Playgroup/Preschool - your views

Posted by J.D. (1155 days ago)

I have a few questions.....

My son is aged 2 years and 3 months. I've started looking into playgroups and preschools for him as I hear there can be long waiting lists. Does anyone have (or previously had) their child at the Highgate House Waldorf school on the Peak? Any comments?

Apart from that school, I'm finding that even the playgroups are very structured, let alone the preschool. One playgroup we trialled had all the kids playing with the same things at the same time, eg. first lego, then reading, then drawing, etc. And the comment I've had from all the preschools I've been too (excluding Highgate) is that the kids will be able to read and count by the time they're 4-4.5.

This is very different to what I've seen in Australia where playgroups are pretty unstructured with the kids choosing to play with whatever they want. And I'm not interested in having a "trained" child in preschool. Australia I gather is somewhat different in that primary school doesn't start until the child is 5 and the focus is not on academic achievement in kindergarten, so perhaps I just need to get used to different systems.

I'm also amazed that preschool starts so young (under 3), and that it can be 5 mornings a week. My boy is quite clingy and I don't want to force him to separate before he's emotionally ready.

What are your views and experiences? How did your child(ren) cope or adapt to the schooling in HK? Do you know of any playgroups and preschools that are less structured? I haven't yet tried the HKPPA playgroup, and we were thinking of looking at an ESF preschool.

And lastly, we don't know how long we'll be in HK (local contract) and if we leave we are not necessarily going back to Aus. Any views on what schools/educational systems provide a good general grounding and make your child more adaptable to new circumstances (emotionally and academically)?

Would appreciate any comments, positive or negative.

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Posted by MC (1155 days ago)

JD, there are lots of postings on this subject. Do a search and you will find out plenty. There are lots of playgroups or pre-schools of various types. The one I liked when my daughter was your son's age (she is now 6), was Montessori. The one we sent her to was Woodland on Caine Rd. Since then an international montessouri on Queen's Rd. opened and is very good. I now put my daughter there for the summer when her regular school closes. Guess it also somewhat depends on your budget. Montessouri is quite expensive. I didn't like HKPPA. Looked at others but didn't think they were professional enough.

Posted by J.D. (1155 days ago)

Thanks for your response MC. I had done a search but didn't get the answers I was looking for.

There are alot of positive comments about Woodlands and Montessori. We had a look at Woodlands on Caine Road and it seemed ok but again very structured. And, my mother-in-law is a kindergarten teacher back in Aus and she disagrees with the Montessori approach (she keeps reminding me it was developed for underpriveliged children). I trust my mother-in-law's opinion as she has a really good reputation as a director of a kindergarten. She advocates the Waldorf Steiner approach, although she uses a combination of methods/approaches herself. However, there are only a couple of comments about the Highgate School in the threads here and they are only references to "heard this".

I'm also not sure whether to actually put my son into a preschool so early, or to leave it until later. Most of the threads here seem to accept the HK system and work with it. Does anyone keep their kids at home until they're say 4? Does this make it more difficult for them to adjust to school when they attend because they're behind? (I realise that this may make it more difficult to get into a pre-school hence we're looking at enrolling him at a younger age.)

Posted by MC (1154 days ago)

Personal I do believe in structured environment and mine experience with Montessouri was excellent. The system is such here in HK that if you keep you child at home till he was 4, it might be a bit difficult for him to get into a good regular school. Of course, unless you do home schooling. I personally think those who stay at home tends to lack social abilities. Again very much depends on each child.

The reason not much comments are found on this site regarding Highgate is that it just is not a school most of the people (writes on this site) send their children to.

Posted by cara (1154 days ago)

i, personally, have no intention of putting my child into "school" of any kind until he is around 4. i have taught in various kindies in HK in the past and i have decided that i'd rather keep my child at home.

MC< this does not mean that he will lack socially as i will make sure that he's out on the playground and getting together with friends a lot. don't take the words "at home" literally. i only mean that he will not be in "school".

i also don't think that keeping him home necessarily means that he will be behind the other children developmentally. he can just as easily learn his abc's at home as at school.

Posted by NLW (1154 days ago)

Have to agree with you Cara. My 41/2 yr old had never been "in school" before he arrived. I did take him to Gymboroo and Kindermusik classes in oz once a week. Had no problems socially or with keeping up with his peers in the classroom when he started here.

