Year 9 Information Booklet

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2023-24

SENIOR SCHOOL YEAR 9

INFORMATION BOOKLET

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CONTENTS WELCOME TO YEAR 9 4 CURRICULUM OVERVIEW 6 USEFUL INFORMATION 49 THE SCHOOL DAY 49 HOUSE ETHOS 51 KEY PERSONNEL 52 ILLNESS 53 COMMUNICATION WITH THE SCHOOL 53 AUTHORISED ABSENCE 56 PREP 56 CONFIDENTIALITY AND CONSENT 57 MEDICAL CARE 58 HARROW HORIZONS PROGRAMME 59 REPORTS TO PARENTS 60 PARENTS’ EVENINGS 60 1:1 DEVICE PROGRAMME 61 SPEECH DAY 61 BUS ROUTES 61 WEATHER 62 INDIVIDUAL MUSIC LESSONS 63 FOOD 64 OVERSEAS SCHOOLS’ ENTRANCE EXAMINATIONS 64 SCHOOL UNIFORM 65 STAFF LIST 66

MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD

WELCOME TO YEAR 9

I am delighted to welcome your child into Year 9 at Harrow Hong Kong. I am confident that your child’s first year in the Senior School will be a happy and fulfilling one.

It is during the course of this year that your sons and daughters will choose their GCSE options. Please be assured that we will offer guidance and support to our pupils and their parents throughout the option choice progress. This booklet is designed to give you an insight into the curriculum and other key events and activities which are due to take place in Year 9.

At Harrow Hong Kong the House structure is embedded in the ethos of our School and we are fully committed to our pupils’ personal and social development alongside their academic success. We believe that they achieve their best when they are confident and happy. House Masters, House Mistresses and House Pastoral Teams are experienced at looking after pupils in their care. These relationships are key and staff are there to listen, advise and help our pupils manage their progression through Harrow, and they act as the primary contact for parents.

Boarding is an essential part of the Harrow House system and is a place where our pupils learn, lead and have fun within a family atmosphere. Houses help to create a structure where pupils can allocate dedicated time to their studies and Co-Curricular Activities. This leaves pupils to enjoy the weekend with their families without the added pressure of parents having to make sure their work is complete.

Learning is a process and our teaching facilitates this, generating a spark to embark upon this journey as well as providing those all essential skills which will ensure that our pupils are prepared for their GCSE and A-Level examinations, as well as university and future life. We value every boy and girl as a unique individual and ensure that all relationships are based on mutual respect. All staff take special care to ensure that children settle down quickly and happily into their new year group and we keep in regular contact with parents as we believe that a true education can only be gained by a strong and trusted partnership between school staff and parents.

The School’s motto, ‘Educational Excellence for Life and Leadership’, underpins all that we do. The School aims to provide an excellent education within a community in which each pupil is recognised, cared for and valued. The School embraces its responsibility to develop the whole person and we are committed to providing opportunities to extend learning beyond the curriculum. We encourage our pupils to take advantage of the activities on offer in our Harrow Horizons Programme.

Harrow Hong Kong is an extraordinary place where pupils are offered support and encouragement to develop their potential to the full and pupils leave the Prep School fully equipped to deal with life in the Senior School.

I look forward to meeting you soon and seeing your child flourish as they move through the School.

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CURRICULUM OVERVIEW

ART

The Art curriculum is designed to develop the relevant skills and experiences that pupils will need for further academic success at GCSE and A-Level. This is based on 4 key areas: developing ideas, exploring materials, recording from observation and ultimately in their ability to resolve a project with one fantastic piece of work.

In Upper School we aim to develop pupils’ knowledge of the formal elements in order to develop fundamental skills in drawing and observation alongside their ability to respond to and be inspired by the work of others.

CONTROL, EXPLORE, REFINE, INVESTIGATE

In Year 9, the first year of Senior School, pupils continue their artistic journey by exploring the formal elements of art, including line, shape, tone, texture, colour, pattern, and form. Through a series of broad project themes, our aim is to inspire them and encourage their creativity. To prepare pupils for potential GCSE study, the emphasis in Year 9 is on independence and exploration. We create opportunities for pupils to explore and respond to the work of a wide range of artists, blending their styles together alongside their project themes to create exciting and original artwork.

Guided and supported by their teachers, pupils are given the opportunity to make more personalised choices with regards to subject matter, materials, and contextual studies. This allows them to explore their own interests and creativity, building essential

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knowledge and skills for potential GCSE success. By encouraging pupils to develop their own artistic voice and explore a wide range of materials and techniques, we aim to help them build the confidence and independence needed for success in GCSE Art. Through a combination of technical skill and artistic expression, our aim is to inspire pupils to reach their full potential in the field of art.

GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP

Art can enable pupils to explore their ideas and opinions in relation to wider world issues and encourages them to be a positive force for good in the world. As such, global citizenship and intercultural learning is an integral part of our curriculum within the Art Department. We aim to raise pupil awareness of the UN Global Goals and use these as the thematic driving force for each project being studied. Year 9 pupils will study a range of projects inspired by Goal 4: Life below water, and generate ideas and outcomes inspired by issues connected to pollution, climate change and preservation of biodiversity across the globe.

TERM PROJECT THEME AND FOCUS MATERIALS EXPLORATION SKILLS DEVELOPMENT

Autumn RESPOND:

Coral Bleaching

Spring RECORD:

Plastic Free Seas

Ceramics

Pupils will develop skills in 3D clay manipulation to create complex structures and textures.

Painting, Drawing, Illustration and Textiles

Pupils will develop their observational drawing skills through use of the grid technique and shape structures and learn how to create realistic shape, tone and texture within their work.

Summer EXPLORE

Battle of the Bands

(Interdisciplinary project in collaboration with the Music Department)

ASSESSMENT

Graphic Design

Digital photography and film making

Pupils will develop knowledge of design briefs and the graphic design industry whilst developing short form film content to accompany their Battle of the Bands performances

Pupils’ learning, progress, and skills development will be monitored throughout each project. This is achieved through informal checking of knowledge and skills, such as marking of books and questioning in lessons. At the end of each project, pupils will produce a final piece of work that will demonstrate the skills, knowledge, and creative

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ideas they have explored throughout the project. For this extended piece of work, pupils will receive detailed feedback and the opportunity to address this feedback through Stepping Up activities that are specifically tailored to the task that has been completed. This feedback will help pupils to identify areas where they have excelled and areas where they can improve, allowing them to reflect on their learning and progress. By providing regular feedback and opportunities for improvement, we aim to help pupils develop their artistic skills and reach their full potential.

ESSENTIAL SKILLS

The Art curriculum is designed to develop a range of essential skills that will benefit pupils in higher education and the workforce. Collaborative problem solving is taught through group exploration where pupils are encouraged to work together to solve complex artistic problems and experiment with new media and techniques. Critical thinking is developed through the analysis of artworks and the exploration of different artistic techniques and concepts. Cultural competency is fostered through the study of diverse artistic traditions and practices from around the world, which helps pupils to understand and appreciate different cultural perspectives. Digital literacy is taught through the use of digital tools and technologies in the creation and presentation of Art. Creativity is encouraged through the exploration of different media and techniques, and the development of original artistic ideas. Leadership skills are developed through projects where pupils are encouraged to use their artistic voices to address, explore and raise awareness of issues that they feel are important. Effective communication is taught through the presentation of artwork and the ability to articulate and explain artistic concepts and ideas. These essential skills are not only important for success in the field of Art, but also for success in higher education and the workforce, making the art curriculum a valuable addition for pupils who want to develop a wide range of skills.

INTERCULTURAL LEARNING

Intercultural learning is a key component of the art curriculum, as it encourages pupils to explore the cultural, social, and historical contexts in which art is created. Through the study of diverse artistic traditions and practices from around the world, pupils will develop a deeper understanding of the ways in which art reflects and shapes society. They will also learn to appreciate the richness and diversity of different cultures, and to recognize the ways in which their own cultural background influences their artistic perspective. This intercultural learning is taught through a variety of approaches, including the analysis of artworks, research into cultural contexts, and engagement with artists from different backgrounds. The impact of this approach on pupils is significant, as it fosters a greater appreciation and respect for diversity, encourages critical thinking and analysis, and deepens their understanding of art as a means of communication and expression. Through intercultural learning, pupils are able to develop a more nuanced and sophisticated artistic practice, which will serve them well in their future academic and professional pursuits.

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BIOLOGY

Biology is the study of life. The department is alive with animals and plants of different varieties, and while some are there to be appreciated in their living form, others enable pupils to dissect and explore.

Pupils commence the Edexcel International GCSE Biology (9-1) course in Year 9 and the course is divided into three years of study (Year 9 have four lessons per fortnight and Years 10 and 11 have six per fortnight). Here at Harrow Hong Kong we divide the course into 16 topics, which are distributed across the three years of study. Year 9 pupils will complete the following topics:

TERM TOPICS COVERED SKILLS COVERED (COMMON ASSESSED TASK)

Autumn 1. Cells and Organisation of Living Things

2. Movement in and Out of Cells

Spring 3. Breathing and Respiration

4. Plant Growth and Reproduction

1. Microscope Drawings

2. Identifying variables and drawing graphs for osmosis

3. Research and presentation skills

4. Designing an investigation into germination rates

Summer 5. The Circulatory System 5. Longer response questions

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ESSENTIAL SCIENTIFIC SKILLS

Throughout the course, pupils develop strong investigative skills, including:

• Devising a method to test an investigative question

• Identifying the variables involved

• Collecting accurate and reliable data with consideration to safety

• Analysing their results by drawing a conclusion and evaluating their investigation

Pupils also develop mathematical skills through accurate drawing of graphs, describing results and carrying out calculations based on data.

PRACTICAL ACTIVITIES

Practical activities are integrated into the curriculum and the skills developed form part of the assessment of the course. There are 13 core practical activities that are covered throughout the course; however, pupils have the opportunity to do many more beyond the specification.

ASSESSMENT

In Year 9 the focus is on developing the skills that form the foundation of all future learning in Biology, so there is regular monitoring and assessment of both content and skills. Pupils’ progress will be monitored through each topic through the use of informal knowledge and skills checks in the form of preps, quizzes and in class questioning. Each topic has a Common Assessed Task which will assess chosen skills, such as graph drawing or investigation design.

Regular internal assessment in the form of summative topic tests also takes place throughout Year 9, enabling close tracking of every pupil’s progress. These will consist of exam questions taken from our specification, they can include multiple choice, short response questions, long response questions, skills questions and calculation questions. Both formative and summative assessments will be followed up with Stepping Up activities to ensure further progress is made.

The course is 100% externally assessed at the end of Year 11 by examination and pupils will achieve a grade 9-1.

INTERCULTURAL LEARNING

Biology is the study of life, which lends itself to educating pupils on the importance of respecting all life. The Biology department, where possible, will bring in examples which span across different cultures. For example, when Year 9 study plant reproduction they research into a national flower of their choosing.

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CHEMISTRY

Our mission in Chemistry is to nurture pupils’ curiosity about the world around them. As well as learning the fundamental ideas of what matter is made of, and the properties and reactions of different types of substances, the course encourages them to apply their knowledge and understanding to real-world contexts. In Year 9, pupils embark on their Edexcel International GCSE Chemistry journey. Over three years pupils study the full range of chemical ideas: Principles of Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, Physical Chemistry and Organic Chemistry. This prepares them effectively for studying at a higher level.

TERM TOPICS COVERED

Autumn 1. Atoms, Elements, Compounds & Mixtures

2. Atomic Structure & The Periodic Table

Spring 3. Crude Oil & Fuels

4. Gases in the Atmosphere & Tests for Gases

5. Acids and Alkalis

Summer 6. Ionic and Covalent Bonding

ESSENTIAL SKILLS

IGCSE learning develops essential skills, including collaborative problemsolving, creativity, critical thinking, cultural competency, digital literacy, effective communication, and leadership. Group work and lab experiments foster collaboration, while experimentation promotes creativity. Analysing complex data develops critical thinking, and exploring relevant chemical concepts promotes cultural competency. Using digital tools promotes digital literacy, and presenting findings develops effective communication. Group work and lab experiments foster leadership skills through effective communication and goal achievement.

