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SCHOOLS
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FAMILY
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ACTIVITIES
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DREAMS
Schools Guide Hong Kong edition
September 2016
BACK TO SCHOOL Which one is right for your child?
New international schools and how to get places
Exclusive access and original reporting
Talking heads
Principals reveal all After-school activities
1 | Expat Parent Schools Guide
Expat Parent
September 2016
Schools Guide Hong Kong edition
4 New schools
The lowdown on Hong Kong’s newest international schools and extra school places.
14 International vs. local
p.53
Karin Wetselaar Principal Of Jockey Club Sarah Roe School The challenges of being a principal?
Trying to do your best all the time for the students and the families. Juggling and balancing what needs to happen, prioritising, making sure the students are always at the centre of everything we do.
We talk to parents who have chosen the local education system rather than Hong Kong’s international schools.
p.10
18 Homeschooling
Find out how one family educate their children from home.
22 School visits
Exclusive entry into Hong Kong’s schools.
24 Kindergarten 30 Primary 40 All-through and secondary
56 After school activities
Fun activities for kids.
62 Tuition
p.40
Our pick of tuition centres and private tutors.
66 Family fun days out
Explore the best of Hong Kong and keep the whole family happy.
72 Directory
p.58
School listings.
80 Dreams
p.46
Principals share their childhood dreams.
“It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.” - Albert Einstein Expat Parent Schools Guide | 1
Editor’s letter
Expat Parent
Schools Guide Hong Kong edition
Editorial
editorial@fastmedia.com.hk
Editor Callum Wiggins
Contributing Editor Carolynne Dear
Contributing editor Shreena Patel
Contributing editor Annie Wong
Design
cindy@fastmedia.com.hk
Senior Graphic Designer Cindy Suen
Our School Writers
ads@fastmedia.com.hk
Sales and Marketing Executive Egbert Cheung
Sales and Marketing Executive Maria Jones
charmaine@fastmedia.com.hk
Digital Marketing Manager Charmaine Mirandilla
Rebecca Simpson
Carolynne Dear
Annie Wong
Shreena Patel
Kate Springer
Mawgan Batt
Sales and Marketing Executive Bonnie Li
Accounting Executive Jason To
Digital Marketing
their children based on a number of variables, and what is right for one family may be very different for another. We have spoken with families who have decided not to go down the international school route and instead have opted to send their children to local Chinese-speaking schools. Read their stories on page 14. Sending their children to any school wasn’t the right option for one family, find out more about why one set of parents decided to homeschool on page 18. Tuition services, after school clubs and some great ideas for family days out round out our guide. From a school’s reputation, to its curriculum, location, and of course its cost, there are many factors to consider when deciding which one is right your child. We hope that our guide may go someway to helping you make that decision. Happy learning and good luck!
Graphic Designer Anna Schulteisz
Sales & Marketing
Sales Manager Oliver Simons
W
elcome to our annual Schools Guide. We are delighted to share with you our guide packed full of information on Hong Kong’s schools by our team of top education writers. Choosing the right school for your child can be a daunting process and it’s hard to know where to start. In our guide, you will find original reporting from writers who have personally visited each school and spent time speaking with the students, teachers and principals. We have gone beyond the school gates to find out what makes each school unique. See what’s going on in the city’s kindergartens, primary and secondary schools from page 22. Hong Kong’s international school scene is due to become even more competitive in the years to come when thousands more places become available as new schools arrive and current schools expand. Find out the latest on page 4. Parents make a decision on where to school
Publisher
tom@fastmedia.com.hk
Tom Hilditch
2 | Expat Parent Schools Guide
Contributors Robyn Ma Eric Ho Kimberley Woo Evie Burrows-Taylor Sérgio Marçal Stephanie Brown Contact us Admin: 3568 3722 Editorial: 2776 2773 Advertising: 2776 2772 Published by Fast Media Ltd, L1 Kai Wong Commercial Building, 222 Queens Road Central, Hong Kong Printer Apex Print Limited, 11-13 Dai Kwai Street, Tai Po Industrial Estate, Tai Po, Hong Kong
www.fastmedia.com.hk Expat Parent Schools Guide is published by Fast Media Limited. This magazine is published on the understanding that the publishers, advertisers, contributors and their employees are not responsible for the results of any actions, errors and omissions taken on the basis of information contained in this publication. The publisher, advertisers, contributors and their employees expressly disclaim all and any liability to any person, whether a reader of this publication or not, in respect of any action or omission by this publication. Expat Parent Schools Guide cannot be held responsible for any errors or inaccuracies provided by advertisers or contributors. The views herein are not necessarily shared by the staff or publishers. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher.
