Yew Chung Primary

Chatterbox

I am thinking of sending my child to Yew Chung for primary 1 next September. What's its interview process like? Any Yew Chung parents can share with me what they think of the school?

beryl

any parents can share? i also want to know.

KSun

You can download the application form from their website, fill in and send it back. Then they will arrange an interview with you and the child.

To know the school better, you should attend its information session. Call the school office for the arrangments.

Yew Chung

Good luck.

KSun

Sorry, I miss a point. Their interview is just to see if the child is normal and be able to communicate in simple English (the class tutor is a native Eng speaker) and the attitude of the parents. Just a kind of free talk.

They employ a non-discriminatory policy, i.e. to fill all the vacancies as far as possible.

Chatterbox

Thanks for the info.  Is your child @ Yew Chung?

KSun

Yes and they absolutely enjoy their school life - they's why I sent them there. I don't want to drag my kids to school every day if they hate it.   

Chatterbox

That's very reassuring to know! What do you think of their chinese standard? Do they have chinese lessons everyday?

Upon complete construction of their secondary school premises @ Kowloon Tong, do you know if they will share the facilities with primary division?

Is their Year 2 equivalent to Primary 1?

Thanks.

KSun

Yes, every day, in Putonghua.

I haven't heard anything about sharing the campuses. I only know that they have expanded P1 to accommodate more students to feed in the secondary division which planned to be opened in 2006.

"equivalent to" - do you mean the age or the standard?

Well, if you enter its Year 1, you should be of aged 5, i.e. K3. If you enter Year 2, you have to stay in a special IEP (Intensive English Program) first, maybe for a year or so to brush up the English. :-|

Gisele

hi there,

It appears that Yew Chung accepts kids who can speak some English.  I wonder if it is possible or advisable to keep Yew Chung as a backup if my son fails to get a seat in a better local primary?  Would he looks very awkward as being at least one year older than most kids in his class?

Chatterbox

I called the school yesterday and they told me it's up to the principal to decided which Year/Level the child will be in. KSun is correct, K3 is similar in terms of age/standard to Year 1 at Yew Chung, so I presume I will be applying for Year 2.

Does anyone know whether Yew Chung will require the successful applicant to withdraw from Round 1 or 2 of the Central Allocation System?

MomMom

Chatterbox,

Actually how old is your son?  If you are going to enter into the Year 2, I think your kids already 6 and passed the local school central allocation system.  What is your planning?  Can you give me a clear picture?  Is it you want to join the central allocation next year?  May be your son is born in late 1999?

My girl is going to Yew Chung Secondary this coming Sept.

Chatterbox

Hi MomMom,

My son is only 5 year old this year, so he will join the P1 central allocation system this coming Sept to start P1 in Sept 2006.

When I called the school, they said he will be applying for Year 2 then.

Did your daughter study @ Yew Chung kindergarten?

MomMom

Hi Chatterbox,

Your son is born in 1999 or 2000?  If the year of 2000, then he should be in P.1 this year.  How come you can apply for Year 2?

My daughter starts studying in Yew Chung Jan. this year only.  She was transfered to Yew Chung from a local primary school.  

Chatterbox

Hi MomMom,

My son was born in July 2000. As he is studying in a local kindergarten at present and will be in K3 this coming Sept, I have no intention pulling him out of his kindergarten.

We will be taking part in the P1 allocation system (for local gov't aided schools) this coming Sept for P1 in Sept 2006. By Sept 2006, he will be 6 years old, so if he goes to Yew Chung, I assume he will have to join Year 2 then.  

So will your daughter stay put @ Yew Chung or will she take part in the P 1 allocation as well?

MomMom

Hi Chatterbox,

Oh!  I'm fully understand now.   You are applying Yew Chung P.2 for the year of sept. 2006 not this year.  You just apply it for back up.

My girl will be in Secondary Year 7 this year.  She is 11 year old now.

Chatterbox

Hi MomMom,

It's not really just for back up as we do like the school. We just cannot decide whether to put him in international schools or local schools at present so we thought we will keep our options open and see what is available at the end of the day.

Did your daughter have problem adjusting to the Yew Chung system when she first joined?

MomMom

No.  She is very happy in Yew Chung.  She likes very much.  Her character becomes more active and outgoing.  The only problem is the English standard.  I think she still needs time to improve it.

Chatterbox

Don't worry about her english. Given time, she will definitely improve as she is in the right environment. I am glad to hear it is a happy school. That to me is the most important!

What's the volume of her homework like?

MomMom

The volume of homework of course is not much.  Chinese is more, maths is very little.  English is OK.  More project orientated.

Which kindy your boy is studying now?  Which primary school is your target?

Chatterbox

My child is at St Catherine's at the moment. We have not decided whether to put him ithrough local schools or international schools yet so we will probably apply to both come Sept. In order to keep our options open, we have been speaking english with him at home since birth, and put him through local kindergarten to learn cantonese. He is now kind of fluent in both.

St Catherine's has a fair amount of homework (2 home work assignment every day even for K2) so he is used to doing homework.