I also have a 2yr 4mth old and do not think I will be sending him to school until he reaches the 4yr old mark. I will take him to Gymboree / Music for a bit of fun. If I feel he is ready before 4 then I will send him to somewhere not too structured.

MC I would not worry too much if you decide to wait until he is 4 as people are always coming and going here and places do come up. Put your name down where you would like to send him in the future. When would you have sent him if you were still in Australia?

Posted by cd (1154 days ago)

My 3rd child didn't start school here till he was 4 1/4, certainly did him no harm. My 4th one started Kindy late and did 1 year and 1 term which was late. My last one is starting in Sep at 3/12 so a bit later than usual here, and that was after much deliberation. I love having them at home and taking them out and about, they learn so much from us. But I know she will love kindy and having 4 older siblings that she sees off to school every day, is always asking when she can go to school.

Posted by mealnie07 (1154 days ago)

From my persoanl experience, I think preschool was one of the best things for my son. I was a bit apprehensive about it at first. He started going just under three years of age and he loves it. I think he was bored at home, as he is an only child. He is, though, a very active child who loves to socialize. He has plenty of friends and there are lots of activities for him to do at school. I find he has developed more both mentally and socially and is starting to write some letters and speak some Chinese. Plus, I noticed he has calmed down a lot because he has to "conform" to classroom rules and regulations and knows the boundaries of proper behaviour. He now goes half day but next August he will be in full time.
My personal feeling is that one is never too young to learn, and kids do absorb alot at this age. However, it is your own personal decision when to put your child in school.

Posted by mealnie07 (1154 days ago)

personal, sorry typo

Posted by cd (1154 days ago)

sorry it should have read 1 year and 1 term was enough - not late.

Posted by Pizza (1154 days ago)

My first child went to pre-school at 2 yrs as most of my friends sent theirs at that age so I followed suit. My second and third did not start until they were four years old, just one year before starting school. I wish I had kept my first child at home until she was four as she is no better off for going so early and I feel that four years old for my other two was just right for them. I found that they learn't more by attending mother & toddler groups with me, learning to swim, visiting parks etc. than going to school so early. So to DJ, go with what you feel would suit your child best and not with what you feel other parents are doing here in Hong Kong like I did with my first child - its a personal choice and four is still very young and certainly not too late to send them to pre-school, after all they will have many years of learning ahead of them so make the most of them having fun with you before big school starts.

Posted by J.D. (1153 days ago)

Thanks for all your responses - interesting to hear your views.

NLW, if we were back in Aus, I would probably not have put him into kinder until he was 4. I was worried about getting him into our preferred preschool here (assuming we find one) when he's 4 as most of the ones we've spoken to say they obviously take existing students first and then they have a waiting list, and sometimes alot of kids miss out. But now I think I'll hold off and just find other ways of developing his social skills.

Mealnie07, my mum-in-law did say that in her view preschool at a young age can be good for kids who are very social. My son is not social - he's quite shy and reserved. It took him almost a whole semester to get comfortable at kindermusik back in Aus.

And MC, I should have said I don't oppose Montessori for all kids (that's why I checked one out), but I think a less structured environment would be better for my son. My husband and I are both mathematicians so I think we're probably quite structured and logical, therefore I'd prefer our son to develop his imagination and curiosity. That's why I am looking at Highgate House. (And interestingly I found the Woodland Montessori school less structured than the Woodland Happy Valley school.)

Posted by @@ (1153 days ago)

City Kidz - HKPPA Without a doubt is one of the most "Aussie" style preschools. The school isn't project driven, is parent run and the toys don't have to go back into plastic bags! Only problem at the moment is the waiting list.

Posted by J.D. (1153 days ago)

Thanks @@ - I'll have a look at it. And see how long the waiting list is.

