Install the app
How to install the app on iOS
Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
Any Tutor Time parents?
- Thread starter bbcoco
- Start date
my kid's 19 mths in tutortime at kowloontong...been there since she was 10 months....the wait list is about 3-6 months....its considered one of the most expensive playgroup/prenursery/nursery around so its not as popular as the mainstream cantonese playgroups/nurseries.
they are very systematic.
50% English + 50% Putonghua:
15 mins play/gym +
15 minutes English singsong/storytime+
15 minutes motorskills/art +
15 minutes snacktime+
15 minutes Putonghua singsong/storytime +
15 minutes Putonghua motorskills activities/art
I think tutortime tends to be very clean, baby friendly and provide a safer environment than most other schools.
I've tried Anfield at Kowloon Tong for summer school and its really unsafe and dirty with a lot more play than academic/mental stimulation. The kids get into accidents at EVERY lesson!! They put very little emphasis on the child learning a second language and the parents/helpers do most of the baby sitting. might as well play at home/clubhouse/gym.
I heard a lot of bad things about Parkview International (PIPS) e.g. only english language, lots of play...lots of the kids fail nursery/kindergarten interviews eventually.
they are very systematic.
50% English + 50% Putonghua:
15 mins play/gym +
15 minutes English singsong/storytime+
15 minutes motorskills/art +
15 minutes snacktime+
15 minutes Putonghua singsong/storytime +
15 minutes Putonghua motorskills activities/art
I think tutortime tends to be very clean, baby friendly and provide a safer environment than most other schools.
I've tried Anfield at Kowloon Tong for summer school and its really unsafe and dirty with a lot more play than academic/mental stimulation. The kids get into accidents at EVERY lesson!! They put very little emphasis on the child learning a second language and the parents/helpers do most of the baby sitting. might as well play at home/clubhouse/gym.
I heard a lot of bad things about Parkview International (PIPS) e.g. only english language, lots of play...lots of the kids fail nursery/kindergarten interviews eventually.
Hi Kidd,
Something must go wrong on the other thread.
I can reply to both threads you opened. My son, who is now 3.8 yrs old, went to Tutor Time Braemar Hill since he was 1yo and then attended his K1 in ESF Hillside. He had twice a week playgroup in TT for a year and moved to 5-day week Nursery class when he was 2. Since I wanted to get a higher chance for getting into ESF primary, so we changed to Hillside for his K1.
My son had a wonderful time in TT. The teachers are caring, energetic and lively, most children get along with them very well. In all classes, they have an English teacher, a Mandarin teacher, a classroom teacher and a supporting staff, while language teachers swap between classes. The playgroup is a 1.5 hours session, divided into English and Mandarin sessions by the snack time. The teacher shows many fundamental concepts to the children in the playgroup, like size, colours, vehicles, etc. They have playground visit everyday. The classroom always fills with songs, rhymes and giggles. After a year in the playgroup, my son moved to the Nursery class. The nursery class is a 3-hours session, still half English and half Mandarin, but attending by the child himself. In the nursery, there are lots of creative activities to reinforce the basic ideas, they introduce alphabets sound, body parts, insects and animals… I am impressed that they also told the children some great thoughts, like saving the earth, the universe, food choices, etc. It is like implanting the very important messages in the little minds. Apart from classroom activities, the children had chances to play outdoor everyday. It’s not just playing around in their up to size playground, the teachers do concern about the children’s motor skill development. They sent newsletter to parents weekly and we can always know what’s happening and the upcoming events in the class. They also held some yearly outings, like beach day, sports day and some classroom visits, Halloween party, Mother’s day and Father’s day celebration. I think they are well organized. The school is spacious, safe and hygienic and has a marvelous playground with quite a number of tricycles. I had too many good words to them, I think you need to visit them to get a feel if this is the school you like. Since I was there a year ago, you know teachers may change sometime.
For another thread about the application of ESF kindy, they only give priority for those who cannot speak Cantonese, have siblings studying in ESF schools and the children of the staff. So it really doesn’t matter what playgroups you are going, unless you are going to a Cantonese class. Once you submit your application, the school will categorize the applications with priorities and generate a random number among applications. All you can do is to bet your luck and wait for the invitation of play visit according to that RANDOM application number. But you never know your random number and how they gen it. But if you are invited to the play visit, almost no children will be screened out, unless the child with some special issues. The contract will send to you a few days after the play visit.
All in all, I don’t see any down side for going to playgroups and nursery as long as the child has enough rest time and it’s a great place for children to hang around since playdate among peers is not so common in HK.
Hope the above helps.
Something must go wrong on the other thread.
I can reply to both threads you opened. My son, who is now 3.8 yrs old, went to Tutor Time Braemar Hill since he was 1yo and then attended his K1 in ESF Hillside. He had twice a week playgroup in TT for a year and moved to 5-day week Nursery class when he was 2. Since I wanted to get a higher chance for getting into ESF primary, so we changed to Hillside for his K1.
My son had a wonderful time in TT. The teachers are caring, energetic and lively, most children get along with them very well. In all classes, they have an English teacher, a Mandarin teacher, a classroom teacher and a supporting staff, while language teachers swap between classes. The playgroup is a 1.5 hours session, divided into English and Mandarin sessions by the snack time. The teacher shows many fundamental concepts to the children in the playgroup, like size, colours, vehicles, etc. They have playground visit everyday. The classroom always fills with songs, rhymes and giggles. After a year in the playgroup, my son moved to the Nursery class. The nursery class is a 3-hours session, still half English and half Mandarin, but attending by the child himself. In the nursery, there are lots of creative activities to reinforce the basic ideas, they introduce alphabets sound, body parts, insects and animals… I am impressed that they also told the children some great thoughts, like saving the earth, the universe, food choices, etc. It is like implanting the very important messages in the little minds. Apart from classroom activities, the children had chances to play outdoor everyday. It’s not just playing around in their up to size playground, the teachers do concern about the children’s motor skill development. They sent newsletter to parents weekly and we can always know what’s happening and the upcoming events in the class. They also held some yearly outings, like beach day, sports day and some classroom visits, Halloween party, Mother’s day and Father’s day celebration. I think they are well organized. The school is spacious, safe and hygienic and has a marvelous playground with quite a number of tricycles. I had too many good words to them, I think you need to visit them to get a feel if this is the school you like. Since I was there a year ago, you know teachers may change sometime.
For another thread about the application of ESF kindy, they only give priority for those who cannot speak Cantonese, have siblings studying in ESF schools and the children of the staff. So it really doesn’t matter what playgroups you are going, unless you are going to a Cantonese class. Once you submit your application, the school will categorize the applications with priorities and generate a random number among applications. All you can do is to bet your luck and wait for the invitation of play visit according to that RANDOM application number. But you never know your random number and how they gen it. But if you are invited to the play visit, almost no children will be screened out, unless the child with some special issues. The contract will send to you a few days after the play visit.
All in all, I don’t see any down side for going to playgroups and nursery as long as the child has enough rest time and it’s a great place for children to hang around since playdate among peers is not so common in HK.
Hope the above helps.
About this archive
This is an archive of over 20 years of GeoBaby and GeoSchools knowledge and discussions, kept online as a read-only reference.