Chatsworth East (Cheap School Fee, Why?)

[nutnut]

How do you know they are going up? Please advise if this is hearsay or from a reliable source as we've just started our kids

Because we got a letter from the principal about it a month or two ago.

It's for the August 2012 semester, not for this coming semester.

Thanks for letting me know, I have emailed them to ask why we weren't informed. I really hope the communication is better than this when the kids start to go to the school, surely it makes sense to send this letter not just to those already attending the school but to kids waiting to start?

nutnut

[boffenl]

Primary school is $4,272 per year for non-ASEAN international students, sorry, I assumed you were from around here, in which case you'd pay $2,952. I don't think this is cheap, and just another reason I'm so glad we're PR's--my $51 per month is looking cheap now!

Granted, you also don't have to pay a security deposit or "handling" fee.

I am confused, and forgive me as I am trying to get my arms around this education thing for when we move next month. My 3rd grader was accepted to SAIS, my pre-kinder *(kinder in fall of 2012) is on wait list - am I reading there are other options - like LOCAL SCHOOLS??? I thought expat children HAD to go to International Schools, if they were not citizens of Singapore they couldn't attend the local school - am I wrong? I hope I am because I would love nothing more than to send my kinder kid to another school - SAIS is outrageously expensive and our company is paying for it but now I am feeling guilty as I thought it was the only option and no one from the company told us different??

Hi, yep it's certainly possibly! Your pre-kinder is in a perfect position to start at a local school for her/his primary school education. We looked at a few International Schools and local schools when we needed to make the decision 5 years ago and I can't be happier with our choice to send our daughter to a local primary school in our neighborhood.

Many of the relocation firms have very good relationships with the international schools, so they are de-incentivised (is that a word?) to tell you about the local school option.

There is a lot of discusion about local schools on this Board, so do a search and see what else might be applicable to your situation. And I'm always happy to answer any questions directly with a PM.

[EEL]

My son attends Chatsworth East and we have been very happy so far. The small class sizes, the real community feel and an enthusiastic head master all work for us. There is some multiculturalism amongst the teachers and the students which are pleased about. We tried to get him into a local school and after spending three days ringing around I found no vacancies. We wanted him to mix with children from a country different to Australia (where we are from).

As to mandarin lessons - he has mandarin 3 times a week. He is in year 5, so I don't know if it is different in the younger years.

We are happy with the teaching. My son is very enthusiastic about what they are learning and the standard seems a lot higher than his school in Australia.

Don't be put off by the grounds. It did put us off a bit and we looked at two other schools which had better grounds and better looking buildings. In the end we decided Chatsworth won out hands down and we have found for the number of students the facilities are more than adequate.

And they do swimming lessons once a week.

[yoman228]

I finally decided to send him in Hong Kong to do P2 there for some other reason. but I would like him to study in Singapore in the next edu year.

We live in Tao Payoh, so I gusses Chatworth Orchard will be closer, wounder how is the Chatworth Orchard compare to the Chatworth East?

The other school I may considered is the SIJI, as my son seen to do ok in Hong Kong Local school, The SiJI may suit better.

However, I have one more question, my son is born in March, 2005. which should be studying in P1 in Sinagpore, but he is already stuided 3 months P2 in UK, and 6 months P2 and starting P3 in september in HK. His average test results is above 90%.

When he come to singapore to study, does he has to repeat the P2 again and put himself 15 months behind from his old classmate? Do you think those scholl will take him as P3 here in Singapore?