Should you take a chance and enrol your kid in the new but “unproven” primary school across the street? TANG MEI LING discovers that neighbourhood schools below five years of establishment have plenty of cool facilities and programmes to offer.
Should you take a chance and enrol your kid in the new but “unproven” primary school across the street? TANG MEI LING discovers that neighbourhood schools below five years of establishment have plenty of cool facilities and programmes to offer.
If you live near HOUGANG
Check out PALM VIEW PRIMARY SCHOOL
What’s cool The school is situated next to a public park, so pupils in classrooms enjoy the view of the open greenery, while the common corridors offer views of the Outdoor Experiential Learning Garden courtyards.
Palm View offers a social skills programme for students with special needs, as well as a dyslexia programme. Its niche programmes include:
• Programmes in the Arts All Primary 1 and P2 pupils undergo a speech and drama programme to enrich their learning in English and mother tongue languages. In the Arts Exposure Programme, children of different levels experience arts events such as watching a play, or visiting a gallery, every year.
• P3 Camp Artizenry Project This project uses art as a medium for kids to understand what they have learnt and to use its potential to improve lives. For example, pupils made encouraging banners, which were later displayed in a rehabilitation centre to cheer on former offenders who want to integrate back into society.
• Palm View Online Radio Teachers and pupils create original content for this in-house broadcasting unit. It’s part of the school’s E-Journalism programme, which helps develop the kids’ speaking and writing skills.
If you live near WOODLANDS
Check out RIVERSIDE PRIMARY SCHOOL
What’s cool A dance studio, synthetic turf, a school-based student-care centre and more.
Plus, opportunities to represent the school in events, even if you’re really young. For example, P1 student Davier Ong represented the school at the “I Can Read – Page to Stage” competition in 2013. He received the Award of Excellence for outstanding achievement, despite being one of the youngest participants.
The school’s niche programmes include Playworks, which uses playand-design experiences that engage pupils in inventive thinking, collaborative problem-solving, creative expression and productive innovation using different tools and media. At the P1 and P2 levels, Legoworks involves pupils in using Lego bricks to model solutions, such as how to help an injured owl that cannot fly.
At the P3 level, Paperworks uses paper as the design medium to come up with solutions to problems, such as being stranded on an island with an active volcano.
If you live near BUKIT PANJANG
Check out WEST SPRING PRIMARY SCHOOL
What’s cool The school hosts MOE Kindergarten @ West Spring. This means you can have siblings attend kindergarten and primary school together – although studying in the MOE kindy does not give your child priority in the Primary 1 registration exercise.
It also has an after-school student-care centre, a performing arts studio, a culinary room, sand pits, and a playground. Its niche programmes include:
• Purposeful Learning Activities for the Young (Play) This aims to help the transition from kindergarten to lower primary in a fun way. There are five components to the Play approach – Cognitive Play, Physical Play, Dramatic Play, Object Play and ICT Play.
• English Literary Appreciation Programme In this after-school optional enrichment programme, kids are introduced to English literature and take part in literary appreciation activities, such as Meet the Writer sessions.
• Lego Play and Sand Play Apart from the structured Lego play during class and recess periods, kids can get creative with unstructured Lego play every Thursday morning before lessons start.
This give them the time and space to explore and express their own creativity. They also enjoy sand play at the school’s two sand pits, as part of the school’s problem-solving activities.
If you live near YIO CHU KANG
Check out SENGKANG GREEN PRIMARY SCHOOL
What’s cool A library with a performing arts studio, dance studios, a student-care centre and more.
With many signing up for its Jazz Dance programme, it’s been incorporated into the school’s music programme so that all pupils can enjoy the activity. Through the many platforms provided, the children become more conFIdent and are willing to take up leadership roles – such as a P1 emcee hosting a concert – in spite of their young age. Its niche programmes include:
• Speech and drama, and performing arts enrichment programmes These infuse the school values of integrity, care, active teamwork, respect, responsibility and excellence into its activities.
