SWCK - ESF Kindergarten (Sheung Wan)

piggyloo

hi, my situation's....my daughter's studying in small world christian kindergarten K2 and we love the school so much, i thought she will finish the K3 here and then join the ESF primary school next year.....but today i received an offer from ESF Kindergarten (Sheung Wan).....so now still thinking about what to do...my concern's:

1. as the ESF primary is my target (we r living in HK side), is that ESF Sheung Wan really have a higher priority than SWCK? as i know the competition on the seat in ESF primary in HK side's much less than kln or NT....so some said as we r living in Hk side, so my daughter can get the seat very easy even she is not from ESF kindergarten......is that really true? can any SWCK graduated kids' parents can help me on the question?

2. as SWCK really a lovely school and we love it so much, so i really dont wanna give up, is that ESF kindergarten really got 100% offer on the ESF primary?

OKmom

Hi, piggyloo

Since you said she is studying K2 and going to K3 next year. Do u mean ESF Sheung Wan offer your girl K2 space? If so, you'd better check with ESF kindy to see if the ESF primary give priority to students who complete only one year (ie.K2) in ESF kindy. Since I've heard some time ago that they give priority to your kid only if he/she completes both K1 & K2, not sure if it is still true.

OKmom

My friend heard from a parent whose son is now studying K2 in an ESF kindy that his kindy would assess every student since K1. At the end of K1, the kindy may then inform those parents whose children are not meeting the English standard, so the parents need to do something about it.

I am not sure if the kindys did this in the past, but they are doing this now. Although there is no interview for ESF kindy admission, it seems they do this assessmen before they proceed to K2.  Since there is no guarantee for ESF kindy students go straight into ESF primary, I believe ESF kindys do this assessment because they aim for a high percentage of acceptance into ESF primary.

[ 本文章最後由 OKmom 於 08-1-11 09:27 編輯 ]

502

My younger son is also with SWCK and we'll have ESF interview next week.

I don't think it is a must to go to ESF kinder if you live in the HK side.  My younger son can get a chance for interview with no sibling relationship wo!

sks

Hi, piggyloo,

Studying at ESF kinder doesn't guarantee 100% to ESF primary. It only provides a higher priority for interview, to be honest, it is important for children in cat 2 without priority as the place of ESF primary is so keen, those without priority will only be in the waitlist and do not have the chance for interview.

My girl is now studying at non-ESF Kinder. My friend suggest me to change to ESF kinder (actually, I have not applied it as it is too far from my home) to get the interview priority. But I don't agree it.

Even though it is important to have a higher priority, I worry if my girl is not used to the new school-life and not happy, and lose the confidence, her performance on interveiw will be not satisified.

sks

Oh it should be "those without priority may be in the waitlist and do not have the chance for interview."

piggyloo

Hi 502,

ur case's exactly like mine, my kid's bornt in 1jan2004, so she's in K2 but just can offer a seat in ESF kindergarten K1, but as she love SWCK so much, so what do u think? u will choose stay in SWCK and then go to ESF primary or study in ESF kinder in term of a higher priority to enter ESF primary?

as we r in cat2, no relationship, no passport, english's not our mother language.....so if we keep on SWCK, really can enter ESF primary?

piggyloo

is that the students in ESF sheung wan kinder mainly the local kids? how's the english standard? the kids often communicate between them in cantonese??

502

piggyloo


Which class is your daughter going?

SWCK is such a wonderful kinder that I use to recommend to my friends.

My elder son went to TY ESF kinder before.  I can say picking SWCK for my younger son is one of the smartest decision I have ever made.

If your daughter loves SWCK so much, I see no point to change her to ESFSW just because of the priority.  I know dozens of people going to ESF primary not from ESF kinder (of course most cases happen in the HK side!)

原文章由 piggyloo 於 08-1-11 09:42 發表
Hi 502,

ur case's exactly like mine, my kid's bornt in 1jan2004, so she's in K2 but just can offer a seat in ESF kindergarten K1, but as she love SWCK so much, so what do u think? u will choose stay  ...

OKmom

原文章由 502 於 08-1-11 09:58 發表
piggyloo


Which class is your daughter going?

SWCK is such a wonderful kinder that I use to recommend to my friends.

My elder son went to TY ESF kinder before.  I can say picking SWCK for my younge ...

Hi, 502

It sounds that your elder son's experience with ESF TY not good, pls elaborate your case. What primary school does your elder son go now?

