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

siumanmama

all,

I am choosing between Kingston's pm class and Tutor Time's am class for my daughter.

These 2 schools both offer English & Mandarin curriculum, low student-to-teacher ratio. Furthermore, the tuition fee is about the same($6,500/month).

Any comments as to how to choose between these two schools for my daughter?
  Thanks.

siumanmama

DiamondHill,

Yes, Kingston runs IB curriculum and seems a little bit more organised.  Furthermore, it seems to me that both English & Mandarin teachers of Kingston will stay in the classroom while for Tutor Time, either English or Mandarin teacher will stay in the classroom(2 classes share the 2 teachers) . Of course, there will be another class teacher or amah in the classroom as well -> that's the same.

For our case, I plan, at this moment, to put my little girl in local primary school rather than IS and we will send her overseas (US/UK) for university /and high school.
But both of their pre-nursery class will be 3 hrs long (why you said that's 2.5hrs?) and $6,500/month.  
Please tell me if there's something wrong

siumanmama

Diamond Hill:

School hours for Kingston pm class is 1:30 pm-4:30 pm (3 hrs) for 2-6yrs.

Thanks for your sharing.

siumanmama

all dads/moms,

pls advise & share.

siumanmama

Diamond Hill,

Are you going to register? What's your updated plan now?
Do u think your kid can adjust to pm class?

siumanmama

DiamondHill,

Do you have other choice(s)?
Where do you live? Have you checked with other schoolbus operators?

DiamondHill 寫道:
Hi siumanmama,

Most probarly I will take Kingston for my daughter, I still headache how to adjust her nap time.  But now the difficult point is no school bus will come to where I live.  So I haven't register yet.

Hi cissyc,

Yes, there is no chance to shift to am class that the staff from Kingston told me.  I am also worrying too.  Will you register before 3/21 ?  Pls share.

siumanmama

DenDenMi,

Yes there's not much comment about Kingston and as far as I know many of the Kingston pre-nursery students shift to other kindergartens in K1/2 and they also keep joining other playgroups/classes after school when studying in Kingston.

DenDenMi 寫道:
Hi, all mums,
My situation same as cissyc, only Kingston and TT are my choice, because the application date of all other nursary are closed.   My son may also study Kingston PN pm class on coming Aug, I will go register on 21 Mar and it needs us to pay deposit and the first month school fee, I think if I pay it, my son will be 90% to study in Kingston.  In fact, I haven't heard any comment on Kingston, so I don't know whether it is good or not.  Do they know any comment on Kingston?  If their children will study Kingston, perhaps they become classmates!!      

siumanmama

DiamondHill, cissyc & DenDenMi,

Will your kids keep studying in Kingston (if you really choose Kingston) after studying PN in 07-08?

Any plan for K1? (As this might affect your choice now.)

siumanmama

DiamondHill,

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

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

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

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

DiamondHill 寫道:
Hi siumanmama, cissyc & DenDenmi,

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

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

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

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

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

siumanmama

DenDenMi,

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

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

DenDenMi 寫道:
Hi siumanmama, cissyc & Diamond Hill,

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

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

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


Yes Yes, we need keep in touch!

siumanmama

kadie,

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

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

kadie 寫道:
Dear all mums,

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

siumanmama

DiamondHill, DenDenMi & cissyc,

One more thing about Tutor Time WOW:

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

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

siumanmama

kadie,

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

Let's share.

siumanmama

cissyc,

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

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

siumanmama

DenDenMi,

Yes, I can still wait for some other choices including TT, LH, SPN & NCC...
But sometimes I will feel a little bit tired when I think about the need to apply for different kinders yearly (PN,K1, K2) and then choose Primary & sec. school later. There's a long long way ahead.

Why you say that you are always exhausted? Your domestic helper is not good?  I also agree that fulltime c9 need to take a break.  So I usually have oerseas trips with my hubby (without my kid) 2-3 times a year.

I can tell you that during summer time (May-Oct)you don't want to walk from KCR to Kingston even you bring along with you an umbrealla. Fortunately, Kingston's summer holiday lasts for 1.5 month.

cissyc,

There are some minibuses running between Hunghom & Kowloon Tong.  Can you find one suitable for u?

http://www.td.gov.hk/transport_in_hong_kong/public_transport/minibuses/green/kowloon_gmb_routes/index_tc_t.htm

DenDenMi 寫道:
Hi, siumanmama, you haven't registered the Kingston, it's doesn't matter, as you can eventually  find a suitable school for your kid......

Full time C9 is not so good, I am always exhausted.  I really want to take a long break for myself!!!

The location of Kingston is not very good as it's too far from KCR station.  I also think if the weather is not really hot and is not raining, parents can still walk or push baby stroller from KCR station to school.  But the weather is bad, it's quite impossible.  

Cissyc, you live in Hunghom, taking KCR is the best choice, but need take a long walk to school.  If taking Taxi everyday, it's quite expensive, besides the school fee, that's your additional cost to study Kingston        Ha Ha, maybe your mother-in-law get a driving licence to be a best solution.  Or maybe you quit your job and let us become a full time C9 together   

siumanmama

cissyc,

I think you've made a typo - applying CCKG's K2 instead of K3.  

I think most of the parents will try to apply CCKG for their kids.  There's no harm to try, just a short English interview by the Principal.

siumanmama

all,

All of us have more or less the same thoughts:  ->CCKG-> DGJS/DBPS-> DGS/DBS->Havard/Cambridge. (This is the ideal case.)

Wahaha! Then we have plenty of chances to exchange and share in the future.

DenDenMi 寫道:
Hi, cissyc, my boy's name is Hayden, I am looking forward to seeing you in TT playgroup.
I think I will try to apply CCKG, just like siumanmama said that it was no harm, taking more choices for our kids, right!!!
If Kayleigh wants to study DGS, CCKG is the best choice as my friend told me if someone can study in CCKG, it is a greater chance to study in DGS.  
If I got a daughter, my thoughts same as you, that is let her to study traditional school rather than IS in Primary and Secondary.

siumanmama

hahaha! Really the best scenario!     

DenDenMi 寫道:
Wow wow, so ideal, hoping our kids can follow this path     

[quote]
siumanmama 寫道:
all,

All of us have more or less the same thoughts:  ->CCKG-> DGJS/DBPS-> DGS/DBS->Havard/Cambridge. (This is the ideal case.)

Wahaha! Then we have plenty of chances to exchange and share in the future.

siumanmama

Christ Church Kindergarten
Diocesan Girls' Junior School
Diocesan Girls' School

siumanmama

Hi gegemok,

Since NONE of our kids is the current students of 1-year(Playgroup) class in Kingston, we don't have priority to join their 2-year am class.  That's why we are all offered a place in one of their pm classes.

gegemok 寫道:
[quote]
DenDenMi 寫道:
He's in TT playgroup now, but he will study PN in Kingston.  In fact, the teaching style of both school are similar, just singing, dancing, circle time etc during class time, just likes the playgroup but the time is longer.  

Which class in Kingston will you son join, AM or PM?[/quote]