YewChung ITLP program / Kingston Playgroup / Anfield Playgroup - any comments?

bbgrass

May I know any advice and experience sharing for these classes :
(1) Yew Chung ITLP program

(2) Kingston playgroup

(3) Anfield (Kowloon Tong) playgroup

My girl is offered AM class in (1) and PM class in (2), both will start school in August 2010 when my BB is 1 yr 8 months old.

My husband prefer to enrol our daughter to a school with more exposure to native english speaking environment.  I visited Anfield's website and seems the school got many NET.

Can anyone of your share with me if your son/daughters are currently attending/have attended these schools.
Many many thanks for your sharing and insights.

workmama

Anfield definitely can fulfill the English standard you requested.

Kingston, it provide the balance learning of English and Mandarin.

Thus, just depends which path you plan your child to go for - International ( Anfield ) or International or Local ( Kingston , because its through train will be secondary school is Creative secondary school )

Ann0805

Anfield will be a better choice if you wish to expose your kid to a complete native english environment.  Yew Chung ITLP is good in terms of developing kids' interests to explore and build self-confidence.  Cantonese is mostly the language used though they got a native there in class to speak with individual kids from time to time.

bbgrass

Thank you workmama and ann0805 for your advice.

I think I prefer my girl going to local primary school at this moment.  My ideal plan is to let my girl to expose more english speaking environment at the very young age and get back to local kindergarten for K1.  I dont know if this sound or not, any comment or experience sharing?

workmama,
is that really possible for Kingston kids to go back to local primary school after spending 3 or 4 years there with totally English and Mandarin environment?

workmama

I trust Kingston can provide a "balance"environment and in which your kid somehow can adapt local stream more easily.
The language both Chinese (Mandarin) and English are strong, writting and reading of both language are same important ( school said). Then, if you speak Cantonese at home to communicate with your kid, i think Kingston is a good choice / option if you plan your kid enter local stream.

workmama

One more point, the secondary school option of Kingston is Creative Secondary School which is a IB school with local stream.

aigo

For Kingston Primary graduates, most of them would go either Creative Secondary School or RC (ESF group). - information provided by Kingston teacher at their primary school during open day

But, I know they have another option now - International College Hong Kong / ICHK (www.ichk.edu.hk)

lottieclee

Playgroups are more or less the same. But if you want exposures to English, then Anfield is a definitely good choice.  Kingston gives you security of having a choice to go to a kindy environment that is between local and international if you cannot get into the local kindy of your choice.

bbgrass

Thank you so much for all your sharing.  I also noted in Kingston website about ICHK.

May i know if any of you having kids studying in Kingston kindergarten?  As they are charging over $7xxx a month, may i know if you still need to spend extra money in registering your kid to tuition course on language?
And is that a lot of parent participating activities on weekday (as i m a working mama, i m afraid that i cannot join everytime)

MADMADMAD

bbgrass,
我等咗kingston好耐都冇音訊 ......我已响1年前遞表, 想問下你係幾時遞表????thx

bbgrass

我應該都係一年前左右交表.  不過我只係交了表 for playgroup, not the 2 year class.

kakaeo

My kid is in YC now.  He certainly enjoyed it there (at least it seemed like it).  Up to yr 1, cantonese and english is the main medium.  YC has many kids that eventually goes to local schools thru their different path program.  1 path would be local school and 1 path would be cont. with YC to primary and beyond.

mmtgrace

hi i think i can give u a full picture for both playgroups. i got your same offer last year for YC (am) and Kingston (pm)and also asked BK mum for the advise.
finally i chosen YC(am) in last year Aug but i switched to Kingstonin last year Dec, although is pm class, the scheule is not as good as am, i have no doubt for this change.
YC :
a) classroom small and crowded (too many helpers and parents ) in a very small room, you need to move the tables during snack time and art & craft time
b) Cantonese basic 95%, your case is same as me, i am a working mum and cantonese speaking in school, i prefer my daughter can learn / practise more english in the playgroup (even just 2 / 3 days)   
Kingston
a) my daughter can speak mandarin 1-10 after 2 weeks from school,  i never speak mandarin to her at home
b) teachers are very good and caring (YC are still fine, full of experience) but comparatively Kingston are better
c) spaces are larger
d) i also concerns the stairs when i turn down the offer for Kingston (as need to walk during the class), but overall is OK
e) the english teachers participation rate is 100% higher than YC, the english teacher in YC just "appear" during english circle time for 15-20 mins, others time the english teachers are disapperar.
Frankly speaking if compare the cost for both schools, i think Kingston is more "value" for money as you know the working mum always count on this.

By the way, i also visit anfield before i switch to Kingston, overall the campus is small / old and not the IB system, no mandarin teaching , i think for your plan to change to local school afterwards, learning mardain is important nowdays.

Last point to share, if you choose Kingston playgroup and N1 in the following year, you need to enroll their playgroup in Aug, otherwise like my case they could not offer any am class to me in N1 because they got total 64 students in the playgroup (both am and pm classes) but only 48 students for N1 am class, so the remaining playgroup students (16) will only offer pm class when entering in N1.

please free feel to pm me if u like to know more props and cons for both school

bbgrass

Thanks so much mmtgrace for your sharing.  Have PM you some more questions, please kindly check and revert.