<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd">
<?xml encoding="UTF-8"><html><body><div id="attachment_123656" style="width: 1010px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-123656" onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-123656 size-full" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-yankrukov-8617740.jpg" alt="" width="1000" height="667" srcset="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-yankrukov-8617740.jpg 1000w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-yankrukov-8617740-800x534.jpg 800w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-yankrukov-8617740-320x213.jpg 320w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px">Photo courtesy of <a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/teacher-teaching-a-lesson-8617740/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pexels</a></div>Are you regularly texting your child&rsquo;s teachers with questions and concerns? Recently, Singapore&rsquo;s education minister Chan Chun Sing clarified his <a href="https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/teachers-phone-number-after-work-parents-call-whatsapp-4622446" target="_blank" rel="noopener">expectations</a> on this: teachers are not expected to respond to work-related messages outside of school hours.&nbsp;
From a teacher&rsquo;s perspective, most parents are reasonable, but there may be a handful of challenging parents to deal with, and this can become a mental load. At the same time, there are also busy parents who are unable to interact with teachers until they are off work themselves, which makes it hard to schedule a time to speak.
From our own dealings with parents, we are aware that sometimes, parents can come across too strongly in their communications with teachers, making collaboration difficult. Disgruntled parents may also air their views freely in class chat groups, and this creates a toxic environment for everyone.
How can we prevent school situations from escalating, and work towards a more harmonious relationship with our child&rsquo;s teachers? Try our tips below!
Before texting teachers, see if your class chat can help. For questions like what to bring on the following day, what uniform to wear, or what homework to complete, the class chat can be extremely helpful. If you have already approached the teacher and received useful information, do share that within the class chat as well, so that the teacher doesn&rsquo;t need to answer the same questions repeatedly.
Avoid messaging teachers during rest hours. Be mindful of the time when you message your child&rsquo;s teachers. Just as you likely prefer to avoid work-related texts after office hours, it&rsquo;s important to respect teachers&rsquo; personal time as well. Try to avoid texting teachers between 6PM and 6AM, as most teachers begin their workday early, around 7AM. Maintaining these boundaries allows teachers to recharge, ensuring they can be fully present for your child during the school day.&nbsp;
Focus on facts, not emotion. Although you may be writing to your child&rsquo;s teacher about a serious matter, such as classroom bullying, try to maintain a professional tone in your messages. Instead of saying &ldquo;I am very upset,&rdquo; you could say &ldquo;I am concerned&hellip;&rdquo;&nbsp;
For clarity, use bullet points where possible and keep your language simple and straightforward. When raising an issue with the teacher, be specific about what happened. For example, rather than saying &ldquo;My child was bullied,&rdquo; you could say, &ldquo;Earlier today, my child was shoved by two classmates on the way to the washroom. This is the third time this has happened this week.&rdquo; This approach provides the teacher with clear information and actionable details.
Be sure to end your message on a collaborative note, such as &ldquo;Please let me know how we can work together to resolve this quickly.&rdquo; This shows a willingness to cooperate, and helps foster a productive dialogue with the teacher.
Provide more than one way for teachers to contact you. Typically, you could ask teachers to contact you via phone or email. You can also mention if there are preferred hours for phone calls, especially if you&rsquo;re not available at certain times. For instance, you could say, &ldquo;I&rsquo;m generally available for calls between 9 AM and 5 PM, but you can always email me, and I will respond as soon as possible.&rdquo;
Including multiple contact options gives the teacher flexibility to choose their preferred mode of communication for each circumstance.
For non-urgent matters, give teachers a few days to respond. Teachers juggle multiple responsibilities, so it&rsquo;s important to be patient. If you have contacted a teacher about a non-urgent matter, wait two or more days for a response before following up. You might say, &ldquo;I understand you&rsquo;re busy, so no rush in getting back to me &mdash; I hope to hear from you by this week, or at your earliest convenience.&rdquo;
If you haven&rsquo;t received a reply after a reasonable time, a polite follow-up message can be sent, such as, &ldquo;Just checking in on my previous message&hellip;&rdquo; Other alternatives include calling the school, or showing up personally at the staff room, which should ensure that you are promptly attended to.
Respect privacy. Don&rsquo;t share teachers&rsquo; private responses, unless you have their explicit permission. Teachers&rsquo; messages are often intended for you or your child specifically, and forwarding them without consent could lead to misunderstandings or breaches of confidentiality. If you feel the information might be useful for other parents or the class, ask the teacher first: &ldquo;Would it be alright if I shared this with the class chat?&rdquo; This ensures that you maintain respectful communication and protect the teacher&rsquo;s privacy.
Respect the chain of communication. If the issue is more serious, such as unresolved problems with another student or other situations affecting your child&rsquo;s well-being, it&rsquo;s important to first communicate with the school, beginning with your child&rsquo;s teachers. If you don&rsquo;t get a response, or a satisfactory resolution, you can escalate it to the Ministry of Education &mdash; but always give the school a chance to address it first.
Send commendations too, not just complaints and concerns. Typically, parents reach out to teachers only when something has gone wrong, but it&rsquo;s equally important to acknowledge positive experiences. If your child has enjoyed a lesson or made progress due to a teacher&rsquo;s efforts, send a quick note of appreciation. These small gestures of gratitude can boost morale and strengthen the relationship between parents and teachers.
<a href="https://mautic.kiasuparents.com/form/13" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-123540" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/KSPFamilyHuddleWebinarIV_eNewsHerobanner.jpg" alt="" width="1080" height="630" srcset="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/KSPFamilyHuddleWebinarIV_eNewsHerobanner.jpg 1080w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/KSPFamilyHuddleWebinarIV_eNewsHerobanner-800x467.jpg 800w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/KSPFamilyHuddleWebinarIV_eNewsHerobanner-320x187.jpg 320w" sizes="(max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px"></a>
Calling all P6 parents: Wondering how to support your child when the PSLE results are released? Join our<a href="https://mautic.kiasuparents.com/form/13" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> KiasuParents Family Huddle on 30 October</a> to pick up practical tips from a psychiatrist!
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Messaging Your Child’s Teachers in Primary and Secondary School: Dos and Don’ts

2024 Year-End Holidays Enrichment Guide (Part 1)

<img onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-123632" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-mart-production-8471964-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="780" height="520" srcset="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-mart-production-8471964-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-mart-production-8471964-800x533.jpg 800w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-mart-production-8471964-320x213.jpg 320w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-mart-production-8471964-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-mart-production-8471964-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" />
With the year-end holidays just around the corner, it&#8217;s the best time to let your children recharge with fun activities and also get ready for the new school year. Our 2024 Year-End Enrichment Guide features holiday programmes and preparatory classes for various ages, including Math, Science, English, coding, brain training, art and creative play.
This is Part 2 of our special feature. <a href="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/article/2024-year-end-holidays-enrichment-guide-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Click here</a> to see more featured enrichment programmes in Part 1.
&nbsp;
Jump to: 
<a href="#nicklebee">Nicklebee Tutors</a>
<a href="#sgphysics">SG Physics, Chemistry, Math &amp; POA</a>
<a href="#academia">Academia</a>
<a href="#newtonshow">Newtonshow</a>
<a href="#oodles">Oodles Learning</a>
<a href="#littleartists">Little Artists Art Studio</a>
&nbsp;
<h2><a id="nicklebee"></a>NickleBee Tutors &#8211; Advanced PSLE Math Masterclass</h2>
<img onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-123469" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/KSP-NickleBee-OCT-2024-Year-End-Hol-Feature-Advanced-PSLE-Math-Masterclass.png" alt="" width="790" height="488" srcset="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/KSP-NickleBee-OCT-2024-Year-End-Hol-Feature-Advanced-PSLE-Math-Masterclass.png 1580w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/KSP-NickleBee-OCT-2024-Year-End-Hol-Feature-Advanced-PSLE-Math-Masterclass-800x494.png 800w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/KSP-NickleBee-OCT-2024-Year-End-Hol-Feature-Advanced-PSLE-Math-Masterclass-320x198.png 320w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/KSP-NickleBee-OCT-2024-Year-End-Hol-Feature-Advanced-PSLE-Math-Masterclass-1536x949.png 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 790px) 100vw, 790px" />
Want to help your High-Ability primary school child gain a Fast-Track Pass to TOP Integrated Programme Secondary Schools?
Take on the PSLE confidently with NickleBee Tutors’ “Advanced PSLE Math Masterclass”, perfect for those who wish to undertake the study of PSLE Math at a higher level and sharpen their ability to solve challenging and non-routine &#8216;Olympiad-style&#8217; math questions.
The Advanced PSLE Math Masterclass is NickleBee Tutors’ most popular flagship programme, with 87% of their Advanced Math students scoring AL1 in PSLE Math 2023! A very remarkable achievement!
In addition to the core P5 &amp; P6 PSLE Math MOE curriculum, students in the Masterclass will also explore introductory GEP Math &amp; Olympiad Math components such as
<ul>
<li>Investigative Math</li>
<li>Non-Routine Questions</li>
<li>Higher-Order Thinking Skills</li>
<li>Creative Problem-Solving Techniques</li>
<li>Advanced Heuristic Tools</li>
</ul>
The course is taught by Mr Zhou and is a 12-month programme commencing from the 1st week of October in each year and will run until the PSLE Math Paper of the following year.
Find out more about NickleBee Tutors’ Advanced PSLE Math Masterclass at <a href="https://nicklebeetutors.com/advanced-psle-math-masterclass/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://nicklebeetutors.com/advanced-psle-math-masterclass/</a>
Read about their GEP Math / Advanced School Math / Olympiad Math Small Group Tuition at <a href="https://nicklebeetutors.com/small-group-math-tuition/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://nicklebeetutors.com/small-group-math-tuition/</a>
&nbsp;
<h2><a id="sgphysics"></a>SG Physics, Chemistry, Math &amp; POA &#8211; 2024 Nov-Dec Holiday Revision &amp; Head Start Programmes</h2>
<a href="https://www.sgphysics.com/nov-dec-holiday-programme-2024" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-123543" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/SG-Physics_Greendot-Kiasu-Parents-EOY-Hol.jpg" alt="" width="790" height="488" srcset="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/SG-Physics_Greendot-Kiasu-Parents-EOY-Hol.jpg 790w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/SG-Physics_Greendot-Kiasu-Parents-EOY-Hol-320x198.jpg 320w" sizes="(max-width: 790px) 100vw, 790px" /></a>
Supercharge your child’s learning during the 2024 Nov-Dec Holidays with our comprehensive Physics, Chemistry, Math &amp; POA Revision &amp; Head Start Programmes. Designed for Upper Sec and JC students, these programmes offer a unique opportunity to solidify key concepts from 2024 and get an early start for 2025. Held at our Bishan, Bukit Timah, Jurong East, and Marine Parade centres, each programme spans 2-8 sessions, providing targeted revision to sharpen exam readiness and build a strong foundation for Term 1 2025.
Led by our experienced ex-MOE teachers, your child will benefit from proven teaching strategies, focused revision techniques, advanced problem-solving skills, and exam-focused tactics to boost understanding and performance. Our track record shows students improving by 2-3 grades, reflecting the effectiveness of our method. Don&#8217;t take our word for it—check out our 5-star Google reviews!
Enrol today and give your child the confidence to excel in the new academic year at <a href="https://www.sgphysics.com/nov-dec-holiday-programme-2024" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.sgphysics.com/nov-dec-holiday-programme-2024</a>
Sign up by Oct 2024 to enjoy free registration worth $50! More discounts available if you sign up for more than one subject.
&nbsp;
<h2> <a id="academia"></a>Academia &#8211; Winter Holiday Writing Modules</h2>
<img onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-123648" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/academia_Dec-2024.jpg" alt="" width="790" height="488" srcset="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/academia_Dec-2024.jpg 790w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/academia_Dec-2024-320x198.jpg 320w" sizes="(max-width: 790px) 100vw, 790px" />
Step into a season of growth with Academia&#8217;s 2024 Holiday Writing Programmes, where we blend the rigor of academic excellence with the joy of creative discovery. Since 2016, we&#8217;ve continuously refined our holiday modules, designed to elevate students&#8217; skills and expand their academic portfolios in a matter of days. From 2-day workshops to 3-day symposiums, we offer tailored experiences for primary students of all levels. Lower primary participants will dive into the art of storytelling, gaining foundational skills in narrative creation, while upper primary students will sharpen their advanced writing techniques, with an eye on PSLE success. More than just classes, our holiday programmes are immersive experiences that ignite a love for writing, boost confidence, and foster lifelong skills. Make this winter break a season of growth and inspired creativity! <a href="https://academia.com.sg/schedules/?utm_source=kpt&amp;utm_medium=article&amp;utm_campaign=wntr24" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Find out more.</a>
Fees: Starting from $160 before GST 
Dates: 18 November to 29 November 
Venue: 6 Sin Ming Road, #01-15 Sin Ming Plaza, Singapore 575585
<h2><a id="jelic"></a>JELIC &#8211; Brain Program for 3 – 6 year olds</h2>
<img onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-123590" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/Jelic-2024.jpg" alt="" width="790" height="487" srcset="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/Jelic-2024.jpg 1600w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/Jelic-2024-800x494.jpg 800w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/Jelic-2024-320x197.jpg 320w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/Jelic-2024-1536x948.jpg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 790px) 100vw, 790px" />
JELIC Program adopts an inquiry-embedded play approach to teaching and learning for 3-6 year old children.
It allows children to acquire knowledge, skills and dispositions for holistic development, as well as experience the joy of learning that upholds curiosity, creativity and confidence.
It also enhances a child’s development of linguistic, logic, mathematics, spatial and motor skills.
Visit <a href="http://sg.mpmmath.com/SGJelicCentres.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">http://sg.mpmmath.com/SGJelicCentres.html</a> for the nearest centre location and to contact individual centre.
Sign up by 15 Dec 2024 to enjoy 50% OFF Enrolment Package for new sign-ups
&nbsp;
<h2><a id="newtonshow"></a>Newtonshow Holiday Camp</h2>
<a href="https://www.newtonshowcamp.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-123523" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/NewtonShow-CAMP.jpg" alt="" width="790" height="488" srcset="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/NewtonShow-CAMP.jpg 790w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/NewtonShow-CAMP-320x198.jpg 320w" sizes="(max-width: 790px) 100vw, 790px" /></a>
Newtonshow holiday camp, running from 20 November 2024 to 20 January 2025, is packed with fun, learning, and all-new programs! We offer a range of subjects to suit every interest: science experiments, multiactivity days, exciting travel adventures, creative cooking classes, robotics building, LEGO engineering, art and craft sessions, sports activities, and outdoor exploration. Every day brings something new, engaging kids through hands-on experiences and creative play, all guided by our passionate, first-aid certified teachers.
Your child will enjoy a healthy lunch provided daily and, for your convenience, a door-to-door bus service is available upon request.
Camps operate from 9 AM to 4 PM across multiple locations—West, East, Novena, and Central Singapore—making it easy to join from anywhere!
Whether your child loves to cook, code, explore, or create, our camp offers a safe, supportive environment for them to learn, grow, and have fun. Don’t miss out on this unforgettable holiday adventure!
<a href="http://www.newtonshowcamp.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">www.newtonshowcamp.com</a>
&nbsp;
<h2><a id="oodles"></a>Oodles Learning &#8211; AY2025 K2 to P6 Complimentary Open House</h2>
<img onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-123547" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/oodles_year-end1.jpg" alt="" width="790" height="488" srcset="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/oodles_year-end1.jpg 790w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/oodles_year-end1-320x198.jpg 320w" sizes="(max-width: 790px) 100vw, 790px" />
Join the complimentary Open House for an interactive parent-sharing session on practical strategies to support your child’s learning at home. Meanwhile, your child will participate in a demo lesson, offering a firsthand experience of Oodles Learning’s unique teaching approach and class environment. Don’t miss this opportunity!
What’s in Store for You?
<ul>
<li>Curriculum Showcase: Discover our proven Oodles Learning curriculum, trusted by over 100,000 students in Singapore, and the unique Math strategies that have led to 80% AL1-AL3 success in PSLE.</li>
<li>Parental Guidance: Equip yourself with valuable tips on how to support your child’s learning journey at home effectively.</li>
<li>Free Demo Class: Your child will get a hands-on experience of an Oodles Learning class, giving them a sneak peek into our unique and interactive teaching approach.</li>
</ul>
Exclusive Open House Enrolment Promotions:
<ul>
<li>$100 off Course Fees</li>
<li>$60 Registration Fee Waiver</li>
<li>$20 Material Fee Waiver</li>
<li>$80 Credit Note for Term 2 Course Fees</li>
</ul>
Walk away with a free Oodles Learning goodie bag when you <a href="https://www.oodleslearning.com/ay2025-open-house/?utm_source=kiasuparents&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=open-house-oct24" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sign up for the Open House</a>!
&nbsp;
<h2><a id="littleartists"></a>Little Artists Art Studio &#8211; Artrageous Art Camps</h2>
<img onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-123579" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/LittleArtistsArtStudio.jpg" alt="" width="790" height="433" srcset="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/LittleArtistsArtStudio.jpg 1580w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/LittleArtistsArtStudio-800x438.jpg 800w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/LittleArtistsArtStudio-320x175.jpg 320w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/LittleArtistsArtStudio-1536x841.jpg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 790px) 100vw, 790px" />
Are you ready to step into a world of endless creativity and fun? At Artrageous Art Camps, young artists will explore art forms from sculpting and painting to sketching and more! Whether your child is a budding artist or a seasoned creator, there&#8217;s something for everyone.
Days are filled with hands-on activities where your child will experiment with watercolors, clay, soft pastels, acrylics, pen, and ink. Our senior students will hone their technical skills, while younger artists try their hand at creative styles in a vibrant, supportive environment. Campers will enjoy art films about famous artists during lunch breaks.
But that&#8217;s not all, we offer specialized programs too! Is your child passionate about Manga, fashion design, or cartoon illustrations? We&#8217;ve got you covered with a wide range of options, including portfolio-building opportunities for students preparing for college or university applications. For long-term development, we offer weekly classes for students of all ages and levels, from toddlers as young as 2.5 years to teenagers preparing portfolios for art university applications.
Led by passionate art educators from across the globe with Fine Arts or Design degrees, your child will be guided by expert hands. Expect them to come home with a collection of stunning projects, a certificate of completion, and a special goodie bag. Plus, they’ll receive a discount when enrolling in our regular programs at Little Artists. <a href="http://little-artists.com/enrol_now">Click here to register now</a>
Focus: Fine art, sculpture, craft and digital art 
Suitable for: Ages 4 to 17 
Duration: 23 Nov 2024 to 12 Jan 2025, Monday to Thursday, 10am to 5pm or 10am to 2pm (Weekends subject to availability) 
Cost: From $300 to $850 for normal camps, additional $25 for fully personalised programme; $345 to $685 for the Portfolio Workshop Camp (includes all materials) 
Location: #02-18 Siglap Centre, 55 Siglap Road 
Phone: 88792097
This is Part 2 of our special feature. <a href="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/article/2024-year-end-holidays-enrichment-guide-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Click here</a> to see more featured enrichment programmes in Part 1.