ASSESSMENT

Regular internal assessment in the form of topic tests also takes place throughout Year 9, in the form of progress preps, common assessed tasks and end of topic tests. These enable close tracking of every pupil’s progress. The course is 100% externally assessed at the end of Year 11 by examination and pupils will achieve a grade 9-1.

INTERCULTURAL LEARNING

IGCSE Chemistry explores chemical concepts applicable to various cultures and societies worldwide. It covers crucial topics such as energy conservation and matter behaviour, relevant to fields like engineering and medicine. Studying IGCSE Chemistry can provide a deeper understanding of chemistry’s role in shaping our world and increase appreciation for scientific knowledge’s intercultural relevance.

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COMPUTER SCIENCE

Computer Science in Year 9 aims to equip pupils both with the skills they will need to confidently use, and a robust foundation to pupils who wish to continue with their studies in Computer Science through GCSE and beyond. The course is designed to help learners develop an interest in computational thinking and an understanding of the principles of problem-solving using computers. They apply this understanding to create computer-based solutions to problems using algorithms and a high-level programming language. Pupils will be given ample opportunity to develop their coding expertise in Python.

Autumn Data Representation in Computers.

Spring

Summer

Computational thinking including Abstraction and Decomposition.

Programming.

ESSENTIAL SKILLS

• MicroPython with Microbits.

• Introduction to Python

• Representing Data in Computers

• Data Structures in Python

• Raspberry Pi with MicroPython

In Year 9 Computer Science class, pupils have the opportunity to develop a wide range of skills that are crucial in the digital age. Firstly, they acquire a solid foundation in programming, learning how to write code, debug errors, and design algorithms. This cultivates their logical thinking and problem-solving abilities. Additionally, pupils gain proficiency in computational thinking, enabling them to break down complex problems into smaller, manageable parts and devise efficient solutions. Finally, collaborative work and communication skills are emphasised through team projects, encouraging pupils to effectively communicate ideas, collaborate, and present their work to their peers.

ASSESSMENT

Formative assessment will take the form of quizzes, short coding tasks, Multiple choice questions, checking of books, oral questioning etc. This will help examine pupils’ understanding and application of their computational thinking skills. Each term will end with a summative assessment which will consist of a paired/group project that will enable pupils to showcase the skills learned during the term.

INTERCULTURAL LEARNING

In a computer science class for Year 9 pupils, intercultural learning is developed through a variety of engaging and inclusive activities. The curriculum is designed to expose pupils to diverse perspectives, cultures, and experiences, fostering an environment

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TERM TOPICS COVERED SKILLS COVERED (COMMON ASSESSED TASK)

of mutual respect and understanding. Pupils are encouraged to collaborate on projects that incorporate different cultural elements, such as creating applications that celebrate diverse traditions or address global challenges. The class also includes discussions and presentations on the contributions of diverse cultures to the field of computer science, highlighting the achievements and innovations of individuals from various backgrounds. Through these intentional efforts, the computer science class for Year 9 pupils nurtures a sense of cultural appreciation and empathy, preparing them to become global citizens who can navigate and thrive in an interconnected world.

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DRAMA

‘We are global citizens who recognise the diversity of the world and are aware of our place in it. We take leadership roles in our local and global communities, working collaboratively to create a kinder, more peaceful and sustainable world’

We are confident that throughout the Drama curriculum at Harrow Hong Kong, pupils can achieve the School’s Global Citizenship statement, develop the essential skills required for life beyond Harrow and develop pupils’ appreciation of the Theatre as a disciplined art form.

TERM TOPIC ESSENTIAL SKILLS PERFORMANCE SKILLS

Autumn Understanding

Drama:

Stanislavski

Texts in practice:

DNA by Dennis Kelly (applying Stanislavski system to text)

Creativity:

Pupils will develop the skills required to create innovative performances. They will develop the ability to interpret, create and perform a character as appropriate to the demands of the performance. Pupils can consider all elements of a performance including the role of the designer and director.

Collaborative Problem Solving:

Pupils will be able to work with all members of the class effectively and respectively. They will be able to articulate ideas and contribute to the development of small group performances.

Critical Thinking:

Pupils will be able to use the given circumstances to develop an opinion and interpretation which is sensitive to context. They will develop skills to enable them to challenge the ideas of their peers and teachers in a respectful way.

Pupils will learn how to commit dialogue to memory for devised performances and/ or learn text they are performing for text-based performances

Pupils will develop a range of vocal skills and techniques

Pupils will develop a range of physical skills and techniques

Pupils will develop an appropriate performer/ audience relationship and ensure sustained engagement throughout the performance

Pupils will learn the theories and practices of a range of practitioners (Stanislavski, Frantic Assembly and The Paper Birds) and will apply these to text and devising.

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TERM TOPIC ESSENTIAL SKILLS PERFORMANCE SKILLS

Spring Understanding

Drama: Frantic Assembly

Understanding

Drama and Text’s in practice:

Othello by Shakespeare

(Adapted by Scott Graham and Stephen Hoggett)

Summer Understanding

Drama: The Paper Birds

Devising Drama: Devising in the style of The Paper Birds

Cultural Competency:

Pupils will have a clear understanding of the social, cultural, historical and political context of a text or stimulus and develop this through further research and reading. Pupils will be sensitive to context, understanding and valuing the beliefs and opinions different to their own. Pupils will develop their understanding of the characters they explore.

Digital Literacy:

Pupils will be introduced to elements of technical theatre to enhance performance (lighting, sound, projection etc). They will watch pre-recorded performances on streaming platforms such as Digital Theatre+.

Pupils will watch recordings of their own performances and can self-evaluate their own work, setting targets to help progress. Pupils will use online resources to develop their understanding of a topic.

Effective Communication:

Pupils are able to share verbal feedback which is respectful and supportive. Pupils can articulate evaluative comments in written form. They can vocalise ideas, whilst successfully listening to the ideas of their peers. Through the sharing of performances, they can effectively communicate dramatic intentions. When answering questions, pupils can articulate responses clearly.

Leadership:

Pupils can lead their peers in small group work.

Explorative Strategies

• Still image

• Narration

• Mime

• Flashback

• Slow motion

• Hot seating

• Physical theatre

• Cross cutting

• Monologue

• Chair Duets

• Select/ Delete

• Verbatim Theatre

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INTERCULTURAL LEARNING

Cultural competency is a vital aspect of education that aims to cultivate an understanding and appreciation of diverse cultures. In Year 9, cultural competency involves exposing students to a variety of stimuli and texts that reflect different cultural perspectives, beliefs, and practices. Each academic year we carefully select resources that inspire Devised Drama pieces. In Year 9, for instance, the Drama department chooses current affairs and different stimuli to suit each year group and class. By engaging with these stimuli, students develop a deeper understanding of the social and cultural issues that affect different communities and learn to empathise with people from different cultural backgrounds. This process helps to broaden pupils’ perspectives and foster respect for different ways of life. Ultimately, the development of cultural competency through drama education is essential for preparing pupils to be effective communicators and collaborators in an increasingly diverse and globalised world.

ASSESSMENT

In Drama assessments from Year 6 -9 practical skills are formally assessed using agreed grade descriptors adapted from 9-1 GCSE grade descriptors for Drama. Our Schemes of Learning are designed to allow pupils to experience and develop the skills of the three main components of the GCSE course:

• Understanding Drama

• Devising Drama

• Texts in practice

Throughout their lessons they will be given verbal and written feedback from their teacher. At the end of each topic they will share a live performance which is filmed and formally assessed.

ENGLISH

Year 9 English is designed to facilitate a smooth transition to IGCSE, enabling pupils to be confident in approaching the demands of the IGCSE courses. Pupils will be introduced to texts of a similar level as those studied at IGCSE, exposing them to a range of writers in different styles and from different historical periods. They are taught how to annotate texts in detail and to explore the effect of writers’ linguistic and structural choices. The focus on close reading and critical skills also assists pupils in improving their writing by incorporating the features analysed and beginning to develop a more thorough and evaluative approach.

TERM KEY CONCEPTS

Autumn Non-fiction

Nineteenth Century Novel

Spring Contemporary Unseen Poetry Skills

Prose (short stories and fiction extracts)

Summer Imaginative Writing

Individual Talk

Comparative Poetry (classic and contemporary)

ESSENTIAL SKILLS

TOPICS

• Read and understand a variety of texts, analysing language, form and structure; explore and evaluate connections within and between texts

• Communicate effectively and imaginatively, adapting form, tone and register of writing for specific purposes and audiences; use a wide, selective vocabulary and punctuation for effect.

• Demonstrate presentation and listening skills in a formal setting, using spoken standard English and effective strategies to engage and respond to the audience.

Critical thinking, effective communication and collaborative problem solving are developed through teaching methods when exploring a variety of texts. Pupils are encouraged to share their ideas, experiences and knowledge through discussion and writing, balancing the ability to work independently and collaboratively when appropriate. Pupils are increasingly able to use digital technology with confidence to evaluate the reliability of sources, research and write essays, whilst also balancing this with the need to take care with their quality of handwriting.

INTERCULTURAL LEARNING

Pupils study texts from different cultures in the non-fiction and poetry units, and different time periods with the nineteenth century novel. By exploring different beliefs,

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values and attitudes in texts, pupils begin to learn about the importance of social and cultural contextual factors in the production and reception of texts.

ASSESSMENT

During the year, pupils have a summative reading assessment for the nineteenth century novel and prose units, and a summative writing assessment for non-fiction and imaginative writing. They are also continually assessed in class by their teacher who provides regular written and verbal feedback. Pupils also develop their oracy skills throughout the year, culminating in a speaking and listening assessment in the Summer Term.

GEOGRAPHY

Year 9 geographers delve into a diverse range of topics that deepen their understanding of the world and its complexities. From exploring global development and climate change to engaging in practical fieldwork and collaborative projects, students develop essential geographical skills and critical thinking abilities. Through thought-provoking investigations and analysis of real-world data, they become more informed and active global citizens, ready to address pressing environmental and societal challenges.

TERM TOPIC GEOGRAPHICAL CONTENT

Autumn Development

• An introduction to indicators used to measure development worldwide

• Engaging with the latest data to challenge misconceptions about countries.

Climate Change

• To consider the historical and current climate trends

• Fieldwork investigation: Pupils explore attitudes to climate change at Harrow Hong Kong. Key skills embedded are:

• Data collection using Survey 123

• Data presentation using ArcGIS

• Data analysis

• Conclusion

• Evaluation

• Analysing data to draw conclusions about the concerns related to climate change.

Spring Regeneration

• Pupils investigate the concept of regeneration.

• Collaborative project to create a bid for hosting the Olympic Games. Evaluating appropriate locations and considering environmental legacies. Developing teamwork and public speaking skills through presentations

Russia

• Location and climate of Russia

• Adaptations to life in the Tundra

• Population density

• Energy use

• Impacts of climate change in Russia

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TERM TOPIC

Summer Fieldwork

ESSENTIAL SKILLS

GEOGRAPHICAL CONTENT

• Conducting independent fieldwork around the School site.

• Developing geographical enquiry skills and preparation for IGCSE fieldwork.

• Setting hypotheses, collecting and analysing data using ArcGIS.

Throughout Year 9, geographers develop essential skills, including:

Creativity

1. Developing new research questions and hypotheses to school based fieldwork scenarios

2. Using multiple forms of data collection, including qualitative and quantitative methods, to gain a more complete understanding of geographical issues.

3. Developing innovative solutions to complex problems, such as those related to development, climate change and sustainability.

4. Communicating findings in engaging ways, through maps, visualisations, or multimedia presentations.

Collaborative Problem Solving

1. Working with other students

2. Developing and implementing collaborative research projects

3. Participating in group work to develop and implement solutions to spatial problems.

Critical Thinking

1. Analysing and evaluating different sources of information, such as academic articles, news reports, and data sets, to develop an understanding of geographical issues.

2. Identifying and evaluating different perspectives on a spatial issue, Cultural Competency

1. Studying different locations to develop their knowledge of people and places around the world.

2. Recognising and respecting cultural differences and understanding how these differences can shape spatial patterns and processes.

3. Communicating research findings in a way that is respectful and sensitive to diverse cultural perspectives.

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Digital Literacy

1. Collecting and analysing spatial data using a variety of digital tools and platforms, such as geographic information systems (GIS), remote sensing, and spatial analysis software.

2. Creating and sharing digital maps and visualisations to communicate spatial patterns and trends.

Effective Communication

1. Creating and delivering clear and engaging presentations that effectively communicate research findings or spatial information to diverse audiences.