Posted by lammum (1153 days ago)

I think you will find in hk most pre-schools are British run and therefore quite different to Aus. For families (like us) going back to England our children will often be expected to have had a formal year called a reception year prior to going into Primary one at 5 years old. The expectation at most private schools being children are able to read and write at P1 level. Similarly in HK parents wanting to get their children into GSIS, FIS and some int'l schools often need a more formal pre-school in order to pass the interview. My first child attended PPA until 4 yrs old then I moved her to a Woodlands school, she loved both. PPA does require parental involvement and therefore suits full time mums well. I went back to work so we moved school. Many friends had children at Highgate house, the only problem seemed to be that for a while ( about 1yr ago) there was a lot of staff turnover, otherwise I only heard good reports.
We sent our daughter to Woodlands and found that the Woodlands school ( not a Montessori) was indeed quite structured, but everyday they had free play in the garden and did lots of art and craft, including free painting and messy play, and when I went in to help I observed the children had lots of choices during the morning of different activities. My second child is now at Woodlands playgroup, I looked at Happy Valley ( liked the playgroup teacher a lot)and the Montessori school too, and found it less structured in some ways but much more so in others, we are going to their playgroup as it is nearest our home, but I am not convinced Montessori will be for our child. I think the IM School on Queen's rd East is American run and therefore also less formal. One reason lots of children go to pre-school in Hk is being confined to an apartment during the hot humid months drives mumand kids going stir crazy! Good luck finding what suits you best.

Posted by J.D. (1153 days ago)

Thanks Lammum, your comments are particularly useful. If we leave HK in the next 3 to 5 years then we may end up in the UK. So we're considering putting our son through the ESF schools, or one with an UK based curriculum. (It absolutely amazes me that schools interview such young children.)

I'm not too concerned about our son being confined to an apartment as our building has good facilities. And I will organise other activities for him (kindermusik?, gymbaroo?).

Posted by lammum (1153 days ago)

glad to be of help !

My experience as a parent with ESF has been very good so far. My child is P1. I have found that she is very happy, stimulated, has a wide range of friends from many different nationalities and the education is well balanced. Equal emphasis on arts, music and sports, plus lots of exploratory activities and play! Also the interview is not stressful at all. No pre-requisite for reading and writing, thank goodness, just social interaction and confidence, which is I guess where a good pre-school helped her, especially when meeting new adults and in mixing with new children during the interview. We had orignally wanted another primary school but had not got our names down in time, now reconsidering whether we will move her when a place comes up as ESF at the moment is definitely meeting our needs, and is value for money ( though don't know about the future plans there).
ps lots of her class mates only attended pre-school a year prior to staring P1, just to help them get used to being away from home!
I really think if you are a full time mum just enjoy playgroups with your child up to 3 yrs old at least, after 3 I found my daughter was actually the one ready to go to school, not me - wish I could do the same with number 2!

Posted by mon3793 (1152 days ago)

Check out City Kidz on Borrett Rd - a HKPPA run pre-school. they also run playgroups. It is the closest i have found to Australian style learn through play preschools in HK. Don't be pressured to "conform" to the local system of sending your child off so young. Our oldest is 3 and has just recently started going to a playgroup, accompanied by me or our helper, which will eventually lead to her going alone. And I refuse to allow her to go 5 days a week - it means i have had to pay full tuition fees (ie. for a 5 day week) and just not send her, but that is our choice as a family. She too is quite clingy but getting better. Good luck.

Posted by harboro (1151 days ago)

Hi JD, Highgate House offers Nursery from Age 2-3 where they go 3 mornings or 2 afternoons a week, think the idea is to start going with them and eventually leave them to it as a prep for kindergarten from age 3. I don't have anything to compare to, so hard to say how structured or not vs. other places but my 18 - month old goes to the mum/ helper playgroup and really loves it. I think this is a great environment for little ones under 3 - after that, you'd have to decide how academic or not, structured or not you want them to be at a young age. Good luck!

Posted by @@ (1151 days ago)

Just a note about City Kidz - you can apply to be a duty parent which requires one morning a week to help in the class room (and lower fees) but otherwise you don't need to stay.

Posted by Chicken (1073 days ago)

From 2y 7m my daughter went to Alice Playgroup at Wanchai Methodist Church & was very happy. Jusy finished now she's almost 4. It's fairly unstructured, small, not as flash as a lot of over priced places - very reasonable fees & flexible sched- we paid $1800/month for 3 mornings a week, and if we wanted to to do odd extra days it was $150/session. And if we were away a whole calendar month, we didn't have to pay- though we took our chances on her place being filled while we were gone, but it never was!
The church seems to want to close the place down & use the room, so it would be nice to get more support. Call 2575 3105 -or if they're closed for the hols drop me a note & I can try get hold of the supervisor.