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發表於 07-4-16 23:44 |只看該作者

Any playgroup near South Horizons?

1. Can anyone recommend any playgroup near South Horizons?
2. Have you tired the playgroup organized by South Horizons Clubhouse? Any comments?

Thanks. :-P

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發表於 07-4-17 08:35 |只看該作者

Re: Any playgroup near South Horizons?

whitesheep 寫道:
1. Can anyone recommend any playgroup near South Horizons?
2. Have you tired the playgroup organized by South Horizons Clubhouse? Any comments?

Thanks. :-P

My daughter had joined playgroup organized by SH Club House (which is in Sports Complex) before Chinese New Year, she was more confident to face strangers after participating this playgroup, and get offers from some famous Kindergartens in Hong Kong like SH & SPK.

However, if you expect your kid benefit more from the playgroup, you should consider to attend it in person. :-P

By the way, how old is your kid ?

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發表於 07-4-17 10:39 |只看該作者

Re: Any playgroup near South Horizons?

Hi 翠鳥,

My son is 12 months old. I'm now searching to see if there are any playgroups near our place for him to join when he can walk better.

Congratulations on getting offer from SPK.

By the way, I'm also an old girl of St. Paul's Convent since KG. Heard that it is very difficult to get in now due to "one dragon", your daughter must be very smart. In addition to "one dragon", this is really a good school, so happy for you.

By the way, did your daughter also join other playgroups, is she attending nursery now?

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發表於 07-4-17 20:10 |只看該作者

Re: Any playgroup near South Horizons?

Hi Whitesheep,

Thanks for your reply. What a responsible mother ! How lucky your son have you ! I wish I were your son.

Our family has no connection with SPK before my elder daughter joined there in Sept 2005.

Be honest, it's very difficult to get a place there, they choose every one from almost 10 candidates.

As SPK interview parents and kids separately, kids should be independent and confident to face interviewers without "support" of their parent. So, I suggest :to let your son to join either playgroup or Kindergarten in SH for at least half a year before interview (every Jan for the coming school year).

My daughter has been in the pre-nursery class of Victoria Kindergarten since 2 years old and joined the playgroup for one month before attending interviews.

VK is a good place to train up our kids, though it's rather expensive. My daughter enjoyed VK a lot and very talkative.

However, she felt shy and not willing to answer strangers suddenly one month before the Interview Month...so I brought her to join playgroup in SH club house and get improvement significantly. For sure, I tried to attend the playgroup in person twice a week at that time. It's a difficult time for me, but finally get great reward. I wish your son could get an offer from SPK too.

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aprilk

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發表於 07-4-17 21:41 |只看該作者

Re: Any playgroup near South Horizons?

hi, my daughter is also 1 and i am looking for playgroup closeby as well. is the one at club house only scheduled in day time?

whitesheep, i'm also an old girl from SPCS

such a coincident.

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發表於 07-4-17 22:00 |只看該作者

Re: Any playgroup near South Horizons?

I remember the one organised by SH Club House hold in the morning of Mon to Fri (0830-1100). The first part 0830-0930 is for kids playing toys, the second part 1000-1000 is the real playgroup, I am not sure it's still the same practice or not as I quit after Chinese New Year (just because my daughter gone through all interviews). Most of participants are below 3 years old.

Anyway, please can check the details in 2/F of Sports Complex of South Horizons.

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發表於 07-4-18 12:16 |只看該作者

Re: Any playgroup near South Horizons?

Hi 翠鳥,
Thanks for the detailed info. Will check with clubhouse later. Agree it's better I can accompany my son to the playgroup myself (rather than helper), but as my son is still small & I need to work, I may need to see if they have any weekend class first.

I also plan to let my son to attend VK pre-nursery, have heard that the competition for enollment is quite keen in other branches (say north point & homantin), not sure whether in South Horizon is also the same? I'm also searching for other KG after nursery ... still struggling whether we should apply SPK as my kid is a boy (cannot promote to the primary & need to study with many girls ... ratio like 10:1).

Hi Aprilk,
What a coincidence .... so nice to know there are old schoolmates living nearby. Maybe someday later we'll be able to meet in playgroup or playground

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發表於 07-4-18 22:25 |只看該作者

Re: Any playgroup near South Horizons?

Hi Whitesheep,

My elder daughter joined VK pre-nursery at 2.5 years old in 2004 Summer for 1 year. She found not difficult to get a seat there.

My younger daughter joined VK at 2 years old since last summer. (Because she was not as talkative as her elder sister, I afraid she may be failed in interview of SPK, so I think she need a longer time to prepare) She was in waiting list at the beginning...I don't know why...may be they know our intention was to apply SPK.

