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The Children's Chef
Having worked as a chef in restaurants and hotels for 25 years, Mr Lim Tzu Fui decided to become a chef for young children at My First Skool (MFS) when his wife was pregnant with their daughter in 2019. Affectionately known as Chef Soong, he prepares healthy, nutritious and palatable meals for the 700 children at MFS at 49 Rivervale Crescent.
NFC teachers clinch 6 awards at the 2022 Pre-school Chinese Language Storytelling Aids Competition
Whenever there was a thunderstorm, the children at My First Skool (MFS) at Block 197D Boon Lay would run towards the windows to watch the rain fall. Noticing the children’s curiosity, teachers Yang Zizheng, Li Yun and Li Hongxing built a storytelling aid to help the children learn about water. Chronicling the story of a water droplet whose dream was to look at the sea, children learn about science, technology, art and Chinese language through the many engaging sections of the storytelling aid.
My First Skool Supports Diverse Developmental Needs through the Inclusive Support Programme (InSP)
At the media event held at MFS at Block 406 Woodlands on June 22, Minister of State for Social and Family Development Sun Xueling announced that there will be 100 places created over the next three years under InSP to support children with medium developmental needs. Currently, 38 children with developmental needs are enrolled in the InSP at seven pre-schools. NFC has 11 children with developmental needs across two of its pre-schools - at Blk 406 Woodlands Street 41 and Blk 248 Kim Keat Link - since February. It plans to take in at least five more children in the second half of the year. The news reports quoted Deniece Bidhiya, Senior Manager at NFC's Child Support Services department, who said that MFS modified its centres to accommodate children with needs. Examples include the installing low ceiling boards to reduce noise and enable teachers to manage classes better, and setting up an early intervention corner for children's one-on-one sessions with therapists. The reports also included the benefits to the children who are enrolled in the InSP, such as enabling them to learn alongside their typically developing peers with the assistance of an early interventionist, and without having to shuttle to and from an early intervention centre thrice a week.
The Inclusive Support Programme at My First Skool benefit children with developmental needs through providing support to integrate them into the classrooms
Before the Inclusive Support Programme (InSP) started at My First Skool (MFS) at Block 248 Kim Keat Link in February this year, mother Teh Hooi Moi had to take her son to the Early Intervention Programme for Infants & Children (EIPIC) centre a few times a week to attend the early intervention programme. Now, she has gone back to work full-time as her son attends InSP at the same pre-school centre, and is learning alongside his peers in class. MFS has 11 children under the InSP at two centres - one at Block 248 Kim Keat Link and another at Block 406 Woodlands. These centres have early interventionists who are trained to engage children with developmental needs in learning, as well as the necessary environment and equipment conducive for their learning.
17 NTUC First Campus employees were recognised at Singapore National Co-operative Federation’s inaugural Co-operative Movement Night
Convincing parents to enrol their children with developmental needs in an Early Intervention Programme is not an easy task. But that is what Senior Manager of the Child Support Services Department at NTUC First Campus (NFC), Ms Deniece Bidhiya, strives to do. Deniece’s unwavering commitment to ensure that children with developmental needs and their parents received specialised help was recognised at the inaugural Co-operative Movement Night by Singapore National Co-operative Federation. She was one of the 17 NFC employees honoured that night.
NTUC First Campus buffers families from rising costs amid inflation
Mr Ng, a school bus driver, had to tighten his purse strings when petrol prices rose significantly in the last few months. He had to reduce the pick-ups he made to save on petrol costs, impacting his overall income. Mr Ng is one of 10 families who approached NTUC First Campus’ (NFC) Child Enabling Executives for more social support during this time. Supported by our Bright Horizons Fund, our emergency fund can be activated to provide parents with necessities such as groceries. Find out how NFC supports our parents amid the rising cost of living.
Insightful learning journeys and strong employer support at NTUC First Campus
While most people travel to Bali for its beaches, Rozita Osman, Senior English Teacher atLittle Skool-House (On-The-Green) went to a green school there to learn about how she can adopt sustainable practices at her pre-school.
Learning Mother Tongue Language starts from birth
In a commentary article on Lianhe Zaobao, Dr Connie Lum, Director of the Mother Tongue Language Curriculum and Professional Development at NTUC First Campus, shares her take on how parents can encourage the learning of the Mother Tongue language to children.
