Frequently Asked Questions

Why a Literature-based curriculum?
We believe stories are a fun way to get young children interested in learning. We see picturebooks as a springboard to various lessons, as they allow children to respond to stories in a variety of ways. Children  engage their different senses through drama, writing, art, music and movement and games. Lessons in our literature-based curriculum are amplified through activities which help hone a combination of skills essential for the 21st century. They learn how to take perspectives, collaborate and think critically, creatively and empathically.

What will my child learn in Star Learners?
We strongly believe in helping children develop essential skills that will take them way past their early years. Our proprietary Starbeam™ Framework encapsulates the skills necessary for the 21st century as identified by the World Economic Forum, such as critical thinking and problem-solving. Beyond that, we have a host of complementary programmes that are designed to nurture children holistically. We also offer a variety of enrichment programmes in collaboration with quality partners to further our children’s strengths and interests, no matter how varied they may be.

How can my child learn Math through stories?
Numeracy is one of the six domains in our Starbeam™ Framework in which children acquire knowledge, skills and dispositions in. Through our literature-based curriculum, children focus on the exploration and application of mathematical concepts in context to the stories we read. To amplify these lessons, our skill-based Math Programme solidifies Math concepts in a progressive manner to ready our children for formal schooling.

How can my child develop a love for the Chinese language through your curriculum?
Our Chinese curriculum is designed to develop a love of the Chinese language through a range of interactive lessons covering games, experiments, dramatisation and needless to say, picturebooks! Besides language, we also aim to instill appreciation of the Chinese culture via hands-on activities like calligraphy and poetry.

What if my child is slower/ more advanced than other children? Can I change class level?
Our educators will work hand in hand with the child as well as parent to ensure continued learning and development, no matter their pace. We do not recommend changing class level as this will affect their learning in the long term.

What kind of enrichment programmes does each centre offer?
The enrichment programmes offered vary from centre to centre and is dependent on demand. Kindly check with the centre Principal for more information.

What mother tongue languages do you offer?
Currently, we only offer Chinese as a mother tongue language in all our Star Learners centres. The curriculum is very comprehensive and provides our non-Chinese children a wonderful opportunity to pick up a third language at school. We are glad to share that many of our parents have expressed delight at their children picking up the Chinese language well, while they work to reinforce their mother tongue language at home.

My child has a developmental delay/ has special needs. Can he/ she enrol in Star Learners?
As a preschool that promotes diversity and embraces inclusivity, we do accept children with additional needs on a case by case basis. We will need to assess the child’s suitability and may ask for detailed information from parents and child’s doctor before we advise further.

Do you offer infant care services?
Yes, infant care services for young ones between 2 months to 18 months are available at our Sengkang Rivervale, Tanjong Pagar, Woodlands 888 and Yung Ho centres.

Can I enrol my child for trial lessons?
Yes, a trial period is available for the first 2 weeks. Please inform the Principal at your preferred centre if you would like to explore this option.

Are there any schemes or discounts available to help defray school fees?
As an appointed Partner Operator, Star Learners is committed to quality care and education for Singaporean children at at affordable fees. Basic and additional subsidies are available to help further alleviate any financial burden on families. We also support single-mother households via our financial aid programme, Castle on a Cloud.

Are school bus services available?
We understand how important convenience is for our parents. As such, we offer bus services at centres where demand is sufficient. Do approach your preferred centre to find out more.

How do I know if my preferred Star Learners centre is SPARK-certified?
You will be able to see displays of SPARK banners and/ or plaques at SPARK-certified centres. You may also check if your preferred centre is SPARK-certified by clicking on the specific centre page here.

How does the school keep parents updated on the progress of my child?
We believe that the best outcomes for our children can only be achieved through strong home-school partnership. We developed the Star Learners Parent App so parents can easily access updates on their children’s development and learning activities at the centre. The App also allows parents to receive information on key events and announcements. On top of regular communication, educators can engage parents through teacher-parent meetings held twice a year. Our open door policy welcomes parents to reach out at any time.

How qualified are the teachers/ principals in your centres?
All of our teachers/ principals are ECDA-accredited. In addition, 80% of them hold Diplomas and/ or higher in early childhood education.

Is there a high teacher attrition rate?
We place great emphasis on our people and their welfare. Under the Partner Operator scheme by the Early Childhood Development Agency, we are committed to investing in the professional development of our people, and have in place training programmes and varied initiatives to keep our people happy, motivated and inspired.

What measures are there to ensure children’s safety and well-being at the centres?
Some measures that each centre has in place are as follows:

• Daily health checks every morning when the child arrives at the centre
• Only authorised guardians are allowed to pick up the child
• All entrances and exits are closed at all times and latches locked
• External visitors to the centre are to be accompanied by centre staff
• Children are to be in their Star Learners uniforms at the centre and during outdoor activities and excursions, to help in easy identification of our children at all times
• Ensure air quality is well above government-stipulated standards
• Toys, mattresses, and lesson resources are regularly cleaned and disinfected

We endeavour to provide an environment where children are safe and feel safe. Every staff member is made aware of their responsibility to ensure that the safety and well-being of every child is at the forefront of what we do.

What happens if my child is ill?
If your child is ill, we advise against bringing him/ her to the centre. This is to safeguard the well-being of other children and staff and prevents further spread of viruses.

A letter from a registered medical practitioner certifying that your child is fit to return to the centre may be required especially if he/ she is still displaying symptoms of illness. Otherwise, it is an indication to us that your child is still unwell and should rest at home. Sufficient rest is highly recommended as secondary infections could occur when your child’s immune system is still weak.

If your child requires to be administered medicine under our care, parents are required to fill in a “Medication Record Form” prior. Our centre staff will only administer medication that is directly prescribed for the child by a registered medical practitioner. More details on our Health Policy can be found in our ‘Parents Handbook’ on the Parents App.

How are meals for my child prepared at the centre?
We work with a halal-certified, AVA-licensed central kitchen which supplies our centres with main sauces and soups. The meal preparation works are then carried out in the centres by our cooks and kitchen assistants. Here’s how they are prepared.

Our menu is based on a 4-week calendar month and comprises a wide variety of cuisines to expose our children’s taste buds while meeting requirements of the Healthy Meals in Pre-schools Programme (HMPP). Meals incorporate food from the four main food groups – brown rice and wholemeal bread, meat and others, vegetables and fruit, allowing children to receive the right nutrients necessary for their growing needs.

My child is a fussy eater/ eats very slow. How can the centre help to ensure that my child takes his meals in school?
Our educators will work with the child to gradually encourage them to try different types of food and cuisines, and update parents on the progress. Using positive reinforcement strategies, we have seen successes in motivating children to enjoy their meals.

Can I bring my own food?
Unfortunately, we are unable to allow children to bring their own food unless due to medical or special dietary requirements. This is to enable us to keep track of the food that our children consume, should incidents such as food poisoning occur. Should your child have any dietary issues, do speak to the Principal to find our how we can support.

Does your menu cater to children with special dietary requirements?
We offer 3 types of menus to cater to our children. They are our standard menu, vegetarian menu and allergen-free menu. Our allergen-free menu does not contain 85%-90% of the common allergens. If your child has any known allergies, please inform the Principal upon registration at your preferred centre.

Are your centres’ kitchens HALAL-certified?
Our HALAL-certified central kitchen supplies us with majority of ingredients for our meals. However, the centres’ kitchens in which these meals are prepared are not HALAL-certified at the moment. Do be assured that we strictly do not prepare pork, lard or beef in these kitchens.