...may be my younger daughter was too young at that time...may be she was not as talkative as her sister...may be we are too emphasise to ask for AM class...

and they want us wake up and withdraw unrealistic demand.

Anyway, she was accepted by VK finally.

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otherli

民房

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9^#

發表於 07-4-19 00:25 |只看該作者

Re: Any playgroup near South Horizons?

Rightmind also arranges playgroup. You can take a look. Some think they are expensive but their group is for two hours 50/50 Putonghua and English. Should look see and decide for yourself. I quite like their style.

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發表於 07-4-19 10:24 |只看該作者

Re: Any playgroup near South Horizons?

Hi 翠鳥,
Thanks for your sharing. Hope that VK will accept my son next year.

Hi Otherli,
Thanks for your suggestion, will go & have a look.

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annamjyeung

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發表於 07-4-19 17:18 |只看該作者

Re: Any playgroup near South Horizons?

翠鳥寫道:
Hi Whitesheep,

Thanks for your reply. What a responsible mother ! How lucky your son have you ! I wish I were your son.

Our family has no connection with SPK before my elder daughter joined there in Sept 2005.

Be honest, it's very difficult to get a place there, they choose every one from almost 10 candidates.

As SPK interview parents and kids separately, kids should be independent and confident to face interviewers without "support" of their parent. So, I suggest :to let your son to join either playgroup or Kindergarten in SH for at least half a year before interview (every Jan for the coming school year).

My daughter has been in the pre-nursery class of Victoria Kindergarten since 2 years old and joined the playgroup for one month before attending interviews.

VK is a good place to train up our kids, though it's rather expensive. My daughter enjoyed VK a lot and very talkative.

However, she felt shy and not willing to answer strangers suddenly one month before the Interview Month...so I brought her to join playgroup in SH club house and get improvement significantly. For sure, I tried to attend the playgroup in person twice a week at that time. It's a difficult time for me, but finally get great reward. I wish your son could get an offer from SPK too.

Hi 翠鳥,

My daughter was accepted by Victoria (South Horizons) this year. As your two daughters had studied in this nursery before, would you mind sharing with me more about this kinder? Do you find the teachers nice, patient and responsible? I learn from many bk mami that the kinder was very commercial and we have to some extra fees like toys fee, books fee in addition to the school fees. Is this true? Did your daughters enjoy going to this kinder? What did they learn from the kinder (academic and moral e.g. self discipline)?

Also, before going to school in Sep., what things I have to get my daughter prepared? For example, my daughter still has to use napkins now as she is only 19 months. She'll only tell us to put her on the potty for ng ng. I'll try to train her in this few months but don't know if I'll be successful. Will the school require the kids not to wear napkins? My daughter can speak only very few words. She always said 'Ah' when she wanted something. From your experience, do you think this kinder can help the kids to talk more?

Same as you, I plan to let my daughter try other kinders like spk, sh and skh for K1 as the school fee of Victoria is really expensive and we can't have any government subsidy in Victoria. But, as my daughter is a 'small girl' and she still cannot talk, I think the chance is really slim. :-(
Hope that my girl will improve a lot after going to school as I know most of the interviews will be held in November and December.

Hi whitesheep,

I can say the competition for Victoria is really keen this year. I think Victoria (SH) is also not an exception. My daughter was originally on the waiting list though her performance was OK during the interview. The teacher was surprised that my daughter could finish two sets of puzzles by herself. But may be I'm too keen to let her studied in am class and also she couldn't say a single word during the interview, she was only placed on the waiting list. Luckily, my daughter was accepted by the kinder finally. My daughter was accepted by Creative Kinder and KCS (in North Point)also. So, you've to get prepared.

For Rightmind, I've considered this Kinder before as my colleague's son is studying there. I've attended the seminar in KinderU by Mr. HO but my hubby and I both felt that he was a bit to hard sell and the school fee was very expensive (I think is about $7000 for whole day class a month). My neighbour's daughter studied n1 in Victoria and transferred to Rightmind for k1 last Sept. However, her daughter did not enjoy the school life there and her mother was not satisfied with their administration. Eventually, her mother let her changed to Precious Blood Kinder in the second term. Her mother told me that she was very happy after changing the school.

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發表於 07-4-20 12:54 |只看該作者

Re: Any playgroup near South Horizons?

Hi Annamiyeung,

As a father of 2 daughters, it's my pleasure to share my experience.

I am proud of having you recognised my knowledge in taking care children.

I make the right decision to let my daughters start their life of learning in VK.

I found VK was a high standard professional kindergarten or you can say it's a very commercial Kinder as they paid efforts to please parents and kids (their customers).