The forest is my school
In a feature article on Straits Times, NTUC First Campus' (NFC) Outdoor School Singapore's (OSS) programme architect, Ms Phang Shu Ann shared how some children that enrolled in OSS' holiday programme initially refused to sit down on the ground in the forest, preferring to squat or sit on their bags because they have been taught that soil is dirty. To change the children's mindsets about the outdoor environment, her team will lead them to reflect on their assumptions, asking them questions such as "Why is soil precious? Who needs it?". Unlike pure forest schools, OSS takes a more structured approach to outdoor education. Being able to tap on pre-school pedagogy and resources from NFC, OSS offers the widest range of programmes for children aged four to nine.
NTUC First Campus developed a game changer for the local pre-school scene through original content that gives children a strong start in learning Chinese Language
NTUC First Campus (NFC) is one of the first pre-school operators in Singapore to produce original, high-quality Chinese Language books with a “local flavour”, specially tailored for children in Singapore. Currently, most Chinese Language books read by pre-school children in Singapore are imported from China or Taiwan. Such books contain words not commonly used in Singapore’s local context. By addressing this issue, NFC’s Chinese Language books help children at My First Skool pre-school centres to pick up the language easily. The words, dialogue and events depicted in the books are relatable to the children, as they reflect their daily lives in Singapore.
COVID-19 made her dream come true
It was Syuhairah Bte Hassan's childhood dream to be a pre-school teacher, and COVID-19 made her dream come true for her. The former flight attendant wanted to return to the aviation industry, but it was badly hit amid the pandemic. She was then introduced to the Career Conversion Programme (CCP) by her sisters, which allowed her to become a pre-school teacher. Syuhairah is now a trainee teacher attached to My First Skool at Blk 269 Compassvale Link and is undergoing the CCP. She will graduate in August 2022. She finds the journey rewarding, especially as she gets to build rapport with the children while watching them grow from their very first day at school.
The importance of developing children's social-emotional skills
In a commentary article on Lianhe Zaobao, Dr Connie Lum, Director of the Mother Tongue Language Curriculum at NTUC First Campus, shares her take on the Ministry of Education's (MOE) updated Nurturing Early Learners Framework. The framework emphasises the holistic development of children such as developing social-emotional skills and values in children to instill a positive learning attitude. According to Dr Lum, the pre-school age is an important period for the emotional development of children, and developing our children's social-emotional skills has far-reaching impacts on their overall development and even life development. Teachers also play an important role in developing children's social-emotional skills.
Types of social support that pre-schools offer
Seeking donations is one of the many ways CEEs help families in need. Other examples include assisting parents with various applications to improve the family's lives, providing emotional support, connecting families to organisations that provide financial assistance and helping families purchase urgent necessities through emergency funds. These are the five ways covered on parenting website The New Age Parents. The article also featured NFC's unique Child Support Model, which is our holistic, multi-pronged approach in supporting lower-income families and their children
Children at MFS (Kampung Admiralty) bring joy and laughter to seniors
In a CNA documentary titled Singapore in Red, Green, Blue, children from My First Skool (MFS) (Kampung Admiralty) were featured for conducting exercise sessions and virtual puppet performances for the seniors at the Active Ageing Hub (AAH) amid the pandemic. Before the pandemic, these sessions were held physically at the AAH and would include activities such as gardening and playing board games together.
Good touches vs bad touches: Little Skool-House (At-Kent-Vale) teaches children about body safety
Little Skool-House (LSH) (At-Kent-Vale) has incorporated such body safety concepts within its literacy-based programme to raise awareness among the children about respect for their own bodies and mindfulness of situations. "To us, it is about mindfulness and respect. We want to expose the children to this topic so they have a positive mindset towards their bodies, and when they come across this later in primary school, it is not too overwhelming," said Dawn Hu, executive principal of the centre, in an interview with Straits Times.
NFC’s inclusive pre-schools - Natural setting with slight modifications
NTUC First Campus' (NFC) two inclusive pre-schools will support children with special needs from February 2022. NFC's philosophy is to keep the classroom setting as natural as possible with slight modifications to better support the needs of the children. An example would be the installation of noise-absorbing panels on ceilings, as noise could trigger certain behaviour in children with high sensory needs. The centres will also have sensory play items and seating such as wobbly chairs, as well as visual schedules and pictures.
