ESF kindergarten or nearby kindergarten if have sibling in ESF ?

jjoyma

Dear ESF parents,

I got an offer for my little one in ESF kindergarten, but we live quite far away form the school. I have an elder son in the ESF secondary already, which means my little one will have priority over the ESF kindergarten student for Y1 interview according to the priority system .

I am struggling whether I should let my little one stay in nearby local kindergarten or let him travel for 1 1/2 hour everyday on the bus.

Could any parent give me some advise please, we need to pay tomorrow !!!

Thank you in advance for any input.

jjoyma

oooray

it seems too risky to leave your little one in a LOCAL kindergarten even if u have the priority in Year 1 Application...

jjoyma

Hi Oooray,

Thank you for your advice, I also feel risky in not joining ESF kindi.

What do you think if I put my little one in the ''international section'' of the ''Local kindergarten", and at the same time join the ESF English Language program every Saturday ???

I know it is impossible to "have your cake and eat it", but just want to get the best solution for the problem.

Thanks,
jjoyma

oooray

Personally, i do not believe merely education from "int'l stream of Local Kindy" can bring children to the level meeting entrance requirement of Year 1 in most IS.
As far as i know (maybe i am totally wrong), most parents going to int'l stream of local kindy are not targeting IS as first choce. They only want to have a better English exposure preparing for their local P1 interviews.
I assume neither parents and your Secondary silbing cannot spend most of your time playing with your little one in providing an English environment.
Once a day English class (no matter from ESF or not) is good to have.
If u do not have another real international kindergarten offer near your home, u better pay deposit and accept the offer first. U still have a few more months to think.
If you think travelling is no good to your little one, why not moving closer to the school for just 2 years?
One more thing is that, ESF kindy children can be in the same group with their classmates/friends when attending ESF interview.
That is something u may not have if you are from outsider kindergarten.

原帖由 jjoyma 於 11-2-1 19:06 發表
Hi Oooray,

Thank you for your advice, I also feel risky in not joining ESF kindi.

What do you think if I put my little one in the ''international section'' of the ''Local kindergarten", and at the  ...

jjoyma

Dear Oooray,

Thank you very much for your detailed analysis of the pros of going to ESF kindi ! To be save, I have sent out the deposit to buy time for further evaluation of my case.

Unfortunately, we are not able to move our home near to ESF kindi.

I had heard some rumor about the unorganized curriculum of the ESF Kindi which also may me doubt of the quality of education for my little one. People said the kindi won't teach academic knowledge and student are too free to play in the school.

I would really like to verify these information with those parents who have kids in the ESF kindi recently.

Thanks a lot for your advice.

Happy New Year !!!

Cheers,
jjoyma

oooray

Yes. Always play save. Then u still have a few months to decide where to go.
I will not comment on those rumors.
But there are always mismatch that parents love tightly packed schedule in competitive local schools but applying for ESF (or other IS kindy).
Even open classroom itself has already made a lot of parents feel uncomfortable.
I feel nothing wrong as long as my child enjoying school life there.
There must be other IS Kindy have better cirrculum but staying in local kindy, speaking Cantonese all day with friends should offset your effort in helping your little one going through ESF Year 1 interview.
I wil suggest u keep looking for any "real" IS nearby that can offer quality education. It is true that there is no point to travel too long to "secure" an interview priority that you have already had.
Chat again later...

原帖由 jjoyma 於 11-2-2 12:23 發表
Dear Oooray,

Thank you very much for your detailed analysis of the pros of going to ESF kindi ! To be save, I have sent out the deposit to buy time for further evaluation of my case.

Unfortunately, ...

lottieclee

I read from your other thread that you have been accepted at ESF Tsing Yi.   I found that the academic performance and expectation depends on the individual kindy and teacher.

My son's class teacher asks me to do writing at home and some sensory exercises at home!  Some parents from famous local kindies said... really?  and it's ESF?!  I shrugged.  You'd better talk to parents from TY, we are not there.

I was in the same situation as you were last year.  We had existing admission priority and offers from true international kindies in Kowloon Tong (near home).  I decided to go for the particular ESF kindy I chose because I liked the school environment.  Of course the interview priority was important, because.. frankly... you don't know when ESF policy changes... just to be safe.

[ 本帖最後由 lottieclee 於 11-2-8 11:26 編輯 ]

C.K.K.K

Oooray,

May i know which ESF primary school is your son studying ?

thanks.

oooray

原帖由 C.K.K.K 於 11-2-23 18:45 發表
Oooray,

May i know which ESF primary school is your son studying ?

thanks.

one in RC and one still in K2