Hi Yen,
My boy was previously from Carpe Diem Preschool in Yishun. He started there when he was 20 months and stayed till N1. I withdraw him in Dec and he is now in another childcare in Yishun.
The school administration of carpe Diem Yishun is bad. Most of the teachers are Malay or Indian. The Chinese teachers are nearly all from China. I am not racist if the teachers are good. But they don't care about the students at all. Like stressma said, when the teachers bring them to the "gym" area, they will just sit there and let them play by themselves. I even saw 1 of the teacher beating my son's classmate's hand and grabbing his shoulder roughly when he did not line up in line.
My boy is cheeky and playful. During parent-teacher meeting, the teacher told me that my son does not fall asleep easily. He will either talk to himself or sing to himself before he falls asleep. If he starts singing to himself, the rest of his classmates start singing. So the class cannot sleep and the teacher cannot rest. So the teacher have the cheek to tell me that she always isolate my son and let him sleep in another section of the classroom (classroom separated into 2 sections but a row of shelves) by himself and the rest of the class sleep in another section.
In addition, my son also likes to talk in the class and therefore disturb the class. The teacher told me that she made my boy stand in the corner of the class. She still dare to tell me that my boy is quite clever. Even though he is standing in the corner by himself, he is actually listening to what the teacher taught as he is able to complete the worksheet independently by himself. But he is not able to recognize words as he cannot see the white board. You mean I am paying every month to the school for him to stand at a corner everyday???
No wonder, my son still cry and refuse to go to school often even though he was already in Carpe Diem for nearly 2 years.
There was twice that I sent my son to school not knowing the school was closed. To be fair, the school did inform us the closing dates of the school at the beginning of the year. But I think there should be reminders attached in the comm book to remind us that the school will be close 1 or 2 days earlier. When I checked with the teacher after school closure, she got the cheek to tell me that she forget to attach the reminder letters in the comm book.
Also, within a period of 6 months, the class changes teachers 4 times. The school also did not inform the parents that the teachers change until I wrote a question in the comm book to the old teacher and the new teacher replied that the old teacher has left and she is the new teacher.
I really will not recommend this branch to anyone. It is a pity as my boy made a few good friends in the school. Now, he has to be apart from these friends.
I withdraw him after the parent-teacher meeting. Now my son is in another childcare center in Yishun since Jan this year. The school is so much structured and organised. My son adapt so well to the school. He loves to go to school so much now he also want to go to school on Sat. I ask the teacher if my boy got disturb the lesson or find it difficult to sleep. The teacher said that he can be playful at times but will stop when she told him not to. He is also able to sleep well during nap time.
I even took leave and go to his new school to spot check on my son a few times by standing outside the school and looking through the window. Like the teacher said , he sleeps well and is able to sit still and concentrate on what the teacher said.
I am glad that I withdrew him from carpe Diem Yishun and enrol him in his new school.