2024 Year-End Holidays Enrichment Guide (Part 2)

Secondary School Open House 2024

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd">
<?xml encoding="UTF-8"><html><body><div id="attachment_123554" style="width: 1010px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-123554" onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-123554 size-full" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-annushka-ahuja-8055504.jpg" alt="" width="1000" height="667" srcset="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-annushka-ahuja-8055504.jpg 1000w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-annushka-ahuja-8055504-800x534.jpg 800w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-annushka-ahuja-8055504-320x213.jpg 320w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px">Photo courtesy of <a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/father-and-daughter-sitting-on-the-bench-8055504/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pexels</a></div>In the past weeks, two school bullying incidents in Singapore have caught the attention of parents, after they received media publicity. The <a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/police-report-lodged-after-video-of-secondary-school-bullying-incident-goes-viral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">first incident</a> involved a group of secondary school students who taunted and assaulted a schoolmate, while the <a href="https://www.asiaone.com/singapore/video-boys-hitting-primary-school-pupil-circulates-police-investigating" target="_blank" rel="noopener">second</a> involved older boys who hit a primary school pupil. Both encounters were filmed and shared via social media.&nbsp;
These episodes show how physical bullying can easily spill over to the digital realm, which provides even more avenues for someone to be victimised by their harassers.&nbsp;
Back in 2014, a Singapore Children&rsquo;s Society <a href="https://www.childrensociety.org.sg/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/research-bites-issue-4-february-2018.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">survey</a> found that one in four youths had been a victim of &lsquo;traditional&rsquo; bullying, while one in nine had experienced cyberbullying. In recent years, however, cyberbullying has become more prevalent. Last year, a <a href="https://www.channelnewsasia.com/today/big-read/cyberbullying-damaging-young-lives-rampant-big-read-3238221" target="_blank" rel="noopener">private study</a> of individuals in Singapore &mdash; aged 15 and above &mdash; revealed that half had experienced online harm, such as cyberbullying or stalking.
When kids are younger and without access to digital devices in school, bullying tends to be confined to the physical world. But no matter where the harassment occurs, the <a href="https://www.apa.org/topics/bullying" target="_blank" rel="noopener">definition</a> of bullying is clear:
<blockquote>
Bullying is a form of aggressive behaviour in which someone intentionally and repeatedly causes another person injury or discomfort. Bullying can take the form of physical contact, words, or more subtle actions.
</blockquote>
As parents, we can&rsquo;t always detect if our child is bullying others, or being bullied. And if they do confide in us, we may not know how to respond.&nbsp;
For insights on bullying in Singapore, you can look up the Singapore Children&rsquo;s Society. Their findings for bullying in <a href="https://www.childrensociety.org.sg/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Bullying-in-singapore-primary-schools.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">primary school</a>, as well as <a href="https://www.childrensociety.org.sg/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Bullying-in-singapore-secondary-schools.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">secondary school</a>, provide a sense of what bullying looks like in the local school context. For instance, for both primary and secondary school students, name-calling is the most prevalent bullying act, while girls tend to experience more relational bullying than boys (e.g. ostracism).
<div id="attachment_123540" style="width: 1090px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-123540" onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-123540 size-full" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/KSPFamilyHuddleWebinarIV_eNewsHerobanner.jpg" alt="" width="1080" height="630" srcset="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/KSPFamilyHuddleWebinarIV_eNewsHerobanner.jpg 1080w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/KSPFamilyHuddleWebinarIV_eNewsHerobanner-800x467.jpg 800w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/KSPFamilyHuddleWebinarIV_eNewsHerobanner-320x187.jpg 320w" sizes="(max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px"><a href="https://mautic.kiasuparents.com/form/13" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Find out more and register now</a></div>
&nbsp;
<h2>Who is More Likely To Be Bullied? How Does Bullying Happen?</h2>
To answer this question, it&rsquo;s good to look at research beyond Singapore, which is more in-depth and extensive. A case in point is the findings highlighted by <a href="https://www.kit.org/who-is-most-at-risk-of-being-bullied/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kids Included Together</a> (a US nonprofit), which suggest that the following characteristics can increase one&rsquo;s risk of bullying:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Having a disability or <a href="https://das.org.sg/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/APJDD-10-2-3.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">special education need</a></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Being overweight or underweight</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Not being able to afford what peers consider &ldquo;cool&rdquo;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Mental health struggles, including depression</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Being perceived as &ldquo;weak&rdquo; (both physical or mental)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Being perceived as annoying or antagonising</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Identifying as LGBT+ (non-heterosexual)</li>
</ul>
Parents should also be aware of the common forms of traditional bullying, besides name-calling. These include:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Being the subject of rumours</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Being pushed, shoved, tripped, or spit on&nbsp;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Being excluded&nbsp;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Being threatened with harm&nbsp;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Being made to do things that one doesn&rsquo;t want to do</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Having one&rsquo;s belongings taken away or destroyed</li>
</ul>
For cyberbullying, typical behaviours include:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Sending abusive or threatening messages</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Sharing embarrassing images or videos</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://edu.gcfglobal.org/en/thenow/what-is-trolling/1/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trolling</a> with upsetting messages</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Excluding kids from online games or groups</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Online shaming or setting up hate sites</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Encouraging self-harm</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Abusive online polls</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Creating fake accounts to cause trouble</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Sending explicit messages (sexting)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Pressuring children into sending sexual images or engaging in sexual conversations</li>
</ul>
<h2>What to Do if Your Child is Being Bullied?</h2>
Concerned that your child is being targeted by bullies? These are some signs to look out for:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Unexplained injuries</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Lost or damaged belongings</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Frequent headaches, stomachaches, or faking illness</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Sudden changes in eating habits; skipping meals or binge eating</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Trouble sleeping or recurring nightmares</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Dropping grades, lack of interest in school, or avoiding school</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Loss of friends or avoiding social situations</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Feelings of helplessness or low self-esteem</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Self-destructive behaviors like running away, self-harm, or talking about suicide</li>
</ul>
If you notice the above signs in your child, or your child confides in you that they are being bullied, you can use the local resource <a href="https://www.bullyfree.sg/parents/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bullyfree.sg</a> to plan your next steps. Here&rsquo;s what they suggest:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Hear your child out.&nbsp;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Empathise with your child, and affirm them.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Ask your child how they would like to respond to the bullying, and how you can help.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Seek your child&rsquo;s consent to contact the school for support.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
In cases where parents are dissatisfied with the school&rsquo;s response, they should proceed to contact the Ministry of Education.
We also recommend listening to a <a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/05sYuhViRPwk4pssBCKVke?si=a7UGXPGxTiiZPx4AT4I_8Q&amp;nd=1&amp;dlsi=852199c8d89c429a" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Focus on the Family podcast</a> on bullying, featuring a local father-and-son pair. The son, now 14, was bullied in primary school, and he confided in his friends, as well as his family. Upon realising that his son was being bullied, the father first met up with fellow parents to seek advice, and was encouraged to approach the school. When speaking with the school, the father displayed empathy towards the bully, emphasising that education was the key, not punishment. Because the bully had targeted other children as well, theirs was not the only family to raise a complaint, and the school was compelled to take prompt action.&nbsp;
Ultimately, this close-knit family adopted a strategy to overcome the bullying, which could be summarised as:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Check-ins: Make time to ask about your child&rsquo;s day in school, who they are spending time with, and what challenges they&rsquo;re facing.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Communication: Allow for open communication with your child; be willing to hear all kinds of stories, not just positive ones.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Cosy corner: Create a safe space in your home for heart-to-heart talks. This can be a special nook, or it could just be the dinner table.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
<h2>What to Do if Your Child is a Bully?</h2>
Suspect that your child might be picking on their peers? Below are some signs that your child might be a bully:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Aggressive behaviour, such as physical or verbal fights</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Obsessed with popularity or social acceptance</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Social network includes kids who bully others</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">A lack of sympathy for those being bullied</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Frequent trips to the principal&rsquo;s office or detention</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Unexplained money or new belongings</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Blames others, avoids responsibility</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Spends excessive time online (common for cyberbullies)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Prone to testing limits and breaking rules</li>
</ul>
As the parent of a child who is bullying others, you will have to try to understand exactly what it is that your child has done. Talk to your child&rsquo;s teacher, and ask your child to explain their side of the story. Listen carefully without interrupting, but also make it clear that bullying is unacceptable.&nbsp;
To help your child reflect on their actions and understand the impact on others, you can take these steps:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Ask open-ended questions: Instead of accusing, ask questions like, &ldquo;How do you think the other person felt when that happened?&rdquo; or &ldquo;What would you feel if someone did that to you?&rdquo; This encourages empathy and reflection.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Use real-life examples: Without being too preachy, share stories where bullying has led to negative consequences. It could be a story from the news or something from your child&rsquo;s school, helping them to relate better.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Role-play scenarios: Have your child act out both roles &mdash; the bully and the person being bullied. Ask them how they feel in each role. This helps them to see both perspectives.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Talk about responsibility: Explain that taking responsibility means acknowledging what they did and making an effort to change. You can say, &ldquo;It&rsquo;s important to own up to mistakes because that&rsquo;s how we learn and grow.&rdquo;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Set specific goals for change: After discussing the situation, agree on clear steps that your child can take to improve their behaviour, like being kinder to others (e.g. giving positive comments or offering help) or avoiding situations that lead to bullying (e.g. limiting screen time or avoiding certain social media platforms). Regularly check in on how they&rsquo;re doing with these goals.</li>
</ul>
When it comes to bullying, taking action early can make all the difference in preventing long-term harm. Whether your child is being bullied or engaging in bullying, your guidance can help them to overcome these challenges and build healthier relationships.
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Understanding and Addressing Bullying: A Guide for Parents

<a href="https://pcf.org.sg/sparkletots/openhouse?utm_source=kiasuparents&amp;utm_medium=advertorial&amp;utm_campaign=pcfohoct24" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-123473" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/MD10627_PCF_Open_House_2024_KiasuParent_700x432px_R3.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="432" srcset="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/MD10627_PCF_Open_House_2024_KiasuParent_700x432px_R3.jpg 700w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/MD10627_PCF_Open_House_2024_KiasuParent_700x432px_R3-320x197.jpg 320w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></a>
Join us at our upcoming Open House happening across selected PCF Sparkletots Preschools islandwide! Experience firsthand how we ignite curiosity, build confidence, and foster a lifelong love of learning for your child.
&nbsp;
<img onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-123475" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/PCF_OpenHouse24_1.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="467" srcset="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/PCF_OpenHouse24_1.jpg 700w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/PCF_OpenHouse24_1-320x213.jpg 320w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" />
<h2>EVENT HIGHLIGHT: FREE PARENT-CHILD ACTIVITY</h2>
Join us for a complimentary *30-minute parent-child experiential activity to ignite creativity and joy.
What You&#8217;ll Discover:
<ul>
<li>A playful and nurturing environment that fosters your child&#8217;s development.</li>
<li>Creative activities that spark curiosity and ignite a love of learning.</li>
<li>Our dedicated teachers who are passionate about early childhood education.</li>
</ul>
Plus, take home a ^goodie bag filled with exciting surprises to continue the learning adventure at home!
Find out more at <a href="https://pcf.org.sg/sparkletots/openhouse?utm_source=kiasuparents&amp;utm_medium=advertorial&amp;utm_campaign=pcfohoct24">https://pcf.org.sg/sparkletots/openhouse</a>
 *Slots for experiential activity are limited and only those confirmed will receive an email confirmation from us. Only one adult is allowed to accompany each child. 
^Only for NEW parents and while stocks last.
&nbsp;
<img onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-123476" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/PCF_OpenHouse24_2.jpg" alt="" width="1315" height="878" srcset="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/PCF_OpenHouse24_2.jpg 1315w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/PCF_OpenHouse24_2-800x534.jpg 800w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/PCF_OpenHouse24_2-320x214.jpg 320w" sizes="(max-width: 1315px) 100vw, 1315px" />
<h2>A CURRICULUM THAT UNLOCKS POTENTIAL</h2>
At Sparkletots, our curriculum goes beyond academics, fostering good values and social skills alongside engaging hands-on experiences. We help your child blossom into a confident and well-rounded individual with a curriculum that includes:
<ol>
<li>Outdoor Learning Programme: Children explore, discover, and engage with the world beyond the classroom.</li>
<li>One MTL (One Mother Tongue Language) Programme: We teach the value of diversity and inclusion through rhymes, games, cultural celebrations and more.</li>
<li>STEMIE (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Invention and Entrepreneurship) Programme: Children creatively solve real-world problems, developing Future-Ready skills.</li>
<li>School Readiness Programme: We prepare children for a smooth and confident transition to primary school.</li>
</ol>
And the best part? Our capped fees provide families with quality, affordable early childhood education.
&nbsp;
<img onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-123477" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/PCF_OpenHouse24_3.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="467" srcset="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/PCF_OpenHouse24_3.jpg 700w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/PCF_OpenHouse24_3-320x213.jpg 320w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" />
<h2>CURIOUS ABOUT SPARKLETOTS?</h2>
Come chat with us during the Open House!
Don&#8217;t see your preferred location? No worries &#8211; visit any of our participating centres where our friendly team will be ready to answer your questions and help you find the perfect fit.
Make an appointment now: <a href="https://pcf.org.sg/sparkletots/openhouse?utm_source=kiasuparents&amp;utm_medium=advertorial&amp;utm_campaign=pcfohoct24" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://pcf.org.sg/sparkletots/openhouse</a>
We can&#8217;t wait to see you there!

Spark Your Child’s Full Potential at the PCF Sparkletots Open House

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<?xml encoding="UTF-8"><html><body><div id="attachment_123533" style="width: 2570px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-123533" onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-123533 size-full" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-gabby-k-5062815-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="2560" height="1707" srcset="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-gabby-k-5062815-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-gabby-k-5062815-800x533.jpg 800w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-gabby-k-5062815-320x213.jpg 320w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-gabby-k-5062815-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-gabby-k-5062815-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px">Photo courtesy of <a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/multiethnic-thoughtful-girls-playing-chess-in-modern-room-5062815/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pexels</a></div>What should your child do after the PSLE? Of course, they deserve a break from studies, and relaxation should be the priority!&nbsp;
At the same time, you might want to do some advance planning, so that your child can have a smooth transition into secondary school life.
Below are three discussions that we think every P6 parent should have with their child, soon after the PSLE is over:
<h2>Start Your Secondary School Research Now</h2>
This year&rsquo;s PSLE results will tentatively be <a href="https://www.moe.gov.sg/national-exams-dates" target="_blank" rel="noopener">released</a> between Wednesday, 20 November and Friday, 22 November 2024. However, some secondary schools will hold their Open House events before that. If there are schools you are eager to visit, you should already be checking the school websites or contacting them directly for Open House details.
For parents experiencing the PSLE for the first time, this may come as a surprise: when the results are released, it can be an emotional experience, especially if your child&rsquo;s grades are below expectations. Couple this with your other commitments (such as work), and it may feel stressful to suddenly have to check out schools that were previously not on your radar.&nbsp;
<div id="attachment_123540" style="width: 1090px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://mautic.kiasuparents.com/form/13" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-123540" onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-123540 size-full" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/KSPFamilyHuddleWebinarIV_eNewsHerobanner.jpg" alt="" width="1080" height="630" srcset="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/KSPFamilyHuddleWebinarIV_eNewsHerobanner.jpg 1080w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/KSPFamilyHuddleWebinarIV_eNewsHerobanner-800x467.jpg 800w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/KSPFamilyHuddleWebinarIV_eNewsHerobanner-320x187.jpg 320w" sizes="(max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px"></a><a href="https://mautic.kiasuparents.com/form/13" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Find out more and register for this webinar</a></div>
If your child&rsquo;s results have been erratic and you&rsquo;re not sure how they will perform at the PSLE, start your school research now. Take note of all nearby schools, see if they&rsquo;ve been in the news, and check when you can visit them. If you are not available to attend their Open House events, try sending questions via email, or ask if you can schedule a private call.
As for preparations before visiting schools, keep it simple by consulting parents on forums or checking with your personal network. You can also visit the schools&rsquo; social media accounts to get a sense of their culture, their strengths, and their programmes.&nbsp;
To keep an open mind when you visit schools at Open House events, focus on the most important stakeholders &mdash;&nbsp;the students. How do students approach you, are they attentive, and how much maturity and depth do they display when trying to answer your questions? For instance, one parent told us about an encounter that impressed her during an Open House event at a neighbourhood secondary school: she asked a student about school bullying, and they replied that school policies might be in place, but policies alone could not prevent negative actions by individual students.&nbsp;
Another factor to look for is school pride: Do students seem happy to be in their school, and are they able to articulate why they are satisfied? We heard from a parent who visited a neighbourhood school, and was shown a recreation room that the students themselves had designed. These&nbsp;students told her that because they had ownership in this process, everyone was motivated to keep the room and its contents in excellent condition. This helped the parent to see that there was a sense of personal responsibility in the school.
Finally, you should bear in mind that <a href="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/article/secondary-school-ranking-insights-for-2024" target="_blank" rel="noopener">school cut-off points</a> may fluctuate from year to year. If, for example, your child&rsquo;s prelim score is 17, you can look at schools with cut-off scores between 16 and 20. The schools in your final selections should have a range of cut-off scores &mdash;&nbsp;if not, your child&rsquo;s posting might be left to the mercy of computer algorithms.
<h2>Assess if Tutoring and Enrichment are Still Needed</h2>
Did your child enjoy their tutoring sessions and enrichment classes in Primary 6? Were the teachers motivating, or were they careless with their words, which occasionally upset your child? Did they offer ideas on effective ways to study, or were they solely focused on completing sample papers? If they were drilling your child on practice questions, how did they track mistakes and ensure that the same mistakes were not repeated? Did your child&rsquo;s grades improve under their guidance? These are some questions for reflection or discussion with your child.
If your child has a good relationship with a tutor, or enjoys a class &mdash; and it&rsquo;s within your budget &mdash; you can consider continuing this in Secondary 1. Here&rsquo;s why: the Secondary 1 transition can feel significant, especially if your child won&rsquo;t be entering a school with familiar faces. Maintaining some relationships from primary school can provide much-needed stability and comfort.&nbsp;
However, some parents prefer to let their child experience a year of independent learning in Secondary 1. If not, the child might expect to be handheld for every subject that they&rsquo;re taking, and it&rsquo;s excessive to hire tutors for subjects like History and Geography.&nbsp;
That said, do also be mindful that your child may not know exactly what to do for revision. If this is the case, you can <a href="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu" target="_blank" rel="noopener">use our guide</a> to help your child define their scope of work, create a task list, set goals and deadlines, and learn to study effectively during designated revision hours.&nbsp;
There&rsquo;s no reason to wait till the new school year to start discussing all of the above &mdash; post-PSLE is the perfect time to have these talks.
<h2>Be Intentional about CCAs</h2>
Does your child want to continue with their CCA in secondary school? It&rsquo;s good to discuss this right after the PSLE, when your child is no longer bogged down with schoolwork. There are two less-straightforward scenarios to consider.
Situation A: Your child wants to continue with their CCA, but it&rsquo;s not offered in their affiliated/preferred secondary school.
If this is the case, you&rsquo;ll need to look for an alternative training setup, as well as check with your child&rsquo;s preferred secondary school if they can represent the school in competitions while training externally. This involves time, travel, and training fees, so it&rsquo;s good to map this out early.
You should also check with your preferred secondary school if students need to join a recreational CCA within the school, despite their external training commitments. If yes, you may want to consider alternative secondary schools that can better support your child&rsquo;s CCA development.
Situation B: Your child wants to try a new CCA in secondary school.
There are two ways to approach this &mdash; interest versus strategy. Being led by interest means your child goes ahead to try out for whatever they&rsquo;re most keen on. They may not be able to qualify for the school team, but there&rsquo;s also much to be gained from recreational CCAs, which usually take up less time and don&rsquo;t involve representing the school in competitions. This also means that if they don&rsquo;t secure a spot in their preferred CCA, they will have to pick something else that might not be as appealing to them.
Being strategic, on the other hand, means that your child is eying a spot on the school team. This may be because they are naturally competitive, or they might want to secure their CCA bonus points for the O-Levels. Such children might gravitate towards an emerging school team, rather than one that is established. In other words, perhaps the activity was newly introduced in the school, and a school team is just being put together, with a greater chance for newcomers without prior experience to qualify. Being on such teams would then give the student an edge when they move on to their post-secondary institution, if they wish to continue with the activity.
A child could also gain a spot on a prestigious team, but it&rsquo;s often with the help of parents who have familiarity with the sport and are able to arrange for coaching and competition exposure immediately after the PSLE.
By setting things into motion before the new school year begins, your child will have a better chance of securing their desired outcome.
Join the discussion on Secondary School Selection in our <a href="https://forum.kiasuparents.com/category/48/secondary-schools-selection" target="_blank" rel="noopener">KSP Forum</a>. You may also read about other parents&rsquo; thoughts on secondary schooling or find recommendations on CCAs <a href="https://forum.kiasuparents.com/category/29/secondary-schools-academic-support" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.
Want to hear from an expert? Join our <a href="https://mautic.kiasuparents.com/form/13" target="_blank" rel="noopener">KiasuParents Family Huddle on 30 October</a> to learn how you can support your child appropriately when exam results are released so as to maintain good mental health and prevent suicide.&nbsp;Pick up practical tips from Dr Jared Ng, a Psychiatrist and&nbsp;Founder and Medical Director of Connections MindHealth (Novena Medical Centre).
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Beyond the PSLE: Critical Decisions on Schools, CCAs, and Next Steps

