Fleer Family – Parents of Maia, K1
When we were selecting the next school for Maia 2 years back, we wanted a school that provides a good learning framework with balanced focus on exploration and play. And, of course, EtonHouse is one of the natural choices.
We brought Maia along for our first visit to EtonHouse as it was important for us to involve her in the selection process and to ensure that she was comfortable with the school. Maia was offered to paint when we stopped by one of the classrooms and after some persuasion, she did. We were impressed and delighted by the effort and time spent with us to ensure Maia likes and feels comfortable with the school. Besides the classroom set-ups that are warm and cozy with natural lights and view to the nature, what really stood out and helped us made up our mind was the connection we had with Ms Natalie who received us. A school can only be as good as the people who manage it.
Fast forward to today, Maia has grown into a happy, curious, more confident and creative thinker. We are grateful for the love, patience, support and guidance the teachers and staff in EtonHouse have given to her. Ms Amanda, Zeng Laoshi, Ms Joyce, Jiang Laoshi, Hai Yan Laoshi, and many others that have interacted with her and helped shaping her in one way or another.
Covid-19 has forced us to be creative and resilient. We felt that EtonHouse has done well so far in dealing with this unprecedented challenge and ensuring that there were continuous learnings for the students during the circuit breaker. The preparation and the home-based learning were done well with right balance. The dedication and commitment from the teachers and school are undeniable. We love the physical learning kits that were so thoughtful and well-packed. Maia had lots of fun working through those packs.
Through the regular formal and informal communications and updates from EtonHouse, we enjoy hearing and getting to know about Maia’s learning journey in school. One day, Maia shared with us the voting process of the general election in Singapore. We were delighted and impressed with how they are being shared and exposed with the current affairs outside of their standard curriculum. We are excited to see how Maia flourishes together with EtonHouse, alongside with her friends. We are confident that this sets her a strong foundation for her next chapter of learnings.
Teo Family – Parents of James, N2 and Grace, PN
When Ben and I started out on our exploration to find a preschool as first time parents, we had so many considerations in mind – the school’s teaching and learning approach, proximity of the school to our home, the look and feel of the campus, you name it. Interestingly, our start with the EtonHouse Upper Bukit Timah community sprung from a blunder I made which incidentally led us to an unexpected tour of the school.
One of the first things which drew us to the school was the amount of natural sunlight and the thoughtful use of space within the school. Each class had its own unique focal points and learning spaces and all the children were actively engaged in play and conversations with their teachers and friends. The harmonious vibe of the community gave us a certain sense of rightness and we could see how this would eventually become a place of growth for James.
Fast forward to today, James has blossomed from a shy and reserved 18 months to a curious and confident 4 year-old. In these 2 years, Ben and I have experienced how the inquiry based learning approach adopted by the team has come a long way in encouraging James to actively ask questions and make his own discoveries. As a close-knit community, almost all the teachers are able to remember each child’s name and this in turn creates such a welcoming environment and fosters a strong sense of belonging within the school. As a family, we really enjoy being an active partner to the school in our child’s learning journey and find it easy to reach out to James’ teachers for advice or to discuss any concerns we had.
Now that my soon to be 2 year-old has joined the EtonHouse Upper Bukit Timah family, we couldn’t be happier with the care and flexibility the teachers have put in to ensure a smooth transition during these Covid times. To all the teachers and the admin team of the EtonHouse Upper Bukit Timah community, a big thank you for all your dedication and care in creating a home away from home for both James and Grace!
Parents of Tommy Wong, N2
Being a family of foodies, we first fell in love with what the school had to offer on its menu. “What will I be having in school today?” Tommy would ask with excitement gleaming in his eyes on Tuesday mornings. “Is it sweet and sour fish?”
As the school term progressed, we became – and, continue to be – amazed by the heart work and hard work put in by everyone at EtonHouse Upper Bukit Timah, in providing and promoting a child-centric and interest-inspired learning environment.
Through his daily interaction with the staff and his friends at school, Tommy now demonstrates greater self-awareness and a deeper appreciation for the critical role that culture, communication, conflict and consequences (including creativity!) play in our lives.
Gradually and gently, his teachers have also guided us on how we can be involved and responsive parents to Tommy, yet respectful of his autonomy by giving him and his peers the time and space that they need to deal with differences and difficulties.
Conditions for effective problem solving and conflict resolution are also very conducive, given the safe, supportive and uplifting home-like environment of the school and the caring demeanour of the teachers.
More importantly, we are heartened to see Tommy putting into practice values of compassion and love for others by giving back to society, especially those in need. Thanks to the encouragement of his teachers, Tommy enjoys doing his part for the community and environment through regular and meaningful participation in sustainability projects and creative exploration of the arts, music and science.
We are particularly grateful to Ms Natalie Loh and her team at EtonHouse Upper Bukit Timah for their enduring faith, endless patience and earnest attention to Tommy’s well-being and learning interests. Thank you for watching over and caring for Tommy (and his friends) as your own!
