5 preschools S’porean parents can consider based on accessibility, curriculum, affordability & more

All parents want the best for their children, especially in a society as competitive as Singapore’s.

However, different parents may have different views of what is best when it comes to parenting, from how they want to go through pregnancy and childbirth, to raising and finding the right preschool for their child.

If you’re a parent deciding which preschool to send your child to, here are five options you can consider, based on these four factors:

• Accessibility
• Teacher’s Development
• Curriculum
• Affordability

Accessibility

For busy working parents, finding an easily accessible preschool near your home or workplace is key.

1. PCF Sparkletots Preschool

PCF Sparkletots Preschool is one of the largest preschool operators in Singapore with over 360 preschools island-wide:

If you’re a parent who is looking for a preschool that’s near you, there’s bound to be a PCF Sparkletots preschool wherever that may be.

Click here to locate your nearest PCF Sparkletots preschool.

Teachers’ Development

Children spend an extended amount of time in preschool with their teachers.

Any discerning parent would value the development of their child’s teachers as much as their own child’s development.

2. Kinderland

Beyond an in-house team that looks into curriculum research and development, Kinderland’s teachers are continually trained to ensure that their curriculum, which integrates different education approaches, reaches children effectively.

One example of such training would be during Professional Development (PD) Day hosted by Kinderland last Jul. 3 for early childhood educators.

On PD day, various workshops and sessions were held to equip educators with practical knowledge on how to nurture their emotional, physical, and social well-being.

With knowledge on how to take care of their own well-being as well as skills to navigate the early childhood industry, teachers who attended PD day are better able to cultivate a healthier environment for children in their growing years.

Click here to learn more about Kinderland.

Curriculum

Curriculum is one of the most important things many parents take into consideration when choosing a preschool for their children.

If you’re a kiasu parent, you may have done your research on the variety of preschool programmes in the market, such as Montessori, S.M.I.LE.S., Reggio Emilia, and STEM.

3. EtonHouse

EtonHouse’s schools are known for their close-knit community where every adult knows every child.

In total, they run 11 standalone preschools in Singapore apart from their three international schools.

Their preschools are categorised into:

• International preschools
• Singapore preschools

The international preschools offer the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme or the EtonHouse Inquire-Think-Learn curriculum framework inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach.

The Singapore preschools follow MOE’s Nurturing Early Learners and ECDA’s Early Years Development Framework.

Whether you pick an International or Singapore preschool for your child, all schools follow the EtonHouse Inquire.Think.Learn framework.

In this research-based method inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach, learning is integrated seamlessly across all areas of the curriculum.

For example, children learn to measure and count as they cook, or use spatial language as they play outdoors.

Click here to learn more about EtonHouse.

4. M.Y World Preschool

Founded by Metropolitan YMCA, M.Y World Preschool places a heavy emphasis on character development and values.

Beyond keeping parents updated on their child’s behaviour and progress, the school also encourages parents to be a part of their child’s learning experience by participating in events as a family.

After all, it is known that the actions of parents greatly influence children.

M.Y World Preschool also organises regular visits for families to senior activity centres and nursing homes, in the hopes of inculcating the value of respect and care for others in children.

Click here to learn more about M.Y World Preschool.

Affordability

Just last year, the Ministry of Social and Family Development announced that there will be measures to make early education more accessible and affordable, so as to better support families with young children.

One such measure will see the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) working with Anchor Operators (AOPs) to provide 22,000 more spots to address the growing demand for preschool services.

5. MOE Kindergarten

MOE Kindergartens provide quality and affordable preschool education to Singapore citizens and permanent residents.

The monthly school fees for MOE Kindergartens in 2023 and 2024 are:

• S$160 for Singapore citizens
• S$320 for Singapore permanent residents

There are also no additional out-of-pocket expenses for complementary programmes, such as field trips.

If your child is a Singapore citizen, they may qualify for financial assistance under the Kindergarten Fee Assistance Scheme (KiFAS).

KiFAS is provided by ECDA and applies only to MOE Kindergarten school fees.

Click here to learn more about MOE Kindergarten.

This sponsored article by Affluence PR made these writers appreciate the heart-work of early childhood educators.

Top photos via Kinderland Singapore