It's waste of $ going to Kingston's Playgroup

Adsmartie

My baby goes to their playgroup starting Aug this year, I am so disappointed with the school. Two months had past  and I still don't see any progress on their teaching method, still no story telling during circle time, they sing 2 songs only and the rest of the class is art class for 5 mins and free play. I've talked to both Mandarin and Eng teacher in Sept, I was told that there are babies still adjusting to the environment so they can't do story telling yet, but it's Oct now and I still don't see any differences from Aug, and it's very unfair to the rest of the kids just b/c 1 or 2 babies still adjusting. And they always leave us in the ballroom ourselves for 10 mins or more, so call to prepare for the materials, but in fact there are only play-doo or rice and bowls when we got back in class, I don't understand what take so long.

In 2.5 hrs of class, there are 2 hrs of free play time, meaning the carer playing with their own baby, except that they've more toys than my home, I don't see why I've to pay $5,150 to come to the school to play with their toys.

Another thing is school informed us parents in Sept that Ed Dept has approved their increase in school fee, the fee has been increased to $5,150 from $4,900 and we are fine with this, but surprisingly the school back dated the school fee and charged us $5,150 in Aug as well.  Ed dept hasn't approved until Sept, how could they charge us the new fee in Aug, and unlike other schools they already charged full month for just 2 wks of classes in Aug, all other school starts in end of Aug or Sept 1st except this greedy school.  Honestly, I'm extremely disappointed with this school and will change my baby to another school next term.

Mighty

Just wonder how old your child is and what do you expect him/her to learn from playgroups?  My daughter used to go to the one in Hong Lok Yuen, Tai Po which was supposed to be good.  The school did not really 'teach' them anything but I think the main purpose of the playgroup is for children to have the chance to interact with other children... let say better than spend whole day with the helper only.  Of course they sang songs too and sometimes story telling time for elder children.  The fee you mentioned is really really expensive and from what you said, they are overcharged.

sabun

how about kingston primary school!They offerIB.
And they say they will join HOHG LOK YUEN international,JAPANESE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL TO BUILT a secondary international school later in SHA TAU KOK!

Adsmartie

Hi Mighty,

My baby is turning 19 months, of course I'm not expecting the school will teach them anything concrete, but it is totally depart from what I've been told in the interview.  I go to school with my girl not the helper so I know.

For example, the playgroup is 2.5 hrs each session and I was told that English and Mandarin class is approximately 45 mins or 1 hr each, there'll be 15 mins of snack time and 30 mins of outdoor play.  But as I said, the circle time is only about 10 mins, apart from that, the teacher doesn't communicate with the kids/ babies at all.  They emphasize learn through play, if the teacher is not interacting with the kids, how do they learn the languages? The teachers are only watching us (parent/ helper) playing with our own kids!  So I'm extremely disappointed with this school.

And Sabun, yes they are expanding the school as we were told at the beginning of the term. I don't if you've visited their primary school, I did and it's super small, there's only one tiny outdoor playground.