any comment about SJI International Elementary School?

[scorn]

"The playground in the elementary school as been closed for safety reasons, same for the growing garden at the back of the buildings. We were informed this has happened as a few children had bumps and grazes from the playground, and the growing area was closed off, as some child was bitten by a mosquito ( Oh the horror of it)."

That's a shame. When we toured the school the garden area was one of the positive points.

But we experienced the same sort of thing at our school back home. Among other things I watched a teacher tell a child not to run on the gravel because they might hurt their ankle.

Such obsessive risk-aversion is unhealthy.

[actually...]

there's no longer soldiers guarding Tanglin.  They were deployed some time ago.  However, no doubt if the terrorism threat rises again, they will be brought back.

[not prep 1]

Actually, it wasn't a prep 1 teacher that I knew there were concerns about, it was prep 2.

[happybunny]

No, it was prep 1. Quite a lot of concern apparently. Mind you as there was only one Prep 1 teacher last year it might be unfair to identify them on this forum.

[pp again]

obviously a different issue, the two children whose parents have voiced concerns to me are both in prep 2

[Me! Me!]

"Its not a very culturally diverse school- in attitude as much as anything else. Local celebrations aren't touched on much. And it very formal and assessment based. But I know lots of people are really happy there."

British expats send their kids to TTS to get an education as close as possible to what they would get back home. An added bonus is that the children can develop a sense of their national identity. This cannot really be done in a "culturally diverse" school. It should be noted, however, that TTS is racially diverse, as is the United Kingdom.

[azili]

I am not an authority on international schools but i developed a negative image of SJI int'l (high school) after finding out that it is  dumping ground for kids from affluent local families who did badly for their primary school national exams (PSLE). Instead of going to a lesser-brand or no-brand secondary school, they pay their way into SJI so that they don't lose face. 

you have hit the nail on the head!! what you said about SJII being a dumping ground for the weaker students is so true.  would they send their chidlren to sjii if they can et a place in SJI? CHIJ Toa Payoh? VS? ACS? ST Nicholas?  Of course not!  For the poster who mentioned about the 210 entry points - that's not something to be proud of!  most schools who accept children with 210 are the neighbourhood schools.  

[ridiculous]

I am not an authority on international schools but i developed a negative image of SJI int'l (high school) after finding out that it is  dumping ground for kids from affluent local families who did badly for their primary school national exams (PSLE). Instead of going to a lesser-brand or no-brand secondary school, they pay their way into SJI so that they don't lose face. 

you have hit the nail on the head!! what you said about SJII being a dumping ground for the weaker students is so true.  would they send their chidlren to sjii if they can et a place in SJI? CHIJ Toa Payoh? VS? ACS? ST Nicholas?  Of course not!  For the poster who mentioned about the 210 entry points - that's not something to be proud of!  most schools who accept children with 210 are the neighbourhood schools.  

SJI International achieved a similar grade point average in the IB exams as UWC.  We all know UWC is a top school, so how can SJII be a dumping ground??

[kiwi teacher]

Yes I agree totally with the last comment.

For a school to get an average  of 35 points for it first IB cohort is no mean feat!

[azili]

Yes I agree totally with the last comment.

For a school to get an average  of 35 points for it first IB cohort is no mean feat!

if i am not wrong, those who scored 35 points and above joined SJII at year 10 - ie they joined after completing their "O" levels elsewhere - for whatever reasons these students chose SJII over JCs (maybe they were unable to get into the branded JCs)and polys.  UWC takes in students of varying capabilities - SJII has not been able to attract the better local students and that's a fact. It is also a fact that the curriculum is better than the ave neighbourhood sec schools so parents who can afford it will send their children there.  Let's put it this way, its a school that is not allowed to fail!

[here we go]

Yes I agree totally with the last comment.

For a school to get an average  of 35 points for it first IB cohort is no mean feat!

if i am not wrong, those who scored 35 points and above joined SJII at year 10 - ie they joined after completing their "O" levels elsewhere - for whatever reasons these students chose SJII over JCs (maybe they were unable to get into the branded JCs)and polys.  UWC takes in students of varying capabilities - SJII has not been able to attract the better local students and that's a fact. It is also a fact that the curriculum is better than the ave neighbourhood sec schools so parents who can afford it will send their children there.  Let's put it this way, its a school that is not allowed to fail!

Why do people ignore the fact that there are a LOT of local parents who do NOT want their children in the local school system? The MOE does not allow Singaporean children to go to international schools, unless there is a good reason. One of these reasons is that the child has a learning disability, another reason is that they have been overseas and the child has been at an international school. Parents have to apply for permission to take their child out, and prove the reason they are stating. The international schools with local attachments are the exception.

The minute they get the chance to put their children into an other educational setting, the families who are able to (and the kids who are capable of passing the tests) move out of the local hot-houses and into a (comparatively speaking) more holistic environment.

[bogus]

While there certainly are local parents who would prefer their kids to attend an international school, they are in the minority. I socialize with many professional Singaporeans and I have never heard anything but subtle to not-so-subtle derision for the international schools.

The fact is the best path into Harvard, Oxbridge, Stanford and the rest of the top Unis is through the top local schools here, not the international schools.

[here we go]

Oh, come on! Are you honestly trying to say that all the Singaporeans you know genuinely expect their kids to go to one of the world's best universities? Even if that is true, which I doubt, do you really think this is representative of most parents in Singapore?

[Just passing By]

I would say, hand on heart, that that is a good assessment of the aspirations of many local parents.

[LMAO]

I would say, hand on heart, that that is a good assessment of the aspirations of many local parents.

Yeah, of course it is. I'd completely believe that too.

After all, we're talking about people with a tiny amount of actual spending power who are all desperately aiming for those "five C's" as though it's possible. My local colleagues all sent their band 2 and 3 scoring kids for the gifted education entrance exams. It's as plain as the rice in your bowl that these kids aren't gifted, but they still held out hope that their child would somehow be selected. So I have no problem believing that people here somehow expect their kids to attend ivy league colleges.