ESF kindergarten in Tsing Yi

[blessing]

Hi everyone,

Any opinions about this ESF compared to others? Anyone has kids that attend this school? How are the teachers and the teaching environment in general compared to places like Woodlands or PIPS?

Thanks for any pointers.

[carang]

I'm opening a Playgroup and Tutorial Centre in Tsing Yi, just 3 minutes by taxi from the MTR station. If you are interested in more information, please feel free to PM me your email and I'd be happy to send you my latest newsletter.

Thanks,
Cara

[spockey]

Hi Blessing

Like you, we are considering ESF (Tsing Yi).
A good number of mums where I live send/are sending their kids to ESF (Tsing Yi).
From what I can gather, from mothers who have their kids there, ALL their offsprings are happy/happier (if they have been to other kindies e.g. Creative) there.
For us, it's either ESF (Tsing Yi) or Hong Lok Yuen (as there is a pick-up from where we live).

The main argument for ESF right now is that there are feeder schools and the kids (according to parents with kids there right now) are happy. BUT, many mums have avoided ESF (Tsing Yi) for the following reasons:
- grounds are too small/cramped
- many ESL students (it's not so much an issue for us as I'm a Native Speaking English Teacher from Oz and as I understood it, the enrolment at Tsing Yi is kept at half Native and half ESL)
- you can't choose which session, P.M. or A.M.

Good Luck with whatever you choose!

[cjjlee]

My daugher goes to ESF Kindergarten in Tsing Yi and loves it. My impression is they seem to focus more on the socialization of the kids - playing with each other, making own choices, helping themselves instead of relying on the teachers, etc - and less on academic exercises and studies than the local schools probably do. I am often amazed at how mature she has become, especially for a 3yr old. Whether that's good or bad, I don't know.

The biggest drawback in my mind is that they don't have enough Mandarin or Cantonese instruction, but I guess that's not their focus. This may lead us to consider enrolling our youngest in a local (or at least one that is more bilingual) kindergarten when it is time for her to start.

As for choosing am or pm sessions, if you enroll early, you may have more of a choice.

[Neha]

cjjlee: Enrolling early but isnt the earliest date of enrollment 1st October of the year? ESF doesnt accept earlier enrollment as far i understand. I might be wrong.

[cjjlee]

Neha, you're probably right about the enrollment date. We signed up really late and didn't get a choice, but they implied that if we had registered earlier, we would have gotten to choose am or pm.

[Neha]

ok thanks, so if we want am or pm session we must probably register on the 1st

[loraine]

My son also goes to ESF TY, I highly recommend it! Although you are able to request "am" or "pm" on the application form, almost everyone wants an "am" placement, so its difficult. The focus is on learning through play, not completing worksheets! The kids love it and they really do learn alot.
Attendance at the playshcool automatically gives you an ESF primary school interview, so it can help with the next step in education. Especially when Discovery Bay College is oversubcribed.