School Information (general)
We advocate a small teacher: student ratio at Quips. Teacher: student ratios are capped at 1:8 and average at 1:6 for the school.
All our teachers are professional educators. All the Lead teachers are highly experienced/qualified and trained in Early Childhood Education.
Most Teacher Assistants also hold the same qualifications/ Or are aspiring early education teachers who have made a career switch.
All our relief teachers are ex- teachers OR aspiring preschool teachers.
Most Teacher Assistants also hold the same qualifications/ Or are aspiring early education teachers who have made a career switch.
All our relief teachers are ex- teachers OR aspiring preschool teachers.
We advocate a small teacher: student ratio at Quips. Teacher: student ratios are capped at 1:9 and average at 1:6 for the school.
All our teachers come from different backgrounds and a host of different countries. The biggest requirement for teachers working here is competency and passion for teaching pre-schoolers.
There is a snack and lunch time (for Toddler Long Day schedule and older) time provided during school hours. Parents are advised to pack a light snack for their child like biscuits, small sandwiches or fruits. Lunch should be dishes your child enjoys and wants to eat. Snack and Lunch are eaten in students’ classroom. Please inform the school if your child has specific dietary requirements or any food allergies.
A hot lunch can be ordered through “The new Luncher” who provide a delivery service to QUIPS at lunchtime.
Please click on this link https://thenewluncher.com/en-sg/ to order.
[dzstaa_tab_contentNo, we do not arrange for pick-ups and drop-offs. School owns a bus but it is used for taking students on Field trips and other school events, as required.[/dzstaa_tab_content]
School Information (Academic)
We are very strict about fever and vomiting/ diahhrea conditions, certain periods of time apply to keep the child from school. The teachers will take your child’s temperature and check for symptoms like flu, cough or HFMD on daily basis before classes start.
To make settling into the new place and environment easier, we have prepared several tips for you:
- Tip #1: Parting with your young child can be difficult especially for first-time parents, try not to let your child see that you are worried. Your child will settle faster if you drop the child off, give him/her a big hug and walk away saying “I’ll see you soon!”. Your confidence in sending them off happily gives them confidence in their new environment. You can then wait in the hallway or outside the school and the teachers call you if there is any issue. You can stay with the child in the classroom on the first few days, reducing the amount of time you spend with them. By the end of Week 1, it is recommended that the parent does not enter the class with the student, but just drops them off at the door.
- Tip #2: It is recommended to leave a favourite toy or one of your belongings with a child to make them feel more secure in the new place.
- Tip #3: Some children may find parting and coming to school so stressful that they get tummy aches or are very tearful in the mornings. If this happens, help your child overcome their anxiety by telling them what they will do in class. Anxiety and reluctance can be about not knowing what to expect. Let your child also know what you will be doing while they are away and be sure to pick them up on time. It usually takes about a week for the child to settle in.
Parents will receive a weekly update from the teacher. You will also receive an outline of lessons planned for the following week. Should you have specific concerns or questions, please approach/email the teacher to schedule a private discussion time. We believe we are partners in your child’s learning and parents are therefore encouraged to keep in close contact with their child’s teacher.
Phonics is just one way in which our children learn to read and they are introduced to this idea of letters and sound association in the Pre k class (age 3-4). There are many other ways in which we teach literacy skills so that there is a love for reading, a curiosity for ‘decoding’ and a comprehension for text.
Older classes have more paper based practice than younger classes. Worksheets are used to reinforce cognitive skills and concepts and to prepare children with school readiness skills.
The Chinese classes at our school are language classes. This is not an immersion program. Depending on their age, children will have 30 minute sessions with the Chinese teacher. The focus of these classes is for them to be comfortable with fundamentals such as greetings, basic vocabulary, and for the older classes, an introduction into strokes and basic high frequency characters. They will learn through games, play and song. You may find them singing sooner in Chinese than speaking!
While we do not have parent volunteers in the room, there are volunteer opportunities for events and Library at school that will help keep you in close contact with how we work. Additionally, you will be frequently invited for parent share sessions in class.
We follow an inquiry based curriculum and are affiliated with IPC (International Primary Curriculum), the Virtues Project, and based on NAEYC Development Benchmarks (National Association for Education of Young Children).
Children transitioning to local schools may find themselves weaker in Chinese and possibly Math content. Math is more hands on, integrated and application based at QUIPS but we have less content coverage than a typical local preschool. They will likely be stronger in language and literacy.
Yes. Our children have successfully transitioned to UWCSEA, Tanglin Trust, Dover, Dulwich thus far. The emphasis at QUIPS is teaching children to think and to share what they know, and these skills align with expectations of local International schools.
Enrolment
Please download our Application forms from Admissions section on the website and attach all required documents with two passport-size photos. Bring the paperwork to Quips.
Quayside Isle Preparatory School offers an educational learning program for ages 2-6 years.
Age of child | Programme |
2 – 3 years | Toddlers |
3 – 4 years | Pre -Kindergarten |
4 – 5 years | Kindergarten 1 |
5 – 6 years | Kindergarten 2 |
Therefore, the youngest age the child can enrol is 2 years old. The child should turn the minimum age for the program before September 1st, which is our age cut-off date.
We accept enrolments anytime of the year if there are places available. However, it is recommended to enquire about availability of places and wait lists for the Programs at least a year in advance as the places fill up fast.
No. Children will have to be the appropriate age for the class they are enrolling in. Learning goals are based on developmental expectations and individual skills so that everyone has a chance to grow beyond their peers should they be ready. Children thrive when they have the opportunity to excel and are continually challenged and that is the experience we plan for your child in age appropriate classrooms.
Exceptions will only be made in very special cases where the child is identified as gifted.
Exceptions will only be made in very special cases where the child is identified as gifted.
Yes, we are happy to arrange for a school tour for you. We need parents to make an appointment with the administrator for that. Kindly note that no visitors are allowed without an appointment.
School Fees
Unfortunately, the Admissions Fee is a compulsory payment and failing to submit it may result in your place being forfeited. School fees and admission fees are the school’s primary source of income. It helps finance our long term plans and objectives to continuously improve the quality of the site and services which are in place and what we offer.
Please note that the school keeps a seat for your child when he/she is enrolled in the school. The school is unable to take in another student while your child is away from school as your child is still a registered student with the school. Thus, we regret that requests to pro-rate the school fees due to absence from school will not be accorded to. Exceptions maybe be made on case by case basis.
Please check our Academic calendar for Term withdrawal dates and the refund policy stated in Fee structure document for the current year. For withdrawal from the school, please inform the school of your intention by filling out the Notice of Withdrawal. Also, please note that the Admissions Fee of $2000 is non-refundable, and next term’s fee will be forfeited if you fail to notify the school of the withdrawal before the withdrawal deadline stated in the Calendar.
Yes. Since the school is registered with Early Childhood Development Authority (ECDA), parents who are Singaporean citizens can access their CDAs to pay for kindergarten fees. Please obtain a CDA form from the administration office. This form will be sent to the Baby Bonus Department at DBS Bank. As the application process takes up to 1 month for approval, do send it back to us early.