AISHK 2020 Annual Review

Australian International School Hong Kong

Annual Review 2020

Table of Contents 3 Our Mission 4 Board Chairman’s Message 6 Head of School Message 8 Head of Primary Message 11 Primary Curriculum 13 Head of Secondary Message 14 Secondary Curriculum 16 Academic Results and Pathways 20 Admissions Report 22

Staffing Report

25 Finance Committee Report 26 Financial Summary 27

Facilities Committee Report

28 Governance Commitee Report 29 Development & Fundraising

Committee Report

Our Mission To provide a world-class international school where students, through active participation, achieve their personal best and graduate as skilled, influential and responsible international citizens.

3

Board Chairman’s Message On behalf of your Board of Governors, I am pleased to offer this report as part of the 2020 Annual Review.

The Australian International School Foundation Limited (AISFL) Board of Governors comprises members of the Australian Community in Hong Kong who, on a volunteer basis, govern the school. The Board meets regularly to oversee school matters, to receive reports from members of the School Executive, to set strategy for the school, and to guide the direction of the school. There are several Board Committees. These comprise of Governors, School Executive Members and other volunteers who are recruited for their wealth of proven experience and knowledge within relevant fields.

Presently, the Committees are: The Governance Committee led by Ms Kym Fortescue, which reviews school policy, and ensures prudent and transparent management.

The Finance Committee led by Mr Andrew Macintosh, which has ultimate responsibility for the school’s finances.

4

Professor Richard Petty Board Chairman

The Facilities Committee led in 2020 by Mr Adrian Jenkins until his departure in late 2020, which monitors and advises on ongoing maintenance, expansion and capital projects.

The Development and Fundraising Committee led by Dr Joseph Lee, considers fundraising strategies and works with the school’s Development Office to support stakeholder engagement and communications.

During the year the school as celebrated its 25th Anniversary and the Board continued to work closely with the School Executive, representatives of the Parent Association, and the community at large to advance AISHK. Connections with our founding associations were cherished as the community reflected on the hard work and successes of the many individuals and entities who have contributed to AISHK. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the year unfortunately also presented challenges for AISHK, for our community and for Hong Kong. Students, teachers, and families invested much time and effort in transitioning to an online learning environment and their efforts resulted in AISHK being an exemplar for online learning for other schools in Australia and beyond.

Staff and families also were under additional strain due to the limitations placed on travel and because of the financial and economic impacts of Covid-19.

In the midst of this, the Board of Governors regularly met to ensure we did what we could to ensure that AISHK continued to operate at the highest levels possible both educationally and in terms of pastoral care. This was made possible by strong support from the school community, for which we are very grateful.

Two major support measures were provided to AISHK families; the first announced in May, when the Board decided to reduce tuition fees charged for Semester 1 by 15%, and the second in September with Term 3 school fees also reduced by 15%. The steps taken at that time, along with other measures, went beyond those offered by any other school in Hong Kong. The school relies upon the fees paid by parents to operate and we know that parents are making a significant investment when they choose to send their children to AISHK. Understanding this, the Board was hopeful that the support measures would be received positively, and this proved to be the case. It was heartwarming and reassuring to know that when times are tough our community pulls together to find the best way forward.

I wish to thank Head of School during 2020, Mark Hemphill, for his vision and leadership. I also wish to thank members of the School Executive during 2020, Head of Secondary, Howard West; Head of Primary, Brendan Kean; Dean of Studies, Secondary, Peter Phillips; Dean of Studies, Primary, Cameron Reed; Head of Early Childhood, Cathryn Moore; Director of Development and Community Relations, Brigitte McNamara, and Business Administrator, David Christmas, for all their efforts in helping to lead the school.

I thank my colleagues on the Board for their hard work in 2020, and for their support. Importantly, there is experience around the board table in fields of expertise that are directly relevant to overseeing the continued success of the school.

Our celebration of AISHK’s 25th Anniversary in 2020 has been testament to the “can do” Aussie spirit that has cemented our place in Hong Kong as a leading international school, and holds promise of the many great achievements ahead for our students, school and community.

I wish you all the very best for the remainder of the year and I look forward to connecting with you further in 2021.

We are most fortunate to have wonderful and committed staff who are to be commended for their dedication and hard work in 2020 in delivering a world-class education to the students in their care under challenging circumstances.

Every teacher and member of staff, every student, every family member, and every supporter is to be celebrated for their strength and resilience during an incredibly difficult year.

5

Head of School Message As we reflect on the events of 2020, there can be no doubt that we have all experienced a momentous and historic year, which generally occurs once in a century.

The spread of the Covid-19 pandemic has created major, worldwide disruption and impacted the world in ways not experienced in people’s lifetimes. The year has given us pause to reflect on the things that are important and to appreciate our family, friendships and colleagues even more than before.

From a school perspective our students did not have the opportunity to return to school on campus in January in the normal routines for the start of a school year. This caused a lot of anxiety for many, in particular our new enrolments.

