Reaching out to the Residents!
Environmental walks, art jamming sessions and games are some of the activities we have conducted by Sungei Whampoa ever since our Centre officially adopted it in February ...
PCF Whampoa Blk 85 offers a wide range of fun and enjoyable courses suited for the students, including cooking, baking, arts & craft, storytelling and many more. The centre curriculum follows the guided conceptual framework from PCF HQ, covering environmental awareness, numeracy, motor skills development and such. A colourfully decorated and vibrant Motor Skills Development room greets visitors at the entrance. In the music room next door, everyone puts in a 110% for their year-end graduation concert, with teachers and students dancing in sync to the music played. The rooms are spacious and clean, providing a stimulating learning environment for each and every student.
Programmes to Promote a Holistic Education
The centre believes that learning critical language and enunciation skills are the foundation of every child’s education. In collaboration with the National Library Board’s (NLB) Molly Bus Programme, a bus full of storybooks goes to the centre, providing them with ample supply of reading material suited for their age, to engage them in reading. Other than that, there are reading programmes such as KidsRead being carried out as well, where volunteers from NLB help the students with their language. This aims to promote a healthy reading culture and enhance the student’s speaking, writing and listening skills.
Other than that, the centre outsources enrichment programmes such as Aikido and Arts. Knowledgeable and skilful persons specialised in this field of study are brought in to expose and enrich the students to subjects not taught in the curriculum. Lessons are designed to suit the student’s age in order to develop the student’s potential to his fullest.
Cooking Classes
Twice per term, the centre is buzzing with clatters of pots and pans as parent volunteers, as well as their children busy themselves in preparation for cooking class. This not only brings about parent-child bonding, but also greater understanding of each other. It is crucial at this age for parents to spend time with their children, and such activities held at the centre allow them to free up some time to do so. During the session, recipes are shared among neighbours and parents, parents who may be neighbours and wonderful pastries of all sorts are baked and experimented with their children.
The class is comprehensive, challenging and most of all easy, so both parent and child can quickly pick up culinary techniques and start creating their own gastronomic masterpieces. Photos taken during the activities will be uploaded on the school’s Facebook page for parents to view and use as a platform to get in touch with each other online. Furthermore, to encourage participation, there are no extra costs to join the cooking lessons.
Facilities to promote Motor Skills Development
The centre has a room dedicated to cater to the students’ Motor Skills Development (MSD). In 2011, a rock wall was a brilliant addition to the room for students to do rock-climbing, a sport which improves one’s coordination and self-confidence in the process. MSD is not limited to indoor room, but outside as well. MSD lessons are conducted twice a week to kick-start the student’s healthy and active lifestyle from a young age. Also, the student undergo music lessons which not only impart the technical skills in playing an instrument, but learn the essence of creative musical expression and how to play together with others in an ensemble.
Community involvement and excursions
The principal advocates a strong sense of community involvement and welcomes members of the community to work together hand-in-hand with the centrel for upcoming projects. The centre conducts field trips once per term (to Singapore Zoo, Changi Airport and the Singapore Science Centre in October 2012) and other events include the yearly Open House.
Awards and Achievements
The Best Practice Award has been a regular addition to the centre’s notice board, given that the centre has attained it for 2 straight years (2011 &2012). Furthermore, the Principal, Ms Jessica Tan, goes beyond her call of duty, and brings holistic education to life at the centre. She received the Best Achievement Award in 2012.