Checks done, and it's time for fun
In a Straits Times photo story covering the first day of school, children of Little Skool-House (At-Mountbatten-Square) were pictured getting their health checks done before starting their day. The process involves temperature-taking, looking for symptoms of hand, foot and mouth disease as well as for COVID-19, and sanitisation of hands. As Little Skool-House offers full day childcare services, the children at Little Skool-House start school a day ahead of primary and secondary school students on January 3.
Infant-care boom in Singapore with higher demand from parents
Straits Times reported that infant-care places for babies aged 2 to 17 months old have surged by 66 per cent in 5 years, from 6,200 in 2015 to about 10,500 places last year, according to data by the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA). Punggol and Sengkang have seen a 90 per cent increase in infant-care and childcare places. The article shared various parents' reasons for enrolling their child in infant-care, including Angelyn Tan, who said she chose to enrol both her daughters in My First Skool at Block 997 Buangkok Crescent because she would like them to have social interaction with others and gain exposure to more learning activities.
Infant care in Singapore: Using art to help babies develop language skills
A Straits Times article featured My First Skool (MFS) at Block 997 Buangkok Crescent's visual arts programme, which was introduced since the centre first opened in 2018. Thanks to a partnership with the National Gallery Singapore, the centre is one of the 17 MFS centres offering a deeper dive into the practice than the typical curriculum offers. As the centre caters to many low-income families, the art programme helps these children develop expressive language.
NTUC First Campus is the first pre-school operator in Singapore to be awarded ‘Best Companies to Work for in Asia’ for three consecutive years, with an additional ‘WeCare: HR Asia Most Caring Companies Award’ this year
NTUC First Campus (NFC) is not only great at producing happy children, the organisation also holds the secret to keeping its employees engaged. On 23 December 2021, NFC clinched 2 awards by Business Media International - 'Best Companies to Work for in Asia 2021' and 'WeCare: HR Asia Most Caring Companies Award 2021'. NFC is the first pre-school operator in Singapore to be awarded ‘Best Companies to Work for in Asia’ for three consecutive years. In addition, NFC received the ‘WeCare’ award, which is given to companies that have shown exemplary efforts in creating a culture of empathy and care amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
NTUC First Campus’ early childhood professionals clinched 6 awards at ECDA Awards 2021
NTUC First Campus’ early childhood professionals clinched 6 awards at the ECDA Awards this year. The ECDA Awards for Excellence in Early Childhood Development recognises the exemplary achievements and accomplishments of educarers, teachers, early intervention professionals, leaders and centres that have excelled in their teaching and learning, and innovative practices in the early childhood sector.
Pre-schools step up to help families during pandemic
In a feature story on how pre-schools in Singapore are helping families in need amid the pandemic, Straits Times covered NTUC First Campus' (NFC) existing initiatives such as the one-time top-up of $400 to the Child Development Account (CDA) of more than 4,200 children, and the sponsored NTUC membership to 3,000 families. The article also reported on the upcoming initiatives families can look forward to in 2022.
NTUC First Campus’ My First Skool introduces Home Learning Programme to complement its preschool curriculum, benefiting 22,000 students and their parents
22,000 preschool children – from infants to six-year-olds – and their parents benefited from the Home Learning Programme introduced by NTUC First Campus’ (NFC) My First Skool (MFS) in January 2021. Designed to complement MFS’ existing preschool curriculum and address the needs of parents who want to be a proactive part of their child’s learning journey, the programme was launched in phases across MFS' 145 centres this year.
Best Quality and Holistic Pre-School Education Award 2021 – NTUC First Campus’ My First Skool
My First Skool (MFS) is one of the winners of The New Age Parents Editors’ Awards 2021.
NTUC First Campus launches S$350,000 Food and Nutrition Programme to support 2,500 low-income families
Families and children will benefit from food packs including daily necessities, Kopitiam cards and health and nutrition workshops every quarter.
NTUC First Campus contributes an estimated S$2 million to provide a one-time Child Development Account top-up and to launch an “NTUC First Campus Sponsored NTUC Membership Programme” to give an estimated 4,000 low-income families and their children a good start to the Lunar New Year
An estimated 4,000 low-income families and their children will benefit from this support in 2021. The total spend is estimated at S$2 million for 2021 and will be funded by NFC’s’ Bright Horizons Fund.