As we navigated this challenge, once we all got our heads around what we needed to do, AISHK staff were thrown into action to become a school of the air. The most important part in all this was to keep our curriculum on track, give parents confidence that we’d be okay and ensure our students felt supported and engaged in this new style of education. Of course, this was not without obstacles, however, I feel we came out the other side a much better school for it.

In May, we were able to return to face-to-face teaching and spent 4-5 weeks on campus before breaking for our Summer mid-year holiday. Unfortunately, however, with the resurgence of Covid-19, we were unable to return to campus in July as planned, having to wait until the end of September before our face-to-face teaching could resume.

In the absence of being able to be on campus over these periods, we successfully implemented online learning for almost three terms of this year. Throughout this year, our online learning program has been modified, adapted and refined based on student feedback to improve their online learning experience. The staff have demonstrated considerable versatility and creativity by being able to readily transfer their teaching online.

6

Mr Mark Hemphill Head of School

Teachers have had to be incredibly adaptable as we have transitioned between online learning and face-to-face teaching on a variety of occasions. Significant professional learning has been focused upon learning the skills, systems and programs necessary for successful and sustained online learning. Many of the staff have shared their expertise by delivering learning opportunities for their peers, and schools across Hong Kong and in Australia have sought our advice.

We would be remiss not to also acknowledge the key role parents have had to play in supporting us in all this – online learning has given you all extra pressures at home in supervising your children in their learning journey whilst maintaining other family commitments.

As much of the year has been spent online, many of our usual activities have had to be cancelled or modified to be able to be delivered successfully. Upon returning to classes on campus, we have had to plan and implement very strict social distancing protocols which have been in place for all the time we have spent on campus this year.

Also, unfortunately, due to the social distancing requirements for schools, parents have not been able to access the campus. As a result, we have not been able to conduct any of our usual Parent Association (PA) or School Community events. The PA Executive has, however, worked diligently to creatively welcome new families to our community through a series of online events.

Through all this - staff, students and parents have been excellent in ensuring that all these protocols have been safely adhered to. We have been very fortunate to be one of the very few schools who have been permitted to offer full day classes as the majority of Hong Kong schools had only been granted permission for half-day classes.

Despite the lengthy time spent online by our Year 12 students this year, their results in both the HSC and IB examinations were nothing short of outstanding.

These outcomes are further detailed in this publication and in the Class of 2020 Pathways.

As a result of operating under Covid-19 restrictions and imposed operational changes, including the cancellation of events and online learning, this Annual Review is an abridged version of the typical Annual Review. All of our sporting events, social events, NAPLAN testing, MMG survey overview, Activity Week and excursions have not been able to be conducted this year, and hence cannot be included in this Review.

Notwithstanding the challenges which 2020 has thrown us as a school community, we have supported each other in our typical Aussie spirit. Given all that we have experienced and endured, the flexibility and adaptability of our community; students, staff and parents alike, has ensured that under a Covid definition, the year has been another resounding success.

Although it is difficult to measure our performance by normal standards, AISHK has demonstrated throughout 2020 that it is truly one of the leading international schools in Hong Kong. We have held our heads high, highlighted and reinforced our considerable strengths as both a school and a community, and got on with the task at hand, educating our students to the best of our ability given the circumstance.

Many thanks must go to our dedicated School Board of Governors, our committed School Executive, our talented staff, our superbly resilient students and our unwaveringly supportive parents.

I thank you all for making 2020 another year that has ensured AISHK remains a world-class school to be proud of.

7

Head of Primary Message In a year of unexpected challenges and the need to be agile and resilient as a school, 2020 has also provided us with many positives. In reflecting on the school year which required us to provide students with a new educational experience, a highlight includes the School and community’s ability to effectively transition between face-to-face learning and online learning. The improved technology skills of both teachers and students has also been embraced and appreciated, as we continue to build and enhance our learning in this area. Adapting with more and more versatility each time, we pivoted to deliver online versions of muchloved events such as the Leadership Assembly, Year 6 Celebration, Jump Jam, athletics day, assemblies, specialist lessons, recitals, parent-teacher interviews, student-led conferences, colouring club and many more. It has been the year to do things differently and we believe at AISHK, we have embraced that notion.

With the shift to online learning in Term 1, the focus of professional learning changed for the year. Early in the year, professional learning aimed to build up teachers’ pedagogical understanding of online teaching and learning, and the various platforms which could be used to deliver the program. As the year progressed, with the innovative thinking and creativity of teachers, the online learning program began to replicate classroom learning very closely.

In Term 4, we shifted our professional learning focus back towards English. We welcomed Sue Pike from Australian Independent Schools New South Wales (AISNSW), who Zoomed with staff during meetings to begin looking at the English curriculum through the lens of a multimodal approach to writing. With all teachers being language teachers, this professional learning included all Primary division teachers.

