Child Care - Private or Govt

msyang

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I m not saying sg gov is perfect but I do prefer to deal with gov org comparing with private ones for now. Go and talk to the principles at the schs nearby ur place, make sure u feel comfortable talking with him or her. Those with big windows at void deck are actually nt bad, coz people passing by can always see them.
 

Arcanell

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instead of looking at govt/private school, you should focus on teaching curriculum, environment, teacher/student ratio, location, school's vision/mission, awards/certificate, track record... etc..
 

tk

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my toddler's current childcare was chosen based on proximity to home and costs.. :D
 

williamgohsg

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I think the local government is trying their best to please everyone but to be sure, go for private. You see results better for sure.
 

sneggg

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how do you all chose which childcare to go to ?

i have sparkletots downstairs i think is about 500 ?

the private ones are all 1-1.2k, very big difference.

but i really dont know what the difference is. in terms of teaching ? teacher to student ratio ? facilities ?
 

Coldpetals

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I think you'd have to filter it down to a number of potential choices that fit your criteria in terms of distance, etc and then visit these Centers to find out more, particularly what really matters to you as well as general info like teacher to student ratio, qualitifications of teachers, etc. be it govt or private.

Each specific center/group of Centers would have their own practices
 

coey

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Need to go down and interact with the teacher or admin staff ?
 

m@maboi

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I think the local government is trying their best to please everyone but to be sure, go for private. You see results better for sure.

indeed... the same can be said where govt said, all milk powders are the same... all schools are the same...
 

Taloona

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Look for spark accrediation...

SPARKS simply means the centre has all the necessary paperwork done but doesn't necessarily mean it is of high quality.

To fulfil SPARKS, the centre has to spend a huge amount of time getting all the documentation ready, often at the expense of interaction time between staff and children.

Example, teachers may get children to "pose" for motor skill assessment in the child's portfolio even though the child may not have reached the stage.

Another example : A centre has to pass all their teaching materials to help another centre of the same company to attain SPARKs because the latter has failed repeatedly to get the accreditation. So the cluster principal asked the centre with the SPARKS cert to "share" their teaching materials.

How do I know? I have been in this industry for 30 plus years and have held various roles. I also have friends and ex colleagues who are still in the field and we exchange stories often.

The best is to go down to the centre and observe how the staff interact with the children. Visit is best unannounced as the centre cannot prepare before hand.

Teachers should treat everyone, including children, with warmth and respect. They should use positive discipline rather than threats. Children should be engaged in activities that stimulate them and encourage social skills. The principal should spend more time mentoring the teachers rather than doing admin work. He or she should know each child in her centre, as far as possible, and welcome any constructive feedback from staff and parents. Staff turnover is also a good indication of management style.

I would avoid big chain private operators in general as most are in this business for the money only,especially those that use fanciful educational terms to sell their services eg they follow the latest brain research etc. These are just fancy titles to charge higher fees. Ultimately, whatever research is of little use if you treat your staff like money making tools and staff are unhappy and unable to translate the research into their daily practice.
 
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buttercracker

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you think for yourselves whether you want to put your child in a center with all these reasons as stated.
 

buttercracker

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so many centers have it now, can check it out yourself, for me minimun i will find out what is the reason of not getting it?
 
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01asdf

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how do you all chose which childcare to go to ?

i have sparkletots downstairs i think is about 500 ?

the private ones are all 1-1.2k, very big difference.

but i really dont know what the difference is. in terms of teaching ? teacher to student ratio ? facilities ?

Word of mouth is still the best. Check with playgroup parents with older kids. Go visit the centres yourself. Ask the kids what their days are like if the parents are willing to let you talk to them.
 
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