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new schools
4 | Expat Parent Schools Guide
new schools
Hong kong’s new schools Brand new international schools and school expansions will add thousands of school places over the next few years. We have the lowdown.
Expat Parent Schools Guide | 5
new schools
French International School
I
n the past decade Hong Kong has seen an influx of French professionals, and their families, to the city. So it comes as no surprise that the French International School (FIS) is expanding. In 2018 the school will throw its doors open at a new campus in Tseung Kwan O, increasing in size to accommodate over 3,000 students across multiple campuses. Currently, FIS boasts four campuses in Hong Kong and runs two streams of education – the French stream and the International stream. The new state-of-the-art Tseung Kwan O campus will cater for both French and International stream students will have the chance to learn side-by-side. The campus is being pegged as one of the most innovative and green schools in the city with a “villa concept” at the core of its design. While classes from both streams will share the
6 | Expat Parent Schools Guide
villa space, a large central shared area with retractable walls will allow all students and staff to mix and mingle in the hope of greater fluidity between the streams. Since 2008, FIS has been annually awarded an international “Eco-School” by the Foundation for Environmental Education. The new Tseung Kwan O campus will see the school deliver a new level of sustainable building design and integration throughout the new campus. It will feature a botanical garden with native Hong Kong flora for students and the community to share sustainable development projects and activities. This eco garden will be maintained by the student body. The campus will also serve the local community, allowing access and shared facilities for the immediate community out of school hours. For more information, visit www.fis.edu.hk
NEW S PU CAM
ENROL ONLINE AT www.esf.org.hk INSPIRING FUTURES
Open to ESF & Non ESF Students
ESF Sports
ENROL ONLINE
Develop your child's love of sport with ESF Sports Not only will our fun classes with progressive and competitive pathways develop your child's sporting abilities, our enthusiastic and qualified coaches will also instil a love of sport. Join us!
Basketball Football Netball Swimming Multi Sports - starts at age 2! Gymnastics Kung Fu Tennis Many locations around Hong Kong
sports@esf.org.hk F
ESF SPORTS
Tel: 2711 1280
www.esf.org.hk
Expat Parent Schools Guide | 7
new schools
american school hong kong
NOW OPE N
Having just opened its brand new doors to students at the start of the current school year, ESOL Education’s American School of Hong Kong becomes part of the family of more than 11,000 students at ESOL’s nine schools around the world. The American School of Hong Kong is a non-denominational, not-for-profit school offering the US Common Core curriculum with an IB Diploma programme in the High School. The first school year sees a single class for Kindergarten through to Grade Six. A Middle and High School will be added in the next couple of years, and once at capacity, the school will have three classes for each grade level. Annual tuition fees range from $137,500 to $169,000 per year. Email admissions@ashk.hk or call 3974 8554 for more details.
malvern COllege Hong kong The foundations have been laid for Malvern College, the latest British to arrive in Hong Kong. Originally founded in Worcestershire, UK, in 1865, the school ranks within the top 5% of UK schools nationally. Malvern’s Hong Kong-based independent, co-educational day school aims to eventually provide 960 spaces for primary and secondary students in the Territory. It will use the International Baccalaureate as its backbone curriculum, along with a broad cocurriculum focusing on sport, drama and the arts. The school will be placing special emphasis on Chinese, developing a tailored Mandarin curriculum in conjunction with Beijing Normal University. There will be further exchange opportunities for students with Malvern’s sister schools in Qingdao and Chengdu. 8 | Expat Parent Schools Guide
OPEN 2018
Malvern also aims to be the first school in Hong Kong to introduce the Forest School curriculum, where students are encouraged to interact and learn from nature. The school will be located adjacent to Hong Kong Science Park in Tai Po, New Territories,
and hopes to open its doors to students in September 2018. The admissions process begins this September. For more details, see malverncollege.org.hk
Expat Parent Schools Guide | 9
new schools
Mount Kelly International School OPEN 2017
Mount Kelly International School, due to open for the start of the new school year in 2017, will be the first overseas campus for the prestigious British boarding school. Located in So Kwun Wat in Tuen Mun, Mount Kelly International School will be a fully co-educational day school for children aged five to 13. Small class sizes and extended school days will allow for a broad curriculum culminating in students sitting the Common Entrance exam, the U.K. school’s benchmark exam. This will
allow students to move onto U.K. schools or remain within the international school system in Hong Kong or abroad. Divided into three phases, the school development is due to be completed by 2019 at which point the school will boast an auditorium capable of holding up to 564 people, a 25 metre climate-controlled indoor swimming pool, an indoor sports arena, as well as a radio and TV studio for students to create multimedia content. Applications are open from this September
