Choose between York, Kenville, St. Catherine and Heep Yun

serinawoo

As captioned
Which kindergarten will you prefer and why?

AhLing

My son is studying K2 in St. Cat.
His first year there was quite happy.
Not much homework.
Once / twice a week.
Only drawing lines.
The teachers are nice.
A Chinese & an English native speaker
in class.
In terms of the syllabus,
course structures for the 3 years
are basically identical.
e.g. In both K1, K2 & K3,
children will study the topic "family".
The difference is they may go deeper into
the topic in higher level.

In the 2nd year,
my son started writing Chinese characters
(now he can write his name) & alphabets.
He also learned phonics & Mandarin.
The school provides parents guide for us
to help our kids at home.
He also attempts reading on his own.

Sorry, no idea about the other schools you have listed.
For Kenville, I'm sure it's a very strict school.
Our neighbours sent their kids there.
Can hardly believe my eyes.
Kids on the school bus can keep still all the way to
school?
They have school teacher (not a nanny) w/
a stern face on the bus.
No wonder!!








  

ThePooh

My girl is in K1 now. SC is a good school.

serinawoo

I like strict schools, don't know why?
I buy the traditional teaching method.
So is SC strict?
what do you think SC's Chinese and English standard?
are they good comparing with other same age kids?

ShirleyLeung

小囡為SC K3生, 個人覺得此校老師對待學生並非嚴厲, 而是鼓勵 (可能外籍老師多的因素, 小朋友即使做得唔好, 她們的反應都很正面; 做得好的, 就當然大讚啦.)

中文程度一般, 英文則完全不用家長操心, 小朋友返學開心, 到K3報考私小/直資時, 家長相對地會較為放心....

當然這只屬本人片面之詞, 只因小囡並未讀過其餘2校.

其實每間學校都各有千秋, 妳或者可以在放學時間直接到這3間學校的門口, 進行實地觀察/現場家長採訪, 便可以了解多一點了.

Rachethew

I'll choose SC because the graduates from SC have higher chances to get into those famous primary schools like SFA, APS, GH, DBSPD etc

ChiChiPaPa

My daughter studied in Heep Yunn Kindergarten. She is now a primary one student and is competing with students from other kindergartens for academic results. I found that kids’ character was shaped differently in different kindergartens and so this could also be a factor for selecting kindergartens, other than their academic performance.

If you like traditional teaching approach, Kentville could be your best choice. It has the highest academic standard among the others and so it is good for applying primary schools with written admission tests, e.g. St. Francis. Nevertheless, you may need to develop your kids’ social skill, because traditional approach is not good for the development of EQ or suitable outgoing character.

If I were given a chance to select again, I would choose St. Catherine. Kids from St. Catherine have higher confident and greater desire in achieving good results for themselves. They are also eager to make decisions. They have better performance in individual interview, which is the main admission method of most private primary schools.

In primary school, kids from Kentville have better performance initially (in the first few months) because of their higher academic standard. However, kids from St. Catherine will then become ahead because of their skills of phonics in learning English, better parents’ support (which is already required in St. Catherine) and, most important, their character.

Kids from Heep Yunn are likely to be in the middle of the class. They have very nice character and friendly, but are less aggressive in getting better academic results.

The above is my impression only. There is no hard statistics to support my arguments. Moreover, in kindergartens, home education is more important than school. So performances of kids in the same kindergarten vary a lot.

serinawoo 寫道:
I like strict schools, don't know why?
I buy the traditional teaching method.
So is SC strict?
what do you think SC's Chinese and English standard?
are they good comparing with other same age kids?

If parents have comments on Hong Kong Preschool (international class), please post your comments. I want to know more about Hong Kong Preschool as I have to choose kindergartens for my baby son two years later.

serinawoo

So, your suggestion is St. Catherine is the best among these four schools?

To me, I just want my daughter to be a good girl. I don't mind she's a smart girl or not. But don't learn to be bad.

Also, is St. Catherine's English standard is better than Kenville?

Probably, I think I will send my daughter to those traditional primary school (St. Mary's is my first choice). Do you think St. Catherine's students can adapt that traditional teaching method? As I know Kenville is also follow the traditional teaching method so I think Kenville students will have no difficulties with that, but I'm not sure about St. Catherine. Do you have any ideas?

ChiChiPaPa

I believe that it should be the best among the four for my kid, but every kid is different.

From my observation in primary one, in general, kids from St. Catherine have better skills in learning English, than those from Kentville. It is probably because of their reading approach and phonics approach in learning English. Nevertheless, the difference is not very significant.

From my understanding, the teaching approach of St. Catherine is traditional, though some elements of activity-based teaching are also used. Before studying in Heep Yunn, my daughter studied in Ling Liang Church Kindergarten, which uses activity-based teaching heavily and is totally different from the traditional approach. However, the teaching approach is not a major issue because kids can adapt easily within the first few months in primary.  

serinawoo

ChiChiPaPa

Thanks for your information once again.

But may I ask you, do you know when can I apply St. Catherine then? Is St. Catherine difficult to be admitted? What kind of questions will the teachers ask? Will they accept students who are under 3 years old?

ChiChiPaPa

serinawoo 寫道:
But may I ask you, do you know when can I apply St. Catherine then?

No, but you may call the school to check: 23377680 or 23377344.

Is St. Catherine difficult to be admitted?

No, as I understand, it is relatively easier than Kentville.

What kind of questions will the teachers ask?

You may check this link:
http://hk.geocities.com/lapyanwriter/school.html

Will they accept students who are under 3 years old?

