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Where to live in Singapore

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Price Tag
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Where to live in Singapore

Post by Price Tag » Thu, 03 Jan 2013 10:38 am

Looking for some suggestions as to where to move within SG. We are a family of 5 with 2 going to primary & one starting kindergarten. We are moving to SG from HK. I've been on the net researching & got so lost that I thought I will try this forum. I am not sure if I need to look at schools first & then worry about the area to live or the other way. Pls help!!!

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Post by ScoobyDoes » Thu, 03 Jan 2013 12:26 pm

Schools first, definately with two going to primary.
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Re: Where to live in Singapore

Post by nutnut » Thu, 03 Jan 2013 1:08 pm

Price Tag wrote:Looking for some suggestions as to where to move within SG. We are a family of 5 with 2 going to primary & one starting kindergarten. We are moving to SG from HK. I've been on the net researching & got so lost that I thought I will try this forum. I am not sure if I need to look at schools first & then worry about the area to live or the other way. Pls help!!!
I agree with Scooby,

However, you may be able to help someone in the opposite issue, where to live in HK with 2 kids in Primary? (International School)

Cheers
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Post by Price Tag » Thu, 03 Jan 2013 2:19 pm

Thanx Scooby & nutnut. I thought as much. I've got a list of local schools as I can't really afford international ones. It seems that schools are gona be a challenge too just like in HK.

I send my older one to a local school in HK though she didn't know a word of Chinese when we got here 1.5yrs ago. She's coping ok. Second one is finishing kindy here this July. Nutnut, I will be more than happy to give my opinion. Schools are so hard to get into even if you are happy to pay an arm & a leg as the waiting list is massive if its a reasonable school. The school year here is Sep to July. They start admissions as early as Aug.

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Re: Where to live in Singapore

Post by ScoobyDoes » Thu, 03 Jan 2013 2:49 pm

nutnut wrote: However, you may be able to help someone in the opposite issue, where to live in HK with 2 kids in Primary? (International School)

Go on..... give me a clue, which Int'l School is a preference? Australian, Singapore, American, Canadian? If there is no real preference then you might like to look at where you will work then factor a 45min commute and you should be able to find an Int'l School even within that zone. This is the case even if you look further north to Tai Po, Shatin or West to the airport.

There is light years of distance between the Singaporean in the far South, and Australian in Kowloon for example.

It seems that schools are gona be a challenge too just like in HK.
You might like to fire off an email or give a call to the Ministry of Education here, they should at least have information about which local schools still have a space, given we just started the new year yesterdey.
'When Lewis Hamilton wins a race he has to thank Vodafone whereas in my day I used to chase the crumpet. I know which era I'd rather race in.'

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Post by Price Tag » Thu, 03 Jan 2013 3:52 pm

Well, I will tell you what I know & heard. Singapore intl school here in HK is the most expensive not sure on the American. As for Canadian, there is one near my place called Delia which is The only Canadian I am aware of but apparently there is another one. Fees is not as high as SG & OZ ones. I haven't heard any good things about the education system there. Discipline, manners of the kids are not striking. If you ask me to choose an intl school for my kids & the fees wasn't an issue, I would send my kids to Oz intl. why you may ask. Not cos I am Aussie but I feel it has a good balance. Education seems very good. This Aus Intl HK came in the top 120 schools NSW education board. Also has extra activities that gives a good balance to a child which is important to me. Having said that, my kids are at local schools here being tortured (ok a bit harsh). When you go to the school, I got this urge that I should send mine there. I nearly was going to till my husband said that we have a possible move to SG so let's not rush to do any changes. BTW, Oz intl is in Kowloon Tong which is not that far really from the central city. Hope this helps. Oh Oz school is Jan to Dec. also school times are way different here to SG. Oz is 8.15 to 3 or something but my daughter' school is 8.45 to 4.30pm mon-thur & Fri finishes at 2.15pm

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Post by ScoobyDoes » Thu, 03 Jan 2013 5:47 pm

Price Tag wrote:As for Canadian, there is one near my place called Delia which is The only Canadian I am aware of but apparently there is another one.

In Aberdeen, basically around the corner from the Singapore Int'l.

Beacon Hill had a pretty good reputation years back but don't know about now. There are int'l schools all over the place though, from Aberdeen to Hong Lok Yuen and DB to Clearwater Bay.......that pretty much gives you South, North, West and East covered, with all points in between.