2. Writing concise and well-organised paragraphs to outline geographical concepts and processes.

3. Creating and sharing clear and visually compelling maps, diagrams, and other visualisations to communicate spatial information.

Leadership

1. Collaborating with others through fieldwork groups to investigate spatial problems.

2. Communicating effectively with others and fostering productive and respectful relationships.

INTERCULTURAL LEARNING

Geography promotes intercultural learning by exposing students to diverse regions, perspectives, and global issues. Through topics like development, climate change, and the Olympic Games, students gain cultural awareness, empathy, and a broader understanding of global interconnectedness. They recognise the importance of collective responsibility, reflect on their actions’ impact on the environment and people worldwide, and contribute to building a more sustainable and inclusive future.

By exploring these geographical themes and honing their skills, Year 9 students are empowered to engage critically with the world, understand complex challenges, and contribute meaningfully to creating positive change.

ASSESSMENT

Year 9 geographers’ progress will be assessed through various methods. Formative assessment plays a crucial role in tracking students’ progress and providing feedback for improvement. It includes ongoing classroom activities, such as class discussions, quizzes, and peer assessments. These formative assessments allow teachers to gauge students’ understanding of key concepts, identify areas of difficulty, and provide timely support and guidance.

The following methods are utilised for summative assessment in Year 9 Geography:

• Written Tests: These assessments measure students’ factual knowledge, understanding of concepts, and ability to apply geographical principles. They

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may include multiple-choice questions, short answer questions, and essay-style questions.

• Collaborative Group Work: Students engage in group projects and investigations where they collaborate, research, analyse data, and present their findings as a team. This assessment method evaluates their teamwork, communication, and critical thinking skills.

• Presentations: Students are required to deliver presentations on specific topics, showcasing their research, analysis, and ability to communicate effectively. This assesses their presentation skills, clarity of thought, and ability to convey information to an audience.

• Individual Research Projects: Students undertake independent research projects on selected geographical topics. They conduct in-depth investigations, analyse data, draw conclusions, and present their findings in a structured report or presentation. This assessment evaluates their research skills, data analysis, and ability to synthesise information.

• Fieldwork Assessment: Students plan and conduct a fieldwork investigation, collecting data from the school site. They apply geographical skills, such as data collection, observation, and mapping. They analyse the collected data using GIS tools like ArcGIS and draw meaningful conclusions. This assessment measures their fieldwork planning, data collection, and analysis skills.

The combination of formative and summative assessments provides a comprehensive picture of students’ progress, understanding, and skills in geography. It enables teachers to provide targeted support, guide students’ learning, and ensure they are well-prepared for further study in the subject.

HISTORY

The primary aim for Year 6 History is to fire pupils’ curiosity and imagination, moving and inspiring them with the dilemmas, choices and beliefs of people in the past. History helps pupils develop their own identities through an understanding of human experience from early man to the present day.

TERM TOPIC

Autumn The First World War

Did a bullet in Sarajevo lead the worst war of the 20th century?

Was The First World War a Global War?

Spring Interwar Period

The rise of the Nazis

The key moments of World War II/How did World War II impact Hong Kong?

The Holocaust

Summer Post War

Why did the British leave India?

How did African colonies gain their independence?

How was the USA drawn into the Vietnam War

ASSESSMENT

Pupils are assessed formally and informally with a continued emphasis on the Leadership Attributes and deployment of core skills. A written checkpoint takes place every term and is an opportunity for pupils to practise the skills they are developing.The checkpoint could take the form of source analysis or questions with commands linked to the core skills, for example, asking why an event happened or what the effects of an event were. In preparation for Year 10, pupils are often given the same question stems as used at History IGCSE. Pupils are encouraged to reflect upon their own learning and that of others.

ESSENTIAL SKILLS

The students will gain cultural competency from engaging with different historical settings. Lessons will regularly involve collaborative discussions, in pairs or small groups. Students will engage with technology via One Note, but also to privately research for historical projects, which will develop digital literacy. Developing oracy and literacy will help students effectively communicate.

INTERCULTURAL LEARNING

The course covers several very different cultural histories. The theme of Year 9 is unexpected events and how they can transform societies and culture. Each topic is also a ‘warning from history’ that the actions of states can lead to unexpected outcomes.

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LANGUAGE AND LEARNING (L&L)

Language is at the very heart of the learning process and it is the mission of the Language and Learning (L&L) department to fully prepare our multilingual pupils to excel in Academic English. To achieve success across the curriculum (and beyond) our pupils are required to use Academic English for such purposes as explaining, narrating, recounting, arguing, analysing and describing across a range of subject areas and in a variety of modes. Such language does not come naturally and requires explicit teaching. Pupils need to develop their understanding of how Academic English functions in order to achieve a range of purposes that are critical to success in school and exams.

National Geographic textbooks for multilingual learners are utilised to allow our pupils to consider global issues and explore exciting cultures whilst developing their English language skills. In addition, we use linguistically graded, age-appropriate novels to provide a motivating context upon which to develop academic language use in a meaningful, enjoyable and productive way.

Pupils will sit the Cambridge B2 First for Schools examination on-site in School in Year 9. Cambridge English exams are recognised by over 25,000 universities, employers and governments around the world. These English language tests open doors to higher education, improve employment opportunities, and because they are globally recognised, increase choices for study or work. As our students move through the years at Harrow, they progress to the C1 Cambridge examination which is equivalent to IELTS, and is a recognised qualification for English language requirement at 100% of all UK universities. For more information on the Cambridge examinations, please visit the Cambridge assessments website

The course consists of academic reading, writing, use of English (grammar and vocabulary), speaking, pronunciation and listening and aims to extend pupils’ Academic English language resources in ways that support increasingly complex learning throughout the school years.

New Close-up Units 5-8

AUTUMN TERM

Reading Coping with technical vocabulary

Identifying the purpose of a text

Vocabulary Technology; compound nouns Sports

SPRING TERM SUMMER TERM

Sentence stems

Analysing linking words in a text

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Crime The environment

AUTUMN TERM SPRING TERM SUMMER TERM

Grammar Modals of permission, obligation; ability, and probability

Perfect modals

Phrasal verbs; prepositions

The -ing form and infinitives

Listening Choosing from pictures

Working out the missing information

Speaking Discussion tasks

Justifying opinions

Writing Deciding what language to use

Writing an essay

Question tags; indirect questions; negative questions

Phrasal verbs; prepositions; collocations

The passive

Transforming the passive

Listening for emotions, attitude, etc.

Conditionals

Mixed conditionals without if

Phrasal verbs; collocations; identifying phrasal verbs

Identifying function

Answering the follow-up question Dealing with disagreements

Planning and organising a report

Writing a report

Achieving your purpose

Writing a formal letter

COMPONENT ASSESSMENT & WEIGHTING SUMMARY OF THE COMPONENT CONTENT

Use of English 40%

Students need to be able to understand a range of texts, including how they are organised and the opinions and attitudes expressed in them.

Students’ use of English will be tested by tasks which show how well they can control their grammar and vocabulary.

Writing 20% Writing different types of text: articles, essays, letters/emails, reviews. Depending on the question, students will have to advise, compare, describe, explain, express opinions, justify and/or recommend something.

Speaking 20%

Exchanging ideas, expressing and justifying opinions, agreeing and/or disagreeing, suggesting, speculating, evaluating, reaching a decision through negotiation, etc.

Listening 20%

Tests your ability to follow and understand a range of spoken materials, such as interviews, radio broadcasts, presentations, talks and everyday conversations.

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LANGUAGES

At Harrow Hong Kong, we love languages and our mission is to develop excellent linguists and confident communicators who are passionate about learning languages. Our pupils will be able to express themselves effectively, both orally and in writing, and reach their potential in the target language. They will cultivate the necessary skills to grow as linguists and have an excellent understanding and appreciation of the language, culture and customs of the countries of the French, Spanish and Chinese speaking worlds.

CHINESE

Year 9 Chinese is designed to make a smooth transition to IGCSE. It aims to enable pupils to be more confident in using Chinese to gain knowledge and to develop their daily communication. Based on pupils’ prior knowledge of the language, three streams of Chinese are offered: native, near-native and non-native. Pupils in each stream will study the appropriate level of materials and work hard to develop their reading, speaking, listening and writing skills. Alongside their language study, pupils will engage in a range of activities to expand their inter-cultural competency, as well as their global awareness. Additionally, digital literacy is part of pupils’ learning experience. This further enhances pupils’ abilities of problem-solving and academic research in the future.

NATIVE STREAM

TERM TOPIC CONTENT AND FOCUS

Autumn Comparative reading

• Main textbook used: Qisi Chinese.

• Discussion will include:

• Main textual characteristics of ancient classics and contemporary texts

• Meaning of short classical Chinese texts;

• How to understand literature? Is it the product of time and social conditions?

Spring Literature and Imagination

• Continue studying ancient classics; discuss about literary imagination; practice class presentation and essay writing; use a wide range of vocabulary to create effect.

Summer Character description

• Discuss extracts from The Tale of Three Kingdoms; learn the basic techniques of creating literary image; learn how to draw outline before writing an essay; learn to use detailed description in story.

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ESSENTIAL SKILLS

In order to take the IGCSE Chinese First Language course, pupils will need native level reading, writing, listening and speaking skills. The course develops pupils’ abilities to communicate accurately, appropriately and effectively in speech and writing, develops their comprehension, inference and analysis skills, whilst also promoting pupils’ knowledge of how the Chinese language can be used and enjoyed. Study will promote the personal development and understanding of oneself as well as others. Through this course, pupils will be encouraged to read a wide range of texts including classical Chinese (Wen-yan-wen).

INTERCULTURAL LEARNING

Pupils will be following a combination of selected texts from Qisi Textbook 3 and some selected classical Chinese texts. Pupils will expand their knowledge to include a broader range of Chinese vocabulary and literary expressions. They will learn about the history and cultures associated with the texts studied. They will try to make connections between writers’ backgrounds and their own lives. Through classroom activities and project-based study, pupils will have opportunities to demonstrate their language skills, cultural awareness, and passion for Chinese language and culture.

ASSESSMENT

There will be summative assessments throughout the course on all four skills of speaking, listening, reading and writing. Pupils will also be assessed on their skills of reading, directed writing and classical Chinese as required by the Cambridge IGCSE course (0509).

NEAR-NATIVE STREAM

TERM TOPIC CONTENT AND FOCUS

Autumn Young People and Education

Spring Health and fitness

• Vocabulary and expressions

• Reading comprehension

• Detailed textual analysis

• Leisure and communication

• Vocabularies and expressions

• Reading comprehension

• Writing responses

Summer Cultural Diversity

• Festivals and celebrations

• Vocabularies and expressions

• Reading comprehension

• Group project and presentation

• Oral presentation

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ESSENTIAL SKILLS

Pupils will continue to improve their near native level of reading, writing, listening and speaking. The course is an integrated study of language and culture and focuses on issues related to pupils’ everyday life. The course aims to develop pupils’ ability to communicate accurately, appropriately and effectively in speech and writing and develops their comprehension and presentation skills. Through various class activities the course will promote the personal development and understanding of oneself as well as others. In addition, digital literacy is one of the key skills focused on throughout the course.

INTERCULTURAL LEARNING

Through topic study, pupils will explore aspects of culture and society and expand their knowledge about some of the important issues impacting on our everyday life. Pupils will make connections between language and culture and develop their own understanding of global citizenship. Through classroom activities, pupils will further their language skills as well as their cultural awareness.

ASSESSMENT

There will be summative assessments throughout the course on all four skills of speaking, listening, reading and writing. Pupils will also be assessed in class by their teachers to receive regular written and verbal feedback. Formative assessment will be conducted regularly in class in the form of quizzes, vocabulary tests, presentations, group projects as well as short written tasks.

FOREIGN STREAM

TERM TOPIC CONTENT AND FOCUS

Autumn Education and employment

• School life and routine

• School rules and exchanges

• Work, careers and volunteering

• Vocabularies and expressions

• Reading comprehension

Spring Health and leisure

• Leisure and communication

• Future plans

• Home, house and daily routine

• Vocabularies and expressions

• Reading comprehension

Summer Relationships

• Family and friends

• Childhood

• Role models

• Festivals and celebrations

• Vocabularies and expressions

• Oral presentation

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ESSENTIAL SKILLS

Pupils will continue to improve their level of reading, writing, listening and speaking skills. The course is an integrated study of language and culture and focuses on issues related to pupils’ everyday life and the world around them. The course aims to develop pupils’ abilities to recognise basic Chinese characters, communicate accurately over simple daily matters and also develop their interpersonal skills. Through various class activities, the course will promote the personal development and understanding of oneself as well as others. In addition, digital literacy is focused on throughout the course.

