Pre-Nursery class of Kingston and Tutor Time - Which one will you choose?

kadie

Dear cissyc,

Is TT means Tutor Time? I have a kindy guide which tells me about Tutor Time information and all the registration info. I thought they are IS and will directly transfer to other International school in the future, pls correct me if i'm wrong.

Just want to know if $6500 for TT PN pm class, and $7500 for Kingston PN pm class? seems very expensive...........

kadie

Just call Kingston about the registration, they said they are applying for a rise on tuition fee for 3%, that means no matter you are registered or not, the tutiton fee will be 3% more....

cissyc

dear Kadie mum,

Sorry I may misinterpret the meaning, IS = international School, while IB is Kingston's teaching method. Yes, TT is international school, my daughter is taking playgroup class there, twice a week.

This year, TT charges HKD6,500 for 5 days PN class, same price as Kingston. WHile TT has an option that you cn take 3 days per week, which is about HKD4,x00 per month.

kadie

Thanks cissyc!

How old is your daughter? Is the playgroup yr daughter attending good? Just want to know if once you are in, that means you are also guarantee on the next level, like from PG to PN to K1 etc....? except when you want to switch to other kindy? thanks for sharing!!!

DiamondHill

DenDenMi 寫道:

Diamond Hill, why you don't choose HKPS?  My son applied HKPS(Ascot), but he is on waiting list. I asked the staff whether my son still has chance, she said that my son born in Sept and he is not enough 2 when the school begins, so they will let some qualified kids to study first.  I choose HKPS(Ascot)for nursary because it is really very near where I live, I don't want let him to take long journey for nursary class, but now, oh oh!  I eventually need find school in Kowloon Tong one year earlier, I am a lazy mum cannot be lazy again as I need pick him to school from Fotan to Kowloon Tong!


Yes Yes, we need keep in touch!

Hi DenDenMi,

I gave up HKPS because they are 30 kids in one classroom as I think it will be too pack.  As I think small size of class will be much concertrate to the kids.  I fully understood the long travelling of kids is really too harsh for them.  I'm also a lazy mami.
Are you a full time housewife ?

elizatyy

I am looking for playgroup for my 9 months old son.  How much is the Toddler Activity Group at TT? is it conducted in weekends, how long does it take?  are all the classes provided by native English speakers?

DenDenMi

Hi Diamond Hill,
Yes, I am a full time housewife, not housewife, is 'BunBun'      .  That why I want let my son to study nursary in Fotan, I can have a 3 hours break for me!  But now, I need to pick him to go to school in Kowloon Tong, I don't know whether should I go back Fotan again.  As about 1 hour more at home, I need go to pick him up to home.  Oh no, it is too harsh to me!!! I know there is a school bus provided, but his dad don't want to let him taking school bus as he still a little boy, therefore, besides Bun Bun, I will be a driver too!  
Hey, are you a full time mum as well?

DiamondHill 寫道:
Hi DenDenMi,

I gave up HKPS because they are 30 kids in one classroom as I think it will be too pack.  As I think small size of class will be much concertrate to the kids.  I fully understood the long travelling of kids is really too harsh for them.  I'm also a lazy mami.
Are you a full time housewife ?

cissyc

Dear Kadie & Elizatyy,

my daughter is 19 mth now, she used to attend PG at Victoria, but shifted to TT starting in Jan 2007 as TT provides both Eng & Mandarin. The toddler class in TT are quite flexible, and tutition fee depends on how many days you child attend per wk., you can call to TT Emily a t 23380983 to arrange for a visit, she's very nice. However, if you want to take Kingston's PN class, esp AM class, they do have priority given to their PG students, else you'll be allocate the PM session.

DenDenMi

Dear cissyc,
What time and which campus of the playgroup in TT?  My son is 17months and is also taking playgroup at 1030am on Tue & Thu  in TT 'Wow'. It is incharged by Miss Emily. HaHa, did I see you before?

cissyc

haha..probably, my daughter is taking tue and sat 10:30am class...it's her grand mom take her school on tue while I myself n husband take her school on sat. I don't know why, my daughter seems quite scare of Mr. Will.

DenDenMi

hee.............. your daughter and my son are the classmates on Tue.  What's your daughter's name?  I look your daughter's picture, it's familiar.  I go with my son to the playgroup every tue n thu.  Haha, they have became classmate since Jan, they will be a old classmate in Kingston!      
I think Mr Will is a funny guy, but at the begining, my son was also quite scare him, but now it's OK, he is always to be the first one to give big hug to Mr Will when the lesson is finished.  I think your daughter needs more time to get used of him!!!

elizatyy

cissyc 寫道:
Dear Kadie & Elizatyy,

my daughter is 19 mth now, she used to attend PG at Victoria, but shifted to TT starting in Jan 2007 as TT provides both Eng & Mandarin. The toddler class in TT are quite flexible, and tutition fee depends on how many days you child attend per wk., you can call to TT Emily a t 23380983 to arrange for a visit, she's very nice. However, if you want to take Kingston's PN class, esp AM class, they do have priority given to their PG students, else you'll be allocate the PM session.

thanks, but they told me it is around $13xx / month? (Sat, 1.5 hr)

siumanmama

DiamondHill,

I am glad that your schoolbus issue has been solved...good for you  :

E...you live in Lai Chi Kok?! Will you (DiamondHill)move (and then change your login name) to Manhattan Hill? (just kidding!)