English will continue to be a school improvement focus for the Primary Division over the next two years.

The wellbeing of students continued to be a priority, with a focus shifting towards how students were feeling about online learning. Teachers created opportunities for students to engage in social interaction online through breakout

8

Mr Brendan Kean Head of Primary

rooms and develop collaborative tasks for students to work on together. When students returned to face-to-face learning in Term 2, School Psychologist, Ms Jean McPherson developed a survey to understand how students were feeling about returning to school. In Term 4, students across the whole school were given the opportunity to reflect on 2020 through the activity, 2020: Through My Eyes. This initiative allowed students to express their perspectives of the year through very creative means.

With students spending much of the year learning from home, we would like to acknowledge and thank AISHK parents for the role they have played in their child’s learning this year. We have appreciated the continued support from parents in enhancing the relationship between home and school, which is pivotal to supporting students’ learning.

I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge our departing Primary leaders and teachers in 2020. From the Primary Leadership Team and School Executive, Dean of Studies, Primary, Cameron Reed whose leadership for 13 years at AISHK has been invaluable and Cathryn Moore, Head of Early Childhood for 3 years, for unwavering attention towards the students under her care. We thank them both for their dedication to the School and we wish them all the best in the future.

Departing teachers include Suzi Vujanovic (18 years), Jo Reed (13 years), Jessica McCarthy (7+ years), Suzanne Sinclair (6 years), Catherine Devitt (6 years), Charde Negus (5 years), Demmin Smith (5 years), Celestine Yeung (4 years), Chris Sheahan (4 years), Lucie Auwerda (1 year).

Our Head of School, Mark Hemphill will also be departing AISHK and Hong Kong, and I take this opportunity to thank him for his outstanding leadership of our School over the past three years.

We wish all teachers and staff the very best in the future and thank them for their service to AISHK. They will be missed by the whole school community.

Although this year has been challenging in many ways, it has also been very rewarding. I believe every one of us including students, teachers and parents now have a greater appreciation for having students learning at school, and we look forward to more of that in 2021.

9

10

Primary Curriculum 2020, a year like no other, where all members of the community faced unprecedented challenges in relation to teaching and learning. I would like to congratulate our students for their resilience, patience and enthusiasm in doing their very best to build upon their knowledge, skills and understanding. I would like to thank our parent and wider community. This year has reflected the importance of working together in partnership. I would also like to thank the school staff. There was a significant learning curve in relation to teaching online, an increased level of support for student wellbeing, as well as a collegial approach to making each day the very best it could be for every student in our care. Whilst we certainly faced challenges, we continued to build on what we had learnt and, as a community, we adapted to ever-changing situations. I would like to highlight some of our successes: Online Learning From very early on, AISHK was proactive in creating a structure which was flexible enough to continue to evolve as the situation changed. There was extensive professional development held outside of school hours to ensure that the learning experiences being offered were the very best they could be. Some of the challenges we overcame, with significant support from our parent community, included being able to offer online learning to every child, as we catered for students in Hong Kong, as well as those in other time zones. We consistently tried to listen to parent feedback and modify accordingly, keeping both the short and long-term factors in mind. We also were overtly aware that just as staff had different levels of IT skills, so too did students and parents.

At the forefront of our minds was trying to create a balance between screen and non-screen time. It became glaringly clear to us that there was no one-size-fits-all model. And yet, we managed to maintain our links with the curriculum, became a lighthouse school in Hong Kong and were called upon to provide advice to schools around the world about our journey. Our homeroom teachers were outstanding, striving to not only educate, but to facilitate, entertain and engage student learning in every lesson. We drew upon skills we

Mr Cameron Reed Dean of Studies, Primary never knew we had. Particular mention must also be made of our specialist teachers who thrived in this environment, modifying and creating innovative online resources, often having to work with up to 100 students at a time.

An Ever-Evolving Classroom Environment When students returned, teachers understood that certain aspects of classroom learning would not be the same, and focused on creating a safe, progressive and engaging environment. So again, we modified the curriculum, with emphasis on key skills rather than knowledge. Dylan William, a well-respected educationalist recently stated, “Students don’t need knowledge in classrooms, they can Google it anytime, they need skills.” We set about providing students the skills which we think are important.

Our Key Takeaways For 2020 Experts often present us with a list of skills which will be required for the future. Below is a list which I believe our students have developed or built upon in spades, as a result of the events of 2020. Perseverance, resilience, lateral thinking, problem solving, empathy, self-discipline, adaptability and innovation - as well as IT skills well beyond those of most adults. As a result, our students will continue to draw from this pool of skills pool to create and do amazing and wonderful things. Parents have played a most important role in keeping students emotionally safe, amongst many other things.

Planning for 2021 is well underway. I leave AISHK at the end of 13 wonderful years. I have been very privileged to be a member of this school community and I hope that I have been able to support your child’s learning either directly or indirectly. In signing off, I would like to wish each of you a restful break with plenty of opportunity for family time or to read a good book.