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<?xml encoding="UTF-8"><html><body><div id="attachment_123493" style="width: 1610px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-123493" onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-123493 size-full" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/boy-in-yellow-crew-neck-t-shirt-while-holding-tablet-4144102.jpg" alt="" width="1600" height="1068" srcset="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/boy-in-yellow-crew-neck-t-shirt-while-holding-tablet-4144102.jpg 1600w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/boy-in-yellow-crew-neck-t-shirt-while-holding-tablet-4144102-800x534.jpg 800w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/boy-in-yellow-crew-neck-t-shirt-while-holding-tablet-4144102-320x214.jpg 320w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/boy-in-yellow-crew-neck-t-shirt-while-holding-tablet-4144102-1536x1025.jpg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px">Photo courtesy of <a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/boy-in-yellow-crew-neck-t-shirt-while-holding-tablet-4144102/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pexels</a></div>Are you still overseeing your Secondary 1 child&rsquo;s studies? In other words, are you hiring tutors for them, sending them to enrichment classes, and reminding them to revise for their exams?
One of our community members shared with us that she was ready to let her Secondary 1 child handle his year-end exam revision on his own. Her intention was to let the results speak for themselves: If her child did badly in the exams, it would provide the push to seek support and change habits in the next year.
However, her child started to arrange his own study sessions with friends in school, and he would only arrive home in the evening. It was not clear how much was achieved during these sessions. Back home, he mostly spent time on devices, for entertainment purposes. Her spouse became concerned, and at the last minute, they printed and bought year-end exam papers, and assigned them to their child.&nbsp;
The above scenario may sound familiar to you. Or, if you have more than one child, you may be struck that your children have different work habits and manage their studies differently.&nbsp;
Another community member shared with us that her older child had a very stable experience from Secondary 1 to 4, where all learning needs were supported by the school. This child was tutored in Chinese and Science in primary school, but only continued with Chinese tuition in secondary school. The child would arrange for online tutoring sessions on her own, and decide on the duration of each session as needed. Eventually, with little supervision on the parents&rsquo; part, the child sat for the O-Levels and received a single-digit score.&nbsp;
With a smooth experience behind them, this parent thought she could leave her younger child to manage their own studies in secondary school. However, the younger child seems to have less awareness about what it takes to prepare for exams, as well as less discipline for getting a substantial amount of work done. For instance, the younger child might work on multiple-choice exercises for 15 minutes and declare revision as &ldquo;complete for the day,&rdquo; or they might take several hours to work on a handful of Maths problem sums.
If your child is not ready to manage their studies on their own, you may still have to support them in the secondary school years. How can you provide support, but at the same time, nudge your child into becoming an independent learner? We&rsquo;ll look at some strategies below!
<h2>Take Stock of Tasks</h2>
Here&rsquo;s the challenge: Your secondary school teen has more subjects to study for than in primary school, and the preparation required for a subject like English Literature is quite different from preparing for Maths.&nbsp;
To help your teen get a clear sense of their work scope, help them set up a spreadsheet to list the revision tasks associated with each subject. If there are subjects they are being tutored in, have a conversation with both the tutor and your teen, to set expectations about task management.
As part of habit formation, look at your teen&rsquo;s existing study methods. Are they primarily using the following study techniques, which are proven to be less effective, according to <a href="https://pcl.sitehost.iu.edu/rgoldsto/courses/dunloskyimprovinglearning.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">research</a>?
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">Highlighting or underlining</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">Summarising</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">Keyword mnemonics</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">Using imagery</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">Rereading</li>
</ul>
The above study methods are commonly used because they feel productive and comforting to the learner. However, effective learning requires engagement with the concepts that your teen is trying to master. Below are the science-backed study methods that your teen should be prioritising:
<ul>
<li>Self-explanation: Explaining learning materials to oneself</li>
<li>Elaborative interrogation: Asking &ldquo;how&rdquo; and &ldquo;why&rdquo; questions to deepen understanding</li>
<li>Practice testing: Working on practice questions</li>
<li>Distributed practice: Studying a topic with breaks in between. The length of the breaks could vary between hours and weeks, or longer</li>
<li>Interleaved practice: Covering different subjects or topics in one study session</li>
</ul>
Instead of spending hours creating summary notes and rereading textbooks, your teen is likely to see better gains from active learning methods. For example, working on a sample paper is an easy way to combine the &ldquo;practice testing&rdquo; and &ldquo;interleaved practice&rdquo; methods, while &ldquo;self-explanation&rdquo; could be your teen describing what they have learned over the dinner table.
<h2>Be Aware of Timelines</h2>
Does your teen know when tests and exams are being held? If exams are next week, and your teen doesn&rsquo;t know which day each exam falls, this is a red flag.&nbsp;
At the end of the school year, have a discussion with your teen about the final results, and the goals for the next year. By then, you and your teen will be aware of the weighted assessment schedule, which will help you in planning for the years ahead.
In your teen&rsquo;s task tracker, there should be columns for measurable targets and deadlines. For instance, before the year-end exam, they might aim to complete two practice papers for each subject by a certain date.
In terms of daily time management, you could say to your teen: Do you know that we have <a href="https://waitbutwhy.com/2016/10/100-blocks-day.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">1,000 minutes</a> to spend in a day, not counting the time that we sleep? This is equivalent to 100 blocks of 10 minutes each.
This provides a useful way to start a conversation on time management. You can discuss the difference between meaningful and less beneficial activities, and decide how much time should be allocated to everything that your teen hopes to do in a day. As an exercise, assign colour codes to various activity types &mdash; such as time spent in school &mdash; and fill in a <a href="https://waitbutwhy.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/100-blocks-pdf.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">time management grid</a> to get a visual representation of your teen&rsquo;s typical day. It might also help you to see that your teen is overloaded with activities, and needs more downtime.
<h2>Optimise Study Sessions with Productivity Hacks</h2>
The <a href="https://todoist.com/productivity-methods/pomodoro-technique" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pomodoro Technique</a> is a good way for your teen to manage study time more effectively. It&rsquo;s popular among both students and professionals, and involves working in 25-minute bursts, followed by 5-minute breaks. After completing four of these cycles, they can take a longer break of 15 to 30 minutes. This structured approach helps them stay on track, avoid burnout during long study sessions, and maintain momentum.
If your teen plans to study with friends, they can incorporate the <a href="https://fs.blog/feynman-technique/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Feynman Technique</a>. This method involves having them explain what they&rsquo;ve learned in simple, everyday language, as if teaching it to someone else. By breaking down complex concepts into clear explanations, they can spot any gaps in their understanding, leading to a deeper and more thorough grasp of the material.
Another productivity strategy is Time Blocking, where specific periods are allocated to each subject or task. This approach allows for a more balanced distribution of time, preventing certain subjects from being neglected. For example, if your teen is taking eight subjects, with eight spare hours during weekdays, they could set aside an hour for each subject each week, ensuring that every subject gets adequate attention.
However, your teen should also be aware that not all subjects are equally important. Applying the <a href="https://fs.blog/antifragile-life/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">80/20 Rule</a> can boost study efficiency by focusing on the 20% of study activities that yield the most significant results. For instance, if your teen struggles with their Mother Tongue language but doesn&rsquo;t need it for entry into their desired post-secondary pathway, it&rsquo;s not worth spending too much time on this. Instead, they should focus on subjects like English and Maths, where strong grades are crucial for post-secondary admission. This prioritisation ensures that energy is directed toward the tasks that will have the greatest impact on their overall performance.
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Should Teens Manage Their Own Studies in Secondary School?

Amber Test Article

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At what age should you give your child their first smartphone? In primary school, so that you can contact them easily? Or should it wait till they’re in Secondary 1, or even beyond that?
There is the fear that early smartphone introduction leads to poorer mental health. One <a href="https://www.afterbabel.com/p/sapien-smartphone-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">study</a> has shown that owning a smartphone at a younger age predicts lower self-worth, motivation, and resilience in young adulthood, as well as more emotional health issues in girls.
Some local parents follow Adam Grant, an organisational psychologist with a prominent social media presence. His <a href="https://x.com/AdamMGrant/status/1658121692416204801?lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">advice</a> is that smartphone ownership should wait till high school. In the local context, this would mean giving a child their first smartphone at the age of 14.
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In Singapore, it was <a href="https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/sporean-children-get-first-internet-device-age-8-among-youngest-worldwide-google" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> several years ago that children get their first internet-connected device at age 8, which makes them the youngest in the world to go online. This is sometimes due to school policies, which mandate that children should use a <a href="https://www.moe.gov.sg/news/parliamentary-replies/20201102-personal-learning-device" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Personal Learning Device</a> or PLD. Some parents are against this, and they may even choose a school that does not enforce a learning device in the primary school years. However, many parents will be inclined to go with the flow, and they may also provide their children with a smartphone in primary school, because it’s easier to coordinate school pick-ups if children are heavily involved in their co-curricular activities.
We feel that this is an essential topic to discuss as a community, and we would like to invite you to join the <a href="https://mautic.kiasuparents.com/form/9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">KSP Family Huddle webinar </a>on 26 September 2024, to discover safer ways for our children to use their smartphones.
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Below, let’s look at what you can do to minimise the risks of smartphones for your children.
<h2>Putting Limits on Device Use</h2>
According to a <a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/about-one-in-two-s-porean-youth-has-problematic-smartphone-use-imh-study" target="_blank" rel="noopener">local study</a>, one in two Singapore youths (between the ages of 15 and 21) have problematic smartphone habits. 
What does “problematic” mean? In the context of the study, it refers to dependence and the time spent on smartphones, as well as the problems that may arise from smartphone reliance. For example, this could involve frustration when one doesn’t have access to a device, physical discomforts such as wrist or neck pain from prolonged device use, or being distracted from work or school responsibilities. 
As parents, if you have social media or use your phone in a variety of ways, you’ll find it easier to spot the <a href="https://www.instagram.com/nytimes/reel/C3vhVeGOfbO/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">risk areas</a> for your child. For instance, one of our community members recalled that when her son was nine years old, he requested to turn on comments for his coding account, but she refused. She talked to him about the possible pitfalls of unsolicited comments, and asked if he was ready to hear negative or cruel feedback about the games he had created. During this conversation, her son realised that he had wanted to turn on comments because he was seeking only positive reinforcement and validation. After which, he was able to accept the advice to turn off commenting on his account. Currently, at age 13, her son still does not have any social media accounts. At the dinner table, she shows him interesting posts that she comes across on Instagram and TikTok. For awareness, she also shows him the unsolicited messages that she receives, such as from ‘romance scammers.’
We also know of parents who will download the latest game craze (like Pokemon Go several years back) to see what the pull factor is. When you can personally understand that games are addictive and time consuming, and have experienced how the hours can fly by without one realising it, it will make you more attentive to the apps that your child has installed on their phone.
Some local parents swear by digital literacy workshops like <a href="https://www.littledayout.com/bite-sized-parenting-5-things-learnt-brain-defense-class-digital-literacy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Brain Defense</a>, to help children become aware of online dangers such as cyber bullying, pornography, and internet addiction. We also know local parents who use <a href="https://www.techradar.com/best/best-parental-control-app-of-year" target="_blank" rel="noopener">control apps</a> to track their children’s online activities, as well as impose screen time limits. 
The need for these measures depends on your family’s values, and what your child is actually doing while online. Remember: you can’t monitor what you don’t know, and a good place to start is by asking these questions:
<ol>
<li style="font-weight: 400">What apps or games does your child spend the most time on?</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">How does your child feel when they can&#8217;t use their phone for a while?</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Does your child often get distracted from homework because of their phone?</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Has your child encountered any content online that made them uncomfortable or upset?</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Do you think your child’s screen time affects their sleep or mood?</li>
</ol>
Not sure of the answers to the above questions? It’s time to have a chat with your child. This knowledge will help to pinpoint areas where you can step in with guidance.
<h2>The Best Defence Against Smartphones</h2>
A strong relationship with your child is your best defence against the negative effects of smartphone use. Open, honest communication creates an environment where your child feels safe to share their experiences — both good and bad — without fear of judgement. When they know you’re genuinely interested in their digital life, they’re more likely to come to you when they face challenges online.
You can try to set reasonable boundaries for smartphone use, but it’s more important to model healthy device usage yourself. If your child sees you balancing your screen time with other activities like family time, work, or hobbies, they’re more likely to adopt a similar approach. Instead of making smartphone use a source of conflict, turn it into a learning opportunity. Discuss the importance of time management, the risks of screen addiction, and the benefits of staying connected offline.
Parents who are teachers may be particularly attuned to the perils of screens, because they’ve seen how it affects their students in school. In such families, screen time conversations and negotiations are an ongoing process. It’s challenging to enforce hard limits especially when children reach their teen years, so you may find yourself resorting to daily ‘nagging’ to keep things in check. 
From our conversations with other families, here are two strategies that we think are healthy:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Keeping device use out in the open, where parents and children use their phones out in the living room or other shared spaces, and bedroom doors are kept open by default.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Finding fun ways to use devices together, such as by playing collaborative games, or viewing shows as a family.</li>
</ul>
We also know of parents who check their teens’ phones or follow them on social media. This is a grey area, as it crosses into autonomy and personal space, and can lead to feelings of distrust if not handled carefully. Instead of constant surveillance, focus on building trust by setting clear expectations around phone use and discussing any concerns openly. Encourage your child to come to you if they encounter anything troubling online.
By fostering an environment of mutual respect, you&#8217;ll help your child develop the skills to manage their screen time safely and responsibly. Ultimately, the goal is not just to limit device use, but to teach children how to self-regulate and make healthy choices.
Need more insights on safe and healthy smartphone habits for children? Join the <a href="https://mautic.kiasuparents.com/form/9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">KSP Family Huddle</a> on 26 September 2024, where our expert guests will provide guidance!

Anxious About Your Child’s Smartphone Use? You’re Right to Be Concerned!

