Vic Kindy to IS?

siubotze

Atecila 發表於 17-7-24 22:50
Thanks for the info! Yes I know they have playgroups at Abacus - on Mondays or weds now. Let me che ...

The teachers are nice and caring, but the turnover rate in the recent 2 years are high for EAs.  The admin staff sucks.  The class size is around 24 if I remember correctly.  Quite a number of kids drops out in K2 for HKA, Kellet or other IS.

There is no reception class in Lam Tin.  My girl will be in Sai Kung for a year returning to Lam Tin for year 1.  

Atecila

siubotze 發表於 17-7-24 23:28
The teachers are nice and caring, but the turnover rate in the recent 2 years are high for EAs.  Th ...

Thanks for the quick response! 24 students to 2 teachers? Then the ratio is not bad. Seems ESF loses a quite a few students to other IS for K2- meaning their students are competitive. Wondering how it is when compared to other IS kindies like anfield or Kingston. Oh -have you considered Kellet as well (as it's also a British curriculum school)?

964000

Atecila 發表於 17-7-24 22:50
Thanks for the info! Yes I know they have playgroups at Abacus - on Mondays or weds now. Let me che ...

Actually where do you live? That decide where your choices are.
I knew at least two ESF kids who are Dec girls. One is sibling the other got no priority. However both kids got commented at teacher review to be "slow in language".
I think Anfield, Tutortimes and boxhill are good choice for nursery then ESF k1, if fail then stay at the above school k1. Then applied reception years and k1 again with cutoff at sept.
I know you are still wavering between bilingual and English heavy route, I recommend you to join both types of playgroups first and decide. At my time just after school visits my impression with bilingual schools were all not so good, and I went for Anfield.

halvard

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thank you so much for your sharing =) i will bare that in mind!!

after reading all your insights about schooling, i think i have a better idea!
its so true that we should always find the right school for the child and family, hopefully we could all walk the right paths *V*.

siubotze

Atecila 發表於 17-7-25 01:08
Thanks for the quick response! 24 students to 2 teachers? Then the ratio is not bad. Seems ESF lose ...

It's 24 teachers with 1 class teacher and 2 EAs.  The ratio is not bad.  However, you have to bear in mind that the teacher and EAs will not take care of your kid to the degree normal kindergartens do.  For example, my girl needs to go to washroom, which is a little bit of walk for a 3 year-old, by herself.  She also needs to change clothes by herself, as the kids there get messy and wet all the time.  Teachers will only help if necessary. This is a good way to train them to be independent.

siubotze

Atecila 發表於 17-7-25 01:08
Thanks for the quick response! 24 students to 2 teachers? Then the ratio is not bad. Seems ESF lose ...

Anfield is a good school.  We have been offered a PN place before joining Victoria but we declined the offer because the commute is too long from our home.  I don't have experience with Kingston to comment.  For Kellet, it's August cutoff and I don't want to delay my girl for a year.  Chinese is a concern too.

mandy_ng207

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Oh it's nice to know that ESF schools do focus on training self-care skills.
I think this is more important than the academic achievements.
What I want my kid to learn from the kindergarten is self-care skills, socialising with others, but not difficult words or maths.

Atecila

964000 發表於 17-7-25 07:22
Actually where do you live? That decide where your choices are.
I knew at least two ESF kids who a ...

Many thanks 964000- your comments and suggestions have always been so helpful!! I live in Lam Tin - so Vic PN (in kornhill) is 15 mins drive Away similar as Anfield or other schools in Kowloon tong. Thanks for the info re ESF- guess I shouldn't expect my boy to get in or thrive in K1 as a dec boy. I have registered for schools tours for ISf (and also VSA later) to help me decide or eliminate any choices. Hope I can be able to pick a school that fits my son and our family !!

siubotze

Atecila 發表於 17-7-26 00:02
Many thanks 964000- your comments and suggestions have always been so helpful!! I live in Lam Tin - ...

You may want to know that ISF does not accept small baby.  Most of the kids are before August born.  

Atecila

siubotze 發表於 17-7-26 07:40
You may want to know that ISF does not accept small baby.  Most of the kids are before August born. ...

Thanks Siubotze. I dunno about the cut off of ISF; but yes it makes sense for me to pick aug cut off schools indeed! Oh u also feel Anfield is good?Actually Am attending Anfield's summer camp and feels its English immersion is superb. There are older kids who have attended pg for a year there and they can all easily switch from Cantonese to English when speaking with different people which is quite good. Resources wise seems Vic has better environment (as my boy has been attending pg at their lower kornhill campus)  - but just 50% English - although having in mind intended IS interviews, I also wanna somehow lay a foundation of Chinese for him - so that's why am also considering Vic. Both PGs have a lot of free play which I like but not sure how different they are at PN or K1.

siubotze

Atecila 發表於 17-7-26 09:15
Thanks Siubotze. I dunno about the cut off of ISF; but yes it makes sense for me to pick aug cut of ...

ISF does not specify an August cutoff, but they only pick big kid in reality.  I like Anfield.  I have to say it's the most impressive interview I attended. The teachers are dedicated and caring and it's well structured.  If it's not because of the commute, I would have taken the offer.  

Atecila

siubotze 發表於 17-7-26 18:55
ISF does not specify an August cutoff, but they only pick big kid in reality.  I like Anfield.  I h ...

Oh really? Good to know. Which campus of anfield did you attend the interview?

siubotze

Atecila 發表於 17-7-26 19:24
Oh really? Good to know. Which campus of anfield did you attend the interview?

Whompoa...it was already 2.5 years ago.

Atecila

siubotze 發表於 17-7-26 22:38
Whompoa...it was already 2.5 years ago.

Thanks -- seems anfield whampoa does have a lot of good comments. I wonder if the Kowloon tong campus is similar. Re NAIS reception, do you know if the Chinese level will be stronger than anfield or esf? Thanks in advance for any insights again!

siubotze

NAIS's reception has daily Chinese class of an hour and ESF has daily class of 30-45mins.  Both schools' Chinese class are streamed from year 1.  I would say that both are very similar while NAIS's Chinese class is slightly longer.

Atecila

siubotze 發表於 17-7-29 00:43
NAIS's reception has daily Chinese class of an hour and ESF has daily class of 30-45mins.  Both scho ...

Thanks for the info! I think I will also apply for NAIS now that they have kindergarten. Will Pupils got full train to their primary ? Just a bit afraid of the distance as NAIS is in sai Kung.

siubotze

It's through train all the way to year 11 and highly likely to be extended to year 13 in the early future.  Distance is something that you may need to consider for a small baby.  I have not gotten then school bus information yet.  It's hard for me to advise now.

Atecila

siubotze 發表於 17-7-30 15:38
It's through train all the way to year 11 and highly likely to be extended to year 13 in the early f ...

Thanks - yes, distance is a consideration. We are in Lam tin ... if it's within 20 mins drive away, then it should still be ok for us.

Atecila

siubotze 發表於 17-7-30 15:38
It's through train all the way to year 11 and highly likely to be extended to year 13 in the early f ...

Hihi siubotze , I have just attended the school tour of NAIS and remember that ur girl should now be at NAIS reception? Just wondering how do u think of the school/curriculum so far? Many thanks in advance!! I will apply for school tour of the sai Kung campus later.

siubotze

Atecila 發表於 17-9-25 11:23
Hihi siubotze , I have just attended the school tour of NAIS and remember that ur girl should now b ...

Hi, it's still in early days to comment, but what I really like is the close communication between school and parents.  The curriculum is British national so it's quite structured.  It's easier to keep track on their progress.