11

12

Head of Secondary Message

Mr Howard West Head of Secondary

The students of AISHK, supported by their teachers and parents, showed resilience and resourcefulness throughout the challenging 2020 school year. To start and finish their learning in an online mode and embrace the many adjustments required of them was testament to their commitment and stamina. Despite the unorthodox approaches, innovation and student output in practical, research, product, written and spoken form was worthy of the highest commendation.

During that same week, the orientation to Secondary for Year 6 students was conducted, which also had new students for 2021 joining for the day as preparation for the new year. The Year 10 future planning days worked across careers planning and JobSIM role play interviews, as well as successful team building and hiking activities. They included an inspirational visit to Crossroads at Tuen Mun to refresh community service links.

The run of regular school events throughout the year did not happen as planned but still the prefects of 2020 were on task when the opportunity allowed, and thanks goes to them for their work across so many aspects of school life. They also made valuable time to visit the junior year homeroom classes and provide advice to the Year 11 and Year 10 students while preparing for their final years of schooling.

Teachers were thanked for their adaptable and diligent work through the year and thank yous and warm wishes were offered to departing staff: Ms Susan Buzan (Science); Ms Rebecca Parkhouse (English); Mrs Sandra Carter (Mathematics); Ms Elise Kelly (Music and Head of Year 10); Mr Lee Taylor (Head of Science); Mrs Robyn Gregory (Head of Mathematics); Mrs Nadine Vanderhoek-Cosse (Head of French). Their work ranges over the past 17 years and we wish them well in their next appointments and steps in life.

Mr Mark Hemphill was farewelled and thanked sincerely for his three years of leadership at AISHK. He led and managed with great care, insight and consideration.

Once returned from online learning in May, the school had a raft of adjustments, including socialising and common classroom practices and student learning, which continued to flourish. The successful operation of parent-teacher interviews online was a well-received adaptation. The timesaving convenience will find its continuance for all further meeting options.

2020 was a challenging yet successful year where the blending of technology and personal connection kept learning and school-life processes engaging and fruitful.

In the eleven-week run of Term 4 on campus, many activities, as well as the learning and testing schedules, were squeezed into the time. Prominently, the Year 12 Valedictory Assembly and then the Senior Formal were excellent markers of completion for the Year 12 students. The fact that they came after the seamless completion of examinations was a plus, which allowed for an ultimate sense of celebration.

Regular activities for year levels each Friday afternoon were held, and the inter-house soccer tournament and finals had a wide and diverse participation rate leading to wins for Waratah House in the Year 7/8 mixed division, and Wattle House in the Years 9 to 11 mixed division.

The accomplishments of Year 7 camp in Sai Kung over four days were memorable and the staff leadership enabled a very successful set of experiences for the students.

13

Secondary Curriculum Back in January 2020, as the new school year commenced, the Secondary teaching faculty were celebrating the splendid HSC and IB results of our graduating Class of 2019, and brainstorming how the incoming Year 12 cohort might emulate those outcomes. Little did we know that within days, a pandemic would be declared, face-to-face teaching would be suspended in Hong Kong, and our delivery modes of learning would be transformed forever.

The shift to online learning was both swift and unforeseen, and for many students and teachers (myself included), quite unsettling. And while there is no doubt that online lessons can never replace the dynamism and human interaction of the regular classroom, there is so much to celebrate about what has been accomplished in this most extraordinary of years. Most of all, we should take immense pride in the way our brilliant students have handled the many challenges thrown their way, displaying resilience, composure and good humour at all times.

When students finally returned to campus for face-to-face classes – first in May, then again in September – it was easy to focus on coursework and activities that had been “lost”, with “catch up” an imperative for many. But such a mindset ignores the fact that so much has been gained in 2020 – from new skills with technology, to more flexible approaches to assessment, to greater independence and autonomy for students.

14

Mr Peter Phillips Dean of Studies, Secondary

As Benjamin Franklin once noted, often out of adversity comes opportunity, and the very nature of online learning ensured that our students had to be more creative, agile and collaborative in their studies – all core skills for success in the 21st century.

Much educational research focuses on the crucial importance of students connecting their learning in school to real-world situations and problems. The wildly unpredictable realities of 2020 allowed this to happen continually, as students lived and grew through a period of significant human history.

Whether it be our Economics and Commerce students studying the impact of Covid-19 on global markets, or our Design and Art students navigating actual supply chain issues caused by lockdowns, learning seemed more authentic than ever as links were made to the wider world.

As we reached October, all attention turned to our Year 12 class, and whether conditions would allow these outstanding young men and women to complete their HSC and IB examinations. It is impossible to state the sheer relief our whole school community felt when come mid-November, our IB Economics students walked out of the final exam for AISHK students in 2020. For them, this moment brought the curtain down on one of the craziest final years of high school imaginable. We are so deeply proud of this cohort, and regardless of final ATARs and IB scores, these students stand as true role models to all AISHK students. They carry the respect and future best wishes of us all.