INTERCULTURAL LEARNING

Through topic study, pupils will explore aspects of the self, family, school and social matters. Pupils will make connections between language and culture and develop their understanding of the world around them. Through classroom activities, pupils will further their language skills as well as their cultural awareness.

ASSESSMENT

There will be summative assessments throughout the course on all four skills of speaking, listening, reading and writing. Pupils will also be assessed in class by their teachers to receive regular written and verbal feedback. Formative assessment will be conducted regularly in class in the form of quizzes, vocabulary tests, individual or group presentations, and oral presentations as well as short written tasks.

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FRENCH

Pupils in Year 9 may be complete beginners, relatively new to French or more experienced learners of the language and will be exposed to a range of topics. We begin the simplest topics of the IGCSE course in Year 9 (see more information under Years 10 and 11), with a focus on talking about the self, including personal information, life at home and leisure.

TERM UNIT/TOPIC GRAMMAR

1a L’amitié C’est de famille

• Talking about your friends

• The qualities of a good friend

• Describing family members

• Describing family relationships

• Pronoun - qui

• Adjectival agreement

• Common irregular verbs

• Possessive adjectives

• Personal ornouns

• Adjectival agreement

• Reflexive verbs

1b C’est bientôt dimache?

Les tâches ménagères

2a On va voir un spectacle

2b il était une fois Une personne que j’admire

La sport

3a Ma vie d’internaute

La lecture

• Describing daily routine

• Describing your bedroom

• How you help at home

• Organising to go out

• Talking about your childhood

• Describing role models

• Talking about sports

• Saying the benefits of doing sports

• Saying what I do online

• Talking about books and reading

• Comparing the past with the present

• Pouvoir

• Devoir + infinitive

• Possessive pronouns

• Passé compose

• The near future

• The imperfect

• Present, passé composé, imperfect

• Depuis

• Ça aide à

• Comparatives

• Que

• Imperfect

3b Mes émissions préférées Zoom sur le cinéma

• Talking about TV shows

• Talking about films and actors

• Talking about a film you have seen

• Direct object pronouns (le, la, les)

• Superlatives

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ESSENTIAL SKILLS

Pupils engage in group activities where they work together to solve languagerelated challenges, fostering teamwork and problem-solving abilities. Cultural competency is nurtured through activities that expose students to various aspects of French-speaking cultures, promoting understanding and appreciation of different perspectives. Additionally, digital literacy is integrated by incorporating technology and online resources, equipping students with the skills to navigate and communicate effectively in a digital world.

INTERCULTURAL LEARNING

Year 9 pupils will continue to explore and engage with the culture and society of countries and communities where French is spoken, including the world of French film and television, and through studying role models in the Francophone world.

ASSESSMENT

There will be formal summative assessments at the end of each term, assessing all four skills, as well as formative assessments throughout each half-term such as quizzes, vocabulary tests and projects so that pupils can demonstrate their learning in a range of different ways. Helpful feedback and opportunities for pupils to ‘Step Up’ their work follow both formative and summative assessment.

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SPANISH

Pupils in Year 9 may be complete beginners, relatively new to Spanish or more experienced learners of Spanish and will be exposed to a range of age-appropriate topics. Topics pupils may study could range from introducing self, family and friends and relationships to the topics of house and home or future career, depending on their level of experience.

Those pupils who are ready to begin their IGCSE studies will do so with the more familiar topics of everyday life at home and school and holidays. They will also be continuing to practise a range of tenses.

TERM TOPICS

Autumn Theme 1 Local area, holiday and travel

CONTENT

• Discussing holidays and weather

• Saying what you do in summer

• Talking about holiday preferences

• Saying what you did on holiday

• Describing where you stayed

Spring Theme 1 Local area, holiday and travel

Theme 2 School

• Booking accommodation and dealing with problems

• Giving an account of a holiday in the past

• Giving opinions about school subjects

• Describing school facilities

• Describing school uniform and the school day

Summer Theme 2 School

ESSENTIAL SKILLS

• Talking about subjects and teachers

• Describing your school

• Talking about school rules and problems

• Talking about plans for a school exchange

• Talking about activities and achievements

Pupils engage in group activities where they work together to solve language-related challenges, fostering teamwork and problem-solving abilities. Cultural competency is nurtured through activities that expose pupils to various aspects of Spanish-speaking cultures, promoting understanding and appreciation of different perspectives. Additionally, digital literacy is integrated by incorporating technology and online resources, equipping pupils with the skills to navigate and communicate effectively in a digital world.

INTERCULTURAL LEARNING

In Year 9, pupils expand their knowledge to include a broader range of Spanish cities. They learn about cities such as Zaragoza, Barcelona, and La Havana, examining their unique characteristics, historical importance, and cultural contributions. This exploration

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enables pupils to understand the diverse regional identities within the Spanish-speaking world. Additionally, pupils can join the Spanish and French cultural festival organised by the School, as well as participate in external competitions organised by the Spanish consulate in Hong Kong and other Hispanic organisations. These events offer pupils a chance to demonstrate their language skills, cultural awareness, and passion for Spanish language and culture.

ASSESSMENT

There will be summative assessments throughout the course on all four skills of speaking, listening, reading and writing, and formative assessments such as quizzes, vocabulary tests and projects so that pupils can demonstrate their learning in a range of different ways. Pupils will also be given guidance and support on how to learn languages successfully in class and during prep activities.

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MATHEMATICS

Year 9 is the start of a three-year programme teaching towards the Edexcel IGCSE Mathematics A (9-1) qualification. The scheme is linked to the Pearson Edexcel Mathematics (9-1) Book 1. The department retains class sets of the Book 1 textbooks for Year 9 and pupils have access to a digital version of these textbooks for use both in and out of class.

MAIN TOPICS OF STUDY FOR YEAR 9

AUTUMN TERM

• Fractions

• Percentages

• Standard form

• Rounding

• Algebraic Expressions &

• Changing the Subject

• of Formulae

• Straight-Line Graphs

• Simultaneous Equations

• Polygons Properties

• Construction, loci & bearings

SPRING TERM SUMMER TERM

• Set Notation & Venn Diagrams

• Ratio and Proportion

• Comparative costs

• Converting units

• Algebraic Fractions

• Index Laws

• Linear inequalities

• Coordinate Geometry

• Similar shapes

• Pythagoras’ Theorem

• Trigonometry

• Averages

• Factors & Multiples

• Factorising

• Quadratic Equations and Graphs

• Circle Theorems

• Forming and solving equations involving fractions.

• Revision of all topics and focus on refining problem solving strategies.

All pupils are grouped into sets for their learning of Mathematics in the Senior School, with movement between the sets as and when appropriate. All groups will cover the same content over a three-year period as all pupils take their IGCSE examination at the end of Year 11.

ESSENTIAL SKILLS

In the classroom, learning Mathematics is much more than being able to do routine methods. Our approach in the Senior School builds on that in the Prep School and aims to develop a depth of understanding of why methods work, as well as adopting an enquiry-approach by challenging their understanding, seeking links between topic areas and applying their knowledge to new and unfamiliar problems. Pupils are given strategies to hone their problem-solving abilities in a collaborative way, which in turn enhances their critical thinking skills. Pupils will also be given the opportunity to show leadership in class and learn how to effectively and competently communicate their mathematical thoughts in succinct and elegant ways. Pupils will demonstrate courage by adopting a ‘can do approach’ and enjoy learning from their mistakes. We ensure a high level of understanding and provide challenge beyond the confines of

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the curriculum.

INTERCULTURAL LEARNING

Throughout the year we will aim to recognise and respect the diverse cultural background and experiences of pupils and teachers. We will investigate and value the mathematical perspectives and appreciate the contributions of individuals from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds.

ASSESSMENT

Each teacher uses various means to regularly test the understanding of all of their pupils during lessons. We regularly hold a wide variety of formative and summative assessments which inform and guide future learning. Throughout the year, feedback and Stepping Up activities are incorporated into lessons and prep.

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MUSIC

This year of practical music-making begins with a focus on the elements of music, and pupils emerge with an understanding of melody, harmony, rhythm and pulse. This knowledge is applied to two composition tasks: the first is based on the concept of the Ostinato (repeating patterns) and the second falls within the framework of Programme Music (pictorial music). Pupils also learn about the instruments of the orchestra.

There are also two performance-focused projects in Year 6. In the Summer Term, pupils will prepare for the annual cross-curricular performance, and they will also embark on a keyboard skills project, during which every member of the year group will perform to their class.

TERM TOPIC CONTENT

Autumn 1 - Reggae

2 - Dub to Dnb

Spring 1 - Jazz

• Composing & Performing: To understand the musical features and context of Reggae, Dub and DnB. To be able to play in a syncopated rhythm. To be able to work effectively as an ensemble.

• Performing: To be able to recognise and identify key features of Jazz Music. To understand standard Jazz structure. To develop musical behaviour by working in groups.

Summer 1 - Battle of the Bands

• Performing: To be able to play part of a Rock or Pop music piece as part of a large group. Competition and Live Performance with collaboration with the Art department. Work in groups to create an audio and video.

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ESSENTIAL SKILLS

Critical thinking is undertaken through analysis of a variety of world music styles which, in turn, informs open-ended composition tasks. It also involves the ability to analyse, evaluate evidence, identify problems, create different perspectives and generate potential solutions. Digital Literacy is incorporated by the use of a myriad of tech platforms such as OneNote, Sibelius, GarageBand, Logic, Musition, Auralia, MuseScore, SeeSaw, YouTube, Spotify, Teams, iPads. Each of these platforms will provide different skills. Creativity In Music can be explored in many different ways through Composition, Interpretation in Performance through Improvisation and Set Work analysis. The use of improvisation and instrumental experimentation when performing different music styles is also present. Effective communication is practised via use of verbal and non-verbal communication through performance tasks. Written communication is encompassed by using the unit books’ various questions or in the forms of essays. Effective communication in Music also involves listening.

INTERCULTURAL LEARNING

The Pupils visit the world through their music lessons and develop the understanding, perspective and appreciation of the similarities and differences of various cultures. For example African, Asian, Indian, Country music, Jazz, Classical Western music tradition, Rock & Roll, Pop etc.

ASSESSMENT

Summative assessment in Year 9 is based on the performance and compositional projects undertaken through the year, including the band projects and Logic Pro X based activities. Singing, improvising and listening skills are also assessed throughout the course of the year.

COLLABORATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING AND LEADERSHIP

Group compositions and performance tasks are carried out as a soloist or as part of an Ensemble. Every pupil has to take responsibility (hence, adopt a leader mentality) in performances and for the learning of a variety of music styles. It involves suggesting solutions for specific problems, sharing ideas, and listening to others. Pupils work collaboratively in teams/pairs to analyse, evaluate and assess a variety of set works and world music. All pupils also have access to the vibrant Co-Curricular Music programme which runs throughout the year. Individual music tuition is available in a variety of studies and lessons are delivered by a team of experienced and specialised visiting music teachers. There are also many opportunities for pupils to engage with group music-making: Various orchestras, choirs and bands rehearse on a weekly basis and perform in frequent internal and external concerts.

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PHILOSOPHY & RELIGIOUS STUDIES (PRS)

In the Upper School, Philosophy and Religious Studies is a multidisciplinary subject, looking through the lenses of Philosophy, Theology and Social Anthropology. In Year 9, pupils will focus on a philosophical and Socio-anthropological approach through an analysis of more advanced philosophical and socio-anthropological issues, such as the nature of the mind, the existence of God and the influence of religion on societal norms. Pupils will analyse and debate a variety of questions, such as: Can a machine have a mind? Can the existence of God be compatible with the existence of evil? Should we make moral decisions based on good intentions or good outcomes? How has religion influenced attitudes towards gender roles? With global citizenship at the heart of the PRS curriculum, pupils are introduced to a diverse range of ideas and beliefs, learning about groups and thinkers that may have been academically marginalised in the past.

