It’s the time of year where fresh starts are sprouting all over town, and on a little street called Kang Ching Road, Pat’s Schoolhouse’s Lakeside centre has just begun their first week of classes for 2012, and is bubbling with children who are attending preschool for the very first time!
The school has recently moved from Arena Country Club to this new location, within walking distance from Lakeside MRT, bringing quality education to parents in the vicinity of Jurong. Equipped with everything from a music and movement room and adorable play areas where kids can make up scenarios to large spacious classrooms, everything including the furniture is bright and new. The only part of the school that has been around for years is its staff, testament to Pat’s cohesive culture.
Nurturing and confident, the teachers at Pat’s are complete naturals. “At Pat’s Schoolhouse, we especially identify and hire teachers of exceptional quality for our children – teachers whom we know truly care and are sensitive to our parents’ needs and the needs of our children, nothing less,” says Nicole Koh, a District Manager from Pat’s Schoolhouse. The bond between home and school is a strong one at Pat’s Schoolhouse, and parents and teachers use a communication book to keep in touch. This book is brought between school and home on a daily basis, and can be used to write notes about the progress of the child, ask questions, give feedback or make suggestions.
While singing and laughter echo through most rooms, you do hear the occasional cry for mummy. These little ones are taught on the ground floor of the building, and it has only been their third day without their parents. The week prior to this saw them through an orientation where they had their parents with them in class.
Starting preschool is a big deal for both parents and children – new people, new routines – nothing seems familiar. “We like to have just one class in for orientation at a time. This gives the children and parents more time and space to get to know one another,” says Nicole. This orientation period allows for a smooth transition into preschool, and ensures the experience is a joyful one not only for the child, but also for the entire family.
Like all the other Pat’s Schoolhouse centres, the Lakeside centre offers the highly-effective Bilingual Immersion Core Curriculum which encourages equal emphasis on Mandarin and English. Both language teachers are co-partners for the same class and they interact with the children in their respective languages throughout the day. Activities range from learning the English alphabet in the Playgroup level to practicing Mandarin characters through calligraphy and poetry when they reach Kindergarten.
You hardly hear a murmur from the upper floor of the building. The older kids are used to their classes and seem to thoroughly enjoy and absorb everything around them, including their FasTracKids class. Yes, that’s right! The Kindergarten children use a specifically designed revolutionary education system from USA, FasTracKids, to explore attention grabbing topics such as biology, astronomy, creative literature and art, as well as subjects not usually covered in early learning like economics, technology, and goals & life lessons. “Everything is taught with an element of fun. There’s no better way to learn,” says Nicole.
Pat’s also builds confidence through recognising each child’s efforts and achievements, no matter how big or small they may be. “Our little girl was quiet and timid in nature. To our surprise, Camille was able to adjust to the new environment within a short space of time,” says Winnie Wong, a parent at Pat’s.
While the children mingle and laugh, it strikes you that Pat’s is more than just a schoolhouse for learning. It’s where children build a strong foundation for their future and truly celebrate childhood everyday!
Below is a list of the programmes and student – teacher ratios at Pat’s Schoolhouse:
TODDLER – Year child turns two (1 teacher/6 children)
PLAYGROUP – Year child turns three (1 teacher/7 children)
NURSERY – Year child turns four (1 teacher/8 children)
KINDERGARTEN 1 – Year child turns five (1 teacher/9 children)
KINDERGARTEN 2 – Year child turns six (1 teacher/10 children)
Find out more
If you are interested to find out more about Pat’s Schoolhouse Lakeside, you can reach them at +65 6781 2288. The centre currently accepts children between the ages of 2 to 6 years old.