As the year ends, I would like to personally thank our

I’ve learned from first-hand experience this year how

Secondary teaching staff and assistants for their tireless

stressful it can be having the whole family home for a school

dedication to our students. Through all the volatility of this

day, so thank you for your patience! Finally, congratulations

year, they have never wavered from their commitment to

to the students of AISHK, who as always have risen to every

provide your children with a truly world-class education.

challenge superbly. Your energy, curiosity and commitment

I would also like to acknowledge the incredible support

to doing your best are the lifeblood of this school.

offered by all our parents and guardians.

15

Class of 2020 Academic Results & Pathways Head of School’s Message On behalf of the school community, I congratulate all Class of 2020 students on their excellent HSC and IB examination results. The pathways and opportunities our students have cultivated for themselves are to be celebrated.

In contrast to the varied school year experienced in 2020, students have been consistently positive, supportive of each other and willing to pursue their studies and do their best. The unwavering support of parents and the dedication of their teachers have also been an essential part of Year 12’s resilience and can-do attitude.

52%

48%

AISHK provides a premier international education for students from Reception to Year 12. Senior secondary students have the option to undertake either the New South Wales Higher School Certificate (NSW HSC) or the International Baccalaureate Diploma (IBDP), creating seamless pathways to universities and tertiary institutions around the world.

25+

Each year, results in public examinations continue to successfully place AISHK students in quality universities and tertiary institutions globally.

This year is certainly no exception.

Different universities attended by 2020 graduates

I wish the Class of 2020 every success in the coming chapter of your lives.

Sincerely,

IB Students

Howard West | Head of School

23+

Areas of study by 2020 graduates

HSC Students

Class of 2020 Tertiary Destinations Australia Australian National University Curtin University International College of Management, Sydney Macquarie University Monash Univeristy Queensland University of Technology Southern Cross University Torrens University University of Melbourne University of New England University of New South Wales University of Sydney University of Technology Sydney University of Tasmania University of Queensland

Arts

Events Management

Architecture

International Studies

Business

Law

Commerce

Music Production

Computer Science

Media & Communications

Criminology

Medicine

Design

Politics

Double Degree

Psychology

Economics

Science

New Zealand

Education

Sports Management

University of Auckland

Engineering

STEM

Hong Kong The University of Hong Kong

Singapore Singapore Management University Nanyang Technological University National University of Singapore

United Kingdom Durham University University of Birmingham University of Exeter University of Surrey

Netherlands University of Amsterdam

Disclaimer: Please note that the placements listed above are correct as at May 2021.

A number of offers are unlisted as they are pending confirmation.

Our Many Measures of Success 29.6

63%

World Average IB Score

37.8 AISHK Average IB Score

of AISHK HSC students achieved in the top two Bands 5 and 6.

AISHK achieved a NSW HSC school ranking of

133rd

in the state, out of 811 schools.

AISHK students scoring above the global IB average

100% AISHK IB students scoring an ATAR of 84 or above

100%

33% of AISHK HSC students were listed on the NSW Distinguished Achievers List, recognised as being the best performing students in NSW.

2 Full IB

Scores!

Of the 126 students worldwide achieving the maximum IB score of 45, 2 were AISHK students.

Combined HSC & IB ATAR Outcomes The Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) is a number between 0.00 and 99.95 which indicates a student’s position relative to all the students in their age group.

ATAR Highlights 99.95 AISHK Highest ATAR

aishk

record!

55%

of AISHK students achieved an ATAR of 90+

91

AISHK Median ATAR

90%

of students were ranked above the median ATAR for the state of NSW

77%

of students achieved an ATAR of 80+

At a Glance: AISHK’s ATAR Range 90 - 100 80 - 89 70 - 79 > 69

a world of opportunity | Aishk global University Destinations AISHK Alumni are accepted into the world’s best universities, including those in Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong and across Asia, UK, USA, Canada and Europe.

The following map shows the tertiary education destinations of our students over the past 7 years.

Europe

Canada

University of British Columbia University of Toronto

usa Berklee University, Boston Boston University California State University San Marcos Colorado University Drew University George Washington University Long Island University Notre Dame University University of California, Berkeley University of California, San Diego University of Chicago University of Illinois University of Nevada, Reno University of Texas

Copenhagen Business School Glion Hotel School, Switzerland Les Roches (International School of Hotel Management) Swiss Hotel Management School University of Amsterdam University of Berlin University of Gottingen St. John’s College, Cambridge University College, London University of Birmingham University of Edinburgh University of Exeter Tsinghua University University of Leeds University of London University of Manchester University of Sheffield University of Surrey University of Sussex University of The Arts, London The Chinese University of Hong Kong University of Westminster The Hong Kong Polytechnic University University of York Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Singapore Management University Warwick University Savannah College of Art and Design Nanyang Technological University The University of Hong Kong National University of Singpaore