TERM DISCIPLINARY ‘LENS’ AND TOPIC SUBSTANTIVE KNOWLEDGE

Autumn Philosophy

Philosophy of Mind: Is my teacher a robot?

Metaphysics of God: Does God exist?

Spring Philosophy

Ethics: What is ‘good’? How should we make moral decisions?

Summer Social Anthropology

Contemporary religion and society: How does religion influence society?

• Descartes and dualism

• Functionalism and physicalism

• Artificial intelligence

• Arguments for and against God’s existence

• The problem of evil and theodicies

• Utilitarianism

• Divine command theory

• Situation ethics

• Kantian deontology

• Applied ethics

• Structural functionalism/ Conflict theory

• Attitudes to relationships and gender roles

• Attitudes to migration and religious pluralism

• The Religion and World Views Fair

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ESSENTIAL SKILLS

Broadly, all disciplinary approaches in PRS encourage pupils to develop the essential skill of critical thinking, not only nurturing the ability to explain and analyse theories and beliefs, but also to comment on them and reach their own justified conclusions. However, each disciplinary ‘lens’ requires the development and application of unique skills. In philosophy topics, pupils will refine their skills in testing the validity and soundness of ideas, as well as weighing up the implications of concepts and ways in which they might be modified or improved. The study of philosophy can be a powerful tool for developing cultural competency by providing opportunities for pupils to engage with diverse perspectives, examine the intersection of philosophy and culture, and reflect on personal biases and assumptions. The study of philosophy is also a creative pursuit, as pupils are encouraged to come up with unique perspectives and responses to complex philosophical problems. Philosophy can help pupils develop a critical approach to the use of digital technologies, by encouraging them to think deeply about the ethical, social, and political implications of digital technologies. Leadership is developed through nurturing the critical thinking skills needed to evaluate complex ideas and make decisions based on this. Communication skills are developed through debates and discussions, focusing on argumentation and persuasion. Philosophy lessons can develop collaborative skills by encouraging group discussions, debates, and projects that require pupils to analyse complex philosophical questions.

INTERCULTURAL LEARNING

Philosophy and religious studies can be a powerful tool for intercultural learning through the study of diverse religious and philosophical traditions, examining the intersection of philosophy, religion, and culture, engaging with diverse perspectives, reflecting on personal biases and assumptions, and providing opportunities for cross-cultural dialogue.

ASSESSMENT

Pupils’ progress will be monitored formatively throughout each topic using informal checking of knowledge (such as quizzes and marking of books). Pupils’ progress in each topic will be summatively assessed using a variety of multiple-choice knowledge questions, short-answer questions and essays. Helpful feedback and opportunities for pupils to ‘Step Up’ their work follow both formative and summative assessment.

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PHYSICS

Year 9 is the first year of a three-year programme teaching towards the Edexcel International GCSE Physics (9-1) qualification. Ultimately the purpose is to enthuse pupils to want to understand the world around them whilst ultimately providing them with a sense of inquisitiveness and curiosity.

TERM TOPICS COVERED SKILLS COVERED

Autumn 1. Motion (distance time graphs, velocity-time graphs, suvat calculations)

2. Forces (types of forces, Newton’s 2nd law of motion/ resultant force calculations, review of terminal velocity)

Spring 3. Effects of Forces (investigate Moments, Centre of mass, Hooke’s law)

Summer 4. Energy (energy transfer and stores, renewable energy resources, work done, kinetic energy and heat transfer)

ESSENTIAL SKILLS

Using data-loggers, Conducting experiments, using scientific method, graph drawing, data analysis

Conducting experiments, using scientific method for determining the spring constant of springs, data analysis

Longer response questions, modelling, project work, data analysis

There will be focus on developing pupils’ practical, analytical and problem-solving skills. They will also be able to use dataloggers and other data recording devices and learn to manipulate software to achieve the desired aim of the experiment they are conducting. Pupils are required to perform calculations, draw graphs and describe, explain and interpret physical phenomena. Some of the question content will be unfamiliar to pupils. These questions are designed to assess data-handling skills and the ability to apply physical principles in unfamiliar situations.

INTERCULTURAL LEARNING

Being a global citizen is at the heart of the Physics curriculum through developing an understanding of issues affecting the world, from sustainable energy resources to road safety and how these challenges are addressed in different ways, depending upon local settings.

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ASSESSMENT

Regular internal assessment takes place throughout the three years of study, enabling close tracking of every pupil’s progress. The assessments will occur after every topic and at the end of the year. The course is 100% externally assessed at the end of Year 11 by examination and pupils will achieve a grade 9-1.

At the end of the 3 year course In Physics, pupils sit two papers:

• Examination Paper 1 - 61.1 % (120 minutes)

“This paper assesses all of the content of the specification, excluding some of the more in depth areas of the course content.”

• Examination Paper 2 – 38.9 % (75 minutes)

“This paper assesses all content of the specification, including some of the more indepth areas of the course content.”

A few pupils will follow the Double Award IGCSE Science course and will sit Paper 1 in each of the sciences, achieving two Science IGCSEs.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION & HEALTH

Our vision through PEH is to give every pupil a wide variety of opportunities to develop and strengthen their values, physical competence and confidence. This will ensure our pupils have the tools to lead a long and healthy lifestyle in a complex world.

At Harrow Hong Kong, we have incorporated Health into our curriculum to give it a holistic touch. Therefore we have named our curriculum “Physical Education & Health”. This allows pupils to explore more about themselves and seek strategies to cope in our ever-changing world. Pupils in Years 6 to 9 have one PEH lesson per week, and a double games lesson, and cover five different units of work to increase physical competence and develop the confidence to be able to take part at participation level and live a long and healthy lifestyle.

The premise of the programme is to enable every pupil to flourish and to establish the appropriate pathway that best suits the individual and the skills they possess. The programme aims to develop the pupil first and foremost as an athlete. From this point onwards it allows each pupil to experience and engage in a wide range of sports, allowing them to develop, display and transfer their skills.

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GAMES

The PEH department is continuously striving to ensure we are delivering the most relevant programme. The main drive behind games is to ensure we have a programme which places pupil development at the centre and ensures it enables all our pupils to flourish. It is important to acknowledge that all pupils associate with sport and physical activities in different ways. The PEH Department’s goal is to tailor a programme that suits the needs of our pupils whilst allowing them to experience a wide range of sporting activities. We want our pupils, as they move up through the School, to think of themselves as ‘athletes’ and to understand that so many of the fundamental skills they have learnt in the Lower School are transferable across sports.

As the pupils progress up through School, after experiencing the Lower School PEH curriculum, this is the appropriate time to expand the games curriculum. The consistency of sports being offered, in relation to the ISSFHK seasons, remains the same. This allows staff to have the ability to further advance co-curricular teams within the games setting as well as SCAs and CCAs. Pupils who compete for the School teams have the opportunity to train within Games time. If pupils do not wish to be involved with team training, they have the option to pick different sports and these can be changed on a half/termly basis. A new strand for this age group is offsite activities. At this stage we also feel it is important to broaden the pupils’ horizons to experience some leisure based activities. We feel the benefits of this allow the pupils to build positive relationships with activities which may feature in their lives after their education at Harrow International School Hong Kong. Pupils are asked to choose their games options from the following sports:

Badminton Volleyball Basketball

Football Rugby Tennis

Harrow Fit Golf (off site)

Horse Riding (off site)

Netball Cricket Gymnastics

GOLF & HORSE RIDING

Table Tennis

Wattbikes

Athletics/XC

Cross country

As part of the games provision, pupils have the opportunity to opt into either golf or horse riding lessons during games. Both activities occur off site and are led by external coaches. Pupils have the opportunity to experience these activities for a term and then return back into the Games pathways. The purpose of these activities being placed in Games is to offer another new experience and is not designed to develop the elite performer. These are paid lessons and therefore have a cost attached.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION & HEALTH LESSONS

Physical Education and Health units prepare our pupils by giving them experiences through a variety of activities in an array of environments. These include the astro, pool, courts, indoor sports halls and track. Physical Education and Health will open up opportunities for our pupils to participate in sport on and off the playing field. Physical Education and Health is the doorway to careers such as physiotherapist, lawyer, player agent, CEO of major sports organisations, in medicine and more.

HOUSE SPORT

At Harrow International School Hong Kong we have an all-inclusive House Sports Competition that allows our pupils to have another opportunity to play sport and wear their House colours with pride. House sport is a hotly-contested competition and you can see the passion in every House when they compete against one another. All Houses take part in the following sports: Sports Day (Track & Field), Cross Country, Netball, Football, Touch Rugby, Basketball, Swimming, Dodgeball and Badminton. House Sport Competitions are opportunities to:

• Build a solid house culture

• Develop camaraderie, friendships & trust

• Provide leadership opportunities

• Represent a team and contribute to competitive competition

• Stay active

• Take part in a variety of sports

COMPETITIVE SPORTS PROGRAMME

Participating in sports is part of our culture here at Harrow Hong Kong. Recreation and competitive sport is catered for in fifteen sports codes across the academic year. Our competitive sports programme offers regular opportunities to play fixtures against other international and local schools in Hong Kong. We compete in the International Schools Sports Federation Hong Kong (ISSFHK) and some Hong Kong Schools Sports Federation (HKSSF) leagues and annual friendly fixtures. Fixtures take place mostly mid-week and occasional weekends, depending on the sport. Harrow Hong Kong also hosts a number of tournaments throughout the year in various sports and these are well attended by other schools.

Competitive sports leagues start in Year 6 (U12) and reach their pinnacle at Year 13 (U20). Harrovians who do not consider themselves athletes when they arrive at our School discover new sports and the talent to play them with great skill and flair. Many continue to enjoy the sporting abilities they discovered at Harrow Hong Kong long after leaving us and take the life lessons they have learnt with them into the world

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beyond school.

Overseas sports tours are an important part of our sports programme. Tours provide the opportunity for our pupils to bond as a team and measure their progress against schools from around the world. The experience and the memories that our pupils gain will be with them for the rest of their lives.

The Physical Education and Health Department are hugely experienced in high performance sport. Pupils who have aspirations to achieve honours in their chosen sport are well supported by the department as pathways are available for our pupils who choose to compete at the highest level and achieve academically at the same time.

All fixtures, results and team details can be found at sport.harrowschool.hk

SUPER-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES (SCA)

Sports Super-Curricular Activities give pupils more opportunity to explore and challenge themselves in a sporting context. Pupils can enjoy extra time taking part in their favourite sports which will allow them to have more time on task to accelerate their learning. Pupils will apply the skills learned in SCAs in competitive fixtures and tournaments.

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Autumn Term Spring Term Summer Term Rugby ✓ ✓ Harrow Fit ✓ ✓ ✓ Tennis ✓ ✓ ✓ Volleyball ✓ ✓ ✓ Basketball ✓ ✓ ✓ Football ✓ ✓ ✓ Athletics / XC ✓ ✓ ✓ Netball ✓ ✓ ✓ Badminton ✓ ✓ ✓ Touch Rugby ✓ Gymnastics ✓ ✓ ✓ Indoor Cricket ✓ ✓ ✓ Indoor Cycling ✓ ✓ ✓

CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES (CCA)

The Co-Curricular Activity programme delivers extra lessons for pupils to polish their sporting skills or play recreationally. It allows pupils to stay active after a day of academic study and get in the extra work if pupils are pursuing academic and sporting goals. Co-Curricular activities supplement our PEH lessons and SCAs if pupils need to work on their skills to get ahead and achieve the targets they have been set by their teachers. The following sports are delivered throughout the year:

• Rugby

• Use of the gym

• Tennis

• Volleyball

• Basketball

• Football

• Athletics / XC

• Netball

• Badminton

• Touch Rugby

• Gymnastics

• Swimming

• Table Tennis

For the latest photo updates follow us on Instagram and Twitter Instagram: @harrowhksport Twitter: @HarrowHKSport

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INDIVIDUAL NEEDS

The Individual Needs Department at Harrow Hong Kong works alongside Language & Learning, Counselling and House Pastoral Teams to ensure that the academic, social, and pastoral needs of pupils are met through quality differentiation, effective collaboration between educational stakeholders, and impactful staff development. The Individual Needs Department works with pupils who require extra support or extension beyond regular classroom differentiation in order to meet their learning needs. The Individual Needs Department supports pupils who enter the School with existing reports of individual needs and those who are later identified through the School’s referral system. Depending on the level of support needed, pupils may receive short-term or longterm intervention from an individual needs staff member within their regular lessons in collaboration with the class teacher, in small groups, or 1:1. The department also works with members of staff by identifying and sharing differentiation strategies based on specific pupil profiles, monitoring student progress, and providing professional development.