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<?xml encoding="UTF-8"><html><body><div id="attachment_123034" style="width: 1010px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-123034" onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-123034 size-full" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-katerina-holmes-5905922.jpg" alt="" width="1000" height="667" srcset="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-katerina-holmes-5905922.jpg 1000w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-katerina-holmes-5905922-800x534.jpg 800w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-katerina-holmes-5905922-320x213.jpg 320w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px">Photo courtesy of <a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/children-with-black-teacher-studying-biology-5905922/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pexels</a></div>Have you been keeping up with the news surrounding our Gifted Education Programme, better known as the GEP?
For background knowledge, the <a href="https://www.todayonline.com/big-read/big-read-gifted-education-programme-2480876" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Big Read from Today</a> is a good place to start. It features interviews with past students from the programme, as well as insights from educators and experts on identifying and supporting exceptionally bright children. The article also maps out how the GEP has evolved over the years, and what the next big change will be.
Here&rsquo;s the most important thing you need to know: Currently, just one percent of each year&rsquo;s primary school cohort &mdash; around 370 to 400 students &mdash; is selected for the GEP, after two rounds of testing. Apart from the GEP, primary schools also have <a href="https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/gifted-education-programme-gep-changed-high-ability-programme-primary-school-4554336" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&ldquo;enriched&rdquo; programmes</a> for higher-ability kids, and these programmes are estimated to benefit seven percent of the cohort.
In the change that&rsquo;s coming up, the GEP will be revamped so that it can benefit 10 percent of the cohort, and every primary school will be equipped to identify and develop its high-ability students.&nbsp;
The new selection process will begin in 2026 for Primary 3 students. In other words, those starting Primary 4 in 2027 will be the first batch of students under the new programme. Instead of going through two stages of testing, students will only go through one stage of tests, to be assessed on their English and Maths capabilities. Schools can also identify students for the programme based on other measures such as day-to-day observations or schoolwork. Beyond the official selections, students can still be offered placements at multiple points between Primary 4 and 6.&nbsp;
This approach is much more flexible, and allows schools to cater for diverse learning profiles. Apart from in-school programmes, there will also be programmes that children can attend in other schools.
Although the revamped GEP programme will benefit more students, some parents may worry: What if my child is still not selected? Will they be left out of these valuable opportunities for learning?&nbsp;
Read on to find out what we think!
<h2>Focus on Growth, Not Labels: Not Getting into High-Ability Programmes Isn&rsquo;t a Failure</h2>
In Singapore, there is a tendency to let labels define us. As adults, we often judge ourselves based on our income levels, career progression, whether we attended brand-name universities, and much more. Similarly, we may look for markers to assess the children in our lives, saying things like&nbsp;&ldquo;My niece is in a good school, but my child is in a neighbourhood school.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Even the most well-intentioned parents are not immune to making statements that can be damaging for the children who interact with us. This is especially so if your own children have had fairly smooth-sailing academic journeys, and have received a lot of validation through school representation opportunities, awards, and invitations to join special programmes. If you fall in this category, do be mindful that you will not be able to truly understand what it feels like to raise a struggling learner. The best thing you can do is refrain from giving advice, and focus on listening more, as well as providing empathy and emotional support.
Conversely, if you are anxious about your child not being &lsquo;good enough&rsquo; for a high-ability programme, here&rsquo;s what you should know.
First, it&rsquo;s essential to recognise outcome bias, where we tend to judge success based solely on a final outcome. In the context of high-ability programmes, some parents might view their child&rsquo;s value through the lens of whether they get into a prestigious programme. A mindset shift involves understanding that the process &mdash; how your child learns, engages, and grows &mdash; is what matters in the long run. When you stop equating selection with success, you free yourself from outcome bias and can focus on nurturing your child&rsquo;s overall development.
Second, although giftedness requires an innate level of intellect, neuroscience research into neuroplasticity reveals that the brain continues to grow and change throughout life, particularly when faced with new challenges. By shifting your perspective away from a fixed window of opportunity, such as getting into the GEP by a certain age, you&rsquo;ll realise that your child&rsquo;s potential is not capped by their ability to meet a specific standard at an early age. Remind yourself that learning and cognitive development are ongoing processes, and a child who isn&rsquo;t selected now can still excel later in life with the right support and opportunities.
Finally, do address your social comparison bias, which is a natural but often unproductive tendency to compare your child to others. This is especially common in competitive academic environments like Singapore. Frequent social comparison can lead to increased stress and anxiety for both you and your child. If you shift the focus to celebrating your child&rsquo;s personal gains, this will create a healthier and more supportive environment for your child to thrive on their own terms.
<h2>Nurturing Your Child&rsquo;s Potential Without Special Programmes</h2>
Are there any learning traits that current or ex-GEP students display, which you can try to develop in your child?&nbsp;
If you know of such individuals in your social circle, observe them to see how they learn, even in casual situations like figuring out a new game. If you&rsquo;re working alongside someone who used to be in the GEP, you can also observe what they do better than most people. These are insights that you can use to identify skills that would benefit your child.
From our personal observations, these are some learning traits that high-ability children and adults might have, which can be nurtured in anyone:
Active Summarising: Some high-ability learners have the habit of recapping key points after someone explains something to them, often asking, &ldquo;Is this what you meant?&rdquo; This habit ensures clarity and reinforces understanding. To develop this skill in your child, encourage them to restate what they&rsquo;ve heard after conversations or lessons. You can ask: &ldquo;Can you explain that in your own words?&rdquo; This helps your child to process information and check for understanding. Practising this regularly, whether after reading or during discussions, strengthens their ability to grasp key concepts and improves communication skills.
Asking Questions: Many high-ability learners are eager to ask questions to deepen their understanding. Some children feel comfortable approaching a teacher after class, or asking knowledgeable adults about topics they&rsquo;re curious about. For introverted children, they may use tools like ChatGPT instead. To encourage a similar habit in your child, ask them after school or during meals: &ldquo;What made you curious today?&rdquo; or &ldquo;Is there something you want to know more about?&rdquo; This encourages reflection and helps them open up. You can also suggest they jot down questions during class or while reading, and get them to think about who would be the best person to answer these questions.&nbsp;
Connecting Ideas: Many high-ability learners naturally connect new information to what they already know, allowing them to see patterns and relationships between concepts more easily. To encourage this skill in your child, prompt them to think about how new ideas relate to things they&rsquo;ve learned before. You can ask, &ldquo;Does this remind you of something else you know?&rdquo; or &ldquo;How is this similar or different from what you&rsquo;ve learned before?&rdquo; This practice helps them build a deeper understanding of new material, and strengthens critical thinking skills.
Seeking Feedback: Some high-ability learners see feedback as essential for growth and actively seek it out. To nurture this in your child, create a positive environment around feedback by emphasising its role in learning and improvement. Acknowledge that feedback can sometimes feel intimidating, but if one asks for specific and actionable steps to improve, the resulting feedback can be easier to process. (Instead of &ldquo;Do you think this is good?&rdquo;, ask &ldquo;How can I make this part better?&rdquo;) Encourage your child to make a habit of getting feedback, reinforcing the idea that feedback is a tool for progress, not judgement.&nbsp;
Curiosity-Driven Learning: Many high-ability learners display strong curiosity by exploring topics in depth and asking detailed &ldquo;why&rdquo; or &ldquo;how&rdquo; questions to deepen their understanding. To nurture this in your child, you could create a system where they write down their questions or topics of interest, and choose one each week to explore. You can guide them in finding resources like books or documentaries to investigate these topics, encouraging them to share what they&rsquo;ve learned with you. Consider setting aside daily time for independent exploration, allowing your child to focus on a specific interest and track their discoveries in a journal. If they express strong interest in a particular subject, help them connect with experts by drafting emails to professionals or visiting places like museums. This kind of engagement helps to transform their curiosity into deeper knowledge and practical learning experiences.
Goal Setting: Students of all abilities will benefit from setting clear goals, which helps them focus their curiosity and efforts. Establishing both short-term and long-term goals allows them to channel their interests into achievable tasks, fostering a sense of progress and accomplishment. To nurture goal setting in your child, encourage them to set specific and measurable goals related to their interests. For example, if they&rsquo;re curious about a particular topic, they could aim to read a certain number of books or complete a project within a set time. Help them break down large goals into smaller steps, and regularly check on their progress. This not only keeps them motivated, but also teaches important skills like planning, time management, and self-discipline. Over time, goal setting will help them turn curiosity into sustained learning and success.
Want to discuss the GEP with other parents? Join the conversation on the <a href="https://forum.kiasuparents.com/topic/30/all-about-gep?page=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">KSP forum</a>!
&nbsp;
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What If My Child Can’t Get Into the Revamped Gifted Education Programme?

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<?xml encoding="UTF-8"><html><body>The September school holidays, from 31 August to 8 September 2024, offer a much-needed break for your kids.&nbsp;
While it might be tempting to let the kids focus on exam revision or fill their schedule with workshops, this short holiday is also an opportunity to bond as a family. Instead of the usual routines, why not explore five exciting local experiences that everyone can enjoy together? Read on to find out more!
<h2>Explore Play and Nostalgia at the Singapore Night Festival</h2>
&nbsp;
<div id="attachment_122833" style="width: 1518px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-122833" onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-122833 size-full" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/nightfest2024.jpg" alt="" width="1508" height="1265" srcset="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/nightfest2024.jpg 1508w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/nightfest2024-800x671.jpg 800w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/nightfest2024-320x268.jpg 320w" sizes="(max-width: 1508px) 100vw, 1508px">Photo from <a href="https://www.instagram.com/sgnightfest" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@sgnightfest</a> (Instagram)</div>
This year&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.nightfestival.gov.sg/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Singapore Night Festival</a> runs till 7 September 2024, and it&rsquo;s based on the theme &ldquo;Art of Play.&rdquo; This is a chance to discover the heritage of the Bras Basah and Bugis district, through the lens of games and childhood nostalgia.
Before you head to the festival, here&rsquo;s an interesting fact to share with the family: many of Singapore&rsquo;s well-known schools, such as Raffles Institution, were established in the Bras Basah precinct during the country&rsquo;s <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Singapore" target="_blank" rel="noopener">colonial period</a> in the 1800s. Curious about the history and location of these schools? The National Library has an online &ldquo;<a href="https://search.nlb.gov.sg/spatialdiscovery/storymaps/bras-basah-schools/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">story map</a>&rdquo; with more details, which the whole family can refer to.
<h2>Visit a Crowd-Funded Library in a Heartland Neighbourhood</h2>
&nbsp;
<div id="attachment_122834" style="width: 1272px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-122834" onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-122834 size-full" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/casualpoet.jpg" alt="" width="1262" height="1265" srcset="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/casualpoet.jpg 1262w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/casualpoet-800x802.jpg 800w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/casualpoet-320x321.jpg 320w" sizes="(max-width: 1262px) 100vw, 1262px">Photo from <a href="https://www.instagram.com/casualpoetlibrary/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@casualpoetlibrary</a> (Instagram)</div>
Keen to slow down and experience a more soulful side of life in Singapore?&nbsp;
The newly opened <a href="https://casualpoetlibrary.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Casual Poet Library</a> (located near IKEA Alexandra) has attracted attention for its <a href="https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/living/casual-poet-library-rebecca-toh-bukit-merah-394111" target="_blank" rel="noopener">unusual concept</a>, where every shelf in the library is rented and curated by almost 200 individuals. If you&rsquo;re feeling the need to recharge but are not planning to travel, this might be a fun place to head to as a family, to spark surprising conversations about books and life.
<h2>Learn About a Founding Father Through ChatGPT</h2>
&nbsp;
<div id="attachment_122835" style="width: 1275px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-122835" onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-122835 size-full" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/chatbook.jpg" alt="" width="1265" height="843" srcset="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/chatbook.jpg 1265w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/chatbook-800x533.jpg 800w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/chatbook-320x213.jpg 320w" sizes="(max-width: 1265px) 100vw, 1265px">Photo from <a href="https://www.instagram.com/nlbsingapore/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@nlbsingapore</a> (Instagram)</div>
From now till 21 Oct 2024, visitors to the Central Library can discover the life and contributions of one of Singapore&rsquo;s founding fathers, S. Rajaratnam, through a <a href="https://www.nlb.gov.sg/main/about-us/press-room-and-publications/media-releases/2024/Generative-AI-ChatBook-to-Discover-More-About-Rajaratnam" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Generative AI-powered &ldquo;ChatBook.&rdquo;</a>
Here&rsquo;s what you&rsquo;ll be able to do:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Pose questions to the ChatBook, by speaking into a microphone or typing on a typewriter</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Get to know S. Rajaratnam through the AI responses, which draw from oral interviews, speeches, authorised biographies, and more.</li>
</ul>
What exactly did S. Rajaratnam do for our country? There are many online articles that will provide a <a href="https://www.esplanade.com/offstage/arts/s-rajaratnam" target="_blank" rel="noopener">quick introduction</a>. You might already know that he was a former journalist and writer, whose creative works impressed famous authors like E.M Forster and George Orwell. He was also Singapore&rsquo;s first Minister of Culture, and he drafted our National Pledge, calling us to be &ldquo;one united people, regardless of race, language or religion.&rdquo; He passed away in 2006 at the age of 90, and was accorded a state funeral.&nbsp;
<h2>Go on a Community-Run Heritage Tour</h2>
&nbsp;
<div id="attachment_122837" style="width: 1216px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-122837" onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-122837 size-full" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/jurongisland.jpg" alt="" width="1206" height="1265" srcset="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/jurongisland.jpg 1206w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/jurongisland-800x839.jpg 800w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/jurongisland-320x336.jpg 320w" sizes="(max-width: 1206px) 100vw, 1206px">Photo from <a href="https://www.instagram.com/mycommunitysg/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@mycommunitysg</a> (Instagram)</div>
Instead of dropping your child off at an enrichment workshop, why not share a learning experience together?&nbsp;
<a href="https://mycommunity.org.sg/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">My Community</a> is a non-profit organisation that celebrates our culture and heritage. They have <a href="https://www.eventbrite.sg/o/my-community-8432912044" target="_blank" rel="noopener">weekly free and paid tours</a> that anyone can sign up for to explore different districts and try new foods. You can even join factory tours to see what goes on in SingPost&rsquo;s mail processing centre, or find out what a data centre looks like. However, please note that slots for free tours will run out quickly!
<h2>Meet Interesting People in Singapore</h2>
&nbsp;
<div id="attachment_122838" style="width: 1472px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUf-lnYNBlY" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-122838" onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-122838 size-full" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/chinesemedium.jpg" alt="" width="1462" height="822" srcset="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/chinesemedium.jpg 1462w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/chinesemedium-800x450.jpg 800w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/chinesemedium-320x180.jpg 320w" sizes="(max-width: 1462px) 100vw, 1462px"></a>Video from <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUf-lnYNBlY" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bold Media</a></div>
If you&rsquo;re open to a splurge, local experience portal Seek Sophie lists several <a href="https://www.seeksophie.com/collections/singapore-walking-tour-in-singapore-cxp5wvk8zr" target="_blank" rel="noopener">themed tours</a> that should provide a unique experience for the entire family.&nbsp;
Here are some activities to sign up for, which are definitely out of the ordinary: you could meet an ex-gang member for a crash course on secret societies and notorious gangsters in the Chinatown area (open to all ages), take a night tour to see what Chinese &ldquo;spirit mediums&rdquo; do, or walk with Instagram influencers to learn about their photo taking tricks and where to find great backdrops.
&nbsp;
Need more activity ideas? Download <a href="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/article/40-diy-walking-trail-guides-that-you-can-use-for-every-school-holiday/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">walking trail guides</a> that you can use on school holidays and weekends!&nbsp; 
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Memorable Family Activities for the September School Holidays in 2024

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<?xml encoding="UTF-8"><html><body><div id="attachment_122753" style="width: 1010px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-122753" onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-122753 size-full" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-rdne-6182965-1.jpg" alt="" width="1000" height="710" srcset="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-rdne-6182965-1.jpg 1000w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-rdne-6182965-1-800x568.jpg 800w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-rdne-6182965-1-320x227.jpg 320w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px">Photo courtesy of Pexels</div>[Updated on 21 Aug 2024]
MOE finally posted the results of Phase 2C(S) Day 2 today.&nbsp; Of the list of schools I predicted will not have balloting this year despite being oversubscribed last year in 2023, only 1 school, Fernvale Primary, is slightly oversubscribed and requires balloting for those &gt;2km away.&nbsp; Also, Punggol View Primary is just nicely subscribed with 64 applicants for the 64 places available.
<a href="https://playfactoschool.com.sg/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-122379" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/PlayFactor_inarticle.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="214" srcset="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/PlayFactor_inarticle.jpg 350w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/PlayFactor_inarticle-320x229.jpg 320w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px"></a>
<a href="http://www.britishcouncil.sg/kspyl" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-122156" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/BritishCouncil2024P1_300x250.png" alt="" width="300" height="250"></a>
A total of 24 schools are oversubscribed, but 4 schools do not require balloting because of some cut-off conditions. &nbsp;2 of these school, Bukit View Primary and CHIJ OLGC, are cut-off for PRs only as all Singaporeans have managed to secure a place there.
For the most heavily oversubscribed school Fern Green Primary which had 7 applicants for 1 place in Day 1 of Phase 2C(S), fortunately, 3 of these applicants decide to pull out. So the oversubscription rate dropped to 400%.&nbsp; However, there is now a new contender, which is White Sands Primary.&nbsp; With 12 applicants for 2 places only, the oversubscription rate is 600%!
White Sands Primary is actually one of the schools which were fully oversubscribed last year by Phase 2C, so it is not surprising that it would be oversubscribed this year in Phase 2C(S).&nbsp; In fact, nearly all those schools which were oversubscribed last year by Phase 2C requires balloting this year in Phase 2C(S), except for 2 schools Canossa Catholic Primary and Haig Girls&rsquo;.
Regardless, Singaporean/PR parents who failed to get a place in Phase 2C(S) will be assigned the nearest school with vacancies, so don&rsquo;t worry too much.&nbsp; Foreigners may be assigned a school in Phase 3 from October onwards, but this really depends on availability.&nbsp; Judging from the graph below, there are still plenty of places left in Primary schools this year.
<img onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-122810" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/P1-Registration-2024-Phase2CS-3.jpg" alt="" width="665" height="1646" srcset="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/P1-Registration-2024-Phase2CS-3.jpg 665w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/P1-Registration-2024-Phase2CS-3-320x792.jpg 320w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/P1-Registration-2024-Phase2CS-3-621x1536.jpg 621w" sizes="(max-width: 665px) 100vw, 665px">
&nbsp;
<hr>
[Updated on 16 Aug 2024]
After the first day of the 2024 Phase 2C(S) registration, we can see some interesting developments.
16 schools are full, with one school, Kheng Cheng Primary, reaching 100% nicely with no oversubscription.
Compared with what happened last year in 2023, 9 out of 21 of the schools that required balloting are the same.
The schools that required balloting last year, but not yet this year are: 
*CHIJ (Katong) Primary (8 of 67) 
Bukit Timah Primary (33 of 59) 
De La Salle (6 of 9) 
*Jurong Primary (62 of 85) 
*Casuarina Primary (17 of 51) 
*Park View Primary (34 of 71) 
*Punggol Cove Primary (48 of 79) 
*Punggol View Primary (52 of 64) 
*Fernvale Primary (52 of 66) 
*Palm View Primary (49 of 69) 
*Woodgrove Primary (2 of 19)
I have marked with an asterisk the schools which are unlikely to require balloting taking into account the current applications and last year&rsquo;s applications.
The schools which required balloting last year in Phase 2C but are still available in Phase 2C(S) this year are: 
Canossa Catholic Primary (14 of 35) 
Geylang Methodist School (39 of 44) 
Haig Girls&rsquo; (10 of 38) 
These schools are all in the Geylang area.&nbsp; Amongst these, I will expect Geylang Methodist School to be oversubscribed tomorrow, but the other 2 schools seem to remain very open.&nbsp; So keep your fingers crossed!
Overall, it seems that MOE is right, and there are plenty of places left in school system to cater for your loved ones.&nbsp; I&rsquo;m not sure why so many people (7) are vying for that single place in Fern Green Primary.&nbsp; No matter how good the school may be, the chance of getting there via Phase 2C(S) is abysmal.&nbsp; At this point, it is probably better to go for one of the many schools which still have places left and try to transfer schools when your child is in Primary 2.
<img onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-122783" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/P1-Registration-2024-Phase2CS-2.jpg" alt="" width="665" height="1646" srcset="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/P1-Registration-2024-Phase2CS-2.jpg 665w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/P1-Registration-2024-Phase2CS-2-320x792.jpg 320w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/P1-Registration-2024-Phase2CS-2-621x1536.jpg 621w" sizes="(max-width: 665px) 100vw, 665px">
&nbsp;
<hr>
[Posted on 13 Aug 2024]
We are finally at Phase 2C(S), which is from 15 to 16 August 2024.
MOE has just released the remaining numbers and we have not detected any abnormalities so far, other than the 2 schools, Opera Estate Primary and Bukit Timah Primary, which have more places remaining than expected. So we can conclude that there were a number of PRs who tried but failed to go into those schools.&nbsp; PRs who did not get in can try again in Phase 3 to be allocated to the school.
The table below shows the balloting situation for those schools participating in Phase 2C(S).&nbsp; For each school, in the &ldquo;2023&rdquo; column, we show the number of applicants that participated in the same stage last year.&nbsp; We have also highlighted those schools that have got some form of balloting for the school last year.&nbsp; Those schools which have &ldquo;0&rdquo; in that column are going to be very hotly contested this year because they were oversubscribed last year, so be very careful.&nbsp; A number of these schools are in the Geylang area.&nbsp; Of these schools, Fern Green Primary in Seng Kang has only 1 place left!
Just a quick recap on reading the table: 
APP = Number of applicants for Phase 2C(S) 
TUR = Take Up Rate (which is up to 100% only) 
&ldquo;2024 Places&rdquo; = Number of places available for the school in Phase 2C(S) 
&ldquo;2023&rdquo; = Number of applicants for Phase 2C(S) in 2023 
&ldquo;2024-2023&rdquo; = Difference in applicants in 2024 and 2023 
&ldquo;Cohort&rdquo; = Difference in total number of places for the school in 2024 and 2023
In any case, Phase 2C(S) is the final stage where parents still can make their choice for their child&rsquo;s school.&nbsp; If you fail to get in at Phase 2C(S), your child will be allocated to an existing school nearest to you in Phase 3.&nbsp; The only difference is that the allocation is mandated by MOE and you have no choice.&nbsp; There are several stories of parents who did successfully change schools for their children in Primary 2 onwards in our <a href="https://forum.kiasuparents.com/#gsc.tab=0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Forums</a>, so please don&rsquo;t worry too much.
<img onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-122752" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/P1-Registration-2024-Phase2CS-1.jpg" alt="" width="665" height="1646" srcset="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/P1-Registration-2024-Phase2CS-1.jpg 665w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/P1-Registration-2024-Phase2CS-1-320x792.jpg 320w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/P1-Registration-2024-Phase2CS-1-621x1536.jpg 621w" sizes="(max-width: 665px) 100vw, 665px">
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2024 P1 Registration: Phase 2C(S) Day 2 Results