FairPrice Foundation donates S$500,000 to NTUC First Campus’ Bright Horizons Fund and NTUC Health’s Eldercare Trust to boost digital literacy for low-income families and seniors
FairPrice Group announced a donation of S$500,000 via its charity arm, FairPrice Foundation to NTUC First Campus’ (NFC) Bright Horizons Fund (BHF) and NTUC Health’s Eldercare Trust.
NTUC First Campus’ My First Skool teachers apply creative ways for young learners to pick up their Mother Tongue Language (MTL) and learn important life values
To support pre-schoolers in picking up their Mother Tongue confidently, Malay language teacher, Mdm Saniah Binte Sakian and Chinese language teacher, Ms Su Zhewei (苏哲纬) from NTUC First Campus’ (NFC) My First Skool (MFS) apply creative ways to conduct their lessons.
NTUC First Campus partners Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) to lead the way in uplifting the quality of education leaders and childcare practices through the launch of the first-of-its-kind Early Childhood Education Leadership certificate in the sector
More than 400 Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) leaders will benefit from this programme over five years.
More than 20,000 children will benefit from the extension of partial fee offset provided by NTUC First Campus’ pre-schools for the extended Circuit Breaker period in May
NTUC First Campus unveils $500,000 “Bright Horizons Fund Care Package for COVID-19” to provide 100% fee offset off the net fees payable, for low-income families who face reduction in household income or loss of job.
An estimated 19,500 children will benefit from partial fee offset provided by NTUC First Campus’ pre-schools to support them through this crucial period
To provide further support to families and their children, NTUC First Campus partnered various pre-school operators to provide a one-stop portal with interactive and engaging home-based learning resources and accompanying parent guides on its KidzMatters website and mobile app.
CapitaLand launches S$750,000 programme with NTUC First Campus to prepare low-income pre-school children for primary school
CapitaLand-Bright Horizons Fund programme to benefit 2,000 My First Skool pre-school children in support of Singapore government’s efforts to strengthen early childhood education. More than S$660,000 CapitaLand Cares @ CDC programme to support over 5,000 vulnerable elderly and children
OCBC Bank and staff contribute S$1 million to kickstart the OCBC-NTUC First Campus Bridging Programme, which will help to make pre-school education free for children from low-income families
Supporting Singapore’s national agenda to make pre-school education more accessible, the five-year programme will fund an average of two years of childcare fees for all eligible new enrolments at My First Skool and offer financial literacy workshops for these families
NTUC First Campus’ My First Skool Recognises Efforts of Chef/Cooks by Launching Industry-first Publication of Recipes and Stories about them
Publication consists of 21 nutritious and healthy recipes launched at Learning and Sharing Festival 2019; Festival open to parents and public for the first time
NTUC First Campus’ My First Skool opens 1,065-capacity Early Years Childcare Centre, over 600 children currently enrolled
My First Skool to add three more Large Childcare Centres in next two years, providing families with high-quality and affordable early childhood education.
NTUC First Campus and National Institute of Education embark on a 3-year research study on holistic Child Support Model for pre-school children from low-income families
The study will help pre-school operators and policy makers understand the impact of first-of-its-kind Child Support Model in addressing social and developmental needs of these children, and its positive effects on inequality and social mobility issues.
NTUC First Campus launches industry-first partnership with Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) for credit recognition for its pre-school teachers pursuing early childhood care and education degree programmes
Through the collaboration, SUSS aims to partner other anchor operators to develop and retain teaching staff.
NTUC First Campus Opens My First Skool Large Childcare Centre at Zhenghua Nature Park
Children will have deeper appreciation of nature through programmes developed with the Nature Society of Singapore and National Parks Board
NTUC First Campus spearheads first of its kind research study on mother tongue language acquisition in the early years to strengthen bilingual curriculum
New My First Skool large childcare centre in Jurong West to develop niche status in bilingualism and cultural intelligenced
Largest NTUC’s My First Skool and AWWA Early Intervention Centre officially open in Fernvale
KidsSTOP™ signs three-year-long Memorandum of Understanding with My First Skool to offer STEM-based learning resources and programmes to children and teachers. AWWA continues to focus on young children with developmental needs through early intervention.
Pilot programme at NTUC’s My First Skool enhances learning through the arts in partnership with National Arts Council
Teaching artists and teachers co-develop arts content and lesson plans for pre-schoolers
Beyond financial assistance, more children from low-income families benefitting from more support programmes
NTUC-U Care Fund continues to support programmes that give children from less privileged backgrounds a good start in life.