As the saying goes, “Children are the priority. Change is the reality. Collaboration is the strategy.” For that, we give thanks to EtonHouse for actively engaging and partnering with families like ours in bringing out the best in every child.
The Kubitza family – Parents of Leia, K1, and Julie, N1
When I first toured EtonHouse, I took Leia with me. She was the only person who could show me if it was the right place for her, and she needed to feel comfortable and welcomed. She joined in immediately, had a morning snack with the rest of the children and I was amazed by their independence. We also went to one of the classrooms for storytime and she later explored the music room with much pleasure. We liked the warm atmosphere and the individual setup of each classroom, befitting to their age and unique interests. It was a success. Leia didn’t want to leave, she wanted to be a part of it all…and so the journey began.
Our second daughter, Julie, was two when she started school at EtonHouse and already felt so much at home since we had been dropping her sister at school together, every single day.
We as a family really like all lovely events we have been able to attend. They really help to connect us with other families, teachers and our own children too.
We still love talking about the performances Leia and Julie did for Mother’s Day, National Day, Earth Day and so on. Everyone puts so much effort and heart in it. The girls cherish these memories.
It is also a privilege for them to learn about and celebrate all the local holidays with their special customs, stories, clothes and food, as well as being taught bilingually. EtonHouse helps us to raise open-minded children of the world.
When we ask our children what they like most about their school, they say it’s their teachers and friends. We feel blessed towards the teachers. There is just the right balance between caring, guiding and teaching. Leia and Julie love the diversity the school offers; from music, arts, sports to the curriculum. They never get bored. They really like the way they get hooked on new topics, the creative approach taken and being part of gathering ideas and solutions, at a very young age. They like being listened to.
EtonHouse is like family to us. Every day we go to school, we get smiles, we get hugs and I get advice if needed. We feel heard in our ideas and opinions and we feel like we belong there.
The Veeraraghavan family – Parents of Arnav, K2, and Diya, N1
When we started to look for a kindergarten for our first born, we visited many schools as part of the process. The moment we stepped into EtonHouse Upper Bukit Timah, it struck the right chord – it was the right balance of a nice space, an interesting teaching method and really passionate and sincere warm people. We knew this place would be perfect for our son, Arnav.
It’s been three years since Arnav joined the school and it’s been a beautiful journey watching him become more independent and responsible, yet have such innocence and a strong sense of belonging when he is with his buddies. Two years later when it was time for our daughter, Diya to go to school, we decided at the bat of an eyelid to have her join EtonHouse Upper Bukit Timah as well. It was a special moment for my son too as he showed his younger sister around the school and introduced her to all his friends which made her first day out to be quite a breeze!
Every day when I pick them up from school, I ask my kids to tell me about the most fun thing they did in school that day. Among the many things they love to talk about, like the new mandarin song they learnt that day or the importance of saving our planet, their PE and free play time up in level 5 tops their chart. Moreover, I don’t hesitate to tell them that Level 5 is indeed one of my favourite spaces at EtonHouse Upper Bukit Timah as well.
Personally too, I have several memorable moments to cherish – be it my interactions with the children and other parents through different activities organised by the school or the one time I got together with my son’s nursery teachers (Ms. Nurul & Huang Laoshi) to make their class yearbook. All these were great opportunities to bond with my children’s teachers and friends.
It is reassuring to see our children continue to receive the same warmth that we felt on our very first visit. If I had to mention the names of all those at school who have and continue to enrich our children’s lives, that would be a very long list. You know who you are, and we want to say a big thank you!
Serena, Parent of Lionel, N1, and Justin, Pre-Nursery
My husband and I chose EtonHouse because the compound is spacious and bright school, perfect for the children to run around and the provocations set up for children to explore and play. We are most appreciative of the efforts that the teachers have spent on both our boys and the regular updates of their milestones. Lionel has grown so much in the 18 months since he started school. It is hard to believe the toddler who couldn’t say a single word when he first started school is such a chatterbox now! We are always happy to see Lionel and Justin excited for school, and I think credits are due to the teachers for piquing their curiosity to encourage learning. For our family, it gives us an ease of mind to know that our boys are in good hands, with teachers they love and have fun with, while still learning something new every day.
Fay, Parent of Leonidas
We would like to thank EtonHouse Upper Bukit Timah school for the fantastic care provided to our son. The teaching and assisting staff were fantastic during his settling period and made the whole process so much more smooth for him. We have undoubtedly seen a difference in his physical and academic development during his stay in the school. The great brand new facilities together with the very efficient admin staff complete the picture of a great school which is supportive and nurturing for little ones. Thank you for all your effort and assistance. Sad to leave but it is part of growing up. Once again thank you very much for everything you have done for our son.
Yei-Jin, Parent of Brandon, K1, and Charlotte, Pre-Nursery
We enrolled our child with EtonHouse because of the environment and the positive vibes the teachers exude. We believe that with all these factors, our kids will enjoy and up grow well at EtonHouse. Importantly, EtonHouse prepares our children for the future as we strongly believe that life skills are important and in this area, we have seen our children grow in confidence. They are also more independent now, especially for Charlotte who has just started her EtonHouse journey in January.
