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Living overseas

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Original poster

marlborough college malaysia

29 replies

Singherewecome · 03/05/2013 06:37

is anyone moving out to Singapore in the summer in time for their kids to start at mcm in August? or is anyone already in Singapore with kids at mcm - how are you finding the school? we are off to Singapore at the end of June from oxford with dd's 5 and 7 (and a 9 week old!) who will be starting in years 2 and 3 at mcm in August, just wondering if there is anyone else in the same position . starting to feel very nervous about it all.

OP posts:
Cerisier · 03/05/2013 06:42

No direct experience sorry, but have friends with DC at mcm and the place does come up in conversation in Singapore.

Can I ask where you'll be living- as it is a long bus ride for little ones from Singapore to mcm.

Original poster
Singherewecome · 03/05/2013 06:55

the plan is to live in Holland village. my dh will be working on Tuas but we don't want to live in Malaysia (even though that would be near the school) and would like to be somewhere where there are other ex-pats and coffee shops/bars/restaurants etc, hence Holland village. have you got any over suggestions -would be keen to hear any other ideas?

OP posts:
Clueless2727 · 03/05/2013 09:38

Hi Singherewecome, posted on another message. Got 7 year old dd (and 3 year old ds) as well and we are moving 2 july. Dd going to to stamford though. We don't know anyone there so new experience for us. Pm me if interested in meeting up before kids start school.

Saltedcaramellavacake · 03/05/2013 10:23

Singherewecome - no experience with Marlborough but I do live in Holland Village. Please call the school bus office to check the commute - I would imagine it would be a very early start and a late return for such little kids. You could try somewhere like Woodlands, close to the Causeway into Malaysia for your kids each day and lots of American expats because the Singapore American School is there. Less in the way of bars etc but you can always drive/taxi to those. I'm not sure what the commute from Woodlands would be like for your DH but it would seem to me that everyone's commute from HV would be bad!

Original poster
Singherewecome · 03/05/2013 11:41

thanks for the reply saltedcaramellavacake the kids will go across to marlborough from the second link at Tuas, so I'm not sure that living in woodlands will help? how is living in hv?
clueless2727 when I finally get a moment will pm you. where in the UK are you at the moment?

OP posts:
Original poster
Singherewecome · 03/05/2013 11:42

thanks for the reply saltedcaramellavacake the kids will go across to marlborough from the second link at Tuas, so I'm not sure that living in woodlands will help? how is living in hv?
clueless2727 when I finally get a moment will pm you. where in the UK are you at the moment?

OP posts:
butterfliesinmytummy · 03/05/2013 15:01

Holland Village is a nice area with some good shops but it's a real trek to Marlborough. I live in a condo 5 minutes from HV and my neighbour's daughter started at Marlborough last August - her commute was an hour, often more due to traffic, but she is a teenager with an iphone so not too bothered about it. Might be worth asking the school or the bus company exactly how long the commute is from HV and where most people who do the Singapore - Malaysia run live?

There are lots and lots of western expats in Johor (Malaysia) and I know several expat families with younger children who have moved there for Marlborough and the dhs commute to Singapore for work. For the price of a low range 3 bed condo in Singapore you can get a 5 bed villa with a garden, pool etc in Johor. Might be worth checking out if you are set on Marlborough.

If you want to be closer to the Tuas link in Singapore, look at Jurong (Jurong West - Boon Lay) too - you'll get more for your money in housing terms and might knock 15 - 20 minutes off a commute. If your DH is working in Tuas and you are living in HV, he will have a 30 minute commute minimum and longer after 5pm.... My DH works centrally but visits shipyards in Jurong and always returns to his office before 4pm as the traffic is crazy there during rush hour.... Have you been on Property Guru?

It's a bit nerve-wracking moving to a new country but you'll be fine - so much of Singapore is familiar to Brits, the language, the shops, expat schools, expat doctors etc. It's a big adventure Grin

Saltedcaramellavacake · 03/05/2013 16:51

Sorry - I assumed crossing at the Causeway. Holland Village is great. We love living here but my kids (4 and 6) commute 25 minutes to their school and my husband about 30-40 minutes into the city. I'm with Butterflies - I would ask the school what the commute will be like from different locations (HV, Jurong) and decide what you're comfortable with. It might also be worth asking the school if there's a group of SG based mums you can connect with as I found other school mums a great source of support when we first moved - they were my first friends. If the kids will be going across the border on the bus and you'll be at home it might be nice to know some others in the same boat. Good luck with your move.

Clueless2727 · 03/05/2013 20:24

Hi, i'm originally from surrey, now in essex via a few years in london. We're hoping to live novena area or couple mrt stations north of that. Yeah even though girls at different schools may be nice to have someone their own age to talk to when arrive

Original poster
Singherewecome · 03/05/2013 22:46

thanks for the replies from those living in hv. can you suggest any good developments to live in???