shrewsbury school Shrewsbury is one of England’s oldest independent schools, established in 1552 under Edward VI as a grammar school for the local town. Old boys include naturalist Charles Darwin, authors Samuel Butler and Nevil Shute, and BBC broadcasters John Peel and Michael Palin. Its first international school opened in Bangkok in 2003, offering a British education for children aged three to 18. In Hong Kong, Shrewsbury International School will be a co-educational primary campus for up to 850 students, about a 10-minute walk from Lohas Park MTR in Siu Chik Sha, Tseung Kwan O. Due to open in 2018, applications should begin in late 2017 and tuition fees will be about $170,000 a year. For more information, contact www.shrewsbury.org.uk 10 | Expat Parent Schools Guide
N OPE 8 1 0 2
and are expected to cost from $1,500. School fees are expected to start from $155,000 per year for students in Years 1 and 2 and up to $180,000 for Years 7 and 8. All applicants must hold either an Individual Nomination Certificate (INC) or Corporate Nomination Certificate (CNC) which currently stand at $1.92 million per child and $5 million for three children respectively. For more details, see www.mountkelly.com.hk
Expat Parent Schools Guide | 11
new schools
the harbour school
DROP P ANCH ED IN AP OR LE CHAU I
The new Grove campus at The Harbour School
The Harbour School is opening its new high school this year to create an ‘all-through’ international school. Beginning with Grades 9-11 in the 2016/2017 academic year, this will extend to grade 12 the following year. The new campus - The Grove - is currently under renovation and will welcome students into the state-of-the-art campus by the end of 2016. Continuing to promote its affinity with the world’s oceans, the new campus will house a wet laboratory for marine science studies. Ten Forward - a futuristic rooftop cafeteria and
lounge - was designed by a senior student of the school which will be used by staff and students while a ground floor courtyard will be shared with the Ap Lei Chau community. Adhering to Principal Jadis Blurton’s vision for the school, the new campus has been designed and constructed creating as little impact on the environment as possible with upcycling and retrofitting the existing building a priority. Accepting only 160 students in order to continue providing a highly individualised education, the inclusive and diverse school offers an adapted
American curriculum with Advanced Placement courses. Both campuses in Ap Lei Chau - The Grove and The Garden - feature flexible learning spaces with folding and movable walls, with bright, open and sociable areas. Annual tuition fees at The Harbour School will range from $152,600 - $170,400. Visit www.ths.edu.hk for more information on the application process.
Safari Kids Pre-School L FUL RE A C DAY
Safari Kid is set to open a daycare centre that will be the first of its kind in Hong Kong - offering unaccompanied daycare for one to two-and-ahalf year olds. The international group currently operates a preschool in Pok Fu Lam. “While Hong Kong is a domestic helper-driven childcare market, we’ve had several parent requests for short and long 12 | Expat Parent Schools Guide
unaccompanied classes for the under-two age group”, says Safari Kid managing director, Aniruddh Gupta. “There are an increasing number of working expat couples with young children who are not necessarily comfortable leaving their children with domestic helpers for the entire day. We offer a specialised early childhood environment, with trained staff and quality care”. While Hong Kong laws stipulate a ratio of one caregiver to every eight children under the age of two, the Happy Valley-based nursery will provide one caregiver for every three children. Nursery staff aim to work closely with parents to customise each child’s routine to make sure that nap-times and feed-times work for the family’s schedule. The centre will offer two hour, four hour and full day (eight hour) options, either daily, or two or three days per week.
The Nursery will be filled with toys and play equipment curated and imported from the UK - further facilities include an indoor play and activity area as well as a small outdoor area for messy play and outdoor activities. For more information, contact infohk@safarikidasia.com. sg
Expat Parent Schools Guide | 13
international vs. local
We chose the local system Kate Springer talks to parents who have opted against the international school system and sent their children to Cantonese-speaking schools in Hong Kong.
notices. Tons of messages come home all the time, but you do feel like you have less input in the school because you can’t communicate as easily. The kids are responsible from day one. Olive goes to a homework club after school as we can only help her with the English homework. I was unsure about this at first but it’s a very relaxed club, they eat snacks and do it in their own time. How do you feel about the education style? It is a lot of rote learning. In order to learn Cantonese, you have to learn the order of the strokes and memorise over 3,000 characters before you can actually read. We don’t have an issue when it comes to Chinese and maths. As long as I can take them to a gallery and teach them how to look at something critically as they grow up, then I feel like the balance is OK. We are lucky that my schedule is more flexible.
