Parent Testimonials

  Adam and Fanny, Parents of Luke  

Li-San and Bernard, Parents of Aaron, Isabelle and Ian

It has been more than a decade since we began our wonderful journey with Etonhouse. Between our three kids – Aaron, Isabelle and Ian, we have experienced three Etonhouse campuses at 717, 764 and 223 Mountbatten, all of which were directly or indirectly under Ms Jo’s leadership. Etonhouse has been a delightful environment for all of them, with its welcoming campuses and more importantly, the awesome teachers and staff. Ms Jo has always been welcoming, supportive and dynamic. We remember the move from 764 to 223 Mountbatten: although we were initially concerned about 223 being an “industrial” building, Ms Jo very quickly made it a stimulating and child-friendly environment with such innovative use of space, even turning dull outdoor corners into exciting playgrounds and vibrant gardens! Etonhouse teachers have always been warm and nurturing, imparting not just knowledge but also life skills. Our kids who have graduated also remember fondly the friendly gardener uncles and cleaner aunties. We will always cherish our memories of Etonhouse. Our kids would come home with stories about researching berries, creating clay projects, conducting light experiments, dabbling in Chinese calligraphy and baking healthy oatmeal banana cookies (which Ian still asks to make at home)! Our kids grew so much through challenges like making PowerPoint presentations on stage or staying overnight at the K2 Camp. They always enjoyed the excursions – be it watching a play, participating in a tea ceremony, learning the history of bicycles or showcasing their exploration of roses at the Singapore Garden Festival, all of which provided such rich immersive learning experiences. Most of all, we appreciated how Etonhouse sparked their naturalist instincts with the constant exposure to nature – they were always growing something (brinjals!) or rearing critters like caterpillars and crayfish. As the book title says “All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten”. As our kids grow into curious and kind young people, we would like to express our deep appreciation to everyone at Etonhouse for providing that crucial foundation, as well as the supportive and wonderful environment all these years! Debbie & Kenneth (and their cheeky children) Our Etonhouse journey started back in 2013 when our eldest child Claire was 4. Over the years, her 2 siblings followed in her footsteps concurrently. The youngest (Jordan) is in K2 now and looking forward to Primary 1 in 2020. We looked at various preschools and enrolled the kids for short stints prior to Etonhouse but most fell short of expectations. In terms of facilities, teacher quality and parental engagement, Etonhouse is one of the most impressive that we have seen. I would also add that the excellent school culture is derived in no small part from the principal (Ms Jo) herself. That she and all her staff are there daily doing their best for the children gives us the peace of mind to go about our day jobs knowing that the kids are in good hands. 2 thumbs up! We like that there are a multitude of opportunities for the children to think independently and engage in new experiences. Apart from the periodic excursions, there are talks conducted by parents in their respective fields, show and tell sessions , performances and all the small but important things that the respective teachers do on their own initiative to teach the kids values like responsibility, love and respect. The “lessons” are conducted in an open-ended manner and this is where good teachers in an enabling environment differentiate themselves from pedestrian ones. Needless to say, although its great for the kids, I am sure this would take a whole lot more effort on the part of the teachers. Hats off to you! We would like to take this opportunity to thank Ms Jo and especially to all the teachers past and present, who have influenced Claire, Cara and Jordan in one way or another. Jingyi, mother of Aiden Breva 欧阳锦 from K2 Compassion We have a saying in Chinese: 言传不如身教，身教不如境教. It means being a role model is more important than simply preaching. But more important than being a role model to your children, is to immerse them in the right environment. And in Etonhouse, I believe we have found the right environment. We have not sent him for any tuition. But he has made such immense improvements in the past year. He loves reading, he knows how to solve Math story sums, he loves singing Chinese songs, he loves Japanese origami. More importantly, he retains his curiosity and he enjoys learning. We are not worried at all about Primary 1. This is a stark contrast to the boy who, in early 2017, was struggling to write the letter Y and was labelled as a “slow learner”. Mrs. Anu Gupta, parent of Ira and Zoya ‘As I spent an unusual Monday morning watching my 4-year old perform on stage for the National Day/ Hari Raya Celebrations at EtonHouse, I felt goose bumps all over me. The songs, the performances bring back a bag of memories and got me thinking of my journey I embarked with this school years back. I walked into this school for the first time in 2007 when we moved to Singapore from Dubai. I had done no research on pre-schools, had asked no one around for feedback. I did a random ‘google’ search on neighbourhood pre-schools and I had a flurry of EtonHouse schools that came up on my screen. Coincidentally, this was the 2^nd school I visited. Then located at 764 Mountbatten Road, the school was prominent as you drove on that road. I wasn’t a very experienced mother, though I’d like to give more credit to myself now. I had a 2-1/2-year-old who had just recovered from some serious medical issues. My questions to the school only pertained to care, hygiene, how flexible the school was with home-food, how they would react in a medical emergency. I don’t recollect asking any questions on the curriculum, student-teacher ratio, mix of nationalities, languages offered (which are the typical questions you ask when you seek out a school).  