Examples of the Individual Needs Provision for pupils in Year 9 are in-class support and check-ins focused on organisation, self-regulation, and reflection.

ASSESSMENT AND PUPIL PROGRESS

Access arrangements for both internal and external assessments are facilitated by the department in partnership with the Examinations Officer in accordance with the guidelines from the Joint Council for Qualifications. As pupils start working towards their external examinations in Year 9, this is also when new or updated specialist documentation may be requested in order to understand pupil needs and consider formal access arrangements.

The department is able to conduct internal assessments to aid the understanding of a pupil’s profile, and may also refer pupils to external specialists, including Occupational Therapists, Speech and Language Therapists, and Educational Psychologists if further information is required.

Pupil progress is determined using teacher feedback and observations, subject tracking and reports, internal assessments, and communication with educational stakeholders. There are no set formal assessments used by the Individual Needs Department as pupil needs are diverse. Pupils who receive support from the Individual Needs Department and have a reduced academic load may also have an Individualised Education Programme that is used to measure and monitor progress.

ESSENTIAL SKILLS

All pupils supported by the Individual Needs Department are encouraged to use critical thinking and creativity in order to reflect on their learning and how their individual needs and profile impact and shape their learning approaches, revision strategies, and interests. Pupil input is valued when identifying effective strategies to be implemented.

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In Year 9, pupils are guided in the transition to the Senior School as they take on more responsibility and become accustomed to the increased workload. Pupils are supported in taking ownership over their learning, communicating effectively, and developing their leadership.

INTERCULTURAL LEARNING

Intercultural learning takes place within the various contexts that the Individual Needs Department supports pupils in, such as within the curriculum of other subjects as part of in-class support. The relationship between cultures and perspectives is also explored through reflection time with pupils and when considering communication with various educational stakeholders.

USEFUL INFORMATION

THE SCHOOL DAY

CALL OVER

Houses have a roll call known as ‘Call Over’ after breakfast, at lunchtime, after supper and at lights out every day, at which one of the House Pastoral Team is present. In addition to the registration of pupils, School and House notices are read.

PERIODS

Lessons are called ‘periods’ at Harrow Hong Kong; they include activities in the SCA programme as well as academic lessons. There are four periods in the morning, each lasting 55 minutes, with a 25 minute break between the second and third periods. There is a 5 minute break between each period to allow pupils time to move from one department to another. Although there are three consecutive periods in the afternoon, they include SCA periods on most afternoons of the week.

8.00 AM - 8.10 AM Morning Call Over in Houses (start of the day)

8.15

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AM
9.10 AM Period 1 9.15 AM - 10.10 AM Period 2 10.10 AM - 10.35 AM Break 10.35 AM - 11.30 AM Period 3 11.35 AM - 12.30 PM Period 4 12.35 PM - 1.30 PM Lunch 1.35 PM - 2.30 PM Period 6 2.35 PM - 3.30 PM Period 7 3.35 PM - 4.30 PM Period 8 4.45 PM Co-curricular activities 4.45 PM Buses for Day Pupils depart
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MID-MORNING BREAK

All pupils return to Houses at break for a snack and to change their books for the two periods after break.

LUNCH

Lunch is a formal meal when the House Master or House Mistress, usually accompanied by one or more of the House Pastoral Team, eats with the House in their designated area in the Dining Hall. High standards of behaviour and manners are expected, but lunch is an important break in the middle of the day and an opportunity for building the strong sense of House community with both boarders and day pupils.

ASSEMBLY

On Monday morning, there is an Assembly for the Upper School at 8.30am. Tutor time takes place before this.

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HOUSE ETHOS

The House’s primary function is to provide a secure, happy and nurturing environment, in which all pupils thrive. Under the House Master’s/ House Mistress’ (HM’s) leadership, and with the support of other pastoral specialists, the House underpins a pupil’s personal and academic development so that they are prepared to enjoy life and contribute to their community.

They keep a watchful eye over the welfare, personal and academic development of every pupil in their care. For parents, their child’s HM is their main point of contact, and their child’s development is very much a partnership between pupil, parent and School. We encourage regular communication via phone and email, and parents receive a House newsletter every fortnight with an update of recent events and forthcoming dates.

THE HOUSES

At Harrow Hong Kong, pupils in Years 6-8 are allocated to one of the seven Prep School Houses. Alongside the House Master/House Mistress and Assistant HM’s, we also have a resident Gap Tutor and a Matron to help boarding pupils.

SENIOR HOUSES YEAR 9-13

BOYS HOUSES

GIRLS HOUSES

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KELLER SHAFTESBURY
SUN CHURCHILL PEEL
GELLHORN
WU ANDERSON

KEY PERSONNEL

HOUSE MASTER/HOUSE MISTRESS

Whilst keeping accurate records and ensuring the smooth running of the House is an essential element of the role, much of what a House Master or House Mistress does is unquantifiable. It is about building strong relationships with each of the pupils in their care, spending time with them and guiding them through the challenges they face in these important years. They aim to develop a House environment that inspires a love of learning, encourages independence of thought, insists on good manners and helps pupils to appreciate the positive effect that their actions can have on others.

HOUSE TUTOR

Most teachers in the Upper School have a role as a House Tutor in one of the Houses as part of the broader House Pastoral Team (HPT), which supports the HM’s in their roles. All House Tutors play a role in the supervision and running of the House during the course of a week (including eating meals with pupils, helping with running evening prep and activities, and helping to facilitate House discussion meetings).

CONSULTANT SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST

Dr. Rachel Gregory is an experienced clinical psychologist who leads parenting workshops and programmes, group programmes for pupils to promote resilience, and training for staff on developing their own pastoral care of pupils. Through the School’s pastoral system, she advises, consults and supports staff and parents in addition to providing support to pupils individually and in small groups. Dr Gregory is the mental health lead for the School.

SCHOOL COUNSELLOR

As part of the wider pastoral team the School Counsellor, Ms. Lauren Liu, works with the HM’s to ensure pupils are receiving the highest level of pastoral support. The School Counsellor helps pupils in the areas of academic achievement, career and social / emotional development, assisting the wider Pastoral team to ensure today’s pupils become productive, well-adjusted adults of tomorrow. Pupils are able to selfrefer, or alternatively, parents and staff can refer pupils through the HM in order to see the School Counsellor.

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ILLNESS

The School Health Care Centre is open at all times pupils are in school and is staffed by a team of experienced and dedicated bilingual nurses. If your child is unwell, please contact the School and let us know about the absence by phone on 2298 9099 or by email to us-info@harrowschool.hk

Parents must also inform their HM of any illnesses, injuries or other medical matters that have arisen whilst at home, during weekends or holidays. If a pupil is ill during a weekend or holiday, he or she should not return to school until fully recovered and deemed no longer infectious. Children who have had a temperature (higher than 37.5 degrees) should remain at home and not return to School until 24 hours with a normal temperature, without any medication. Children who have had diarrhoea or who have been vomiting should not return to School until 48 hours after the final bout of vomiting or diarrhoea. If a pupil is away from School through illness, an operation or any other cause, parents should communicate this with the HM concerning the pupil’s likely return date and any restrictions on his or participation in School life. The School would be happy to support pupils with School work or activities should there be long periods of unavoidable absence.

COMMUNICATION WITH THE SCHOOL

There are a number of ways in which parents can communicate with the School in order to work together in the best interests of their child and the School community.

THE HOUSE MASTER/HOUSE MISTRESS

The first point of contact for a parent in the Prep School should be the HM. HM’s operate an ‘open door’ policy and parents should feel comfortable with contacting their HM about any questions or queries that they have, by phone, email or by arranging an appointment through the Upper School Office. Parents should keep their child’s HM fully informed of any observations they have made at home or changes to the family situation so that they can support them accordingly in School. Parents can also make enquiries to the Health Care Centre (hcc@harrowschool.hk.)

EMAIL

A significant proportion of the School’s communication with parents is by email and there are two Consolidated Communications to parents each week (on Mondays and Thursdays) which are managed by the Upper School Office. It is, therefore, essential for every parent and guardian to have access to email and to ensure that the School has the current email address of all parents. Any problems with email should be addressed to the Director of ICT, Mr. Dinesh Alwani via dalwani@harrowschool.hk

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SCHOOL WEBSITE AND PARENT PORTAL

A vast amount of important information for Harrow Parents is available through the Harrow Parent Portal. Amongst others, this includes your child’s reports, timetable and class information, the School calendar, sign up for Super-Curricular and Co-curricular activities and parents’ evenings, communications with parents and a facility for you to update your contact details. The School website, www.harrowschool.hk, has a link to the Parent Portal at the top of the first page. All parents are issued with a username and password for access to these secure areas. For any technical queries regarding access, please email our IT Services team on its@harrowschool.hk

HARROW HONG KONG iSAMS iPARENT APP

As the school information management system is provided by industry leaders iSAMS, as well as the feature-rich Parent Portal, parents also have the option of using the mobile app, called iParent. The iParent app replicates most of the features from the Parent Portal in a convenient mobile format, with the added advantage of customisable notifications for information on your child or when information is published to the portal. Information about downloading and accessing the app is provided on the homepage of the Parent Portal. It is straightforward to use and is available for download from the Apple App Store and Google Play store by searching ‘iParent’. Once downloaded, the App can be unlocked by entering the school code ‘HAHK’ and then entering your existing Parent Portal username and password. Parents who do not know their Parent Portal login information should email iSAMS_support@harrowschool.hk for assistance.

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HARROW HONG KONG SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES

At Harrow Hong Kong, we understand that parents like to keep informed of School events in different ways. We are also well aware that all of you have online access and use social media regularly. With this in mind the School has created a presence on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Below are some recommended social media addresses to follow.

Facebook Page

Harrow International School Hong Kong

@HarrowHK

LinkedIn

@Harrow International School Hong Kong

Twitter

@Harrow_HK @HHKSPeel @HHKSun

@HeadHarrowHK @HHKSShaftesbury @HHKSChurchill

@HHKSShackleton @HHKSGellhorn @HHKSFry

@HHKSWu @HHKSNightingale @HHKSAnderson

@HHKSBanks @HHKSParks @HHKSKeller

@HHKSDarwin

@HarrowHKDrama @HarrowHKArt @HarrowHKMusic

@HarrowHKLS @HarrowHKLib @HHKSPastoral

Instagram

@harrowhkofficial

We always recommend using social media as a secondary source of obtaining information as important messages will always be communicated to you via email through consolidated communications.

CALENDAR

The calendar can also be accessed through the Harrow Hong Kong iParent App and Parent Portal.

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AUTHORISED ABSENCE

Any absence from School affects the pattern of a child’s schooling and regular absence will seriously affect their learning: there is a proven link between absence and underperformance in public examinations. Some universities and prospective schools also require us to share information about a pupil’s attendance. If requesting absence for a period of one day or less, parents should contact the HM. For periods more than one day parents should contact the Principal Deputy Heads (Tom Hicks and Laura Yandell) thicks@harrowschool.hk and lyandell@harrowschool.hk, who will liaise with the Head. Parents should not expect permission to be automatically granted and should not make travel arrangements before receiving permission.

PREP

Prep is the work set by teachers to support the academic work completed in class and to help prepare for the work in future lessons. Prep should be able to be completed independently (without adult support) and should be appropriately challenging, whilst also being manageable within the time suggested. Prep and deadlines will be set on class Teams.

The amount of time that a pupil is expected to spend on prep varies by year group and by day of the week. Pupils are encouraged to work without distractions and to stick to the allocated time, but may sometimes need to and/or want to find extra time to develop or finish their work. They are discouraged from working late at night or regularly spending more time on prep than is suggested. If they find that this is often the case, they should speak to their tutor or House Master / Mistress who can help them identify strategies for managing their workload.

Prep School

Pupils in Year 6-8 have no prep on a Wednesday evening, when there is Tuesday afternoon extended school or when there is a Parents’ Evening for their year group. Otherwise, prep is set as follows:

• Year 6 - 40 minutes.