United Kingdom Brunel University Cambridge University Cardiff University Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London City University of London Durham University Hult Business School, London Imperial College London Kings College London Lancaster University London College of Fashion London School of Economics Loughborough University Royal Holloway

South Africa Stellenbosch University

AISHK 1 of 16 1 of 30

schools worldwide to offer HSC & IB IB World Schools in Hong Kong to offer the diploma programme

China

Singapore

Hong Kong

Australia

Australian Institute of Music Adelaide University Australian Catholic University, Sydney Australian National University Australian School of Music Ballarat University Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School Charles Sturt University Curtin University Deakin University Flight School South Australia Griffith University International College of Management, Sydney James Cook University LaTrobe University Macquarie University Monash University

Queensland University of Technology RMIT University Southern Cross University Swinburne University of Technology The Hotel School Sydney Torrens University University of Canberra University of Melbourne University of Newcastle University of New England University of New South Wales University of Notre Dame Massey University University of Queensland Otago University University of Sydney University of Auckland University of Tasmania Victoria University of Wellington University of Technology, Sydney Whitecliff College of Art and Design University of Western Australia University of Western Sydney University of Wollongong

New Zealand

Admissions Report In 2020, AISHK Admissions noted some new trends in student enrollments and in prospective parent enquiries. More students re-enrolled at AISHK in 2020 (either on a temporary or permanent basis) than in any previous year. Less students left AISHK at the end of Term 4 2020 (122) compared to Term 4, 2019 (127).

New Enrolments | 2019 and 2020 Despite disruptions and Covid-19 related limitations in 2019 and 2020, AISHK admissions remained stable.

2019

2020

Primary

202

195

Secondary

58

64

Total

260

259

Primary

Secondary

1

125

28

2

9

8

3

46

21

4

15

7

Total

195

64

New Students Per Term in 2020 Term

2020 New Student Passport Nationalities

20

33%

Students Joining AISHK from International Schools in Hong Kong A notable increase in enquiries and student admissions from international schools was recorded. These schools included: American International School Anfield International School Parkview International Pre-School Tutor Time Woodlands Chinese International School Christian Alliance International School Delia School of Canada Discovery College ESF Glenealy School ESF Peak School Harbour School Hong Kong Japanese School Japanese International School International College Hong Kong The International Montessori School German Swiss International School Mount Kelly International School Shrewsbury International School Stamford American International School Think International Victoria Shanghai Academy

30%

24%

A notable increase in enquiries and student admissions from local Hong Kong schools was recorded. These schools included:

New South Wales Abbotsleigh School Abbotsleigh Early Learning Centre Annandale Public School Kambala School Knox Grammar School Lindfield Public School Manly Village Public School Meadowbank Public School Mosman Kinderland Seaforth Public School The Scots College Willoughby Public School

Students from local schools in Hong Kong

Alliance Primary School Cannan Kindergarten CCC Kei Wa Primary School City Kids Creative Primary School Fairchild Nursery & Kindergarten Funful English Primary School Hong Kong Adventist Academy Heep Yunn Primary School HKBUAS Wong Kam Fai Secondary and Primary School HKCA Po Leung Kuk School HKCCCU Logos Academy Holy Family Canossian College Kowloon True Light School Leapfrog Kindergarten Learning Habitat Kindergarten & Bilingual Nursery Maryknoll Convent School Maryknoll Fathers’ School Munsang College Primary School Raimondi College SKH Wei Lun Primary School St.Clare’s Primary School St. Francis’ Canossian School St. Hilary’s Kindergarten St. Johannes College St. Joseph’s Primary School St. Margaret Mary’s Catholic Kindergarten St. Mary’s Canossian College St. Paul’s College St. Stephen’s College Yaumati Catholic Primary School

Students from schools in Australia/NZ

Victoria Camberwell Kindergarten and Childcare Centre Christian College Geelong Geelong Grammar School Melbourne Grammar School Presbyterian Ladies College Wesley College Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Canberra Grammar School South Australia Pembroke School Queensland St Hilda’s School

13%

No previous school or schools in countries other than Hong Kong, Australia and New Zealand

21

Staffing Report Existing Staff at Commencement of 2020 School Year

104

177

73

Non-academic Staff

Academic Staff

Total Staff

Staff Years of Service Years of Service

Number of Staff

1-4 years

82

5-9 years

50

10-14 years

28

15-19 years

11

20+ years

6

Total Staff

177

New Staff at Commencement of 2020 School Year

18

Total New Staff

5

Primary Staff

New Staff Country of Last Teaching Appointment

22

5

Secondary Staff

8

Support Staff

New Staff Country of Passport

Professional Learning With the workplace restrictions in place for Covid-19, the AISHK staff professional learning activities program adapted to smaller targeted professional learning activities with a mix of online and small group activities.