The patience and detail with which each question was answered touched me and I just had to go ahead with my gut. Thus began our journey with this school (both for us and our girl).  If we had fun at all the field trips, we had prompt calls from the school if her lunch (delivered from home) didn’t get there on time. We also had extra care given by the teachers/staff to ensure she was always away from foods that caused her any allergy. The care and attention never lagged. If she had issues of bullying, the staff ensured it was sorted even before I heard it. Not to mention Josephyne Ho, Principal- EtonHouse Pre-School (223 Mountbatten Road) would be a complete miss. Popularly known as ‘Jo’ to all of us (parents) and ‘Miss Jo’ to the kids, she is the pillar that stands strong holding that school together.  Her eye for detail, precision to perfection, her habit to address each one of us (kids and parents) every morning (by our first name) and that wide smile, makes this school an extension of your home. Her personal involvement in my daughter’s case and ensuring a total hands-on approach makes her special. No issue is ‘small’ for Jo. She listens to every kid/parent. Be it a kid sulking to come to school, a kid not keen to wear his uniform, a kid not proactive with eating. You can often see her sitting and chatting with the kids giving them all her attention. Like she often says, “I pick my battles with the kids. I only strive for them to come happy to school every morning. My daughter was around when this school moved to its current location. Lots of discussions happened- to stay on at the old campus, how good will the new campus be. But I had blind faith on the management. The new campus only turned out to be even better. I still joke when people ask me which pre-school does your girl go to, “its location is like the best kept secret.” Of course once someone makes it there, it’s very rare they will return disappointed. Each day passed and soon she turned 6 years old and was ready to leave the school. Sadly this school ends at K2. The love and care it gave her changed her personality. From a meek, quiet girl (always petrified of even getting a cold or even being pushed in a line), she shaped up to be a confident, vocal speaker and in every earnest way ready to take on any challenge (be it a bully on the bus, or someone ridiculing her allergies). The staff at the school at every stage made her feel ‘equal’,  gave her the strength to say ‘no’ and to make the most of every opportunity that came across her way. For me as a mother, what she studied there never mattered. The hands-on approach, the over-attentive staff, the flexibility to understand a parents’ mind is all that mattered. For my girl, the school still has a ‘soft spot’ in her heart. She is happy to head back anytime for any event and be associated in any small or big way. Of course seeing herself splashed all over town in the EtonHouse ad campaigns has left a lifetime of memories for her. I am on a re-run with the school now with my second girl. Thankfully this time we don’t have major issues but the usual that any toddler may face in a school.  Even then these problems were taken equally seriously. They made sure she was heard and her issues were sorted. I am confident at the end of her stint, even she will walk out a confident 6-year old with some great memories of her pre-school. But of course, my younger one presumes that the posters on display around town and at the school lobby (featuring her sister) are something that she will also get as her parting gift from Etonhouse.  As for me, I was recently reminded that I have joined the ‘privileged’ list of long-standing Etonhouse parents (with an association of more than 7 years now).  This association has been special and will always have a lasting memory in our hearts.’

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Augustine and Janice, of children, Ariel Wong and Alexis Wong ‘Eight years at the blink of an eye. Alexis and Ariel have spent a combined 9 years at the EtonHouse Pre-school. As a family, we have been closely associated with EtonHouse for eight consecutive years. Our journey was neither unique nor extraordinary. But for our family, it felt like a major milestone. Like most parents, our primary concern was how the teachers and the pre-school would be a good fit for our girls. As the girls spend more weekday hours with their teachers than they do with us, having good teachers is a blessing. Thus far, we have been extremely fortunate. We have had great teachers. The girls look forward to school each day to be with their friends and teachers. This is an amazing facet of their lives we can only piece together from their after-school stories. Their teachers probably know another aspect of them we may never really know. However, we are consoled by the fact that the teachers who were there with them, truly cared for them. Ms Josephyne and the teachers have helped us nurture two amazing girls, for that, we are eternally grateful. In the end, Ms Josephyne and the teachers may have had a more profound impact on us. They helped us see our girls from our children’s perspective. We cannot think of a more precious gift, as my family bid a reluctant farewell to Ms Josephyne and her wonderful teachers. Thank you, teachers!’