Pupils will be set prep for two subjects per night and should spend around 20 minutes per prep. This time should be focused and free from distractions.

• Year 7 - 60 minutes.

Pupils will be set prep for three subjects per night and should spend around 20 minutes per prep. This time should be focused and free from distractions.

• Year 8 - 75 minutes.

Pupils will be set prep for three subjects per night and should spend around 25 minutes per prep. This time should be focused and free from distractions.

Independent reading is very important for developing a range of skills and, as a result, is incorporated into the schedule in the Prep School.

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Years 9 to 11

Pupils in Year 9 and above are set daily prep.

• Year 9 - 90 minutes

Pupils will be set prep for three subjects per night from Monday to Friday and should spend around 30 minutes per prep. The time spent on each prep should be focused and free from distractions.

• Years 10 and 11 - 90 minutes

Pupils will be set prep for three subjects per night and should spend around 30 minutes per prep. They are also set an additional 90 minutes of weekend prep. The time spent on each prep should be focused and free from distractions.

Sixth Form: independently guided

In the Sixth Form, pupils should expect to complete a minimum of 2-3 hours of prep per subject per week but, in addition, plan to spend a further 2 hours on wider reading, reviewing notes, and researching where time allows. This independent study is essential for success and, due to the expectation of independent learning, they should not be expected to spend more than 4 hours per week on directed prep for any one subject.

CONFIDENTIALITY AND CONSENT

During a pupil’s time at Harrow Hong Kong, the School will inevitably receive and hold quite a lot of information about them and their family. As a general principle this information will be treated as confidential, only discussed or shared among professionals at Harrow Hong Kong on a “need to know” basis and not passed on to anybody outside the School (including other parents) without good reason: ie. as part of our duty of care and with parents’ explicit consent.

The School will normally share all relevant information with the parents of a pupil who is having academic, disciplinary or personal difficulties. However, while pupils are legally children until the age of 18, they have many rights of their own to confidentiality. It may be, therefore, that pupils have control over the confidentiality of certain medical or personal matters that they choose to share with people such as their Class Teacher, the Consultant School Psychologist and the School Health Care staff. However, the School will always encourage pupils to consent to the sharing of such information and concerns with parents.

RECORDS

A written record is kept of the following:

• All medication, treatment and first aid administered to pupils, giving the name, date, medication/treatment, reason for administering (if not prescribed) and signed by the member of staff responsible.

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• All significant illnesses, accidents or injuries to pupils (either as part of the above medical records or separately).

• Major behavioural incidents showing the pupil’s name, reason for the sanction and the person administering the reflective work.

• Any safeguarding allegations or suspicions of abuse.

• Any incidents of bullying (either as the victim or the perpetrator.)

• All fire drills and the regular testing of emergency lighting, fire alarms and fire fighting equipment.

CHANGE IN DETAILS

If any of your or your child’s personal details change, it is the parents’ responsibility to inform the HM and Upper School Office at us-info@harrowschool.hk to ensure these details are up to date. This is vital to ensure we send letters and any other information to the correct email or postal address. The School will then update all the relevant information on our management information system. It is also essential we have the correct contact phone number of both parents and a guardian in the event of an emergency.

MEDICAL CARE

The School has a Health Care Centre onsite, which is open 24 hours a day during School term time (Sunday to Friday evenings) and is staffed by qualified nurses. All pupils have access to the Health Care Centre when needed. Children who feel unwell or are injured should first ask an adult before visiting the Health Care Centre. Parents are required to complete a Medical Form for their child on entry to the School and provide relevant health information, including details of drug reactions, major allergies and notable medical conditions. When a child makes a visit to the Health Care Centre, the visit is noted in the child’s medical record along with any treatment given. The Health Care Centre will call the child’s parents to explain what has happened and the treatment that was given; they will also inform their HM of any concerns.

MEDICATION

Prescribed and ‘household’ medications are kept securely in a locked cabinet in the Health Care Centre. Pupils with medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes or severe allergic reactions are permitted to keep possession of their medication, but parents should inform the HM and the Health Care Centre. A spare inhaler, Epipen, Jext etc. should be given to the Health Care Centre in case of emergencies. Any medication prescribed by a doctor, however, should not be kept by the child or in school bags, but should be given to the HM to hand to the Health Care Centre. Only the Health Care Centre dispenses prescribed medicines, which should be in a clearly labelled medical

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bottle with the child’s name and dosage on it. If the details on the label are not written in English, parents are requested to provide an accurate and detailed translation. Nonprescribed medicines cannot be given by our Health Care Centre and should not be sent into school.

WELLBEING

Our wellbeing programme is called Facing Challenges and seeks to encourage and develop resilience amongst pupils who face a variety of personal challenges in their everyday lives. Health, social, economic and academic issues can all prove to be obstacles that prevent them from realising their potential or affect their wellbeing.

The Facing Challenges programme aims to develop resilient individuals who embody the Leadership Attributes – dealing with problems positively and always looking for the solutions to any setback.

The Facing Challenges programme, therefore, is one of the cornerstones of our pastoral education provision. The background of positive psychology, which underpins so much of what we do in the School, has been central in the creation of our resources for this programme, in which the sessions aim to be interactive and practical. The programme is supplemented by expert external speakers.

In the Sixth Form, Facing Challenges is replaced by the Beyond Harrow programme, with a shift in emphasis towards the needs of older pupils and with an eye on life beyond school, including careers and university advice. There is a weekly designated university preparation programme for all Sixth Formers in the school timetable.

HARROW HORIZONS PROGRAMME

An outstanding enrichment programme, which complements and extends beyond the School’s academic and pastoral provision, is part of the fabric of a Harrow education. Through providing a stimulating wider curriculum we inspire each child to develop the Harrow Leadership Attributes and the essential skills needed for success, happiness and leadership in the future. Quality and inclusivity are at the centre of our Harrow Horizons Programme.

The Harrow Horizons Programme can be distinguished into three main areas:

• Super-Curriculum Activities (SCAs)

• Co-curricular activities (CCAs)

• Leadership in Action (LiA)

Pupils choose two SCAs each term, which are taught within the structured School day.

CCAs take place before school, during lunchtimes and afterschool and are not part of timetabled lessons. Leadership in Action comprises the camps, trips and expeditions that take place throughout the year.

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More details of each activity and how to book them can be found in the Harrow Horizons Programme Booklet.

REPORTS TO PARENTS

We are committed to ensuring that all our pupils are given every chance to achieve their very best in all areas of their education. Effective feedback plays a vital part in ensuring this happens. We intend feedback to be accessible, achievable and motivating, and to take into account all aspects of the pupils we educate. We aim to deliver timely and accurate verbal and written feedback that is communicated in a positive, straightforward and supportive manner, so that pupils and their parents understand how best they can make progress, and the areas they need to develop. Pupils will receive two types of report:

• Progress Report (PR): In the Prep School, this contains Attainment and Engagement in Learning Grades, and in the Senior School, this contains Current Achievement Grades (CAG), Current Aspirational Grades (CASG) and Engagement in Learning

Grades

• Full Report: This contains Attainment and Engagement in Learning Grades, Subject Reports, House Tutor Targets, a comment from the House Master or House Mistress and information on attendance and rewards.

Full Reports and Progress Reports will be issued at different points in the academic year.

PARENTS’ EVENINGS

These evenings are an opportunity for parents to discuss in detail their child’s academic attainment and engagement in learning. They should be consultative and constructive; parents and pupils should feel supported; they should also gain a clear understanding of targets and next steps. These evenings are positioned at strategic points during the academic year to ensure teachers are providing effective feedback at appropriate or critical times in a pupil’s education.

1:1 DEVICE PROGRAMME (YEAR 6 AND 7)

The School requires all pupils in Year 6 and Year 7 to have their own Apple iPad computer to access the curriculum effectively. The research is clear and compelling; continuously improving technologies are profoundly changing what, how, when, and where people learn. We aim for our pupils to become increasingly sophisticated users of technology and to support and enhance their learning in doing so while encouraging them to be responsible

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for all aspects of its use. There are two schemes available:

Purchasing an iPad through the School - we will provide fully configured and ready-to-use Apple iPads available for purchase at a discounted rate.

Reconfiguring an existing Apple iPad that meets certain specifications.

More information can be received by contacting the IT Department at its@harrowschool.hk

1:1 DEVICE PROGRAMME (YEAR 8, 9, 10-11, 12-13)

The School requires all pupils from Year 8 to have their own Apple MacBook computer to access the curriculum effectively. The research is clear and compelling; continuously improving technologies are profoundly changing what, how, when, and where people learn. We aim for our pupils to become increasingly sophisticated users of technology and to support and enhance their learning in doing so while encouraging them to be responsible for all aspects of its use. There are two schemes available:

Purchasing a MacBook through the School - we will provide fully configured and ready-touse devices available for purchase at a discounted rate.

Reconfiguring an existing Apple MacBook that meets certain specifications.

More information can be received by contacting the IT Department at its@harrowschool.hk

SPEECH DAY

Speech Day (also known as ‘Speeches & Prizes’) is held on the final day of the Summer Term and is a formal celebration of pupil achievements over the course of the year. The Upper School Speeches & Prizes programme consists of a series of short drama and musical pieces from pupils, a prize giving ceremony, a speech from the Head and a re-enactment of the traditional Harrow School Bill ceremony, in which every pupil files past the Head raising their hat and saying “Here, Ma’am!” as their name is called.

Academic Prizes are awarded to Prep and Senior School pupils in a range of subjects. These prizes recognise outstanding academic progress and a particularly noteworthy level of effort and commitment. Prizes for Leadership are awarded to pupils in both Prep and Senior Schools and are given to the pupils who have most consistently demonstrated the School’s six Leadership Attributes in their school life over the year.

BUS ROUTES

The School runs an extensive bus routes system for all pupils. The service is operated by Chun Wo Bus, who were appointed in 2021. The services cover most areas of Hong Kong and the New Territories and should be used by all day pupils. There is also a weekly service for boarding pupils.

The School has a strict Mandatory Bus Policy to follow. All Upper School pupils should travel to School by bus or on foot.

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Upper School pupils are not eligible for car permits for morning drop off and cars should not approach the School at drop off or collection times without a permit. There is no parking along Tsing Ying Road.

WEATHER

The rainy season in Hong Kong usually runs from April to September, and in severe weather conditions the School adheres to official public announcements from the Hong Kong Observatory and the Education Bureau.

Broadcasts are usually announced on both radio and television by 6.15am and are repeated at regular and frequent intervals throughout the day. The updates will also be sent via email and on the School’s social media platform.

Parents are advised to refer to the School’s Communications about the arrangements, which apply in all cases except when pupils are taking external examinations. Pupils, parents and staff should check the government’s announcements regularly, but if you have any enquiries, please contact the respective House Masters/House Mistresses if needed.

The School’s Severe Weather Policy can be found on our website: harrowschool.hk/theschool/communication/weather-information

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INDIVIDUAL MUSIC LESSONS (YEARS 6-13)

All individual instrumental music lessons take place during the school day on a rotating schedule in order that children do not have to be excused from the same class lesson each week. Hence, the lesson time is different every week. There are 30 lessons taught over the whole academic year and the termly invoices are separated into three groups – 13 lessons for the Autumn Term, 10 lessons for the Spring Term and 7 lessons for the Summer Term. Should you have any questions, please contact the Music Department by email at music.enquiries@harrowschool.hk. Music lessons are given for the following instruments:

Acoustic Guitar French Horn Saxophone

Bass Guitar Harp (for up to ABRSM Grade 5 level) Singing

Cello Orchestral Percussion Trombone

Classical Guitar Trumpet

Clarinet Organ (Pupil must have passed ABRSM Piano Grade 5 at the time of application.)

Tuba

Drum Kit Ukulele

Electric Guitar Viola

Flute Piano Violin

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FOOD

The School uses an external catering company who provide a morning and afternoon snack, plus a full lunch buffet in the Dining Hall every day, as well as lunch and dinner for our Boarders. There are three choices of hot food at lunch and dinner each day (one western, one Asian and one vegetarian), as well as a salad bar, soup and sandwich option. The children choose which option they would like and may have second helpings if they wish. Fresh fruit is always available. All lunch menus are available for parents to view on the School website. The School caters for special dietary requirements and these should be made clear to the HM and to the Admissions department when the pupil first enters the School via the Pupil Medical Form. In order to protect those members of the School community who have serious food allergies, we ask that no food or snacks are brought from home.