My child has got accepted to ESF SW this coming year, I want to hear other experience with ESF kindy.

piggyloo

she's in D2, i'm just wondering as she love the teachers so much and i like the studying environment there.......but for safety.......i'm wonder if she can sure got an interview for ESF primary.....

also concern about the english standard, as right now she got almost half classmates' non-chinese.....so she can have a very good environment for english speaking....but if move to ESFSW...i heard that most of the students there r hkese....is that will limited her english exploring? as they will communicate in cantonese after school or even in the class?

[ 本文章最後由 piggyloo 於 08-1-11 10:29 編輯 ]

Patricialo

my daughter is studying in ESFSW, half of her classmates are non chinese.  As I know, no one speak cantonese in school, even after school they play together with other chinese  classmates, they only talk in english.

OKmom

Hi, Patricialo

Glad to hear your input. Is your girl in K1 or K2? You said half of the class is non-Chinese, are these non-Chinese mainly ESL students eg. Japanese, Indians, etc. Could you pls share a bit more, are the teachers there nice towards children and what is a typical session about eg. singing, circle time, story-telling etc?

Is English the 1st language of your girl? If not, do you think her English has improved much since her start in ESFSW? All in all, are you satisfied with this kindy and regard  it as a good one?

Sorry for asking heaps of question, but I think all potential ESFSW parents would like to know more about it. Thanks....

[ 本文章最後由 OKmom 於 08-1-11 11:25 編輯 ]

babyoush

我有一個疑問呀, 宜家讀緊K2咁明年咪應該可以讀小一架囉, 乜ESF唔係讀2年幼稚園架咋咩??

OKmom

I think what happens here is, Piggyloo's daughter was born in Jan2004, that is why she is offered to K1 2007/08 year. SWCK has different age criteria from ESF kindy, so her child can start in K2. While for ESFSW, they can only offer her child  to K1 2007/08. Now ESYSW has come up with a K1 vacancy for 2007/08 and offers her child to start in spring term.

piggyloo

that's right OKmom!

and my daughter started at SWCK from dec2006 (at that time she's in K1) already, so she had been in SWCK more than 1 yr.......that's why i'm so concern on the problem as she's in SWCK for a while already.....

so any parents in SWCK can share with me on the experienced for entered to ESF primary? is that SWCK students (chinese that's mother language's not english but can communicate in english very well) can easy to enter ESF primary (HK side)? as i know every year at the dec or jan....there always have the ESF primary teachers to visit the SWCK.....i dont know if they r picking the candidates to enter the ESF primary? if yes, is that mean even SWCK also have the higher priority as ESF kindergarten for enter the ESF primary?

i'm thinking if really not much different (i mean the chance to enter ESF primary) between SWCK and ESFSW....then very possible i can let my daughter stay in SWCK....

anyway i'm asked to have an visit to the ESFSW kindergarten at 21jan pm....so see if my daughter like that environment.....

原文章由 OKmom 於 08-1-11 13:14 發表
I think what happens here is, Piggyloo's daughter was born in Jan2004, that is why she is offered to K1 2007/08 year. SWCK has different age criteria from ESF kindy, so her child can start in K2. Whil ...

babyoush

原文章由 OKmom 於 08-1-11 13:14 發表
I think what happens here is, Piggyloo's daughter was born in Jan2004, that is why she is offered to K1 2007/08 year. SWCK has different age criteria from ESF kindy, so her child can start in K2. Whil ...

咁係咪即係Piggyloo個女女如果轉去esf的話, 就讀半年k1跟住今年9月再升k2呀?? sorry呀我轉數比較慢

OKmom

babyoush,
Yes, u got it...

Piggyloo's girl applied K1 for year 2007/08 and was put on waitlist. As a vacany arises (might be someone has left), the kindy now offers her a K1 seat to start in this spring. So she will promote to K2 in Sept 2008.

So hope is still there even after normal intake  :

[ 本文章最後由 OKmom 於 08-1-11 15:28 編輯 ]

Patricialo

My daughter is in K2 am class.  Some of her classmates are from western, 2 are Indians and some are mixed.

The teachers and helpers are very nice.  Beyond the circle time & story telling, they have free play time to choose their favourite activities in corners of school.

My daughter 1st language is English, obviously, her English is much more better than before.  

Although the kindy is small in size, the children love their school very much.

原文章由 OKmom 於 08-1-11 11:20 發表
Hi, Patricialo

Glad to hear your input. Is your girl in K1 or K2? You said half of the class is non-Chinese, are these non-Chinese mainly ESL students eg. Japanese, Indians, etc. Could you pls share  ...

OKmom

Hi, Patricia

Thanks for your sharing. The kindy sounds a good one. BTW, I've heard the kindy will help prepare their students for ESF primary interview, is that true? Do u know the success rate in the past?

[ 本文章最後由 OKmom 於 08-1-11 17:40 編輯 ]