有冇小朋友讀緊拔萃男書院附屬小學

HONYIN

Hi Chatterbox,
Thanks for yr thorough answer!
My son attend 1st interview yesterday.
Can u share the experience of 2nd interview?
Any tips for us!
HonYin mama

abc111

Chatterbox

Thanks for your quick reply.

1) What is RE?
2) What are the electives?
3) So mainly taught in English. Chinese is taught in Cantonese, then will it be taught in Putonghua in higher grade?
4) Is it expensive for the extra-curricular activities? Are they held after school?
5) As it is more traditional approach, do your kid feel boring as I heard DBSPD tends to accept active boys? Does he like the school and happy?
6)  Are you satisfied with the school? Any good and bad comments?

Chatterbox 寫道:
Hi abc111,

My son's in G1, so I have been a DBSPD parent for just over 2 months, but will try to answer your questions as follows. Other more 'experienced' DBSPD moms please correct me if I am wrong:

1) Is it active or traditional approach for teaching?
It's probably more on the traditional side (ie. not project based), but I don't feel that they have been 'drilled'. The lessons seem to have been conducted in quite a fairly lively manner.   

2) How many homework per day (can you describe it more detail)?
Around 2-3 items per day, sometimes a bit more on Fridays. If your child is disciplined, it should take no more than 40 mins to an hour.  

3) For P.1, how many subjects and what are they? Chinese/Eng/Maths/GS/Music/Arts/Computer Studies/Library/Electives/PE/Putonghua/RE.

4) What subjects are taught in English or Putonghua or Cantonese? Eng/Maths in english, I believe so are Computer Studies/Music/Arts. 2 lessons of GS is also in english.  Chinese/2 lessons of GS/RE are in cantonese. Putonghua - 2 lessons per week. Electives- depends on your chosen subject. If it's french, it will be in french/english.

5) Is there a good reading scheme? Please describe.
They have Library lesson plus they are encourage to go up to the library once or twice a week to read/borrow books. I see some senior boys on school bus every day, many of them have story books with them. I think yes, they do encourage reading.  

6) Any extra-curriular activities? Need to pay? What are they?
Lots of ECAs to choose from as the school really believes in an all rounded development, but you have to pay.
For sports, you can choose - swimming/golf/basketball/football/althetics/tennis/table tennis/fencing...etc.
For music - all kinds of instruments
For arts - chinese writing/painting...etc.

7) Do the students speak quite good in English?
Yes, pretty good from what I can gather.  

8) Are the teachers nice and care?
From those few whom I have come across to date, yes. They gave their office nos and email addresses to all the parents, and we can always contact them.

There is a DBS School Fete (fun fair) next Sunday (5th Nov) from 10 - 5pm. It's open to public, so do feel free to come and walk around the school ground and meet the students.  It's also good to bring your son there to get familiarise with the school environment, especially if he gets selected for 2nd round. There is also a buffet counter, and you can purchase tickets on the day and have lunch there too.

Hope the above is of help.

Chatterbox

elizatyy

which kindergarten has better chance? (e.g. KM, st catherine...etc)

yy98

I don't know why I like this school, maybe my son like it so .... The school is new, but I see it betters everyday, the school has been doing a lot, that's important.
I agree with Chatterbox, you can go to school and meet students on 5th Nov., maybe you will know which kind of kids that the school likes.
Hope this helps.

Chatterbox

Hi abc111,

1) What is RE? - Religious Education.

2) What are the electives?
These are subjects outside the usual syllabus of most schools. I don't have the full list with me, but the boys can choose from Astronomy, to chinese chess, to french, to chinese history and culture, to kids with international perspective, money management, science....etc. For upper grades, I believe photography, museum studies..etc. are on offer too.  Really a whole spectrum of subjects to choose from. These are suppose to broaden their general knowledge and perspective.

3) So mainly taught in English. Chinese is taught in Cantonese, then will it be taught in Putonghua in higher grade?
Nothing concrete has been said at the moment , but they have 2 lessons of Putonghua per week, plus all the G1 class assistants (who will be with the class for the daily assemby, lunch and dismissal assembly) are mandarin teachers/speakers.

4) Is it expensive for the extra-curricular activities? Are they held after school?
Not particularly, and I believe some are cheaper than going rate outside. As school starts at 9am only, some ECAs are in the morning before school.

5) As it is more traditional approach, do your kid feel boring as I heard DBSPD tends to accept active boys? Does he like the school and happy?
My son loves the school. It's new and it's big and with lots of activities plus a newly laid track and field, it's hard not to like the school, at his age anyway.