The McColl Probert family.
Family 1: The McColls Eleanor McColl Probert British-born artist and educator, Eleanor McColl, moved to Hong Kong 16 years ago and set up her own art school. She met her husband William Probert within the first week and never left. They have three kids: Olive, seven; Arthur, five; and Oscar, two. When did you start thinking about what kind of school your kids would go to? Even before we had kids, we both agreed that we would love to send them to a local kindergarten, so that they’d speak Cantonese. William grew up here and doesn’t speak any Cantonese, so that was our main priority. We wanted them to speak the local language first and we thought Mandarin could come along more easily later. 14 | Expat Parent Schools Guide
So what was your plan? The plan was to send them to a local kindergarten and then international school from primary upwards. But when it came to switching, we got accepted to two international schools and we weren’t sure what to do. Giving up those places was a very hard decision. A few friends who already had kids in local schools said that if we pulled them out at age five, they would lose all their Cantonese language skills by the time they were 18. Being fluent in another language felt like a gift we could give them and, as they were both really happy and we loved the system, we thought let’s just do it as long as we can. Are you able to communicate with teachers and help with homework? There’s an app that gives the translation in English and Cantonese so parents can all read
How do you keep up with their English language skills? Both my mum and sister are English teachers, so I check in with them now and again about the books that the kids should be reading. We read every day and Olive is devouring books like most of her friends the same age. But because the kids are learning two languages at the same time, there can be some time delays depending on the child. Arthur’s reading is not where Olive’s was at this age but he is a different child and eventually it will come, I’m pretty relaxed. What are the prices like? Government schools are totally free, although there is a small token of $41 a month for kindergarten as opposed to several thousand dollars at international kindergartens. We pay for the uniforms and the books. It’s amazing value for being fluent in another language. What else do you hope they get out of it? If they live in Hong Kong, or move back here in their 20’s or 30’s, then speaking the language will be a real asset. They should be able to get along in both communities having grown up here and full immersion is the best way to do that - even if it does mean my kids grow up with a love of fish balls… sg
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international vs. local
The Buist boys.
Family 2: The Buist family Oonah Buist Edinburgh native Oonah Buist moved to Hong Kong in 1994 with her now-husband. She has three sons: twins Tristan and Kasper, both 11, and Myron who is seven. Buist explains how her kids ended up in a local government school and how she’s come to embrace it. When did your children first go to a Cantonese-speaking school? We enrolled them into a kindergarten where the teachers did not speak any English to them. The twins did two years there and continued at a primary school next door. A year into that, the primary school announced that it was closing down after 90 years. We were completely lost really. But the board of directors helped us to arrange a transfer to a school in North Point. Our youngest followed them there when he finished kindergarten. How would you compare the Chinese and Western philosophies of education? You want your kids to be happy, thrive and do well, not be left behind and left out. So what makes a happy child? Is it a child who can achieve great grades at school and develop skills? Or is it a kid who develops naturally through play and socialisation? The Chinese philosophy is that a child will be happier if they have the skills. You don’t make a child happy by telling them to draw a picture without teaching them how to draw. In the Western world, you would be very well 16 | Expat Parent Schools Guide
trained if you have talent. So you sit down and draw something amazing at age four, then you will probably get instruction and teaching from then on. But if you scribble on your paper when you’re four, then you risk being labeled inartistic forever. How do you feel about the Hong Kong school system? People criticise the school system but, personally, I don’t know how you’d learn the language and the characters without doing it this way. It’s something astronomical like learning five new characters a day, every single day. If you think about it, it’s massive. Chinese is like building a house and if your first level doesn’t work out that well, your second level will be a complete disaster. It’s a very cumulative way of learning. What surprised you about yourself — or your kids? Some people might be relaxed about it but it’s so hard to see your child failing all their exams, and look at your child’s face and how upset they are. At first I thought it doesn’t really matter how much they learn because anything they pick up will be a bonus, but that’s not true. If they can’t achieve what they want to achieve, it matters terribly for their self-esteem. So have they picked up Chinese? What about their English? I think it’s a myth that kids can just sop up nine languages like a sponge. My own experience is that what you gain in one you
