Hi sarah&chester,

Have a look at the MoE website and begin calling around to the schools in your area. Better yet, stop in and pay them a visit. There are bound to be spots available, you'll just need to do some leg work and find them.

God luck and good hunting!

[sarah&chester]

We have just been told by the MOE that there are no schools with places free within a hour of the east coast, so they are going to try further away, don't no what to do next, getting very worried now.

[boffenl]

Really? Either you got a crappy person on the phone or MoE has some serious space issues. I've never heard of someone on the East having issues getting kids into schools.

Better to call the individual schools for their lists. Plus, if you can, make an appointment with the Principal who can help as well.

Gosh--that' amazing news.

[boffenl]

From the MoE website:

http://www.moe.edu.sg/education/admissi ... llocation/

How to use OneMap SchoolQuery Service
1.Go to the OneMap website.
2.Select the SchoolQuery service.
3.Click on the “Find Schools near a building”

[fristromcan]

Really? Either you got a crappy person on the phone or MoE has some serious space issues. I've never heard of someone on the East having issues getting kids into schools.

It's really bad this year. Opera estate has 59 kids fighting for 7 spaces. East Coast has 46 fighting for 40. There is really no space around Bedok/Marine Parade.

sarah&chester: drop you a PM

[boffenl]

The two schools you mentioned are "prime" schools, not really neighborhood schools anymore. I'm absolutely shocked there are no spots available--anywhere on East Coast? That's really amazing and incredibly poor planning on the part of MoE.

NONE of these schools have openings:

1.Bedok Green Pr
2.Bedok West Pr
3.CHIJ (Katong) Pr
4.Damai Pr
5.East Coast Pr
6.Fengshan Pr*
7.Opera Estate Pr
8.Red Swastika
9.St Anthony’s Canossian
10.St Stephen’s
11.Telok Kurau Pr
12.Temasek Pr*
13.Yu Neng Pr*
1.Ngee Ann Pr
2.Tanjong Katong Pr*
3.Tao Nan

Sorry it's been so tough, I just honestly can't believe there are no spots AT ALL for kids in the third tier.

[lukeduke]

Its true unfortunately..........I have a Singaporean colleague who is on the school government committee and he has been doing some digging for me..lots of long waiting lists. One school recommended to me a bit further away in Bukit timah called Henry Park has a waiting list of 81!

[boffenl]

Yes, I understand the very popular school always have long waiting lists (Henry Park, Opera, E.C., etc). But there are some great neighborhood schools that I don't know if folks have ventured out to call and visit (Qifa).

Please remember that all SG teachers come from the one same school (NTU/NIE) and all SG schools use the very same curricula. One school might have better facilities than another, but that does not affect the teaching and learning going on there.

Do not be swayed by the "in" schools many SG folks want to get into--I did the opposite and sent my kid to a VERY neighborhood school which has risen to the occassion. Just because no one had ever heard of Pei Tong before doesn't mean it wasn't a great school. I'd bet my October salary there are spots available in local neighborhood schools. You just have to call the schools individually and ask. MoE will never give the full response since it involved them calling the individual schools.

[movingtospore]

just an update on the P1 situation as I've experienced it...I called 12 different schools and was told at each and every one to PFO - no room for foreigners. In some cases they said I could get on the wait list but in most cases they said don't bother. There was one school, away out in Pungol, that had room. But, that's too far from where we are.

Newcomers to SP beware...if you can't get your company to pony up for International School fees you're on your own.

[boffenl]

Sorry your experience has been so harsh movingtosingapore. I know of three other families who made it from the wait list (already) and have gauranteed spots for January. I ABSOLUTELY think it's worth putting your name on the wait list--many folks do this and when they land a spot the list gets smaller at all the other schools they've put their names on.

Good luck!

[E-CBS]

Ouch... that's worrying

We're moving to Singapore early next year and 2 of my 3 children (15 and 17) we want to have on a local school. They will start school in January 2013. The youngest will go to an International School for the first year or 2, and then to a local school.

Does anyone know if this issue is mainly related to primary or also for secondary/ junior college etc?