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<?xml encoding="UTF-8"><html><body><div id="attachment_122806" style="width: 1289px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-122806" onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-122806 size-full" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-ketut-subiyanto-4472822.jpg" alt="" width="1279" height="853" srcset="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-ketut-subiyanto-4472822.jpg 1279w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-ketut-subiyanto-4472822-800x534.jpg 800w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-ketut-subiyanto-4472822-320x213.jpg 320w" sizes="(max-width: 1279px) 100vw, 1279px">Photo courtesy of <a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/mother-and-son-playing-rock-paper-scissors-game-4472822/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pexels</a></div>If you&rsquo;re a parent based in Singapore, you&rsquo;ll know that primary school life is not always smooth-sailing. In fact, there are several pivotal moments where children and parents might feel stress, as well as disappointment if outcomes are not as expected.
What are these significant events, and how can you better prepare yourself and your child to handle them with resilience? Read on to find out!
<h2>Not Getting the Desired Primary School</h2>
As parents, we generally divide schools into two categories: those we&rsquo;ve heard about, and those that we know nothing about.&nbsp;
Well-known primary schools tend to be established and popular, and many are affiliated to well-regarded secondary schools. What if you don&rsquo;t have ties to these schools, and don&rsquo;t have the bandwidth to volunteer for a chance to register early? Securing a coveted school spot will depend on proximity and sometimes, luck.
If attempts to enrol your child in a popular school are unsuccessful, you might feel a sense of helplessness, or even guilt over not having done more to &lsquo;secure your child&rsquo;s future.&rsquo; Parents have even spoken of feeling <a href="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/article/p1-registration-when-plans-fall-through" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&lsquo;mopey&rsquo;</a> for at least six months, so please know that it&rsquo;s completely normal to experience negative emotions.
What&rsquo;s more important is moving forward, so that your child can fully embrace the school that they&rsquo;ve been allocated to. In our <a href="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/article/p1-registration-when-plans-fall-through" target="_blank" rel="noopener">conversation</a> with a mother whose hopes were dashed when her eldest son did not get their desired primary school, she shared that she overcame her disappointment by deciding to stop dwelling on her feelings, to focus on what was truly important for her son. She reassured herself that with easy access to past exam papers from various schools, she could ensure her son was progressing at a reasonable standard, regardless of the school.
Her approach reflects the power of cultivating an internal locus of control &mdash; focusing on what she could influence rather than what was beyond her reach. By redirecting her energy toward actionable steps, she not only supported her child&rsquo;s success but also began to appreciate the strengths of the assigned school, such as its diverse community, seasoned teachers, and modern facilities. This shift in perspective allowed her to see the positive aspects of the school, which she might have otherwise overlooked.
<h2>Not Getting into the Gifted Education Programme (GEP)</h2>
In Singapore&rsquo;s education system, there is a <a href="https://www.moe.gov.sg/education-in-sg/our-programmes/gifted-education/identification" target="_blank" rel="noopener">selection process to identify gifted students</a>, which takes place in Primary 3. This is where some parents might hope that their children will make the cut. (Note: the programme will be <a href="https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/gifted-education-programme-gep-changes-4554486">updated in 2027</a>, to allow more children to benefit.) 

It&rsquo;s useful to note that the Ministry of Education (MOE) advises parents not to enrol children in test-preparation activities for the selection exercise, because students who are not naturally equipped for the programme will:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Struggle to cope with the enriched curriculum.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Experience stress that could impact their self-esteem and cause them to lose confidence.</li>
</ul>
If your child is exceptionally smart, they may display these traits:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">long attention span</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">excellent memory</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">early and extensive vocabulary development</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">curiosity</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">early reading ability</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">rapidity of learning</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">ability to generalise concepts</li>
</ul>
While you may have your suspicions about your child&rsquo;s giftedness, it is, at best, an educated guess until they are formally assessed. Although it may be tempting to use your child&rsquo;s school grades as a measure of potential giftedness, bear in mind that academic performance may be of little relevance.
This brings us back to the current purpose of the GEP, which is to provide high-ability children with a stimulating curriculum, so that they can be fully engaged in the classroom. If your child doesn&rsquo;t make the cut, it doesn&rsquo;t mean they are less capable or destined for mediocrity. It simply means that their natural abilities don&rsquo;t align with the criteria of the GEP. When discussing the GEP with your child, it&rsquo;s important to focus on their individual strengths and interests, reassuring them that their value and potential are not defined by these selection tests.
Furthermore, if you perceive that there is a prestige element to the GEP, the reality is quite different. For instance, a GEP student in primary school will qualify for a secondary school based on their Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) results, just like other students. For those eying the Direct School Admission (DSA) route, they will be on equal footing with everyone else. There is also no guarantee that GEP students will do well in the PSLE &mdash; they may not.
Weighing the above factors, it&rsquo;s crucial to recognise that no matter what form it takes, the GEP is just one path of many. Your child&rsquo;s journey through education is unique, and their success depends more on their dedication, the support they receive, and the opportunities they embrace.
<h2>Not Making the School Team for Co-Curricular Activities (CCA)</h2>
These days, a child&rsquo;s CCA comes with high expectations. By standing out at one&rsquo;s CCA, children (and likely, parents) hope that this will give them a clear advantage during the Direct School Admission (DSA) process in Primary 6.&nbsp;
The DSA is where students apply to their desired secondary schools via their &lsquo;<a href="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/article/dsa-2024-talent-areas-for-ip-schools" target="_blank" rel="noopener">talent areas</a>,&rsquo; and the most sought-after secondary schools are typically <a href="https://www.moe.gov.sg/secondary/courses/express/integrated-programme" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Integrated Programme (IP) schools</a>. These schools offer a six-year curriculum that does not involve sitting for the O-Level exams; instead, most students will sit for the A-Level or International Baccalaureate (IB) exam at the end of Year 6.
In order to achieve the goal of entering a desired secondary school, some parents play an active role in steering the development of their child&rsquo;s talent area. For instance, some parents may approach school coaches about their external training programmes, even before children begin Primary 1. This helps to pave the way for these children &mdash; if they have a genuine aptitude for an activity, they would have received ample training by the time selections for the school team take place.
However, the CCA experience can also be fraught with challenges. We&rsquo;ve heard from a parent whose child displayed potential for a sport, but joined the school team at the point of the Covid-19 lockdown, leading to training disruptions. The parent waited for a go-ahead from the coach to resume full training, but later realised that other students had gotten a head start, as their parents had been in more frequent communication with the coach. Due to financial and time constraints, this child continued to receive less training compared to other teammates, and was eventually fielded as a reserve player. Due to the stress of the training environment and a lack of positive reinforcement, the child also lost interest in the sport and decided not to try for the DSA.
Situations like the above are fairly common in our local context. It&rsquo;s a lot for a child to deal with, and it&rsquo;s also <a href="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/article/what-if-my-child-doesnt-want-to-continue-with-their-sports-cca-in-secondary-school" target="_blank" rel="noopener">painful for any parent</a> who has tried to support their child&rsquo;s interests. If this resonates with you, it&rsquo;s essential to focus on the process rather than the outcome. Encourage your child to view CCA setbacks as opportunities for growth and learning, rather than as a reflection of their worth or future potential. Help them explore other activities where they can find joy and fulfilment, reminding them that their value isn&rsquo;t tied to making a specific team or achieving a particular goal.&nbsp;
<h2>Not Getting a Direct School Admission (DSA) Offer</h2>
For many Primary 6 children, their first brush with rejection could be realising that they haven&rsquo;t succeeded in their<a href="https://www.moe.gov.sg/secondary/dsa" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> DSA</a> applications.
What are the chances that a child will be rejected? Going by the numbers, the typical DSA applicant only has a<a href="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?p=2022460&amp;sid=0657aef8a326f9cb9e6a7b6e56d4dd8a#p2022460" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> 30% chance</a> of being accepted. If your child has applied to popular schools, the competition will be even stiffer. In general, the majority of applicants will not receive DSA offers.
How should a parent handle this delicate situation, so that it doesn&rsquo;t affect a child&rsquo;s morale leading up to the PSLE?&nbsp;
While it&rsquo;s still early, talk to your child about the different outcomes for the DSA. Your child should be aware that there are<a href="https://www.moe.gov.sg/secondary/dsa/selection/outcomes" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> three possible outcomes</a>: they may receive a confirmed offer, be placed on a wait list, or be unsuccessful in their applications.
For each of the above outcomes, ask your child, &ldquo;How would you feel if this happened?&rdquo; Based on your child&rsquo;s responses, you can gauge if they are mentally prepared for rejection. For instance, your child might say, &ldquo;If I&rsquo;m on a wait list, I&rsquo;m not going to think too much about it. I&rsquo;ll just focus on getting into a school with my PSLE score.&rdquo;
Remind your child that just as exam results don&rsquo;t define them, neither does the DSA. Encourage your child to have an alternate plan, by saying, &ldquo;Let&rsquo;s see what schools you might be able to qualify for, based on your current test scores. We&rsquo;ll find a few good schools that you might like.&rdquo;
For more coping tips, read our <a href="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/article/turn-rejection-into-resilience-overcome-dsa-setbacks-and-thrive-beyond-the-psle" target="_blank" rel="noopener">guide on dealing with DSA rejection</a>.
<h2>PSLE Results are Below Expectations</h2>
For parents who care about academic performance, this will be the biggest fear: that children won&rsquo;t do well enough in the PSLE to qualify for a &lsquo;good&rsquo; secondary school.
If you&rsquo;re worried about your child&rsquo;s prospects after the PSLE, we urge you to self-reflect before discussing options with your child, as your attitude will influence the way they view their future.
We understand that in different families, &lsquo;doing well&rsquo; or &lsquo;doing badly&rsquo; for the PSLE can mean different things. For a child who has been thriving in primary school, a disappointing performance could be one that doesn&rsquo;t allow him or her to qualify for a dream secondary school. For families with struggling learners, the fear may be that a child will fail to qualify for the G1 (formerly Normal Technical) stream, with seemingly limited options for progression.
The most straightforward way to approach PSLE discussions is to outline the possibilities, which can be summarised as:
<ol>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Disappointing results: This would be the situation that everyone dreads, but it&rsquo;s also where your parenting matters most. Your overall message should be that this is not the end of the world, as there will be new experiences, new friends, and new opportunities to look forward to.&nbsp;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Expected results: Proceed according to plan.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Better-than-expected results: Enjoy the wider range of choices.</li>
</ol>
When talking about potential outcomes with your child, what you should look out for is a gap between expectations and reality. For instance, a child may be hoping against hope to qualify for the G3 (formerly Express) stream to be with friends, when he or she is more likely to make it to the G2 (formerly Normal Academic) or G1 stream. There could also be a gulf between a parent&rsquo;s expectations of a &lsquo;good&rsquo; score, and what a child perceives as a satisfactory score.
One of our members experienced PSLE disappointment last year, after her child scored AL18. However, as a family, they did their best to quickly recover and adopt a positive attitude:
&ldquo;If you&rsquo;re used to a certain level of achievement and aspirations in your social network, it is disorienting to suddenly face a different reality. But by being open and visiting a few secondary schools that were previously not on our radar, we met many impressive teens who were articulate, attentive, and did their best to attend to our queries. We felt lucky and relieved when my younger child qualified for his first-choice neighbourhood school last year, and after half a year, we can see that he&rsquo;s happy in his new environment &mdash; he has supportive new friends, speaks up more in school, and even seems physically healthier.&rdquo;
&nbsp;
Need more advice about life in primary school? Chat with us on the <a href="https://forum.kiasuparents.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">KiasuParents forum</a>!
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Top 5 Disappointments in the Primary School Journey, and How To Cope

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Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced, during the recent National Day Rally, that the Gifted Education Programme (GEP) will be discontinued in its current form, and instead is to be updated and expanded to benefit high-ability students in all Primary Schools.
The main gist of the changes to the GEP would be:
<ul>
<li>All Primary Schools will be equipped to identify high-ability learners and have their own school-based programmes to stretch these students in their areas of strengths and interests.</li>
<li>Students no longer have to transfer to a school offering GEP and can continue in their current schools with their friends.</li>
<li>Students who excel in particular subjects can attend after-school enrichment modules, about once a week, at nearby schools with their peers.</li>
</ul>
Parents of current GEP students generally welcome such a move, however most feel that it is a waste to scrap a perfectly good Gifted Education Programme, where their children can mix around and feel at home with other intellectually gifted children.
Some are concerned that their children will no longer be motivated to excel and gain recognition for their intellectual achievements. Also, there are fears that the prestige of the GEP will be diluted once it starts catering to the top 10% of the cohort.
<img onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-122794" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/AUG-2024-KSP-NickleBee-Tutors-Image-2-copy.jpg" alt="" width="1920" height="1080" srcset="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/AUG-2024-KSP-NickleBee-Tutors-Image-2-copy.jpg 1920w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/AUG-2024-KSP-NickleBee-Tutors-Image-2-copy-800x450.jpg 800w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/AUG-2024-KSP-NickleBee-Tutors-Image-2-copy-320x180.jpg 320w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/AUG-2024-KSP-NickleBee-Tutors-Image-2-copy-1536x864.jpg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" />
On the other hand, we at <a href="https://nicklebeetutors.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NickleBee Tutors</a> strongly applauds and supports the move to replace the Gifted Education Programme with a more egalitarian and inclusive form of learning, to benefit a wider range of high-ability students across all primary schools.
After all, a 40 year old programme deserves a much needed overhaul to fit the needs of an increasingly multi-modal and adaptable generation.
Further more, the resources and manpower previously devoted to the top 1% of the cohort, can now be marshalled towards providing differentiated and accelerated learning to a larger number of identified high-ability learners in their areas of strengths and interests.
<img onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-122795" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/AUG-2024-KSP-NickleBee-Tutors-Image-3.jpg" alt="" width="728" height="538" srcset="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/AUG-2024-KSP-NickleBee-Tutors-Image-3.jpg 728w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/AUG-2024-KSP-NickleBee-Tutors-Image-3-320x236.jpg 320w" sizes="(max-width: 728px) 100vw, 728px" />
Also, while Gifted Education Programme screening tests (1st round) will still be conducted at Primary 3, we are glad that MOE has recognized that the potential gifts and talents exhibited by each child may have different developmental trajectories.
As such, the Gifted Education Programme selection tests (2nd round), which involves English and Mathematics tests as well as a general ability paper, will be scrapped.
Students will instead be selected for the high-ability programmes at “multiple junctures” between Primary 4 and Primary 6 based on day-to-day observations, teacher recommendations and their work.
Now that MOE is providing alternative pathways and multiple entry points for high-ability children at different stages of their education journey, we would like to remind parents that high-ability students are unique individuals with varied and multifaceted talents and interests that develop at various points in their lives.
Having MOE committed to helping every student learn, develop, grow, and realize their full potential, regardless of their starting points, is indeed a step in the right direction.
<h2><img onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-122796" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/AUG-2024-KSP-NickleBee-Tutors-Image-4.jpg" alt="" width="750" height="500" srcset="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/AUG-2024-KSP-NickleBee-Tutors-Image-4.jpg 750w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/AUG-2024-KSP-NickleBee-Tutors-Image-4-320x213.jpg 320w" sizes="(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px" /></h2>
<h2>NickleBee Tutors Advanced Primary Math Programmes</h2>
Want to help your high-ability Primary School child gain a Fast-Track Pass to TOP Integrated Programme Secondary Schools?
Score in PSLE Math, Olympiad Math and Gifted Education Programme (GEP) Math with the #1 rated Advanced Primary Math programmes by NickleBee Tutors, a popular math tuition centre for upper primary school students.
<img onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-122798" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/AUG-2024-KSP-NickleBee-Tutors-Image-5-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="2560" height="1709" srcset="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/AUG-2024-KSP-NickleBee-Tutors-Image-5-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/AUG-2024-KSP-NickleBee-Tutors-Image-5-800x534.jpg 800w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/AUG-2024-KSP-NickleBee-Tutors-Image-5-320x214.jpg 320w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/AUG-2024-KSP-NickleBee-Tutors-Image-5-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/AUG-2024-KSP-NickleBee-Tutors-Image-5-2048x1367.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" />
ELITE EXPERTISE
The NickleBee Tutors Math programmes are led by Mr Zhou, an Alumnus of Raffles Institution (Gifted Education Programme) and National University of Singapore.
He is a multi-award winning Math Olympiad Gold Medallist (Ranked 23rd in Singapore), High Distinction holder in the Australian Math Competition, and Distinction holder in the American High School Math Competition.
Mr Zhou is a member of the Association of Mathematics Educators (NIE) and a popular Math Olympiad Trainer &amp; DSA Coach at top Primary Schools
PROVEN CURRICULUM
NickleBee Tutors equips all students with the necessary skills and confidence to tackle challenging math problem sums, by teaching GEP Math and Olympiad Math components such as investigative math, non-routine questions, higher-order thinking skills, creative problem-solving techniques and advanced heuristic tools.
Using NickleBee Tutors’ unique C3PO™ Problem Solving Framework and proprietary UNITARY™ Method, they ensure your child can solve even the most complex problems in the PSLE Math Exam and Math Olympiad Competitions swiftly and accurately.
REMARKABLE RESULTS
87% of our Advanced Math students scored AL1 for the PSLE 2023 Math exams!
3 in 4 of our 2023 Math Olympiad students won GOLD &amp; SILVER awards or better in the NMOS, SMOPS and SASMO.
While we are rated #1 in Singapore for our prowess in PSLE Math &amp; Olympiad Math, our students&#8217; DSA success is just as amazing!
More than 30% received Direct School Admission (Math) Confirmed Offers from TOP Integrated Programme Schools such as Raffles Institution, Hwa Chong Institution and NUS High in 2023.
&nbsp;
Find out more about NickleBee Tutors’ GEP Math / Advanced Math / Olympiad  Math Small Group Classes <a href="https://nicklebeetutors.com/small-group-math-tuition/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.
You can also learn about NickleBee Tutors’ Advanced PSLE Math Masterclass <a href="https://nicklebeetutors.com/advanced-psle-math-masterclass/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.
&nbsp;
<img onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-122797" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/AUG-2024-KSP-NickleBee-Tutors-Image-6.jpg" alt="" width="2400" height="1256" srcset="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/AUG-2024-KSP-NickleBee-Tutors-Image-6.jpg 2400w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/AUG-2024-KSP-NickleBee-Tutors-Image-6-800x419.jpg 800w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/AUG-2024-KSP-NickleBee-Tutors-Image-6-320x167.jpg 320w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/AUG-2024-KSP-NickleBee-Tutors-Image-6-1536x804.jpg 1536w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/AUG-2024-KSP-NickleBee-Tutors-Image-6-2048x1072.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 2400px) 100vw, 2400px" /> 
<h2>ABOUT NICKLEBEE TUTORS</h2>
NickleBee Tutors is Singapore’s premier PSLE Math &amp; Olympiad Math Tuition Centre, and we have been featured in The Straits Times, The Sunday Times, The New Paper, Capital 958FM and Channel 8 for our comments on issues ranging from GEP Math tuition to Math Olympiad questions.
Visit <a href="https://nicklebeetutors.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://nicklebeetutors.com/</a> to find out how our programmes have helped hundreds of students score AL1 in PSLE Math and win Gold medals in prestigious Math Olympiad Competitions.

