All Set For School

How do preschools in Singapore prepare children for formal education? We checked with several major chains here.

- Stephanie Yeo

From a class of 15 to a class of 30 or more. From a homely set-up to a sprawling complex of buildings. From teachers who hug you, to teachers who don’t smile (much). And let’s not talk about homework.

Is it any wonder then that many parents are anxious – perhaps more so than their children – about how prepared their little ones are for Primary 1?

“The transition from kindergarten to primary school is a big one, and advancing from kindergarten to primary school can actually be quite daunting,” says Thian Ai Ling, deputy general manager of My First Skool.

“Apart from learning subjects at a deeper level, children have to adjust to a new environment, follow a different routine and exercise a greater degree of independence,” she adds. “Today, transition activities between preschools and primary schools tend to be ad-hoc and unstructured in nature. Yet, research has shown the importance of strong linkages, close coordination, and continuity between early childhood programmes and primary schools.”

That’s why the preschool chain partnered with five primary schools last year to offer a more structured transition programme for 320 K2-level kids from 13 centres.

Through learn-and-play activities over six months, the preschoolers learnt about the primary-school environment and routines such as recess and assembly time.

They practised paying for food, used the toilets independently and waited for their turn in a big group. The kids had a taste of the primary-school curriculum and learnt to get along with new friends from P1.

Their parents also had the chance to meet with the primary school’s leaders and parent support groups to find out more about formal education.

This year’s K2 cohort will also be using a journal to document their learning experiences in primary school, Ai Ling adds.

Starting new routines