Ying Wa vs DBSPD

Loma

How would you choose between the two schools?
My struggle is that my son seems to be more suitable for DBSPD since he is a very active boy, enjoys sports and extra-curricular activities. I'm worrying Ying Wa may be too disciplined for him? However, another important factor is my younger son who will apply for P.1 two years later, he is quieter, therefore the chance for DBSPD is very remote but Ying Wa is guaranteed.

How would you compare between the two about:
homework
culture and environment
patience of teachers
academic

luckypig

DBSPD is not a private party game. Your younger son has no guarantee even your elder son is admitted to DBSPD.  Relationship counts very little in DBS. Your younger son must fight down neary 1700 competitors in the entrance test.

In terms of culture and envronment, Ying Wa can't compare with DBS. In terms of academic, Ying Wa has not announced her HKCEE results for many years- no one knows its academic be it 6As or 9As or 10As. The former Ying Wa Primary is Band 3 school- no change in teachers but just change the school name to Ying Wa.

In the forecoming years, I guess that the lucky draw games would turn many former prestigous schools to Chinese primary school.  

Hope my guess is wrong.

Loma

Thanks Luckypig.

What do you mean by can't compare the two schools for culture and environment? Is Ying Wa very traditional and conservative? I thought the current headmistress Ms Lam is very open? And she has made a lot of effort to improve the academic standards of the school?

...headache...

luckypig

Loma,

Hope my comments to Ying Wa is not too offensive.

I know a parent who lets his son transferred to a private school in Shamshuipo after studying about two months in Ying Wa. She said that the standard of Ying Wa is not high and she just wants her son to receive education with more demanding standard.

She said that Ying Wa is a traditional school with not too much homework and the tests are simple. She thinks that Ying Wa boys are happy in such environment. But she thinks that her son is more situable for receiving higher academic challenges.

DBSPD is too difficult to compete. Ying Wa is not a bad choice in view of through train.

WYmom

Loma, if your 2 sons have different characters and strength, it is better to put them into 2 different schools which suit them.

After changing the language policy, EMI schools have to meet the "85%" standard. Not sure if Ying Wa can do it as it is a one-dragon school.  There may be a risk for it to become CMI in future.

Besides, quiet kid (your younger son) should in fact joins some more "activity based" school which can stimulate the kid to become more active and confident.  So Ying Wa may not be the best choice for him.

luckypig

Loma,

Does your son get accepted by DBSPD and Ying Wa?

mayc

Loma:
我是英華家長,所以我不想比較兩所學校,不知WYmom & luckypig是否英華或是DBSPD的家長,不過對英華小學有些誤會,我只想澄清一下!
Loma說得對Ms Lam  has made a lot of effort to improve the academic standards of the school?
所謂的舊老師(基全)新學校的情況,在巳過的三年巳經差不多不存在了,剩下來仍然是基全的都是好的老師,整個英文科巳於去年林校長來時巳全換血,去年開始小一英文科轉用storybook上課,林校長也特意請一些視學團視小一英文科,效果良好,而今年小一中文科全普通話教學,所請的老師普通話發音都非常標準(開家長會時上台自我介紹),
今年學校也請了三個net teacher,每星期都有一節net teacher上,至於英中85%是不包括一條龍學校,昨天星島也是報導一條龍學校是80%或以下!至於真的能達標與否仍是未知之素,但林校長確實是很努力,這也是英華最大的挑戰!
津小與直資學校有很多不同之處,確實是很難作出比較,在DBSPD可能他只是遇到一種階層的同學,但在英華他會遇到很多不同階層的同學,你願意否?

luckypig

I am not a DBSPD nor Ying Wa parent.

DBSPD is my dream school. With snoopy Lam, I think that Ying Wa should be on the right track. Maybe I consider to choose Ying Wa in the second round lucky draw.

Loma

Thanks mayc for your sharing, it's very useful.
I have registered with Ying Wa and will also attend the second interview of DBSPD, so I don't have a choice yet but may, who knows. Just want to do some homework in case we have a choice.

May I also ask is Ying Wa very demanding in the academic standards, say in homework and in tests/dictation/ exam? I know in traditional school we (including me and my child) can't avoid working hard (I was trying to find one but fails) but the attitude and environment of the school may make a lot of difference, say patience of the teachers, does the school promote competition among students?

I was attracted to Ying Wa firstly because we have some relatives graduated from the secondary school, and secondly because of Ms Lam. She was famous from Heep Yun and known to be friendly with the students. But I also heard some comments although she has tried very hard to improve Ying Wa's standards, the students and the teachers have got more work after she has come, therefore some people are less happy?
I believe there are pros and cons on everything...

mayc

Loma:
這種情形不單是出現在英華小學,整個教育界都是一樣,好的學校為了維持 學校受歡迎就要做好學校,較差的學校為免被殺,又要做,總之都會辛苦的! :cry:
的確有些上了年紀的老師會捱唔住走了,但也有精力充沛的老師樂於改變!而林校長請了很多新老師,這是老師知道老細是唔少野,相信都是有備而來的!

judy

而林校長請了很多新老師,這是老師知道老細是唔少野,相信都是有備而來的!

好想知林校長除了喜欢史老比，和堆起幼兒園教師式，有少少白痴、有少少僵硬、好甜好甜之微笑外，還有甚麽"唔少野"呢？

記得幾年前還在協因時，一次籌款，籌得多的校長請嘢食，且可享用校長之私人洗手間一次，令我嘆為觀止，原来:

1. 食嘢同嘆私人洗手間一齊，一條龍服務，真周到。
2. 小學校長原来有私人洗手間。

mayc

Loma:
其實我有個好朋友個仔是讀DBSPD,DBSPD的程度是幾深的,英文小一就教小二的野,如果跟唔到就自己教,功課唔多,但有三次考試,兩次測驗,在學校的小測(無通知的)全部都計,成績表無排名,無精英班,可以讀得好開心,但又唔知同其他同學比,自己個仔程度差幾遠,所以就算你個仔是最Top都以為其他同學勁過佢,繼續谷!
英華程度一般,英文自林校長來了,有進步,深了少少,全年有兩次考試,持續性評估,上學期,中,英,數各兩次,小朋友好鍾意,因為校長想了個很有創意的獎勵計劃,成績表全級排名分三級,你大概知道自己個仔程度如何,小四開始以能力分班!
當然DBSPD也有它的過人之處,收生質素較好,給學生的空間也較大,所以都要視乎小朋友,如果自律性低,有D家長話比以前仲懶散,而當然$$$都是一個很重要的問題!

mayc

Loma:
所以找學校都要看你與學校和校長的理念是否相乎!