$package+location+schools

[seeker]

fifa - 5 expat kids really isn't much. Asian expat kids are more common than Caucasian ones in ACS, I think. (Not talking about Asian scholars - that's a different matter.) Japanese kids are certainly rare still.]

Besides ACS(I) and MGS, I think RI, RGS, SCGS and Cedar Girls' are also good fits for expat kids. I'm not so sure about TCHS, NYGH, Catholic High and others - those are still quite chinese-y though they certainly have significant English-oriented populations. Then there're the top-ranked 'neighbourhood' schools like Anderson, BPGHS etc. - not sure how those are.

I really wonder how many Western expat kids have ever gone through JC. Must be pretty few.

[locally-educated]

i'm curious too - what's SAF school?

i think Swiss Cottage (now Balestier Primary??) does have a fair no. of expat children because of its old location at Bukit Timah which may make it a gd choice as far as fitting in goes.

there are benefits to local education.
it's not only a cheaper alternative, local educational standards are pretty high (as proven in many international rankings).

on the downside, it can be somewhat stifling and non-creative as the system does not encourage thinking out of the box but then again .. that's changing too.

[To KatyF]

$80 a month -who is being ripped off? That works out to be about $240 a term about the same sort of money already stated. Noone is whinging but it is a consideration to take into account and i figure that is what people are trying to do-give this guy an idea of what costs can be, be they high or low end costs. SERIOUSLY silly! The other thing I know for an absolute fact not all international schools waive fees for their employees children (why I don't know but there is a fee reduction but not enough to jump for joy) this maybe a consideration when you wife considers which school she would like to apply to. I hope this helps  

[An Expat]

The SAF School is run on the base or whatever for the armed forces. It is near Depot Road. It is a great little school. My daughter was the only caucasian in her class. She loved it and learned lots of Mandarin. We initially sent her there because my work only pays for schooling after the age of 5 (she was 4). Now she goes with her older brother to the Chatsworth School. We pulled him out of OFS after one semester. We are SOOO happy we made the change.

[An Expat]

The change I'm referring to is from OFS, not SAF.

[fifa]

An Expat - thanks for the additional info on SAF school, never heard it before this! I'm curious and will ask my friends about this school. I am curious where it fits in the local school spectrum.

[seeker]

Ditto about the SAF school...how unusual.

I think a bus-service fee of $80/month is pretty different from $700/semester (= $117/month). But there's nothing to be done about it, is there. Anyway int'l schoolbuses seem to be those full-sized coaches so that does explain a bit.

[KatyF]

To whoever wrote that sweet little note to me:  $80 divided by 2 (two kids, get it?) equals $40 per month.  Clear enough for you?

[To KatyF]

You have set the tone for the board......being registered doesn't warrant rudeness. Hope you have a happy day  

[KatyF]

Oh, I'm sorry.  And there I was thinking you were being rude to me!  Have a fabulous day.

[Survey]

Not counting the value and standard of local schools and interntional schools, I wonder how many of the expats are willing to sent their kids to international school and pay the enormous school fees out of their pocket if the company doesn't pay?  

I would suspect not too many regardless of how big your expat salary is.

It is like a lot of things that SG expats face.  Life here simply is not a reality.  Live it up while you can.  We all have to return to where we came from eventually.

[to Survey]

Well here's one expat who is happy to prove you wrong in that assumption....even though it means that our annual take-home is less than the UK, we still pay for both our children to be at the international school, and we do not plan to return to where we come from either.....

[Us Too...]

Most parents priorities ( both Expat and Singaporean) are that their children receive a  good education and are happy in the school. We too have less money than at home, but we still spend our money by sending our children to "expensive" international schools. Of course we looked into cheaper options, but for our children International Schools were the most suitable, so we pay accordingly!
I'd be surprised if the cost was the priority for parents over anything else (and of couse I realise that for some, the cost is prohibitive so they have no choice at all).

[3 Rs]

even in one's own country, the *public* system may be inadequate.

hence exhorbitant fees have to be paid for  *private schooling* anyways.