When you get in the main entrance, you will find a "nurse" conduct simple body check for all students. I found she was very sensitive and wise to scan most of sick kids. She could provide early warning to parents and helps to prevent infection among kids. Moreover, she was willing to "guess" the root cause of sick and her judgement was quit close to the fact. (Doctors tends not willing to let you know what they "guess" to prevent accountability")

The ratio between teachers and student are very low in pre-nursery. 2 Chinese plus a Native English Teacher (NET) took care of 10-30 students....most of kinder in Hong Kong can provide only 1:15 ratio. I found that's why it was rather expensive. You know, kids are difficult to handle at the beginning of school life...it's very common to have 2 kids crying with reason unknown at the same time...what can teachers do in 1:15 ratio ?

Most of teachers and staff have served VK for years, they are experienced and nice to parents and kids. My 2 kids enjoy the time in VK and became talkative and like dancing very much. Furthermore, they are willing to speak English as every class has a "NET" teacher. I know some Kinder may hire one or a few "NET" teacher to teach all classes, but in VK, one NET for one class.

Teachers will prepare for every student a personal portfolio to record their usual school life. It included many lovely photos and products produced by kids. You should appreciate the effort of teachers to prepare portfolios when you are going to prepare one for your kid.

But they will give the portfolio to you only if you finish the course in mid-Aug.

About extra fees, they give you freedom of choice. Even you don't buy extra books, they will provide their own library books and toys. Don't worry.

I remember my daughters did not use diaper before going to school, but we will have spare under in school bag. Sometimes kids would refuse to response to the call of nature when they were crazy in playing. :evil:

I suggest you to let your kid know many toys, playmates are waiting for he/her in Kinder....they would prepare to enjoy school life.

I think the most effective way of learning language is practice. Kids learn more when they have chance to communicate with more people.

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annamjyeung

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發表於 07-4-22 15:41 |只看該作者

Re: Any playgroup near South Horizons?

翠鳥,

Thanks so much for your invaluable advice. But I still have some questions to ask. As my daughter was admitted by the school some days after their first registration date, we missed the orientation and they even forgot to send me the book list, school bus route etc..
I've just received the booklist and other information from the kinder last night and I felt a bit puzzled. In their book list , there were a no. of books you could order. But, they mentioned that it was optional. I don't know which books will be used during the lessons. Have you bought all the books and games? Are they really useful and necessary?
Apart from these, they have another list of supplies including school bag, towel, towel case and cup for me to choose. Except for the school bag which I think I need to buy for my daughter. For the other items, can we bring our own? Also, there is an item of toys library membership fee (half year), do you know what's it all about?

For the summer school uniform, do you think if I buy 2 sets of dresses and 1 set sportwear are enough as I don't know how often the kids have to wear the sportwear? For the shoes, I can't find the requirement in the parent's handbook and I only know that the kids have to change their shoes in school. Is it right and do you know their requirement?
Sorry for having so many questions as I've to get prepared for the registration on 5/5. I know mothers are always being troublesome.

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發表於 07-4-22 17:08 |只看該作者

Re: Any playgroup near South Horizons?

Hi Annamjyeung,

The book list is really optional, not a must. From my point of view, you can buy a few books for your kids as I believe they will tends to love books if they have. I didn't buy any from their book list. Don't worry, they would provide books for lessons. I buy only if there is direct purchase discount.

Only school bag and uniform are the must. Their towel case and towel are good design, you can order one set if it is not expensive.

You can borrow toys in their library if you paid for the membership. Again, it's optional, I didn't pay. Nowadays, there are too many toys for kids, you will agree after birthday party.

About school uniform I pruchased only 1 set of dress and 1 sportwear. Only 1 sports day per week. They will provide spare dress for kids if they get wet.

They expect all kids wear a pair of "school-only" clean shoes in class, sports shoes is recommanded. Kids will change shoes before entering classroom and put their shoes in a shoes cabinet beside classroom door. Moreover, VK will ask parents to clean the "school-only" shoes (every one or two weeks) to ensure hygiene of the classroom. You can either clean up one pair of used shoes for "school-only" or buy new one if you like.

Don't worry, I am happy to share my experience with you. Your questions recongise my sacrifice for my kids. :lol:

By the way, when will your kids join VK ? If your kid join before Aug, our kids will be classmates.

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annamjyeung

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15^#

發表於 07-4-23 14:46 |只看該作者

Re: Any playgroup near South Horizons?

翠鳥,

I think our kids won't be classmate as my daughter is admitted to PN class in September this year. Is that your younger daughter will have K1 in another kinder? May I know which kinder she will go to? Is it also spk?

I read from your earlier post that your elder daughter was studying in spk. Did she enjoy her school life there? Is it very very difficult to get in the kinder? Some commented the school was 'very noble' as the parents of the kids were rich. Is it really the case?

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