6) Are you satisfied with the school? Any good and bad comments?
We are very pleased with the school thus far. I would prefer chinese be taught in PTH if I have a choice, but I understand it's a matter of resources...


Chatterbox

Chatterbox

Hi Chatterbox,
Thanks for yr thorough answer!
My son attend 1st interview yesterday.
Can u share the experience of 2nd interview?
Any tips for us!
HonYin mama  

Hi HonYin mama,

Last year, we had to meet a panel of 3 for 2nd interview.  The penal mostly consisted of the headmaster, the headteacher and also the school advisor. But for some sessions, the composition might be slightly different. For us, we met the headteacher, and 2 school committee members (a judge and one other). The atmosphere was pretty daunting but once you have settled in, it was not too bad. We had to answer and give our views on 2 simple questions (our son was with us throughout), then we were asked to leave and let them interview the boy.   From what I could gather from my boy, he had to do some jigsaw, then he was given a picture where he had to answer some questions.

I might be wrong, but I don't think the school will ask difficult IQ, EQ questions like what some parents fear. If you are an experience educator (which I believe the DBSPD penal was), they could tell instantly whether the child would be suitable for the school by just observing how he behaves, listening to how he speak, and what he said..etc.  There is really no need to rehearse or recite any model answers, just be natural and relax.   

Hope this helps, and good luck! It will be a nail biting few weeks before the 2nd interview letter arrives!!

Chatterbox

Gordon_No_4

Duplicated.

Gordon_No_4

Hi Chatterbox,

How long does the 2nd interview take? How long will the parents stay before leaving the child alone to the interviewers?

What are the two simple questions asked by the interviewers to the parents?

From your experience, how long will it take after the 1st interview for DBSPD to notify the candidates for the 2nd interview?

Chatterbox 寫道:
The atmosphere was pretty daunting but once you have settled in, it was not too bad. We had to answer and give our views on 2 simple questions (our son was with us throughout), then we were asked to leave and let them interview the boy.   

Chatterbox

Gordon_No_4

Any update?

Chatterbox

Hi Gordon_no.4,

We waited for less than half an hour in the waiting room before we were being called. The acutal interview was pretty swift. My husband and I were in there for the first 5 mins, and then my son had to stay behind for another 10 mins or so.

The 2  questions were something like 'why DBS?' and "how we've taught our child".

Couldn't remember when we rec'd the second interview letter, probably mid to late Nov. I only remember receiving the admission letter the Sat just before Christmas (21 Dec, I think)! It was our best Christmas present ever!!

Hope you will get the same present too! Good luck!

Chatterbox

Gordon_No_4

Dear Chatterbox,

Thanks very much for your info and help.

BTW, may I know if your husband is an old boy?

I heard that this year, the 10 marks of 'association' will be counted to determine if a second interview will be granted.  

Anyways, we will try our best if we are so lucky to be given the chance for the 2nd interview. :

大粉果

Hi all,

I just want to know if you have let your kids join the Sheng Kung Hui Church?  All Sheng Kung Hui Churchs give the same result or is there any one Sheng Kung Hui Church the school preferred? Is it really important to be a member of the Sheng Kung Hui Church?

Thx for any advice.

Man

wwma

May I know how much is the school fee?

duck_duck

$3800 per month X 10

duck_duck

only 聖公會教會洗禮o既小朋友有10分加.(parent不計)

大粉果 寫道:
Hi all,

I just want to know if you have let your kids join the Sheng Kung Hui Church?  All Sheng Kung Hui Churchs give the same result or is there any one Sheng Kung Hui Church the school preferred? Is it really important to be a member of the Sheng Kung Hui Church?

Thx for any advice.

Man

shueyl

Chatterbox,

Really thanks u share your experience to us. U is so kindly....

That's will be very helpful of us, My son also applied G1, hope we can have a good news on mid-Dec.......

Chatterbox

Dear All,

I've just looked at my old calendar, we rec'd the 2nd interview letter on 15 Nov last year and 2nd interview was on 23 Nov.  If this year's time table is similar, you all will just have 2 weeks or so to wait. So just sit tight and keep praying.

No, my husband is not an old boy.

Goodl luck everyone!!

Chatterbox
   

PACMA

Chatterbox,

Thank you so much for your sharing.    

abc111

Thanks! Chatterbox

Your answer is so helpful.

abc111

Chatterbox

You are most welcome!

I went through this process last year, so I know how stressful and anxious parents are during this interim period!

I know it's easier said then done, but do try to relax. It's all fated to a certain extent!  Interviews are very subjective, so there's an element of luck in it.  

Chatterbox