Revamping the GEP, after 40 years – What you need to know!

<div id="attachment_122027" style="width: 710px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-122027" onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-122027 size-full" src="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/arnel-hasanovic-MNd-Rka1o0Q-unsplash.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="467" srcset="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/arnel-hasanovic-MNd-Rka1o0Q-unsplash.jpg 700w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/arnel-hasanovic-MNd-Rka1o0Q-unsplash-320x213.jpg 320w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" />Image courtesy of <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/macbook-air-beside-gold-colored-study-lamp-and-spiral-books-MNd-Rka1o0Q" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Unsplash</a></div>
Looking for a new study desk for your child? The school holidays are the best time to refresh your child’s workspace! 
If you’ve noticed that your child tends to study on their bed or on the floor, instead of at their desk, it could be due to issues such as a work area that’s too small, a tabletop that’s not at an ideal height, or a chair that’s uncomfortable to sit on for long.
Even if your child doesn’t need to take exams yet, it’s good to prepare the area and get it right. Eventually, when your child does practice papers, it’s better to simulate the exam environment by having them sit at a table. 
Not sure how to begin with your study table search? Read on to find out what to consider, and where to shop for study desks in Singapore.
<h2>What Should I Look for in a Kid’s Study Table?</h2>
If your child has an existing study table and chair, look at what’s currently not working. For instance, is the table constantly in a mess? Are the storage spaces being underutilised, or filled with junk? Is the table surface full of unsightly markings that are impossible to wipe away? Does your child complain of a neck or back ache after working at the table? Asking these questions will give you a good indicator of what you’ll need to look for in your child’s new table.
In general, study table considerations revolve around a table’s writing space, height, material, and storage options, so let’s look at each of these factors:
What’s the typical writing space for study desks? If we use IKEA study tables as a guide (because that’s where many Singapore parents will head to), widths for tabletops start at 60 cm for a smaller table, and go above 120 cm for larger tables. Apart from books, files, assessment books, and writing material, many children also have laptops and other personal learning devices that they’ll be using regularly. And of course, they’ll need actual space to do their writing. Having all of this in mind will help you decide on the ideal width (and depth) of your table.
As for the ideal height of your child’s study desk, you’ll have to consider this in tandem with your child’s study chair. An ergonomist’s tip is to remember the <a href="https://www.kidzoccupationaltherapy.com/2011/09/16/the-ergonomics-of-a-childs-work-space/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">‘right angle’ rule</a>: Ideally, someone sitting at a desk should have their thighs at a 90-degree angle to their torso, and their knees should also be bent at 90 degrees, with feet flat on the ground. This position promotes proper posture and alignment, reducing strain on the back and legs. You can use a <a href="https://www.inchcalculator.com/desk-height-calculator/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">desk and chair height calculator</a> or refer to <a href="https://www.autonomous.ai/ourblog/correct-children-table-height-size-chart" target="_blank" rel="noopener">online guides</a> for recommended measurements.
What about the best material for a study desk? Many study tables are made of wood, and one issue with laminated wood — especially if you choose a white desk — is that it may not age well visually due to pen marks and other stains. In terms of durability, you’ll also want to assess the quality of the wood. Solid wood or high-quality plywood are more durable and can withstand more wear and tear compared to cheaper alternatives. (Solid wood is made from a single piece of timber, while plywood consists of multiple layers of wood veneer glued together.)
If you’re considering getting an adjustable table, you’ll also need to look at adjustable legs, which are often made of metal. There are two considerations here: do you want a table that your child can adjust to work either standing up or sitting down, or simply a table that can be manually adjusted to accommodate changes in your child’s height? These functions will come at a higher price.
When it comes to storage, many tables do come with built-in storage options like drawers, shelves, or cabinets. One issue with open shelves is that they can easily become cluttered and visually unappealing. In terms of functionality, you’ll also want to assess the quality and accessibility of the storage. Deep drawers or adjustable shelves provide more versatile storage solutions compared to fixed, shallow compartments. 
If you’re concerned about table construction, this is good to know: solid wood drawers often feature dovetail joints, which are interlocking wedge-shaped cuts that provide added strength. In contrast, cheaper wood drawers are usually constructed with simpler joinery techniques, such as staples — similar to larger versions of the staples used for paper — which can be less durable.
Apart from the above, you will also choose a table based on your budget, available room space, as well as design preferences. But do remember that there’s always a trade-off: for instance, a ‘prettier’ or more compact table may not serve its purpose well.
<h2>Where to Buy Study Tables in Singapore?</h2>
<div id="attachment_122028" style="width: 710px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-122028" onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-122028 size-full" src="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/mike-petrucci-kbhB_TFbnUA-unsplash.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="467" srcset="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/mike-petrucci-kbhB_TFbnUA-unsplash.jpg 700w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/mike-petrucci-kbhB_TFbnUA-unsplash-320x213.jpg 320w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" />Photo courtesy of <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/colored-pencils-in-white-wooden-drawer-kbhB_TFbnUA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Unsplash</a></div>
We believe it’s better for your child to see and try out the actual study table and chair, rather than just looking at pictures. With this in mind, IKEA is still the favourite furniture store for many families, in terms of having a fruitful shopping experience. Although brands like HipVan and FortyTwo are popular, you won’t be able to view a large number of study desks at their showrooms. 
Prefer specialty stores? You can search for ergonomic brands such as Ergoworks and Hinomi. However, if you are design conscious, it’s likely that you won’t find ergonomic furniture attractive. Another alternative is having your desk and chair custom made, and you can do this at design-oriented stores such as Gamar (previously known as Second Charm). The downsides are that the final product may turn out differently from what you envisioned, plus anything considered ‘specialty’ always comes with a higher price tag.
By googling “study desks” or “study tables,” you’ll also see that there are many other furniture stores in Singapore that you can check out. These stores may not have a showroom, and at best, they can send you detailed pictures that may not be on their website. However, some families will prefer the convenience of shopping online. You’ll need to decide what matters most to you and your child, and make the best choice for your needs.
Want more recommendations for study tables and chairs? Chat about <a href="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?p=8259" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ergonomic furniture</a> on the KiasuParents forum, or <a href="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewforum.php?f=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">start a conversation</a> of your own!

How to Choose the Right Study Table for Your Child

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<?xml encoding="UTF-8"><html><body><div id="attachment_122710" style="width: 1010px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-122710" onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-122710 size-full" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-august-de-richelieu-4260486.jpg" alt="" width="1000" height="667" srcset="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-august-de-richelieu-4260486.jpg 1000w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-august-de-richelieu-4260486-800x534.jpg 800w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-august-de-richelieu-4260486-320x213.jpg 320w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px">Photo courtesy of <a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/little-girl-doing-her-homework-4260486/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pexels</a></div>If your child is taking the PSLE in 2024, reviewing previous years&rsquo; secondary school cut-off points (COPs) can be helpful for both you and your child.
Why is this necessary? Well, despite the national move to reduce the emphasis on grades, your child&rsquo;s PSLE score will still determine their eligibility for secondary schools. Knowing the different COPs will help you and your child to make an informed choice after the results are released.
If you&rsquo;re a first-time PSLE parent, don&rsquo;t worry &mdash; it can feel overwhelming, but we&rsquo;re here to help. Read on and we&rsquo;ll walk you through what you need to know!
<h2>What are the best secondary schools in Singapore?</h2>
Before we answer this question, we need to stress that there is a difference between the hardest secondary schools to qualify for, and the secondary school that will be the best for your child.
Based on 2023 scores, the three hardest secondary schools to qualify for in Singapore are Methodist Girls&rsquo; School (IP), Raffles Girls&rsquo; School (IP), and Raffles Institution (IP). All three schools have had a cut-off score of six points, and there was no change in the COPs between 2022 and 2023:
<img onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-122701" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/Sec-School-COPs.jpg" alt="" width="904" height="254" srcset="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/Sec-School-COPs.jpg 904w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/Sec-School-COPs-800x225.jpg 800w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/Sec-School-COPs-320x90.jpg 320w" sizes="(max-width: 904px) 100vw, 904px">
However, in the local context, there is a broader definition of &lsquo;top&rsquo; secondary schools &mdash;&nbsp;parents are usually referring to schools with a single-digit COP, or schools that offer the <a href="https://www.moe.gov.sg/secondary/courses/express/integrated-programme" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Integrated Programme (IP)</a>.&nbsp;
Below, we&rsquo;ve highlighted 16 IP secondary schools in Singapore, and you can see that they all have single-digit COPs:
<img onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-122703" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/IP-schools-COP-2.jpg" alt="" width="854" height="678" srcset="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/IP-schools-COP-2.jpg 854w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/IP-schools-COP-2-800x635.jpg 800w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/IP-schools-COP-2-320x254.jpg 320w" sizes="(max-width: 854px) 100vw, 854px">
Not listed above is the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.moe.gov.sg/schoolfinder/schooldetail?schoolname=nus-high-school-of-mathematics-and-science" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NUS High School of Mathematics and Science</a>. This school does not participate in the Secondary 1 Posting exercise. Instead, interested students will typically apply through the <a href="https://www.moe.gov.sg/secondary/dsa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Direct School Admission (DSA)</a> process. If there are vacancies after the DSA, a <a href="https://www.nushigh.edu.sg/admissions/year-1-and-3-admissions/year-1-admissions/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">supplementary intake exercise</a> may be carried out at year end.
Based on the above tables, we might say that with a PSLE score of nine, the chances of getting into an IP school are less certain, and furthermore, there may only be one or two schools to choose from.&nbsp;&nbsp;
In fact, some children who do well at the PSLE will opt for the O-Level pathway. There could be several reasons for this, such as:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">They like a certain school but have narrowly missed the mark for the school&rsquo;s IP stream.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">They prefer the structure of the O-Level programme, and like the idea of having a &lsquo;checkpoint&rsquo; at the end of Secondary 4.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">They prefer having more school options to choose from.</li>
</ul>
Below is a list of IP secondary schools that also offer the O-Level pathway. As you can see, the COPs are very competitive as well. But a child scoring nine points would have more options if they were willing to consider the O-Level pathway:
<img onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-122705" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/IP-school_O-Level-pathway.jpg" alt="" width="856" height="368" srcset="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/IP-school_O-Level-pathway.jpg 856w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/IP-school_O-Level-pathway-800x344.jpg 800w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/IP-school_O-Level-pathway-320x138.jpg 320w" sizes="(max-width: 856px) 100vw, 856px">
<h2>What if my child has done well for the PSLE, but didn&rsquo;t get a single-digit score?</h2>
Whether a child has done &lsquo;well&rsquo; or not is relative to your expectations. Generally speaking, a score of 10 to 12 is still considered very good, and your child will have many schools to choose from.
These are secondary schools with a COP of 10 in 2023:
<img onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-122706" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/Sec-school-COP10.jpg" alt="" width="858" height="364" srcset="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/Sec-school-COP10.jpg 858w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/Sec-school-COP10-800x339.jpg 800w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/Sec-school-COP10-320x136.jpg 320w" sizes="(max-width: 858px) 100vw, 858px">
&nbsp;
Here are secondary schools with a COP of 11 in 2023:
<img onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-122707" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/Sec-school-COP11.jpg" alt="" width="860" height="238" srcset="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/Sec-school-COP11.jpg 860w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/Sec-school-COP11-800x221.jpg 800w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/Sec-school-COP11-320x89.jpg 320w" sizes="(max-width: 860px) 100vw, 860px">
&nbsp;
Finally, here are secondary schools with a COP of 12 in 2023:
<img onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-122708" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/Sec-school-COP12.jpg" alt="" width="858" height="246" srcset="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/Sec-school-COP12.jpg 858w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/Sec-school-COP12-800x229.jpg 800w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/Sec-school-COP12-320x92.jpg 320w" sizes="(max-width: 858px) 100vw, 858px">
As you can see, there are many well-known secondary schools that a child scoring between 10 and 12 points can qualify for.
<h2>Will my child still be able to find a good school if their PSLE score is more than 13 points?</h2>
The answer to this is yes! However, this may be a school that you&rsquo;ve not heard much about, so you&rsquo;ll have to be open-minded to explore schools that are lesser-known. One place to start is by reading our guide to <a href="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/article/hidden-gem-secondary-schools" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hidden-gem secondary schools</a>.&nbsp;
We know it&rsquo;s not always easy to deal with PSLE disappointment, but it may reassure you to know that many parents have dealt with situations where their children scored AL15 and above during the PSLE. By attending open house events with a positive attitude, you&rsquo;ll get to meet bright, well-spoken, and helpful students in every school, which can help to set your mind at ease about finding a good environment for your child.&nbsp;&nbsp;
To view secondary schools with a COP of 13 and above, <a href="https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/evelyn.tan.rogers/viz/PSLECOPsDashboard/PSLECOPs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">refer to this dashboard on Tableau Public</a> and use the filters to narrow down the options.
<h2>What if my child scores more than 20 points? Can they still find a good school?</h2>
Yes they can!
First, it&rsquo;s useful to know that there is no passing or failing mark for each PSLE subject, or the PSLE as a whole.&nbsp;
Does this mean that all children will proceed to secondary school, regardless of their PSLE score? In reality, a student can<a href="https://www.moe.gov.sg/schoolfinder?journey=Secondary%20school&amp;q=*&amp;fq=school_journey_ss%3A%22Secondary%20school%22&amp;fq=(cutoff_points_dr%3A%5B30%20TO%2030%5D%20OR%20(normal_technical_affiliation_upper_i%3A%5B30%20TO%20*%5D%20AND%20normal_technical_affiliation_lower_i%3A%5B*%20TO%2030%5D)%20OR%20(normal_technical_non_affiliation_upper_i%3A%5B30%20TO%20*%5D%20AND%20normal_technical_non_affiliation_lower_i%3A%5B*%20TO%2030%5D))%20AND%20is_has_psle_b%3Atrue&amp;sort=slug_s%20asc" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> score 30 points</a> for the PSLE and still progress to a secondary school, to take subjects at the G1 (formerly Normal Technical) level. But one condition applies &mdash; the student needs to have scored an AL 7 or better in both English and Maths, or an AL B at the Foundation level for these subjects.
For<a href="https://www.moe.gov.sg/microsites/psle-fsbb/psle/faqs.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> PSLE scores beyond 30</a>, students may be offered the option to repeat the PSLE, or they can progress to<a href="https://www.nls.edu.sg/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> NorthLight School</a> or<a href="https://www.aps.edu.sg/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Assumption Pathway School</a> with their principal&rsquo;s endorsement.
If a child has scored 20 points, they will still be able to take all of their subjects at the G3 (formerly Express) level. If they have scored 21 to 22 points, they will be asked if they wish to take their subjects at the G2 (formerly Normal Academic) level instead.&nbsp;
Here&rsquo;s an overview of PSLE scores mapped to posting groups and subject levels:
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>PSLE Score</td>
<td>Posting Group</td>
<td>Level for most Secondary 1 subjects</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>4 to 20</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>G3</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>21 to 22</td>
<td>2 or 3</td>
<td>G2 or G3</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>23 to 24</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>G2</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>25</td>
<td>1 or 2</td>
<td>G1 or G2</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>26 to 30 (with AL7 or better in EL and Maths)</td>
<td>1</td>
<td>G1</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
To view secondary schools with a COP of 20 to 22, <a href="https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/evelyn.tan.rogers/viz/PSLECOPsDashboard/PSLECOPs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">refer to this dashboard on Tableau Public</a> and use the filters to narrow down the options.
For schools with COPs above 22, please use the Ministry of Education&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.moe.gov.sg/schoolfinder?journey=Secondary%20school" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SchoolFinder website</a>. On the website, you should see a menu bar on the left. Look for the option &ldquo;PSLE score range&hellip;&rdquo; and expand it to indicate the score range that you wish to search for.
&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/activities/family-huddle-webinar-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-122589" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/KSPFamilyHuddleWebinarIII_748x437.jpg" alt="" width="748" height="437" srcset="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/KSPFamilyHuddleWebinarIII_748x437.jpg 748w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/KSPFamilyHuddleWebinarIII_748x437-320x187.jpg 320w" sizes="(max-width: 748px) 100vw, 748px"></a>
Need more advice? Join our <a href="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/activities/family-huddle-webinar-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">KSP Family Huddle on 28 August 2024</a>, for an online conversation on helping children to succeed in secondary school and beyond. Or chat with us on the <a href="https://forum.kiasuparents.com/topic/94737/2024-psle-discussions-and-strategies?_=1722737925042&amp;lang=en-US" target="_blank" rel="noopener">KiasuParents forum</a>! 
</body></html>

Secondary School Ranking: Insights for 2024

<img onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-114185" src="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/exam-papers.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="500" srcset="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/exam-papers.jpg 700w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/exam-papers-320x229.jpg 320w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" />
Wondering what’s the best way to help your child prepare for the year-end exams? 
It’s the method already recommended by schools, enrichment centres, and tutors: working on past-year papers! 
Although it may seem time-consuming and draining, it’s much better for your child to work on sample exam papers, as opposed to re-reading their textbooks, highlighting important concepts, and making summary notes.
Why is this so? It’s because answering exam questions will require your child to:
<ol>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Put effort into retrieving information from memory</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Use this information to solve problems in new contexts</li>
</ol>
Based on your child’s ability to answer the questions, you will have instant feedback on whether concepts were retained and understood. Research has also shown that when we have to work hard to retrieve and use information, it becomes more memorable to us. That’s why it’s preferable to work on open-ended questions, rather than multiple-choice questions (MCQs) or True-False questions.
Read on to find out where to get exam papers in Singapore, and how to use them properly!
<h2>Should I buy exam papers or look for free downloads?</h2>
You can certainly download past-year exam papers for free, from sites such as:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.testpapersfree.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TestPapersFree</a></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.sgtestpaper.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SGTestPaper</a></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://freetestpaper.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FreeTestPaper</a></li>
</ul>
However, many parents prefer to purchase them instead. This is because it can be a hassle to print out exam papers at home — you’ll find yourself running out of printer ink and paper fairly quickly. If you try to conserve paper by printing more questions on a page, it may become difficult for your child to read the questions.
For convenience, it may be easier to buy your papers from sellers who print and organise the papers for you by subject. One such seller is <a href="https://www.thomsonplaza.com.sg/stores/jeremy-exam-paper/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jeremy Exam Paper</a>, which has a physical store at Thomson Plaza. They also provide the option of delivery, and if you are looking for this year’s school prelim papers, they will typically offer these for sale by late August or September. To save costs, you could make a group purchase with a few friends, and share the papers. 
<h2>My child is stuck on a question and I can’t solve it either. What should we do?</h2>
If your exam paper doesn’t include a detailed answer sheet, try googling the first sentence of the question, enclosed within quotation marks. For instance, googling “<a href="https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&amp;q=%22A+fruit+seller+bought+some+plums%22" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A fruit seller bought some plums</a>” will lead you to the video of a tutor explaining how to solve this maths problem, which is from a school exam paper. You can let your child watch the video alone, or watch it together to see if the explanation makes sense. After that, let your child try solving the problem without referring to the video.
Some enrichment schools and tutors have also provided detailed answer sheets for past-year exam papers, and these should turn up during your search as well.
If not, you can message your child’s teacher or tutor for help, or ask within your parent networks. Local parents are generally quite eager to solve ‘tricky’ problems and share their solutions!
<h2>What should my child do with a paper after it’s been marked?</h2>
You could take several approaches. First, without providing any prompts, you could let your child reattempt questions where they’ve made careless mistakes, to see if they can get the answer on the second try. You could also highlight questions that were particularly challenging for your child, to reprint for retesting after a week or two. 
Tip: If you prefer not to reprint questions, ask your child to leave the practice papers blank and write their answers in a notebook instead.
If you and your child have time, consider colour coding each practice paper after it has been marked. You could come up with a colour scheme such as:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Red: questions that stump your child</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Orange: questions that your child can answer, but not confidently</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Green: questions that your child can answer with no issues</li>
</ul>
The purpose of this exercise is to give your child (and you) a visual representation of where they currently stand. The aim is to work towards more “green” questions, with more practice.
<h2>How many practice papers should my child complete in a week?</h2>
It can be mentally exhausting to work on exam papers, especially since most exam papers come in two parts. If your child has no homework assignments for the day, they could complete either Paper 1 or Paper 2, take a break, and then go over the answers with you. That’s enough for one afternoon — don’t tire your kids by making them do more. 
It’s reasonable to aim for completing two or three exam papers in a week, if your child is about to sit for a milestone exam like the PSLE (Primary School Leaving Examination). But what’s more important is ensuring that your child also has time for play and rest.
<h2>Should we tabulate the total score for each practice paper?</h2>
For high-ability students, you may want to do this, especially if many marks are being lost to carelessness. But for average or struggling students, seeing these scores could be demoralising. 
If you sense that your child is dealing with a lack of confidence or low morale, use the colour coding method recommended above instead. Ultimately, the scores are less important than your child’s attitude — those who are willing to work on practice papers are already on the right track.
Want to chat with other parents about exam preparation? Visit the <a href="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewforum.php?f=27" target="_blank" rel="noopener">KiasuParents forum</a> to find a suitable conversation to join!

Need Exam Papers for Practice? Where to Get Them, and How To Use Them Effectively!

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<?xml encoding="UTF-8"><html><body><div id="attachment_122537" style="width: 710px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-122537" onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-122537 size-full" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-cottonbro-7428855.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="527" srcset="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-cottonbro-7428855.jpg 700w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-cottonbro-7428855-320x241.jpg 320w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px">Photo courtesy of Pexels</div>[7 Aug 2024]
MOE has posted the results of Phase 2C Day 3 (Ballot).
Princess Elizabeth Primary is the most competitive school with a whopping 659% application rate, or 270 applicants for just 40 seats.&nbsp; Even though there could be some applicants that do not qualify for the ballot, say 30 of them, we are still looking at a 40/240 or 1/6 chance of getting a place in the school.&nbsp; For parents who are hoping to get a place in this school, it&rsquo;s time to seriously consider your 2nd choice school.
There is a total of 86 schools which are oversubscribed, and 2 schools (Opera Estate Primary and Bukit Timah Primary) which have reached the limit for PR students.&nbsp; There are 60 schools which require balloting &lt;1km, 14 schools 1-2km and 4 schools &gt;2km for Singapore Citizens.&nbsp; A total of 11 schools require balloting for PR students, including the 2 schools mentioned above.
<a href="http://www.britishcouncil.sg/kspyl" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-122156" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/BritishCouncil2024P1_300x250.png" alt="" width="300" height="250"></a>
<a href="https://lcentral.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-122534" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/1722264011776.gif" alt="" width="300" height="250"></a>
Most schools increased their applications between the 2nd and 3rd day, but there are some which actually decreased.&nbsp; They are: 
Kuo Chuan Presbyterian Primary (81 -&gt; 76) 
South View Primary (129 -&gt; 127) 
Shuqun Primary (93 -&gt; 84) 
Wellington Primary (115 -&gt; 114) 
Junyuan Primary (81 -&gt; 79) 
It is comforting that some parents do weigh their chances of getting a place and wisely choose another school.
Schools which are oversubscribed this year but not last year are: 
Fengshan Primary 
Dazhong Primary 
Zhangde Primary 
St Margaret&rsquo;s Primary 
Northshore Primary 
Waterway Primary 
Sembawang Primary 
Junyuan Primary 
Tampines Primary
On the other hand, schools which were oversubscribed last year, but not this year, are: 
Canossa Catholic Primary (35 places left) 
Geylang Methodist Primary (42 places left) 
Haig Girls&rsquo; (38 places left) 
Jurong West Primary (17 places left) 
White Sands Primary (1 place left) 
Queenstown Primary (22 places left) 
Fern Green Primary (1 place left)
You can expect these schools to be highly sought after in Phase 2C(S), so unless you are game for another intensive balloting session, please avoid these schools!
<hr>
[31 Jul 2024]
MOE has posted the results of Day 2 of Phase 2C.
77 schools are oversubscribed, and 2 schools: Fengshan Primary in Bedok, and Oasis Primary in Punggol, are just fully subscribed with no oversubscription.&nbsp; It&rsquo;s still too early to say that these 2 schools are safe from balloting.
Princess Elizabeth Primary is now 653% oversubscribed!&nbsp; If every one is with 1km of the school, it means you have less than 1/6 of a chance to get into the school.&nbsp; I hope that these parents will realize how slim their chances are and simply opt for another school nearby.
Schools which were oversubscribed last year, but are still available for Phase 2C are: 
*Anderson Primary 52/59 
Opera Estate Primary 62/86 (I believe the oversubscription last year was for PRs) 
*Methodist Girls&rsquo; School 42/49 
*Raffles Girls&rsquo; Primary 126/135 
Canossa Catholic Primary 28/67 
Geylang Methodist School 96/151 
Haig Girls&rsquo; 69/127 
Jurong West Primary 41/67 
*ACS Primary 52/59 
*White Sands Primary 73/83 
Queenstown Primary 99/132 
*Fern Green Primary 62/68 
*Naval Base Primary 55/59
Those which I have highlighted with an asterisk * will probably be oversubscribed tomorrow, but the oversubscription should be light.
2 more schools have joined the ranks of those which are oversubscribed this year, even though they weren&rsquo;t last year: 
Dazhong Primary 83/60 
Northshore Primary 138/128 
Sembawang Primary 81/66 
Junyuan Primary 81/62
As tomorrow is the final deadline for Phase 2C, there will be lots of people moving in and out of places.&nbsp; Every year, we note that there are at least 5-30% of people who register but did not even get a chance to ballot!&nbsp; Remember, if you are doing this, you are simply wasting a chance to get into a school in Phase 2C.&nbsp; Try to get into a school within 1km to at least get a chance to ballot.
<img onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-122574" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/P1-Registration-2024-Phase2C-4-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="551" height="2560" srcset="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/P1-Registration-2024-Phase2C-4-scaled.jpg 551w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/P1-Registration-2024-Phase2C-4-320x1487.jpg 320w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/P1-Registration-2024-Phase2C-4-441x2048.jpg 441w" sizes="(max-width: 551px) 100vw, 551px">
&nbsp;
<hr>
[31 Jul 2024]
Day 1 of Phase 2C is over and MOE has posted the results.
60 schools are oversubscribed, with no school just breaking even.&nbsp; The school which is the most heavily oversubscribed is Princess Elizabeth Primary at 533%!&nbsp; For those staying &gt;1km away, please pull out and go for other schools because your bid will certainly be rejected and you won&rsquo;t even get a chance to ballot.
There are about 27 schools which were oversubscribed last year, but not yet this year.&nbsp; I won&rsquo;t list them here as there are too many, but you can see them by studying the table below.
What I will highlight are those schools which were not oversubscribed last year but are likely to be this year, unless some people withdraw from the schools.&nbsp; They are:
Dazhong Primary 65/60 
Sembawang Primary 67/66
Dazhong Primary seems to be more popular these days.&nbsp; Both of these schools have the same cohort number from last year, and their population did not change.
If the school you are eyeing is oversubscribed, it might be time for you to activate your 2nd choice school, especially if you know that the 2nd choice school will be oversubscribed in Phase 2C(S).&nbsp; It is better to avoid balloting, if you can.
<img onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-122538" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/P1-Registration-2024-Phase2C-3-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="551" height="2560" srcset="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/P1-Registration-2024-Phase2C-3-scaled.jpg 551w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/P1-Registration-2024-Phase2C-3-320x1487.jpg 320w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/P1-Registration-2024-Phase2C-3-441x2048.jpg 441w" sizes="(max-width: 551px) 100vw, 551px">
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2024 P1 Registration Phase 2C (Day 3)

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<?xml encoding="UTF-8"><html><body><div id="attachment_122587" style="width: 710px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-122587" onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-122587 size-full" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-katerina-holmes-5905971.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="467" srcset="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-katerina-holmes-5905971.jpg 700w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-katerina-holmes-5905971-320x213.jpg 320w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px">Photo courtesy of <a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/crop-adorable-schoolgirl-typing-on-wireless-laptop-at-wooden-desk-5905971/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pexels</a></div>Not feeling pressured about the PSLE, although your child is in Primary 6 this year? The following scenarios are likely:
<ol>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Your child is a quick learner, and has been doing consistently well in school through the years.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">You&rsquo;re not too concerned about the secondary school that your child enters.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">You&rsquo;re not worried about the <a href="https://www.moe.gov.sg/secondary/s1-posting/understanding-psle-score-ranges" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posting group</a> that your child will be assigned to.</li>
</ol>
But if none of the above statements apply to you, life with a P6 child can be stressful.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Academically, if your child isn&rsquo;t scoring AL1s and AL2s in school, you may feel frustration in trying to help them &lsquo;jump&rsquo; to the next <a href="https://www.moe.gov.sg/microsites/psle-fsbb/resources/score-calculator.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">score level</a>. This also leads to a heightened focus on learning how to answer questions to gain the maximum marks.&nbsp;
During this time, your child&rsquo;s school may prepare materials or hold revision sessions to highlight techniques and frameworks for answering questions, as well as model answers. Although well-intentioned, this can lead to information overload for both children and parents.
As long as your child&rsquo;s grades are not meeting your expectations, you may also feel the need to increase tutoring sessions for your child. Or you may be susceptible to the ads showing up on your social media feeds, urging you to purchase revision materials or sign your child up for last-minute PSLE bootcamps. This comes at a price, both financially as well as mentally.
Finally, you&rsquo;ve probably heard that Direct School Admission or DSA applications have &ldquo;<a href="https://www.channelnewsasia.com/watch/direct-school-admission-spots-secondary-schools-hot-demand-video-3631411" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hit a record high</a>.&rdquo; This is typically aligned with a child&rsquo;s CCA (co-curricular activity) participation. For children who don&rsquo;t have top grades, it may seem necessary to pursue a non-academic interest, just to secure entry to a &lsquo;good&rsquo; secondary school. If you haven&rsquo;t &lsquo;pushed&rsquo; your child in this area, you may feel guilty for not helping them to advance.
<a href="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/activities/family-huddle-webinar-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-122589" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/KSPFamilyHuddleWebinarIII_748x437.jpg" alt="" width="748" height="437" srcset="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/KSPFamilyHuddleWebinarIII_748x437.jpg 748w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/KSPFamilyHuddleWebinarIII_748x437-320x187.jpg 320w" sizes="(max-width: 748px) 100vw, 748px"></a>
If these concerns sound familiar, we invite you to join our <a href="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/activities/family-huddle-webinar-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">KSP Family Huddle on 28 August 2024</a>, for an online conversation on what matters most in helping children to succeed in secondary school and beyond. You can also share your stories on the KiasuParents forum &mdash;&nbsp;simply head to the <a href="https://forum.kiasuparents.com/topic/94737/2024-psle-discussions-and-strategies?_=1722737925042&amp;lang=en-US" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PSLE 2024 discussion thread</a>. And of course, seeking support from fellow parents in your network can help to allay fears or provide fresh perspectives.
As parents who have been through the PSLE before, we would like to suggest one change that your child can make, in order to emerge from the PSLE experience with a sense of accomplishment. Learn more below!
<h2>Improve Control Over Outcomes</h2>
While we agree that systemic change is needed to create more effective and equitable learning outcomes for children in Singapore, we know it can&rsquo;t happen soon.&nbsp;
There may be factors stacked against your child &mdash;&nbsp;perhaps they are less adept at crafting model answers, or they may retain less information than other children. If the family budget is tight, they might have fewer opportunities to receive help outside of the school environment.
In particular, we understand that if a family&rsquo;s financial situation is unstable, this could be a <a href="https://theconversation.com/raise-aspirations-to-break-the-poverty-trap-16499" target="_blank" rel="noopener">likely scenario</a>:
&ldquo;When your child is performing poorly in school, and you are worried about not having enough money in the near future, you may choose not to make the investment (e.g. hiring a remedial teacher) to mitigate your child&rsquo;s poor performance. Lower effort, driven by higher risk, increases the odds of low performance and feeds into lower aspiration and achievement in the long run.&rdquo;
However, our readers are more likely to be from <a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/business/middle-income-earners-in-singapore-saw-fastest-salary-growth-among-workers-over-past-decade-mas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sandwich-class</a> families &mdash; those who are neither &lsquo;top&rsquo; earners nor fall in the &lsquo;at risk&rsquo; category. In a relatively stable household, if you have what&rsquo;s called an external locus of control, you might believe that your life is mostly shaped by outside factors, like luck or other people, rather than your own actions.&nbsp;
On the other hand, an internal locus of control means you believe that your own efforts and decisions can help to shape most outcomes in your life.
Let&rsquo;s look at how this might play out for a Primary 6 child:
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Situation</td>
<td>External Locus of Control</td>
<td>Internal Locus of Control</td>
<td>Healthy Coping Mindset</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Too much revision homework</td>
<td>&ldquo;There&rsquo;s no way to finish all these practice papers. I give up. I&rsquo;ll just do badly in the PSLE.&rdquo;</td>
<td>&ldquo;I have a valid reason for not having enough time to finish the homework. I&rsquo;ll consult my teacher on the questions I should focus on most, and work on those first.&rdquo;</td>
<td>Shift from thinking the worst to realistic thinking: &ldquo;This homework is a lot, but I can prioritise the most important tasks. It&rsquo;s not the end of the world if I don&rsquo;t finish everything perfectly.&rdquo;</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Unsatisfactory results</td>
<td>&ldquo;I failed because the teacher set such a hard test.&rdquo;</td>
<td>&ldquo;I didn&rsquo;t do well because I didn&rsquo;t familiarise myself with Topic X. I can improve in the next test.&rdquo;</td>
<td>Shift from a permanent to impermanent perspective: &ldquo;This is just one test. I can change my approach for the future.&rdquo;</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Not getting into a &lsquo;good&rsquo; secondary school or posting group</td>
<td>&ldquo;I didn&rsquo;t get in because our education system favours those who are smart and talented. I&rsquo;ll never be that good.&rdquo;</td>
<td>&ldquo;I didn&rsquo;t get the placement that I wanted. But I can still work towards my goals, and hit my targets in the future.&rdquo;</td>
<td>Shift from a global to specific self-assessment: &ldquo;This is just one setback. It doesn&rsquo;t define my future outcomes.&rdquo;&nbsp;</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Curious about how one can move towards a healthy coping mindset? These three steps can empower your child to take control:
<ol>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Set small, achievable goals: If your child is a typical learner, a 10% score increase is considered a reasonable academic goal. Going by the <a href="https://www.moe.gov.sg/microsites/psle-fsbb/resources/score-calculator.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PSLE scoring system</a>, someone scoring between AL2 and AL4 could aim for a jump to the next grade. From AL5 and below, the scoring bands are broader, so it may be less motivating to set a goal based on ALs or the total PSLE Score. Instead, your child can focus on specific and quantifiable efforts, such as: &ldquo;I aim to revise each subject for 30 minutes daily, by working on five open-ended practice questions.&rdquo; They can also set targets for getting higher scores on practice questions.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Model positive thinking: As a parent, you can demonstrate an internal locus of control when talking about the PSLE. For example, instead of saying, &ldquo;You need to do well for the PSLE, or else&hellip;&rdquo; you could say, &ldquo;Let&rsquo;s get your preparation steps for the PSLE in order. If you&rsquo;ve prepared well, you can be proud of that. As for the outcome, let&rsquo;s discuss different possibilities and options. There are many ways to reach a goal, and your goals might also change in future.&rdquo;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Reframe setbacks as growth opportunities: Our guides on <a href="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/article/psle-2024-4-parent-mistakes-to-avoid" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PSLE myths</a> and <a href="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/article/turn-rejection-into-resilience-overcome-dsa-setbacks-and-thrive-beyond-the-psle" target="_blank" rel="noopener">overcoming DSA rejection</a> provide insights for handling P6 setbacks, which are often about not doing well enough to gain entry to a desired school. Remember that events are not traumatic unless your child <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/science/maria-konnikova/the-secret-formula-for-resilience" target="_blank" rel="noopener">experiences them negatively</a>, and their response will shape their future opportunities.</li>
</ol>
Need more support for PSLE 2024? Talk to us on the <a href="https://forum.kiasuparents.com/topic/94737/2024-psle-discussions-and-strategies?_=1722737925042&amp;lang=en-US">KiasuParents forum</a>!
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A Game-Changing Tip to Reduce PSLE Stress and Improve Outcomes

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<?xml encoding="UTF-8"><html><body><div id="attachment_122503" style="width: 710px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-122503" onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-122503 size-full" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-cj-graglia-1208342-2513614.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="467" srcset="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-cj-graglia-1208342-2513614.jpg 700w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-cj-graglia-1208342-2513614-320x213.jpg 320w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px">Photo courtesy of <a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/girl-jumping-on-swimming-pool-2513614/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pexels</a></div>For local parents who have been funding sports training for their children, you may have noticed the online chatter about <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/singapore/comments/1ebynuk/basketball_coach_under_investigation_for/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">school coaches encouraging students to take up private training</a>.&nbsp;
Perhaps you have faced this situation yourself, if your children are passionate about a sport. Or you may have heard about the high cost of student sports training from other parents. Hourly rates for sports coaches vary, but it&rsquo;s not uncommon to hear of coaches charging over S$100 per hour or per session. Imagine this: if a child attends two-hour training sessions five times a week, this could amount to a weekly fee of S$1,000, and a hefty five-figure sum in a year.
In such scenarios, parents are often left to decide for themselves if these practices are acceptable. More often than not, raising concerns with the school could cause tensions that one would rather avoid. Alternatively, a parent could withdraw their child from the training system, but this also means depriving the child of an opportunity to shine &mdash; a difficult decision to make, especially if the child has a clear talent.
Given a choice, many parents who can afford the training fees might prefer to maintain the status quo, to wholeheartedly focus on supporting their child&rsquo;s sports development. This usually results in a significant investment of both money and time, which makes it painful when a primary schooler decides they are no longer keen to continue with the sport in secondary school.
<a href="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/activities/family-huddle-webinar-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-122506" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/KSPFamilyHuddleWebinarIII_448x262.jpg" alt="" width="448" height="262" srcset="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/KSPFamilyHuddleWebinarIII_448x262.jpg 448w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/KSPFamilyHuddleWebinarIII_448x262-320x187.jpg 320w" sizes="(max-width: 448px) 100vw, 448px"></a>
So, what should you do if your child wants to give up a sport that the whole family has dedicated so much effort to? Read on for our suggestions!
<h2>1. Address common challenges in sports training</h2>
Below are typical scenarios that your child might have faced during intensive sports training:
Situation 1: Your child was yelled at by a fierce coach, and now feels anxious about going to practice.
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Approach: Begin by talking with your child about the incident, to understand how it made them feel. Reassure them that their feelings are valid. Next, consider arranging a private meeting with the coach to express your concerns. If the coach is receptive to hearing from you, this can be a positive step. If not, it may be necessary to explore other coaching options, or find a different team where your child can feel safe and supported. To empower your child, involve them in the decision-making process.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Questions to Ask: &ldquo;How did the coach&rsquo;s yelling make you feel? Do you think talking to the coach about how you felt could help? Would you prefer we look for a new coach?&rdquo;</li>
</ul>
Situation 2: Your child is upset because they were mocked by teammates. 