OP posts:
Saltedcaramellavacake · 04/05/2013 01:37

Could I suggest you have a look on property guru (using a search of your needs plus 0.5km or 1 km (depending on how much you like to walk)) from Holland Village MRT and then post back your ideas? Where to live depends on budget and bedroom needs, style of property etc. If you like modern, Parvis is very nice, but on the small side. Ditto Holland Residences.

return2JB · 19/08/2013 14:28

Be very careful if you are thinking of choosing Marlborough College as the school for your child. Make sure that they give you a letter to confirm the space before you even pay a cent. I submitted the registration forms for both my children and pay RM1,100 for each of them.
Later I was told that they are full and there is no space for Aug 2013 entry but they will consider them for Jan 2014 entry (not confirm).
So, what must I do in the meantime? My kids simply cannot just sit and wait for months not knowing if they will get a place later.
We then started to look for other school and are happy to find one but Marlborough College would not refund our RM2,200 registration fees!
They do not have space for us, they did nothing so far, yet they are taking our money! This is simply day light robbery.
I am writing this mainly hoping that concern parents out there will not get cheated by them.
I am glad that my children are not going there for education as this is not the moral value and integrity that I would wish for my kids to learn from.

FatOwl · 19/08/2013 19:35

Return2JB, I can understand your frustration, but I'm afraid this is common practice in International schools. The registration fee is simply to put them on the waiting list. (Unless they are also charging you fees which would be out of order). It should have been made clear to you that it is non-refundable though.
Tanglin School in Singapore and Alice Smith and GIS in KL would do exactly the same.
It is an awkward situation and I feel your pain, I had it myself when we moved to Asia 10 years ago, I could get dd1 (Y5) into school, but not dd2 (Y2). I had to Home educate her for a term while we waited for a place. (It almost killed me!)

To the OP, I have visited MCM and it looks like a lovely school. We are looking at a move to Singapore in 2015 and would consider it for dd3 (who will then be Y9) as she is not likely to get into Tanglin even if we register for her now

S999 · 20/08/2013 10:48

Please can I butt in and ask if anyone is sending their DCs to Dulwich College Singapore? And where they might consider the best place to live? It's in Bukit Betok...

Thanks

Saltedcaramellavacake · 20/08/2013 13:53

S999, Dulwich doesn't open here in SG until August 2014. I know of a few people who have applied for their kids to start then, but until then there won't be any first hand experience. You can go to a Principal's talk in their offices at Bukit Batok (I believe).
Dulwich is a selective school, so there is entry testing even for the youngest students (nursery).

S999 · 21/08/2013 01:19

Hi Saltedcaramel, sorry should have added more, we have secured places for our elder kids at Dulwich, we move next year although my DH is already here! So we're in the dilemma of where to live. I'm sure there is a good school bus. We just want to make sure DH doesn't have too much of a commute (honestly!) to Orchard Rd.

return2JB · 04/09/2013 10:03

Hi FatOwl
Thank you for your comment. Firstly, it was not clearly communicated to me that the fees is non refundable. Secondly, when I enquire for Aug 2013 entry, they replied to say that there was no space, they encouraged me to register and wait for possible entry for Jan 2014 (which is also not confirmed). I think it is all wrong practice.
Even though many schools are practicing this, it does not make it right. We need to report this to the government who is in charge of Consumer Rights which we will now do.
Forget about MCM; the attitude and response we receive so far tell a lot about the school culture which we will never like our children to learn in that environment.
The good news I have for you is that, you will have a lovely school to admit your dd3 in JB when you are here in 2015. Our boys has just started their new school term at Excelsior International School (Bandar Seri Alam). The school has just opened to their first batch of students on 2Sept. The principal opened Chartsworth in Singapore before and the academic team is impressive.
We are so happy to have found this school.
You may want to check out their website:
www.eis.edu.my/

Cerisier · 08/09/2013 15:02

I am interested to hear about EIS. However the fact it is the same Principal as Chatsworth doesn't inspire confidence. Chatsworth is a for-profit school and by goodness it shows. I looked round a couple of years ago and was horrified at the shabbiness of the place.

Jurongwest85 · 23/10/2013 14:34

We moved from the UK in May and found the whole issue of school admissions very stressful. Eventual got one child into Tanglin and the second into Marlborough. The registration fees are non refundable - distressing when it happens as it did with ours who did not get into Tanglin but all of the schools make this clear when you apply. Our son is a weekly boarder at Marlborough. First impressions are a good school that cares very much for its students. We are pleased and would recommend it.

MrsThor · 29/10/2013 10:46

Holland village is fairly central and is a short commute to orchard. We live on orchard and my son starts dulwhich next year, nowhere is that fR here, it's the traffic that make it a nightmare. Don't think there is many areas around Dulwich that you might want to live in. Clementi area is also central for both commutes

dakpat69 · 16/01/2014 20:34

Hi All

My family and i are looking to move to Johor, and have 2 kids of 6 and 10 years old. Any experiences of international schools in Johor?

Many seem very new and we are concerned that they wont have experienced staff.

sara156 · 29/01/2014 06:27

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Blossom14 · 23/03/2014 17:27

So far I have known that MCM are hiring more experienced teachers in the coming years:)

Blossom14 · 23/03/2014 17:34

As the number of students is growing up, the school (MCM) is hiring experienced teachers!

Ohtobeanonymous · 10/01/2015 14:42

Hoping to revive this thread as there is a chance my DDs will be going to MCM next academic year.

Would love to hear from any parents or teachers who can give me an idea of what it is like for girls - website seems very much to promote the boys sports and boarding aspect. They would be day pupils - one in upper Prep and the other in Senior school. Also strengths and weaknesses of the school for young adolescents...

Thanks to FatOwl already for the PM...