Worldwide, many organisations offered learning opportunities online and a wide spectrum of staff were able to attend and complete a variety of courses, workshops and conferences during the 2020 school year.

Whole School - External Presenter: • Creating Safer International Schools presented

by Maria Costa Consultant AISNSW on 22

January 2020 Primary Division - External Presenter: • Studying the Language Forms, Features and Structures of Imaginative Texts P-6 Part B,

workshop held online with Sue Pike, AISNSW

Facilitator on 3, 17 and 31 August 2020 • AISHK Planning and Programming for

English with year level team, presented by Sue

Pike, AISNSW Facilitator on 6 and 7 October 2020

hours of AISHK Targeted Group Learning

232

hours of IB Diploma Conferences and Workshops

161.5

328

136.5

866

1,884

hours of General and Subject Specific Conferences

hours of Workshops and Tutorials

hours of HSC Conferences, Workshops and HSC Exam Marking

hours of Courses

23

Committee Reports

Finance Committee Report

Mr Andrew Macintosh Chair of Finance Committee

Finance Committee Members:

In line with this, careful consideration was specifically given to what

Mr Andrew Macintosh

can be done to assist AISHK families, given the significant challenges

Mr Tom Corkhill

presented by Covid-19. In May, the Board communicated to AISHK

Dr Dan Hooley

parents that it was evaluating what can be done immediately to

Professor Richard Petty

support families, announcing that there would be no fee increase for 2021. Ordinarily, the decision about school fees for the upcoming

The purpose of the Finance Committee is to oversee financial

school year is made in August, however, the Board wished to

planning and management for the School and to offer advice to

provide timely reassurance given the uncertainty. The Board then

the School Foundation Board on financial matters. It also makes

announced that AISHK will provide a 15 % discount for Term 1,

recommendations to the Board regarding tuition fees, debentures

2 and 3 school fees. Families did not need to take any action to

and capital levy rates, staff salary levels, capital expenditure,

benefit from this reduction which was managed by the school and

operating

automatically credited to parent accounts.

expenditure

(including

professional

development)

and other sources of funding. The Committee oversees the development and management of operating budgets and liaises

This action was taken in line with our commitment to providing

with external auditors to ensure that the School complies with

support, wherever possible, to our community during what has

Hong Kong reporting requirements.

been a challenging time for many.

The Committee works with stakeholders to ensure that sufficient

In addition to the dedication of staff, a collaborative effort was made

investment is made to create a dynamic teaching and learning

by stakeholders, as always, to build and maintain a vibrant school

environment, and is dedicated to attracting, retaining and rewarding

community. The School also benefits financially and otherwise from

the best talent from Australia and around the globe. The Committee

volunteers including parents and friends of the School, members

continues to facilitate the growth and development of the School,

of the Parent Association, Committee members, and members of

while recognising financial constraints and a challenging financial

the Board – all of whom support the school willingly, happily and

environment.

without receiving or expecting any personal, financial reward.

The Committee benchmarks AISHK against other international

I am pleased to report the Foundation’s finances remain in a strong

schools in Hong Kong, in terms of a range of financial indicators.

position, and the School is well-positioned to continue with the

Working with the School Executive, the Board and other

financial resources to deliver a quality Australian education in Hong

stakeholders continue to identify ways in which the School might

Kong. As Chair of the Finance Committee and on behalf of the

operate more effectively and efficiently. In the absence of any

Board, I trust that this balance will serve us well going forward and

external or government financial support, there is an ever-present

I wish the community a positive 2021.

need for the Committee to balance considerations of affordability with the cost of providing a high-quality education.

Thank you to all who ensured the financial balance and resilience of AISHK during a challenging year.

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Australian International School Foundation Limited

Financial Summary

Preliminary Summary of Income and Expenditure Year Ended 31 December 2020

Figures in $000’s

2020

Turnover

152,358

Other Income

17,262 169,620

Staff Costs

126,618

Educational Services

3,320

Administration Expenses

6,655

Facilities Management

10,064

Other Expenses

16,750 163,407

Surplus and Total Comprehensive Income for the Year

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6,213

Facilities Committee Report Facilities Committee Members: Mr Adrian Jenkins Mr Steve Palfrey Mr Ian Marsh Ms Lowan Chu Mr Mark Hemphill Mr David Christmas The Facilities Committee convenes on a regular basis to: •

•

•

•

Review the monthly facilities report from our facilities department Plan and review operations, upgrade projects, renovations and maintenance for all facilities of the AISHK campus Coordinate and assess all Operational Health and Safety (OH & S) and security issues relating to campus facilities Liaise with and seek advice from professional architects with regards to major building projects

Mr Adrian Jenkins Chair of Facilities Committee

Throughout 2020, meetings were held with focus on the planning and implementation of improvement work to the following areas: • •

Refurbishment of classroom areas Continuation of the building repainting program

The timelines for projects were reviewed in collaboration with the Finance Committee so as to ensure prudent decision-making due to limitations and impacts of Covid-19.