Spaces are, however, like Singapore, an issue.


PriceTag, I think you'll find the local schools here easier than the ones in HK but your kids are going to have a bit of an issue switching from Cantonese to Mandarin during their Chinese lessons. Pretty much everything else is done in English.
'When Lewis Hamilton wins a race he has to thank Vodafone whereas in my day I used to chase the crumpet. I know which era I'd rather race in.'

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Post by nutnut » Thu, 03 Jan 2013 7:59 pm

You've confirmed my suspicions, I understood that the schools were all very full and getting in any is a nightmare! I am willing to live potentially bordering China if I have to, just need a school :(

Scooby, thanks for the info, you were very helpful previously, I was after exactly what Price tag was able to offer with very recent experience with kids similar ages.

Appreciate all the help.

Price Tag, the local schools seem fairly easy to get into if your kids are bright and you are happy to send them to different schools. Int'l schools here are hideously expensive, cripplingly so!
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Post by Price Tag » Tue, 15 Jan 2013 11:18 am

nutnut, no worries. you can try the school rosaryhill primary & it's in Wanchai. this is where my oldest one goes to. It's a local private school. I am sure you will get in. I placed my daughter there initially thinking I need a school & let her go there till I find another more suitable one. However, I really like the school & more than anything my daughter didn't want to leave. I got admission in another school Kiangsu Chekiang Intl stream end of ast year but we turned it down as it didn't meet my expectation. This was all easy once you get in to a school. Also, Oz school starts on the 23rd of Jan & I know they had space in year 3 not sure how old your kids are. hope this helps.

Sorry I didn't visit this site for awhile as i got a private message with very sickening images & it through me & disturbed me very much.

Best wishes for a lovely new year! & in your hunt for a suitable school!

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Post by the lynx » Tue, 15 Jan 2013 11:56 am

Price Tag wrote:Sorry I didn't visit this site for awhile as i got a private message with very sickening images & it through me & disturbed me very much.
Sorry to hear about that. Some of us got it too and it was because there was a sick troll on loose here.

Here was the notice.

http://forum.singaporeexpats.com/ftopic ... highlight=

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Post by nutnut » Tue, 15 Jan 2013 7:49 pm

Price Tag - thank you for the information, this is exactly what I am wanting to hear! This is so very helpful, a light at the end of a tunnel!

In regards to the sickening pictures, as lynx says, this was some sick troll, I hope you can stick around for a bit, we like friendly people who research a bit before they ask questions, are friendly and share their own knowledge! :)

nutnut

Edit: Do my kids have to be Christians? My son is very pragmatic at a young age and frankly when anyone talks to him about it, he questions it wildly, it could be insulting to someone who doesn't know how to answer him... He's only 6 and agnostic already.
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Post by Price Tag » Wed, 16 Jan 2013 7:43 pm

Nutnut-no worries at all. I am to be a help. I know how it feels 😊it doesn't matter about the religion cos we are not either. Infact we are Hindus. However, kids have to study religion as a subject. We sent our kids to a catholic school back home too so it wasn't a problem for us. Hopefully your son can manage sitting through the lesson. I know exactly what you mean though. If you need help with anything send me a pm I am more than happy to. Our transfer to SG is at a sticky situation right now so might be here in HK for a good 6 months!

For anyone else who might be reading this thread, I spoke to MOE in Singapore in regards to schooling & it seems that my child can register & do the admission test though we still haven't got our visa. If the child can get a good score & a vacancy in a school that is in the area we will choose to live they will offer a position & the school can arrange for int student visa. I truly hope I got the correct information. So now I am busily looking to see which area has reasonable schools. If anyone knows or have ideas pls let me know. The exam is on the 28th of Feb. results will come mid April & we are looking may possible start.
Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery & today is a gift. That's why it's called 'present'.
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Post by Price Tag » Wed, 16 Jan 2013 7:55 pm

Lynx, thank you so much for letting me know on that pm. I was so relieved to be honest to know I wasn't the only one as I thought I had said something wrong or inappropriate.

Btw, pardon my typos..I am on my phone & it's a bit hard to see.
Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery & today is a gift. That's why it's called 'present'.
- Anon

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