Education is the bedrock of a child’s learning experiences. It is therefore of utmost importance for parents to be extremely discerning about their school choice. For instance, if you are looking for a primary school in Punggol, it would entail quite a bit of online research, pragmatic thinking and campus tours to finally make the right decision. 

 

The Ministry of Education website provides comprehensive information on primary school registrations, including phases of registration and deadlines. But as a parent, you also need to check out the websites of primary schools in your preferred location, followed by checking the campus in person. After all, you are entrusting your child’s formative years in their hands. So you need to be extremely cautious and make the right decision according to your child’s needs. 

 

Here are some important tips to help you navigate this process of choosing the right primary school with ease.

  1. Start with the most practical consideration of location– Especially at the primary school level, the commute time and distance to school should be reasonable. Based on where you reside in Singapore, ideally set a 5 kilometres radius to identify the best primary schools near you. For instance, if you find a well-known primary school in Punggol within 3 kilometres of your house, but the best and most-reputed school is 12 kilometres away from where you stay, opting for the former is a very practical and considerate choice for your child. Apart from the daily commute time and money saved, it would also be less stressful for your child in the long run.
  2. Does the Schools’ Value System confer to your beliefs?– For some parents, it is important that the value system in primary school, in terms of the religious prayers, teachings, community service and morals imparted, be in line with their ideology. Accordingly, one should opt for the right school in this dimension. In the current, highly globalized era, it would certainly benefit your child to study in a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural environment, with a balanced emphasis on all religions. International schools in Singapore provide this opportunity to your child to seamlessly evolve into a progressive global citizen.
  3. Look into the secondary school categories as per your child’s requirement– Many subjective factors can affect your choice of school at the primary level. Talk to your child, seek advice from close acquaintances and decide if you want to opt for either of these categories:-
  • Co-education school/all-boys school/all-girls school
  • Non-inclusive schools or schools with inclusivity for the specially-abled
  • Native Singaporean schools or international schools with international curriculum choices
  • Schools where your mother tongue is taught as a second language
  • School with the right cultural fit for your child, based on his/her nationality
  • Primary schools that offer easy transition into secondary school level

   If any of the above considerations are applicable in your case, do add them to your checklist.

 

  1. Visit the shortlisted schools for a first-hand check of the facilities– While a good school certainly has all the required information on the website, it will be reassuring for you as a parent to take a school tour in person. Speak to the authorities and schedule an appointment with the admissions counsellor. Find out about the school’s culture and learning environment, and how comfortable your child would be to spend his/her formative years there. While there is no end to the list of facilities, here are the most sought-after ones, provided by leading international schools in Singapore:-
  • Clean and environment-friendly campus with sufficient walking spaces and play areas
  • Assured Safety with ID checks, CCTVs and compliance with emergency protocols
  • Classrooms with good Indoor Air Quality, Natural Lighting, Comfortable Seating and Minimal Students-to-Teacher ratio
  • State-of-the-art Library 
  • Designated Britannica Learning Area
  • Audio-Visual Learning Facilities
  • Innovative Teaching Methods
  • Well-Equipped separate Labs for Physics, Chemistry, Biology, IT and Mathematics
  • Outdoor and Indoor Sports
  • Co-Curricular Facilities like Painting, Craft, Dance, Music, Yoga, Martial Arts etc

 

  1. Check the Level of Parent Engagement and Communication– Your quest for the best primary school in Punggol will remain incomplete if you do not enquire about the school-parents collaboration system. At the primary level, parents need to be extremely involved in the schooling process, and ideally, all good schools in Singapore have provisions for ample participation. The best schools opt for ‘parents-portal’ that ensures unhindered and transparent communication about all school activities, notifications, feedback, and parent-teacher interactions. 

 

Not only is it important to find the right primary school for your child, it is also necessary to be closely involved in their educational journey from the beginning. The true mark of a 21st-century learning campus is the emphasis on the all-round development of the student. Opting for a school where children are academically sound, yet encouraged to pursue activities and interests outside the classroom, would be the best thing to do!