• Optional after-school enrichment programmes for P1 and P2 pupils, including jazz dance, ballet, violin, guzheng, robotics and football. Pupils in the guzheng enrichment and co-curricular activities start performing at the school’s open house and prize-giving day in P1, which helps their self-conFIdence and encourages school pride.
THE PRIMARY ISSUE
Check out SPRINGDALE PRIMARY SCHOOL
What’s cool The school has an inter-disciplinary eco-trail, along with a low-elements rope trail for its pupils. The eco-trail includes thematic gardens that are used to engage kids in learning academic subjects as well as art and crafts.
The low-elements rope trail is used as part of the Outdoor Adventure CCA programme. Its niche programmes include:
• I Can! Programme is designed to develop P1 and P2 kids’ competence in selfmanagement, confidence in social interaction and use of information and communication technology. Pupils learn skills like packing school bags, presenting their ideas, setting goals, crossing the roads safely and navigating the e-learning management system by themselves.
• Design Thinking Protocol Pupils in P4 this year will learn coding skills using a software called Scratch, during their art lessons. Those in the Innovators Club also take part in a 10-session workshop to develop the necessary skills and dispositions to problemsolve using the coding language within Scratch.
To check out all of Singapore’s newest primary schools that have been set up in the last five years, visit http://tinyurl.com/NewPriSch.
Advantages of New Schools
Principals and parents tell Young Parents why starting out in a new school has its perks:
BOLD CREATIVITY
“A new school brings with it a new burst of energy; a greater openness towards experimentation and innovation.” Principal Clifford Chua of Palm View Primary. He was previously from Kuo Chuan Presbyterian Primary.
STRONG SENSE OF OWNERSHIP
“Teachers have a strong sense of ownership because they have a part to play in constructing systems and programmes from ground zero. Also, the leader can design the school symbols, define values, set directions and build a brand identity.” Principal Sharon Siew of Riverside Primary. She previously helmed Cedar Primary.
FRESH SYNERGY
“Our parents – most of them first-time, enthusiastic parents – are invited to the school often and work closely with the teachers to contribute to school programmes, as well as their own children’s development.” Principal Daphne Yeoh of Sengkang Green Primary. She was previously with White Sands Primary.
THAT EXTRA MILE
“Staff who opt to join a new school are aware that they have to put in a lot more. Hence, I’m glad that our staff are passionate teachers with a ‘can-do’ attitude.” Principal Lee-Koh Siew Cheng of Springdale Primary. She previously headed Marsiling Primary.
MORE HANDS-ON
“I find the school’s efforts to encourage children to read from a young age very july 2016 / 70 / young parents important. Learning through the Play programme is more engaging than sitting in class listening to teachers.” Wynn Wong, 39, a manager. Her son, Jayden, is in P1 at West Spring Primary.
TIME FOR MORE HOLISTIC LEARNING
“The teachers are not confined by established structures and cultures. (My son) has received a holistic education. For example, the children got to learn about the water purification process during a P1 learning journey to Lorong Halus, even though they did not take Science at their level.” Gracelyn Tan, 41, a stay-at-home mother. Her son, Kang Sin, is in P3 at Springdale Primary.
MORE OPPORTUNITIES
“The children are given great opportunities to participate and be involved in many school and national level activities. Being the pioneer cohort with no seniors to guide them, they had cultivated a greater sense of self-responsibility and independence.” Phyllis Yeo, 40, a director. Her kids, Anya, 10, and Reya, 8, are both in Sengkang Green Primary.
NO BALLOTING WORRIES
“New schools mean new facilities and parents are not likely to require balloting. (Now, my son) is discovering and advancing his passion in engineering and technology, thanks to (modules like) Legoworks.” Soong Tsui Ling, 48, a stay-at-home mum. Her son, Jon Ian, is in P4 and part of the pioneer P1 cohort in Riverside Primary.