My First Skool gears up to serve 20,000 children by 2020
Face-lift over next two years to signal its commitment to continual quality enhancements in curriculum, parents’ engagement, teachers’ competencies and environmental design
NTUC’s My First Skool extends children’s learning through intergenerational bonding initiatives
Graduation concert showcases pioneers’ contributions to audience spanning three generations; official launch of MFS iTunes U website along with SG50 Commemorative Book
NTUC First Campus Birth-to-Three Curriculum sets new quality benchmark
Local research provides evidence that a relationships-based approach assists the holistic development of children in childcare centres.
NTUC’s My First Skool introduces first-of-its kind character-building programme
NTUC First Campus’ (NFC) My First Skool (MFS) has introduced a “first-of-its kind” Character-building Programme to over 7,000 pre-schoolers under its care. Since March this year, this programme has been rolled out to pre-schoolers aged between four and six, attending Nursery to Kindergarten classes at MFS, which has 120 centres to date.
NTUC’s My First Skool to add 1,200 more pre-school places in 2015
NTUC First Campus will open another 10 My First Skool pre-schools in 2015, bringing an additional 1,200 pre-school places to Singapore families. By the end of the year, My First Skool will provide 13,000 children with a safe and joyful learning environment in its 123 pre-schools across Singapore.
New Early Childhood Institute and Child Development and Study Centre to Boost Sector Capabilities
The co-location of NTUC’s SEED Institute (West Campus) and The Caterpillar’s Cove @ Jurong East in the recently opened Devan Nair Institute for Employment and Employability (DNI) has set the stage to enhance the capabilities of early childhood professionals in the sector
Lien Foundation and NTUC First Campus partner to drive quality, innovation and professionalism of preschool sector
This unique collaboration between a philanthropic house and social enterprise aims to move Singapore’s early childhood education sector towards even higher heights.
NTUC First Campus rolls out People Initiatives to Make Career in Early Childhood More Attractive
NTUC First Campus (NFC) announced today People Initiatives which include a special salary adjustment for principals and the introduction of two new teaching positions aimed at enhancing the career opportunities for teachers.
Bilingual Storybook Series for All Pre-schools in Singapore
SEED Institute and the Singapore Centre for Chinese Language (SCCL), with sponsorship from the Lee Kuan Yew Fund for Bilingualism, have produced a series of picture storybooks in Chinese and English for pre-school children
Mentoring Starter Kit Launched for Early Childhood Care and Education Sector
Mentoring Starter Kit Launched for Early Childhood Care and Education Sector
National CET Institute appointed for the Early Childhood Care and Education Sector Set to Raise Quality of Training and Teacher Numbers
National CET Institute appointed for the Early Childhood Care and Education Sector Set to Raise Quality of Training and Teacher Numbers
NTUC First Campus’ Response to the Increase in Childcare / Infant Care Subsidies
NTUC First Campus’ Response to the Increase in Childcare / Infant Care Subsidies
Staying True to its Mission of Making Quality Early Childhood Care and Education Services Affordable and Accessible to Families
Staying True to its Mission of Making Quality Early Childhood Care and Education Services Affordable and Accessible to Families
NTUC First Campus Clinches Exemplary Early Childhood Employer Award
NTUC First Campus Clinches Exemplary Early Childhood Employer Award
NTUC First Campus’ Response to National Day Rally Speech 2012
NTUC First Campus’ Response to National Day Rally Speech 2012
A New Milestone for Pre-schools in the Heartlands
A New Milestone for Pre-schools in the Heartlands
Five-fold Increase in New Entrants Graduating with Early Childhood Care and Education Qualification
Five-fold Increase in New Entrants Graduating with Early Childhood Care and Education Qualification
My First Skool Pre-schoolers Join Forces with Co-operators to Set Mass Reading Record
My First Skool Pre-schoolers Join Forces with Co-operators to Set Mass Reading Record
NTUC’s SEED Institute Brings Training to The Doorstep of Pre-school Teachers
NTUC’s SEED Institute Brings Training to The Doorstep of Pre-school Teachers
NTUC First Campus to Expand its Childcare Centres by 50%
NTUC First Campus to Expand its Childcare Centres by 50%
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