As I know, they only have K1 to K3. They accept kids which are 2 years and 8 months or above.

I think that parents currently applying kindergartens for their kids will know better about the details of application.

serinawoo

Actually, where is St. Catherine? And is the Chinese name of St. Catherine is 聖潔靈? At first, I don't know about this school. I just heard from my friend mentioned about this school and she said this school is also a good choice. I really don't know this school is even better than Kenville and York.

ChiChiPaPa :
May I ask you one more question, sorry, I hope that you don't think I'm so clumsy. 我唔想女女學懶，因我知有些學校，返到去只係玩，好少功課，話就話愉快學習，無錯，的而且確係好愉快，但係一上到小學，小朋友就習慣唔到，所以就會開始拖慢。
所以我想由幼稚園，已經每日有一定的功課，最緊要唔好比小朋友覺得，返到去就係玩。
同埋我覺得英文係好緊要，我唔怕我小朋友的中文差，但我一定要佢識英文，pronunciation should be very accurate. 最緊要學校會幫小朋友　”執”下 D 發音，for example, teach them "R" is not "ah low", "L" is not "eh low", etc.
或者好多家長都會唔讚同我的說法，but these are only my personal opinions.

So, ChiChiPaPa, according to my needs, do you think St. Catherine is the best choice for my daughter?

cherriemama

St. Catherine=國際英文幼稚園

PACMA

serinawoo,

睇完你對幼稚園的要求, 我真的覺得Kentville好像比較適合你喎!我同你一樣, 都係唔多buy果種過份"愉怏學習"的Kinders, 唔係話要比好多壓力小朋友, 這樣我亦不贊成, 但每日有適量的功課和年中有三兩次考試(評估)是必須要的. 這樣孩子才可為將來升讀小學作好準備. 所以我為小兒選擇了Kentville. At present, my son is studying K1 in Kentville. So far as I've observed, Kentville meets all my requirements. My son goes to school happily everyday, and he has learned a lot from school. His english pronunciation obviously improved in these few months. 之前我比佢跟個鬼婆學o左半年英文, 成績都冇咁好. 聽我個仔講, 學校D老師係一個一個字咁執正佢地D發音. 所以仔仔好清楚知道"R" is not "ah low", "L" is not "eh low", etc.,  佢仲教翻屋企個姐姐(bun bun)轉頭.有時都比佢笑死! 不過Kentville都有樣唔好, 就係冇phonics學. 要學, 就要自己出去外邊學.
One more thing I want to point out, Kentville is not only having a high academic standard, but also it's famous for their training on students' self-disciplines. My son did correct some bad habbits since he studies in this kinder. For example, he hated fish very much and refused to eat it. But now, after his class teacher taught him the word "魚", he changed his mind. He loves to eat fish very much now, and I'm very happy about that.
I'm NOT saying SC is not as good as Kentville. Actually both of them are good kinders. I just think that Kentville may fit you more.

ChiChiPaPa

serinawoo 寫道:
Actually, where is St. Catherine? And is the Chinese name of St. Catherine is 聖潔靈? At first, I don't know about this school. I just heard from my friend mentioned about this school and she said this school is also a good choice. I really don't know this school is even better than Kenville and York.

ChiChiPaPa :
May I ask you one more question, sorry, I hope that you don't think I'm so clumsy. 我唔想女女學懶，因我知有些學校，返到去只係玩，好少功課，話就話愉快學習，無錯，的而且確係好愉快，但係一上到小學，小朋友就習慣唔到，所以就會開始拖慢。
所以我想由幼稚園，已經每日有一定的功課，最緊要唔好比小朋友覺得，返到去就係玩。
同埋我覺得英文係好緊要，我唔怕我小朋友的中文差，但我一定要佢識英文，pronunciation should be very accurate. 最緊要學校會幫小朋友　”執”下 D 發音，for example, teach them "R" is not "ah low", "L" is not "eh low", etc.
或者好多家長都會唔讚同我的說法，but these are only my personal opinions.

So, ChiChiPaPa, according to my needs, do you think St. Catherine is the best choice for my daughter?

妳說的"愉快學習"的幼稚園，靈糧堂幼稚園就是其中最好的幾間。如果用多元智能作評估，靈糧堂比國際英文幼稚園(即是St. Catherine)和根德園還要強，靈糧堂的小朋友很有表演才能，在課外活動中很有自信。可惜，小學教育只着重語文和數學，靈糧堂小朋友的才能在一般的小學都不能得到發揮。

St.Catherine就是國際英文幼稚園，相信妳不會再疑慮它的英文水準。

對妳的孩子認識不多，所以很難說那間幼稚園最適合妳的小朋友。不過，BK的家長都很樂意分享他們對各幼稚園的意見。希望妳可以找到適合妳小朋友的幼稚園。

serinawoo

Thanks ChiChiPaPa and PACMA,

I'm still struggling between Kenville or St. Catherine.

What is the tutition fee for these two kindergartens?

Where is the location of St. Catherine as well?

cherriemama

St. Catherine: ~ $3300 (K1), ~$3600(K2-3)
Kentville: ~ $2500 (K1-K3)

Two campus of St. Catherine: 4-6 Norfolk Road and 1 Essex Crescent, Kowloon Tong

PACMA

Tuition fee for Kentville : $2477 per month for 10   months.  No other miscellaneous fee.

puibb

serinawoo

It's helpful to take more information from friends,relatives and BK moms here.

But,at this stage,I think it is a bit early to make your decision whether to choose SC or Kentville. I think your decision should be made after your son has attended interviews and is accepted. right?