OVERSEAS SCHOOLS’ ENTRANCE EXAMINATIONS

We understand that due to the nature of the work of some of our parent body, it is necessary to look at options to relocate abroad, sometimes at short notice. We help a few families each year by arranging testing for the Schools to which they have applied. Parents normally pay an invigilation and administration fee for this service. In order to streamline this process and ensure families, as well as the School, have plenty of time to organise the entrance examinations for schools overseas we have set dates in the termly calendar when these tests take place. These dates have been fixed around our Admissions schedule and the timelines of overseas schools and are given below.

Friday 29 September 2023

Friday 27 October 2023

Friday 23 February 2024

Friday 22 March 2024

Friday 26 April 2024

Friday 24 May 2024

If for any reason, your child is unable to make any of the above dates, we recommend you contact the British Council in Hong Kong or other established organisations (the overseas school you are applying to may have some recommendations) to help you make similar testing arrangements. Should you be considering moving, please do contact Ms Haydon at ahaydon@harrrowschool.hk who will be happy to meet with you to discuss your child’s future education.

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SCHOOL UNIFORM

School uniform is compulsory for all pupils. Through their dress and appearance, as well as in other respects, all pupils should ensure that they are a credit to Harrow Hong Kong and themselves at all times. This includes the journey to and from School and when representing the School off the campus.

A full uniform list can be found on the school website. School uniform can be purchased from the online store

https://www.ha.ufsonline.com.hk/ , the School Shop or the shop in Lai Chi Kok:

LAI CHI KOK UNIFORM SHOP

10.00AM - 6.00PM (Monday to Saturday)

8/F, China Pacific Industrial Building, 10 Wing Hong Street, Lai Chi Kok, Kowloon

Tel: +852 2523 2517 / +852 2742 2498

SCHOOL SHOP

Normal school days:

8.30AM - 2.30PM (Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays)

(Closed for lunch from 12.15PM to 1.15PM, and on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays)

PUPIL DRESS CODE

Uniform is one of the obvious links with Harrow School in the UK. Pupils are reminded of the history and tradition that comes with wearing the Bluer and Hat: they are expected to wear the uniform with pride and respect for what it represents. School uniform should be worn to all periods during the School day, apart from PE and Games periods or other prior arrangements. Pupils should change into or out of sports kit at break or lunch and not remain in it all day. For boarders, “home clothes” may be worn after the end of the formal School day.

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STAFF LIST

HEAD

SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAM

Principal Deputy Head (Curricular)

Principal Deputy Head (Pastoral and Wellbeing)

Deputy Head (Academic)

Deputy Head (Pastoral and Wellbeing)

Deputy Head (Co-Curricular & Organisation)

Assistant Head (Digital Strategy, Assessment and Tracking)

Assistant Head (Academic)

Assistant Head (Pastoral and Wellbeing)

Head of Lower School

Deputy Head of Lower School (Academic)

Deputy Head of Lower School (Pupil Wellbeing)

Assistant Head of Lower School (Pupil Progress)

Assistant Head of Lower School (Digital Strategy and Continuing Professional Development)

Assistant Head (Early Years)

Director of Operations

Director of Human Resources

Director of Finance

Director of Human Resources

Head of Communications

Executive Assistant to the Head and Head of Administration

THE HOUSES PREP HOUSES BANKS

House Master

Assistant House Mistress

Ms Ann Haydon EAH ahaydon@harrowschool.hk

Ms Laura Yandell LMY lyandell@harrowschool.hk

Mr Tom Hicks TCH thicks@harrowschool.hk

Mr James Brewer JCB jbrewer@harrowschool.hk

Ms Kirsten McLintock KJM kmclintock@harrowschool.hk

Mr Jonny Franks JMF jfranks@harrowschool.hk

Mr Darren Bastyan DB dbastyan@harrowschool.hk

Ms Freya Crofton FXC fcrofton@harrowschool.hk

Ms Kim Gration KG kgration@harrowschool.hk

Mr Brendan Shanahan BS bshanahan@harrowschool.hk

Mr Gary Hancock GMH ghancock@harrowschool.hk

Mrs Lauren Berner LMB lberner@harrowschool.hk

Ms Dawn Chambers DC dchambers@harrowschool.hk

Ms Abi Hiley ALH ahiley@harrowschool.hk

Mr Chris Russell CSR crussell@harrowschool.hk

Mr Jim Nightingale jnightingale@harrowschool.hk

Ms Madeleine Ponting mponting@harrowschool.hk

Ms Miranda Ng sfng@harrowschool.hk

Ms Madeleine Ponting mponting@harrowschool.hk

Mrs Penny Hicks sfng@harrowschool.hk

Ms Joanne Kar jkar@harrowschool.hk

Mr Nick Weinberg NW nweinberg@harrowschool.hk

Ms Megan Smith MVS msmith@harrowschool.hk

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DARWIN

House Master Mr Tom Cameron TXC tcameron@harrowschool.hk

Assistant House Mistress Ms Bonnie Tang BXT btang@harrowschool.hk

FRY

House Mistress Ms Jenny Mitchell JEN jmitchell@harrowschool.hk

Assistant House Mistress Mrs Catherine Illsley CMI cillsley@harrowschool.hk

LYON

House Mistress Mrs Kirsty Wilson KHW kwilson@harrowschool.hk

Assistant House Master Mr Chris Mclnnes CPM cmcinnes@harrowschool.hk

NIGHTINGALE

House Mistress Mrs Holly De Vies HDV hdevies@harrowschool.hk

Assistant House Mistress Ms. Connie Hu CMH chu@harrowschool.hk

PARKS

House Mistress Ms Charlotte TownsendCFT ctownsend@harrowschool.hk

Assistant House Mistress Ms Lizzie McGough ECM lmcgough@harrowschool.hk

SHACKLETON

House Master Mr Rian Stone RXS rstone@harrowschool.hk

Assistant House Master Mr Jamie Tsang JXT jtsang@harrowschool.hk

SENIOR HOUSES ANDERSON

House Mistress Mrs Swati Ray SRA sray@harrowschool.hk

Assistant House Mistress Ms Amanda Lam AM amlam@harrowschool.hk

CHURCHILL

House Master Mr Ross Stokley RAS rstokley@harrowschool.hk

Assistant House Mistress Ms Laura Eastaff LFE leastaff@harrowschool.hk

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GELLHORN

House Mistress Ms Naina Nightingale NRN nnightingale@harrowschool.hk

Assistant House Mistress Mrs Georgia Barker GAB gbarker@harrowschool.hk

KELLER

House Mistress Mrs Gillian Nightingale GEN gnightingale@harrowschool.hk

Assistant House Mistress Ms Tiffany Searle TLS tsearle@harrowschool.hk

PEEL

House Master Mr Dom Berner DEB dberner@harrowschool.hk

Assistant House Mistress Ms Helen Cook HXC hcook@harrowschool.hk

SHAFTESBURY

House Master Mr Robert Powell RTP rpowell@harrowschool.hk

Assistant House Master Mr Milo Bellamy MLB mbellamy@harrowschool.hk

SUN

House Master

Mr Oliver Paulin OP opaulin@harrowschool.hk

Assistant House Master Mr Will Bussey WDB wbussey@harrowschool.hk

WU

House Mistress Ms Lee Collins LSC lcollins@harrowschool.hk

Assistant House Mistress Mrs Ella Loosmore ELL eloosmore@harrowschool.hk

MATRONS

Mrs Catherine Illsley CMI cillsley@harrowschool.hk

Mr Mark Edwards MAE medwards@harrowschool.hk

Mrs Melanie Cameron mcameron@harrowschool.hk

Ms Michelle Gedge MSG mgedge@harrowschool.hk

PUPIL DEVELOPMENT & WELLBEING TEAM

Head of Individual Needs

Teacher of Individual Needs

Ms Amanda Lam ALH amlam@harrowschool.hk

Ms Kim Gration KG kgration@harrowschool.hk

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Teacher of Individual Needs

Head of Language and Learning

Teacher of Language and Learning

Language and Learning Support Teacher

The School Psychologist

School Counsellor

KEY EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT

Ms Leanne Chu LXC lchu@harrowschool.hk

Ms Cody Edene CE cedene@harrowschool.hk

Mr Nicholas Stone NJS nstone@harrowschool.hk

Ms Yee To SYT syto@harrowschool.hk

Dr Rachel Gregory rgregory@harrowschool.hk

Ms Lauren Liu RL lliu@harrowschool.hk

General Enquiries info@harrowschool.hk

Lower School Office ls-info@harrowschool.hk

Upper School Office us@harrowschool.hk

Bus Information bus-info@harrowschool.hk

Accounts account@harrowschool.hk

Admissions admissions@harrowschool.hk

Human Resources hr@harrowschool.hk

ICT its@harrowschool.hk

HEADS OF DEPARTMENT

ART

DRAMA

ENGLISH

HUMANITIES

ECONOMICS

GEOGRAPHY

HISTORY AND POLITICS

PRS

LANGUAGES

CHINESE

FRENCH

SPANISH

MATHEMATICS

Mrs Gemma Myles GEM gmyles@harrowschool.hk

Ms Vicky Courtis VLC vcourtis@harrowschool.hk

Mr Dom Rapley DR drapley@harrowschool.hk

Ms Charlene Doherty CMD cdoherty@harrowschool.hk

Mrs Letitia Weinberg LPW lweinberg@harrowschool.hk

Mr David Tuck DPT dtuck@harrowschool.hk

Mrs Sabrina Peck SLP speck@harrowschool.hk

Mrs Jessica Glover JKG jglover@harrowschool.hk

Mr Levi Gao LXG lgao@harrowschool.hk

Ms Lucy White LXW lwhite@harrowschool.hk

Mrs Yolanda Homs YH yhoms@harrowschool.hk

Ms Louise Ackroyd LEA lackroyd@harrowschool.hk

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MUSIC

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Director of Sport

Head of Upper School Sport

Head of Lower School Sport

Academic PE

Athletics

Football

Gymnastics

Netball

Rugby

Swimming

Tennis

LIBRARY & LEARNING LOUNGE

Mr Tom Wiggall TW twiggall@harrowschool.hk

Mr Ian Williams ILW iwilliams@harrowschool.hk

Mr Ben Loosmore BL bloosmore@harrowschool.hk

Ms Hannah Minty HLM hminty@harrowschool.hk

Mr Huw Alexander HJA halexander@harrowschool.hk

Mrs Sarah McMillan SMC smcmillan@harrowschool.hk

Mr Lee Tsang

Mrs Shannon Hobbins SXH shhobbins@harrowschool.hk

Ms Hannah Minty HLM hminty@harrowschool.hk

Mr Chris Kinloch CRK ckinloch@harrowschool.hk

Mr Malcolm Green MJG mgreen@harrowschool.hk

Mr Ross Stokley RAS rstokley@harrowschool.hk

Ms Julia Besnard JAB jbesnard@harrowschool.hk

SIXTH FORM & CAREERS

Director of Sixth Form

Assistant Director of Sixth Form (Head of Year 13), Oxbridge Coordinator and Sixth Form Guidance Coordinator

Assistant Director of Sixth Form (Head of Year 12) and USA Universities Coordinator

EXAMINATIONS

Examinations Officer

Assistant Examinations Officer

SCHOLARSHIPS

Ms Jo Morris JLM jmorris@harrowschool.hk

Mr James Roscoe JRO jroscoe@harrowschool.hk

Ms Jess Darke JAD jdarke@harrowschool.hk

Dr Catherine Clerc CC cclerc@harrowschool.hk

Mrs Sioned Ralph SCR sralph@harrowschool.hk

Head of Scholarships & Bursaries scholarships@harrowschool.hk

TRIPS & EXPEDITIONS

Head of Pupil Leadership

Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Coordinator

CHARITIES & COMMUNITY

Head of Charities & Community Service

Mr Tom Carter TCA tcarter@harrowschool.hk

Mr Phil Harwood PAH pharwood@harrowschool.hk

Ms Wen-Ju Yang WJY wjyang@harrowschool.hk

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72 HARROW INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL HONG KONG 38 Tsing Ying Road, Tuen Mun, New Territories, Hong Kong Tel: (+852) 2824 9099 Fax: (+852) 2824 9928 harrowschool.hk
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