I haven't registered with Kingston today-->which means, most probably, I have to wait and choose other kindergartens (including but not limit to Tutor Time).

Let's keep in touch though our kids may not be classmates.  But we do have similar thinking when considering our kid's education.

DiamondHill 寫道:
Hi siumanmama, cissyc & DenDenmi,

It's so great to hear some feedback from other mami.

Regarding school bus issue, it should be settled now because the staff called the school bus company & they said they will specially re-arrange the bus route.  I live at Lai Chi Kok.

I am not sure will change to other kindy after 07-08 because it  depends on the school in term of caring, teaching method, quality of teacher.  On the other hands, I need to observe my daughter whether she likes the school or not.

Except Kingston, HKPS was accpeted my daughter too.  Victoria rejected even my daughter preformed well on that day.  

I will go to register on tomorrow, hopefully we can keep in touch.

siumanmama

DenDenMi,

I heard from other threads that some of the kids studying in Kingston keep joining other playgroups/classes after school. I have no exact idea why they do this.  May be some of the parents want to keep up their kids level (be it academic or non-academic).  For me, my little girl will keep joining playgroups or classes even she starts her pre-nursery school life in whichever kindergarten.

I am also a lazy mom   as I take nap with my daughter daily. Keep in touch.

DenDenMi 寫道:
Hi siumanmama, cissyc & Diamond Hill,

I am very happy that we could chat over there!!  In respect of K1, same as the view of Diamond Hill,it really depends on the school in term of caring, teaching method, quality of teacher. But the main point is whether my son likes this school or not!
Will their children study P1 in international school? I think the choice of K1 to be upon what kind of Primary will our kids study.  I haven't made up my mind to think this question, but I tend to IS more at that moment.   

hi,siumanmama, I don't understand why the kids need keep joining other playgroups/classes after school when studying in Kingston.  Is it not enough language training or something else?  

Diamond Hill, why you don't choose HKPS?  My son applied HKPS(Ascot), but he is on waiting list. I asked the staff whether my son still has chance, she said that my son born in Sept and he is not enough 2 when the school begins, so they will let some qualified kids to study first.  I choose HKPS(Ascot)for nursary because it is really very near where I live, I don't want let him to take long journey for nursary class, but now, oh oh!  I eventually need find school in Kowloon Tong one year earlier, I am a lazy mum cannot be lazy again as I need pick him to school from Fotan to Kowloon Tong!


Yes Yes, we need keep in touch!

siumanmama

kadie,

If you want your daughter to join Kingston's 2-year-old pre-nursery class (AM) next year, then you need to apply for their 1-yr-old playgroup class for at least 3 days a week now as Kingston gives priority  (if not guarantee) to their existing students.

If IS is your choice at this moment, then you should only consider real international kindergartens. What's more, your choices may vary with your target IS too!  Some of my friends consider ESF's kindergartens as starting point of the IS path.

kadie 寫道:
Dear all mums,

I'm new here..just concerning when is the best time to put my 1 year old daughter to PN? After reading all your advise and concerns, I start to wonder if my daughter need to register now for her PN - suitable for 1 year old?
I've always thinking about putting my daughter to IS in the future , so I'm also considering Kingston and TT too, could you give me some advice??

siumanmama

DiamondHill, DenDenMi & cissyc,

One more thing about Tutor Time WOW:

Emily is quite nice (as she is a sales of
TT) but do you think & feel that the girl (I can't remember her name at all) at the reception is rather impolite and rude?  I don't think she has a real heart towards the school kids!  

May be I didn't dress up when I visited the school or I haven't joined that day!    

siumanmama

kadie,

Honestly speaking, be prepared to spend more and more money from year to year if you choose IS path for your kid.  Kindergarten's school fee is just the very beginning.  We may really need HK$4 million or even more to raise just one kid if we choose IS... and even millions more if we are planning to send them to UK/US for university.

Let's share.

spoonlam

I agree that the reception girl is rather impolite ad rude.  She doesnt' speak fluent English but she pretends ('cus I saw her was unable to communciate with a foreigner parents).  She doesn't have any heart for kids.  I really like everything but the admin. staffs at TT.  I didn't register for the PN for my son mainly because i think the management and admin staffs are so "money-oriented" and so materialistic, not really havve a heart for kids.  i dont' like the reception girl and the management , but i like the teachers alot as i think they really care.

cissyc

Dear mums,

I do admire most of you as housewife & "bun bun" coz I have to work..haha...I do have a different thought on my girl's path. I do want her to start education in 2 yr old, but I do want her to go to ordinary primary school, like DGS, St. Mary, Maryknoll, coz my child is a girl  and I sometimes see those girls studying in IS seconday school are so...open minded...that's somthing I don't want. But I will see if she like Kingston and if she really like it, I'll let her continue studying there.

Dear DenDenMi, my girl\s name is Kayleigh. But it's her grandmom who take her sch on tue.

By the way, I still haven't sorted out the transportation method to Kingston, I live in Hung Hom, and it's quite far away to walk from Kowloon Tong KCR station to Kingston, although they have given me the name of the sch bus, but I don't want her to take sch bus...I'm headache about this....unless I don't have to work...hehe

siumanmama

cissyc,

haha...you don't need to admire others being a full time c9.  You can have more "secret" pocket money monthly. But if you quit your job, I believe Kayleigh will become a even more brilliant little girl as she already outperforms kids of the same age.

What 's the price difference between taking school bus and taxi?  Maybe grandma & helper can also take turns to bring Kayleigh to & from school.