I would like to thank the members of the Facilities Committee for their dedication, agility and rich expertise.

It has been a pleasure to serve as Chair of the Facilities Committee in 2020.

All aspects of the campus are taken into consideration, including but not limited to classrooms, bathrooms, gymnasiums and the Aquatic Centre. The committee is tasked with ensuring the entire facility is run smoothly, safely and efficiently, all to serve the school community as best as possible. As the building ages, we recognise that costs relating to maintenance will rise and upgrades will be regularly reviewed.

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Governance Committee Report Governance Committee Members: Ms Kym Fortescue Dr Dan Hooley Mr Tom Corkhill Mr David Chan Ms Tracy Gliddon Mr Ryan Neelam It has been my pleasure to serve as Chair of the Governance Committee in 2020.

The Governance Committee is responsible for: • •

•

Reviewing and renewing School policies Making recommendations regarding processes of regulation, organisation and management to the full school Board Ensuring prudent and transparent leadership of the School

In 2020, committee continued to collaboratively review a range of School Policies in line with the regular review schedule. These included the:

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• • • •

Ms Kym Fortescue Chair of Governance Committee

Whistleblower Policy Fees Policy Board Diversity Policy School Ethics Policy

In 2020, the Governance Committee worked closely with Mr Mark Hemphill, Head of School and the School Executive to navigate and adapt in light of Covid-19-related circumstances.

The Nomination Committee continued its work in 2020 and welcomed Mr Ryan Neelam onto the committee.

I wish to thank the members of the Governance Committee for their commitment and hard work throughout 2020 and I trust that the planning and achievements of the group place us in good stead and preparation for 2021.

Development & Fundraising Committee Report Governance Committee Members: Dr Joseph Lee Ms Natalie Glanville Mr Gavin McDougall Mr Mark Hemphill Ms Brigitte McNamara

As a result, 2020 priorities shifted from usual fundraising strategies to collaborating with the Development Office and Parent Association to enhance parent and community engagement in an online learning environment. This was achieved in a number of ways, including: •

The responsibilities of the Development and Fundraising Committee (DFC) include stakeholder engagement and fundraising initiatives. The committee also collaborates with the AISHK Development Office in considering marketing and communications strategy and in its function of supporting the Parent Association (AISHK PA) to achieve community engagement. The DFC has this year worked to establish and action various new strategies and to further build on existing foundations for continued success.

The committee benefits from the expertise and community connections of Board members and support from staff, parents and wider school community for fundraising success.

In usual circumstances, fundraising is achieved through income from community events, raffles and auctions, corporate sponsorship, or donations from parents. Due to the nature of Covid-19 restrictions throughout 2020, and in line with the Board’s awareness of the financial sensitivities experienced by many in the school community, the focus of the Development Committee for the year was reviewed and adapted.

Dr Joseph Lee Chair of Development & Fundraising Committee

•

•

Digitisation of introductory events, in both pre- recorded and livestream formats Connecting new AISHK families by residential location and child’s age, in a collaborative effort by the AISHK PA New Parent Coordinators, Admissions team and Development Office Facilitating opportunity for families to socially connect with each other further as they wished and as was permissible at the time

2020 marked a very special year for AISHK – the School’s 25th Anniversary. In a year which would normally see celebration of our school’s community-led history and foundation, festivities and social interaction, we were faced with the challenge of honouring this milestone, and all who helped us to reach it, under evolving restrictions. Such limitations included very little permitted on-campus learning or activity. All possible preparations, contingencies and negotiations were prudently undertaken in hope of being able to offer events such as the annual Welcome Festival, Mother’s and Father’s Day events, 25th Anniversary Dinner at Kerry Hotel Ballroom and the end-of-year Jingle and Mingle Carols Evening on the school field.

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Whilst, unfortunately, none could proceed, financial outgoings and cancelation penalties were avoided thanks to the expertise and connections of the AISHK PA. The Development Office worked with students, parents, staff, Alumni, AISFL Board members and AISHK founding associations to complete a range of commemorative Anniversary projects including: •

• • •

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Anniversary Film: “Celebrating 25 Years of

AISHK: Who We Are Today” 25th Anniversary Yearbook 2021 Special Anniversary Edition Lion Rock Weekly Throwback Series on AISHK social media

The Development Office continued its dedication to producing video content and an environmentally sustainable publications program. The new AISHK website was launched in 2020 with a refreshed look, functionality and strategy to better accommodate its target audiences. We thank all community members for their valued contributions to ensure the success of these projects.

I would like to thank the Development and Fundraising Committee members for their continued commitment and ongoing understanding and support during a challenging year. I look forward to working with you in 2021.

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Australian International School Hong Kong T: +852 2304 6078 F: +852 2304 6077 3A Norfolk Road, Kowloon Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong