Hi Atan,

Congratulations!

Thanks for your well wishes too.

HI Atan,

Congratulations!

Thanks v much for yr kind wishes, tanzyjac. The lucky star is with us today, we or rather our son got in!! I felt sorry for the 6 unlucky ones.

I wish you all the best for 2C Sup reg at the school of yr choice!

Hi Atan,

Thanks for your reply. 

I can understand the anxiety you and your family are going through now.  Just like last week, we were still hoping for a chance at balloting. 

I hope your child  will get a place at NYPS at the balloting.  All the best! 

Hi Tanzyjac,

Sorry that U r out of Ph 2C at Beacon. The take up rate is really suprising this year. We are trying our luck at the Ph 2C balloting in NYPS tomoro morn; 61 kids for 55 places. We r prepared for the worst and hav decided on BTPS. if unsuccessful We attended their fun fair cum open hse and liked the surrounding n environment of school.  It has good CCA but I am not so sure abt their academic performance, but general review fm people (incl teachers) I know is that it is a good school. We are also outside 2km of BTPS but it is probably one of the best bet in the bt panjang/bukit batok area for 2c sup registration.

Hi.  We’re out of Phase 2C, not even a chance to ballot (1-2km of Beacon Primary).  Now considering Zhenghua Primary (within 1km, but only 79 places available) or Bukit Timah Primary (outside 2km, with 130 places available).

I have no other better choice – GreenRidge has only 23 vacancies.

I went to Zhenghua Primary’s open house last month.  2  P6 girls brought me around the school compound.  Then one of them told me that the school’s exams are set below the national standard, I got stunned.  I asked them how then are they going to face the national PSLE exam, their reply is that the teacher will give them more revisions.  Next, I find that this school emphasised alot on their CCAs, "training" their students to achieve national, international awards…. is this good?

Yet Bukit Timah Primary is 7km away from my house.  Is it worth putting my daughter in this school?

Hi socks,

when you mentioned about recee, do you mean BPPS or BTPS?

i have heard about neighbourhood schools ‘streaming’ P1 kids too…ie top 5% of each class will go into one class in P2.

Hi Socks,

Tks! Still cannot conclude what Pr Sch?? !!  We have possibility to try Nanyang Pri (within 1 km to IC add). and if unsuccessful, for Ph 2C Sup 1) BTPS (outside 2km)or (2) Beacon (1-2 km w Foster Parent Declaration). Not sure yet.

Actually, I tried PV at BPPS but didn’t complete 40 hrs as we though that there is a good chance for NYPS since there was no balloting for Ph 2c within 1 km. If we register BPPS in Ph 2B, we hav to give up if we go for Ph 2C at NYPS. But, look at the take up rate at NY this year, definitely need to ballot for Ph2C, there is a 60-80% chance…

For BPPS, I must say the staffs & teachers  are really friendly and keen to help all PV obtain a place for their child.. For any parent who wish to enrol in BPPS, you should be a PV there. It is really quite easy to complete 40 hrs of service.

I am keeping my fingers crossed…

Hi Atan!

I did not attend Beacon’s Open House, but based on the news reports so far, it seemed that learning there is quite fun. But it’s a new school and has no track record. Your boy will be one of the pioneers.

My choice schools are BPPS, CHIJ (BT), BTPS and Zhenghua. All are within 2 km except Zhenghua. But looking at this year’s take up rate, I think BPPS is out for me. I may not even have a chance to ballot!!!

How about you? What schools are you considering?

Tks v much for yr kind input. Have you considered Beacon which is designed as a ‘future school’. Did U attend the open hse on 12 July? I missed it… Appreciate yr opinion on this school. By the way, what school are U ‘aiming’ at?

Tks for sharing… AT

Hello Atan!

I’m also in a similar boat as you, staying at Upp Bt Timah, and eligible only for phase 2C. The one reason I could think of is that BTPS is surrounded by well established popular schools such as Pei Hwa, MGS etc to name a few. Hence parents would normally go for those first. BTPS would only be considered if they fail at phase 2C.

What strikes me though is that most of the children come from reasonable background (though this may not have been their choice school), but why is the school not producing excellent results as compared to say Bukit Panjang Pri. It’s website did indicate about 30 students who made it to top schools last year.

I was at the school one Friday afternoon to recce it. It was their reccess. The children looked very happy. Most were playing catch. I also saw a few teachers at the canteen talking to the pupils. The school was clean. Most of the chilren were well behaved (vs rowdy) and were conversing in English. I also saw a few caucasian students.

Other than that, I’ve also heard mixed reviews. It produces one of the highest number of students eligible for GEP. I don’t know how true this is. The children are streamed at primary 1 already!!! They sit for an ‘exam’ in December before being allocated a primary one class. There isn’t much programmes for the children. The principal is new. 

I think it is also holding an open house soon. So it may be worth checking out.

Hope I didn’t confuse you!

I stay in the Upper Bukit Timah area and my son is eligible for phase 2C registration only. Unfortunately, we do not live within 1km of any good schools in this area. We have heard that Bukit Timah Primary Sch is a good one, but we wonder why the take up rate was low for last year.

Would appreciate adv on this school.