<ul>
<li>Approach: Start by letting them know it&rsquo;s okay to feel hurt. Emphasise the importance of a supportive environment, and discuss ways to address the issue. This could involve arranging a meeting with the coach to give feedback on the incident, and requesting that they foster a more respectful team culture. If the coach is unresponsive or the environment remains toxic, explore other teams or training groups where your child can continue their sport in a positive and encouraging atmosphere. 
</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Questions to Ask: &ldquo;What happened when you were laughed at? Did anyone stand up for you, or did the coach address it? What do you think you can gain by going back for training?&rdquo;</li>
</ul>
Situation 3: Your child says they no longer enjoy the sport, because it&rsquo;s too demanding.
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Approach: First, acknowledge your child&rsquo;s feelings. Reflect on whether the current level of competition is appropriate for their age and development. Discuss the possibility of reducing the intensity of their training, or finding a less competitive league where they can still participate and enjoy the sport &mdash; without the pressure.&nbsp;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Questions to Ask: &ldquo;What changed about the sport that made it less enjoyable for you? Is there another activity you&rsquo;re more interested in?&rdquo;</li>
</ul>
<h2>2. Discuss if it&rsquo;s better to push through, or give up</h2>
There may not always be a clear indication of the &lsquo;best&rsquo; way forward. Here are some factors to consider:
Step 1: Find out if your child&rsquo;s feelings are consistent. Is there a root cause?
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Approach: If your child has felt negative about the sport for a long period, it may indicate a deeper issue. Understanding the specific reasons behind their feelings can help determine if they are experiencing a temporary challenge, or if there are more significant issues at play.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Questions to Ask: &ldquo;How long have you been feeling this way about the sport? What specifically about the sport or training is making you unhappy? Are there parts that you still enjoy?&rdquo;</li>
</ul>
Step 2: Assess the impact on their well-being
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Approach: Consider if the sport is causing significant stress or physical discomfort. If the stress is severe and persistent, it may be time to reconsider their involvement. But if the stress is moderate and manageable, it might be a roadblock that helps build resilience. To determine the severity, look for physical symptoms like headaches or digestive issues, as well as signs of anxiety or depression.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Questions to Ask: &ldquo;Do you feel anxious or bored during practice? Do you ever feel sick, tired, or have trouble sleeping because of the sport? Are there specific moments or events that make you feel this way, like competitions?&rdquo;</li>
</ul>
Step 3: Reflect on goals and aspirations
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Approach: Align the decision with your child&rsquo;s broader goals and interests. If the sport is a crucial part of their future aspirations, it might be worth working through the challenges. However, if it no longer aligns with their interests and goals, it&rsquo;s probably time to move on.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Questions to Ask: &ldquo;What do you think will happen if you keep playing the sport? What about if you stop? How does playing or quitting the sport fit with what you want to do in the future?&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
<h2>3. Explore alternative hobbies</h2>
If your child really wants to quit the sport, it&rsquo;s important to involve them in other activities that keep them engaged and active, to avoid a sense of emptiness or boredom.&nbsp;
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Questions to Ask: &ldquo;Is there another sport or activity that you&rsquo;ve been wanting to try? What else makes you excited or happy? Without training, how would you like to keep fit? What are some fun physical activities that we can do as a family?</li>
</ul>
Want more advice from other sports parents? Join the conversation on the <a href="https://forum.kiasuparents.com/category/15/sports-fitness-athletics" target="_blank" rel="noopener">KiasuParents forum</a>!
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What If My Child Doesn’t Want To Continue with Their Sports CCA in Secondary School?

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<?xml encoding="UTF-8"><html><body><div id="attachment_122493" style="width: 710px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-122493" onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-122493 size-full" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-william-fortunato-6393155.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="498" srcset="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-william-fortunato-6393155.jpg 700w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-william-fortunato-6393155-320x228.jpg 320w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px">Photo courtesy of <a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/focused-ethnic-man-writing-in-notebook-at-home-with-black-mother-and-daughter-6393155/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pexels</a></div>[Updated on 29 Jul 2024, evening]
MOE has released the numbers for Phase 2C.&nbsp; There seems to be quite a number of schools with 1 student withdrawing just before the Phase begins, so I guess it&rsquo;s good news for those who are interested in the school.
<a href="http://www.britishcouncil.sg/kspyl" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-122156" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/BritishCouncil2024P1_300x250.png" alt="" width="300" height="250"></a>
&nbsp;
<a href="https://mailchi.mp/cebecea20031/myc" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-122359" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/MYC-In-banner-article-300x250-1.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="250"></a>
The table has been updated to the latest.&nbsp; Please use it to plan your registration carefully.&nbsp; Remember, beside your desired school, you need to have a backup school.&nbsp; If the backup school is likely to face balloting in Phase 2C(S), then you need to think carefully if you should activate your backup school plan in Phase 2C rather than in Phase 2C(S).&nbsp; At least you can avoid the ballot process.
<img onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-122499" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/P1-Registration-2024-Phase2C-2-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="551" height="2560" srcset="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/P1-Registration-2024-Phase2C-2-scaled.jpg 551w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/P1-Registration-2024-Phase2C-2-320x1487.jpg 320w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/P1-Registration-2024-Phase2C-2-441x2048.jpg 441w" sizes="(max-width: 551px) 100vw, 551px">
<hr>
[Posted on 29 Jul 2024, morning]
This is a precursor to the actual Phase 2C registration, and even though MOE has yet to post the available places in school for Phase 2C, we have decided to just post what we have.&nbsp; This should be accurate, barring some freak incident.&nbsp; For example, some parents with twins or more getting into Phase 2B through balloting, which would eat into schools&rsquo; vacancies in Phase 2C.
In any case, the table below shows the current state of Phase 2C, which will start on Tuesday 30 July.
The APP column shows the current applications, which is of course 0%.&nbsp; If this percentage is over 100%, it means the school is due for some sort of balloting or cut-off situation.
The TUR column (Take-Up Rate) shows the percentage of the school&rsquo;s vacancies already taken up by applicants in earlier phases.&nbsp; This percentage will never exceed 100%, and when it is 100%, it means the school is full and will not participate in Phase 2C(S).&nbsp; The highest TUR so far is Nanyang Primary at 90% full.
The 2024 Places column shows the number of vacancies available for each school in Phase 2C.&nbsp; As you can see, the minimum is 40 places.
Following that are 3 columns which will be updated showing the number of applicants each day.&nbsp; The Day 3 numbers will only be updated after 1 August 2024, when MOE announces the schools which require balloting.
The next column, &ldquo;2023&rdquo;, is a most important column as it shows the balloting situation last year. It lists the number of applicants in 2023 for each school, and highlights the schools which were oversubscribed.&nbsp; In general, we will see a similar situation happening this year, so keep an eye on the number of applicants this year and try to go for your alternative choice if the number of applicants exceed this number.&nbsp; It is better to simply go for your secondary choice in Phase 2C rather than do it in Phase 2C(S), as you might encounter another balloting situation for your alternative choice then!
The last column is &ldquo;cohort&rdquo;, which says if the vacancies for the school has changed from 2023 to 2024.&nbsp; In this case, watch out for schools like Opera Estate Primary, which has a cut off situation in 2023, and yet had 30 places removed this year.&nbsp; Such schools will face greater pressure this year.
<img onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-122492" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/P1-Registration-2024-Phase2C-1-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="551" height="2560" srcset="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/P1-Registration-2024-Phase2C-1-scaled.jpg 551w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/P1-Registration-2024-Phase2C-1-320x1487.jpg 320w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/P1-Registration-2024-Phase2C-1-441x2048.jpg 441w" sizes="(max-width: 551px) 100vw, 551px">
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2024 P1 Registration: Phase 2C (Updated)

<div id="attachment_122479" style="width: 710px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/ethnic-woman-working-on-laptop-while-man-with-baby-sleeping-on-bed-6393352/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-122479" onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-122479 size-full" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-william-fortunato-6393352.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="467" srcset="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-william-fortunato-6393352.jpg 700w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-william-fortunato-6393352-320x213.jpg 320w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></a>Photo courtesy of <a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/ethnic-woman-working-on-laptop-while-man-with-baby-sleeping-on-bed-6393352/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pexels</a></div>
Phase 2B of the 2024 P1 Registration is over, except for the balloting process.  26 schools require balloting, with 4 schools oversubscribed but have no balloting as the number of registrants just match for a certain category.  2 schools, Maha Bohdi Primary and Gongshang Primary, just nicely matched demand with supply of places with no balloting required.
The top schools with an oversubscription rate &gt;=200% are: 
Holy Innocents&#8217; Primary (285%) 
Ai Tong Primary (265%) 
Nan Chiau Primary (255%) 
Chongfu Primary (252%) 
Nanyang Primary (250%) 
CHIJ Primary (Toa Payoh) (210%) 
Methodist&#8217;s Girls School (200%) 
Tao Nan School (200%)
<a href="https://lcentral.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-122534" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/1722264011776.gif" alt="" width="300" height="250" /></a>
<a href="http://www.britishcouncil.sg/kspyl" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-122156" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/BritishCouncil2024P1_300x250.png" alt="" width="300" height="250" /></a>
If you look at the chart below, it shows that those schools we expect to be oversubscribed this year are mostly correct, with the exception of the following schools.
Five schools just escaped balloting this year.  Bukit Panjang Primary just escaped balloting with 19 applicants for 20 places.  So did Maha Bodhi with 20 applicants for 20 places.  Xinmin Primary has 16 out of 20 places while Poi Ching Primary has 35 out of 37 places.  Admiralty has 25 out of 31 places.
However, there are 3 schools which are newly oversubscribed in the past 3 years.  Princess Elizabeth Primary has 22 applicants for 20 places and St Anthony&#8217;s Primary has 39 applicants for 36 places.  Maris Stella has 44 applicants for 32 places.
Phase 2C is coming soon, from 30 July to 1 August.  This is the final stage for many of the more popular schools and so it will be stressful for many people.  Well, at least now all schools should have a minimum of 40 seats available (assuming there are no kids of multiple births who got places in earlier phases).
Good luck to everyone involved!
<img onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-122476" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/P1-Registration-2024-Phase2B-3-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="519" height="2560" srcset="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/P1-Registration-2024-Phase2B-3-scaled.jpg 519w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/P1-Registration-2024-Phase2B-3-320x1579.jpg 320w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/P1-Registration-2024-Phase2B-3-415x2048.jpg 415w" sizes="(max-width: 519px) 100vw, 519px" />

2024 P1 Registration Phase 2B (Final)

<div id="attachment_122448" style="width: 710px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-122448" onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-122448 size-full" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-ketut-subiyanto-4474045.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="467" srcset="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-ketut-subiyanto-4474045.jpg 700w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-ketut-subiyanto-4474045-320x213.jpg 320w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" />Photo courtesy of <a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/happy-mother-working-from-home-and-little-daughter-hugging-mom-4474045/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pexels</a></div>
Day 1 of Phase 2B in the 2024 P1 Registration is just over.  21 schools are already oversubscribed, and 1 school, Pasir Ris Primary, is just fully subscribed.  It is likely to be oversubscribed tomorrow, but based on last year&#8217;s data, the oversubscription should be mild.
Holy Innocents&#8217; Primary is currently the most oversubscribed school at 270%.  Chongfu Primary is close by at 229% oversubscription.
<a href="https://mailchi.mp/cebecea20031/myc" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-122359 aligncenter" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/MYC-In-banner-article-300x250-1.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="250" /></a>
<a href="http://www.britishcouncil.sg/kspyl" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-122156 aligncenter" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/BritishCouncil2024P1_300x250.png" alt="" width="300" height="250" /></a>
Looking at the chart below, I would say that the schools are mostly similar to last year&#8217;s uptake, with only some differences so far.
Those at the highest risk of oversubscription are: 
Red Swastika Primary (17 out of 20 vacancies) 
Bukit Panjang Primary (18 out of 20 vacancies) 
South View Primary (19 out of 20 vacancies) 
ACS Primary (28 out of 29 vacancies) 
Pasir Ris Primary (20 out of 20 vacancies) 
St Hilda&#8217;s Primary (18 out of 20 vacancies)
Amongst the surprises so far is Kong Hwa school, which has only 10 out of 36 places filled.  Given that the school had 57 applicants in 2023, this seems like a pretty small take-up rate so far.  Hopefully, the school can escape balloting in Phase 2B this time round.
Best of luck to those involved in Phase 2B this year!
<img onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-122446" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/P1-Registration-2024-Phase2B-2-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="519" height="2560" srcset="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/P1-Registration-2024-Phase2B-2-scaled.jpg 519w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/P1-Registration-2024-Phase2B-2-320x1579.jpg 320w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/P1-Registration-2024-Phase2B-2-415x2048.jpg 415w" sizes="(max-width: 519px) 100vw, 519px" />

2024 P1 Registration: Phase 2B (Day 1)

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<?xml encoding="UTF-8"><html><body><div id="attachment_122443" style="width: 710px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-122443" onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-122443 size-full" src="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-gabby-k-5063005.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="467" srcset="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-gabby-k-5063005.jpg 700w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-gabby-k-5063005-320x213.jpg 320w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px">Photot courtesty of <a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/happy-cute-asian-girl-sitting-at-table-with-chessboard-5063005/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pexels</a></div>It&rsquo;s not just oral exams that require children to speak up &mdash; we know of parents who worry whenever their children need to attend an interview!
Curious about why children are interviewed? Here are some common local scenarios, where a primary or secondary school child might have to face an interview:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Interviews are conducted as part of the Direct School Admissions (DSA) process for <a href="https://www.moe.gov.sg/secondary/dsa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">secondary schools</a>.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">At the end of Secondary Two, students interested in transferring to the Integrated Programme or a new secondary school will likely have to attend an interview.&nbsp;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Students applying for scholarships may need to be interviewed.</li>
</ul>
If your child feels uncomfortable talking to adults or tends to give short answers during casual conversations, it&rsquo;s likely that they won&rsquo;t be able to highlight their strengths during an interview. But at this stage, what&rsquo;s more crucial is using interviewing opportunities to identify gaps, so that they can work on improving their communication skills.
Below, we have some tips on helping your child to improve their interview skills. These suggestions also apply to being a better conversationalist, so the benefits extend beyond interviews, and can positively impact your child&rsquo;s day-to-day interactions.
<h2>Giving Thoughtful Responses</h2>
When someone asks your child what they think of something, do they tend to give a brief answer like &ldquo;It&rsquo;s nice,&rdquo; without elaborating?&nbsp;
If this sounds like your child, you can help them develop the habit of providing more detailed responses, by encouraging them to think about why they feel a certain way and to express those thoughts. For example, if they say, &ldquo;It&rsquo;s nice,&rdquo; prompt them with follow-up questions like, &ldquo;What do you like about it?&rdquo; or &ldquo;How does it make you feel?&rdquo; This practice can help them articulate their opinions and feelings more fully.&nbsp;
Relating this back to interviewing skills, being able to elaborate on answers is crucial. It demonstrates a person&rsquo;s ability to think critically and communicate effectively, qualities that interviewers look for. By practising this habit in everyday conversations, your child can become more proficient at giving richer answers during interviews. They don&rsquo;t have to master this now, but they&rsquo;ll definitely have an edge if they can develop this skill by young adulthood.
<h2>Handling Unfamiliar Questions</h2>
What if an interviewer asks your child a question, and your child doesn&rsquo;t know the answer?&nbsp;
When this happens, it&rsquo;s important that your child doesn&rsquo;t panic. Instead, they should try to draw on the information that they know, in order to work out a response that shows their thinking process. For example, if your child is asked in a STEM interview, &ldquo;What do you think about renewable energy?&rdquo; and they&rsquo;re not familiar with the topic, they can start by saying, &ldquo;I&rsquo;m not very familiar with renewable energy, but I know that it&rsquo;s an alternative to fossil fuels and it helps reduce pollution. For example, solar panels use the sun to generate electricity, which doesn&rsquo;t produce harmful emissions. So, I think renewable energy is important for protecting the environment.&rdquo;
How can parents help to hone this skill? One effective approach is to create opportunities for your child to practise thinking on their feet. Role-playing exercises are particularly useful, where you ask your child open-ended questions on various topics, and encourage them to think out loud as they formulate their responses. For instance, during a family dinner, you might ask, &ldquo;What would you do if you were in charge of reducing waste in your school?&rdquo; Prompt them to consider different aspects of the problem, and draw from what they know about recycling and environmental conservation.
Another strategy is to discuss current events or subjects that your child is learning in school. Encourage them to explain these topics to you, and if they encounter something they don&rsquo;t know, guide them to use related information that they do know to build their explanation. This exercise will help them to become comfortable with articulating their thought process.
Additionally, praise your child&rsquo;s efforts to reason through answers, even if they don&rsquo;t get everything right. This builds confidence and reinforces the value of critical thinking for your child.&nbsp;
<h2>Providing the Best Support for Interview Preparation</h2>
When the stakes are high, parents might unintentionally add stress if they try to help their children prepare for important interviews. This added pressure can make a child feel anxious and less confident.&nbsp;
If this is the case, consider asking a close family friend (or any trusted adult) to assist with preparations on your behalf. For example, if your child has an upcoming school entrance interview, ask a family friend who works in education to conduct mock interviews with your child. This can make the practice sessions feel less formal and more like a casual conversation, putting your child at ease.
In addition to seeking help from loved ones, children can also use AI tools like ChatGPT to prepare for interviews. For instance, your child can provide some context to ChatGPT, in order to generate a list of potential interview questions and sample answers. They can then edit the answers to reflect their own experiences and thoughts.&nbsp;
To take this a step further, your child can even use ChatGPT to simulate an interview, by asking the AI bot to play the role of the interviewer. This way, they can practise answering questions in real time and receive immediate feedback. This form of interactive practice can be fun, and more importantly, it can help your child to feel comfortable with interviews, while providing a safe space for accepting feedback.
Want interview tips specifically for the DSA? <a href="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/article/the-dsa-interview-how-to-set-your-child-up-for-success" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Read our guide</a>!
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