lose in the other. You can’t have the same level of English if you attend a Chinese school for eight years. It’s all very well if the parents speak English at home, but we are so busy now with the Chinese homework, exams, piano lessons and tennis, that we don’t have time to chat about dormant volcanoes and vacillation. Why did you choose Cantonese instead of Mandarin? I had been trying to learn Chinese for ten years and realised how hard it was. Our children would be born here, living their life here, yet if they ever wanted to speak as an adult they would have to go through what I went through to speak badly. In a way, as British parents, you think of your children as British. But they’re not British. They are actually Hong Kong kids and the expat side is only one side of Hong Kong. We felt that culturally it would be great if they knew their home in their home’s own language. What do your kids think about learning Cantonese? Someone said to the little one, ‘You speak really good Chinese!’ And he said, ‘Of course I do, I am half Chinese!’ At first, I was really shocked. I said, ‘No, darling, you’re not at all Chinese!’ And he looked at me and he said: ‘No, mummy, I know that I’m not Chinese by blood. But I’m half Chinese because I was born in Hong Kong, I live in Hong Kong, I go to a Chinese school, I speak Chinese, I eat Chinese food. Doesn’t that make me half Chinese?’ It’s a very interesting question. sg
Friendships and a sense of belonging that will last a lifetime. As parents, we make choices all the time that impact our children. Whether it’s what we choose to eat for dinner, where we cho0se to live, or what school they will attend, these choices affect their lives in many ways. It feels great when you know that you have made the right choice. HKA has sparked my daughter’s love for science, empowering her to explore and engage the world with a questioning mind. The school’s skilled and caring faculty have guided her to take action and express herself and helped her to forge her own pathway to success. At HKA, her friendships have flourished, and she knows that she belongs. As a parent, it’s really rewarding to know that we chose the right school for her. — Grade 7 Parent
HKA is an IB World School offering a rigorous education for children ages 3 to 18. Come visit us in Sai Kung to learn more about our dynamic learning community. For more information or to schedule a tour, please contact our admissions team at admissions@hkacademy.edu.hk. learning, growing, understanding
www.hkacademy.edu.hk
Find us on the web.
Expat Parent Schools Guide | 17
homeschooling
keep it in the family
Kate Springer meets the Hong Kong parents who are homeschooling their children.
Parents Brynn and Josh Steimle read with their children at home.
Brynn Steimle Originally from the US, Brynn and Josh Steimle have two kids: 7-year-old daughter Magdalena and 5-year-old son James. The organiser of Hong Kong Homeschool Meetup group (www.meetup.com/hongkong-homeschool), Brynn explains why she and her husband think homeschooling is the best option for their family. At what point did you start thinking about homeschooling? I grew up with friends who were homeschooled, and by the time I was a teenager, I already knew I wanted to homeschool my children. My husband was interested in homeschooling before he met me too. As Magdalena, our oldest child, grew up, the thought of sending her off to preschool did not appeal to me. I didn’t want to give up that time with her and I also didn’t like the idea of sending her to be shaped by other adults whose backgrounds and values I didn’t know.
18 | Expat Parent Schools Guide
When and why did you move to Hong Kong? We moved to Hong Kong in June 2013 because we were in the process of adopting a child from China. We wanted to live in Asia as a family and become more familiar with Chinese culture and language — to help us better understand our daughter’s native culture. We feel like living here will help with the transition for her and for our whole family. How old were the kids when you moved to Hong Kong? When we moved to Hong Kong, James was three and Magdalena was five. We opted to keep James at home, for the same reasons we didn’t send Magdalena to preschool. Although we had originally planned to continue homeschooling Magdalena, we felt that in Hong Kong there were two things she could learn at school that we couldn’t teach her well at home: Chinese language and Chinese culture.
How did Magdalena do in school? We opted to send her to half-day K3 at a local Cantonese-language kindergarten that we had heard great things about. Prior to entering K3, she was fun-loving and loved learning. But the homework was excessive, and combined with frequent oral and written testing at the school, she was no longer excited about learning. She also started complaining regularly of stomachaches. At first, we thought she might have a gluten intolerance, and altered her diet. But nothing changed. What did you do? It was very difficult to get her to go to school after each break and she began to miss a lot because of her stomachaches. In May of 2014, two months before the end of the school year, we withdrew Magdalena from school and began homeschooling her. It didn’t take long for the stomach aches to disappear, and we realised they were actually anxiety-induced.
Expat Parent Schools Guide | 19
homeschooling
What were you worried about going into it? It’s a lot of pressure — I am not an expert on everything my kids want to learn about, but there are so many resources available online and at the library. What I want more than anything is for my kids to love learning. There are plenty of people out there who think our decision is strange or even crazy, but I’m confident we are doing what is best for our children. Did you feel confident about teaching? I am the primary teacher, but Josh contributes a lot. He is a self-employed entrepreneur and works from home most of the time. When we began homeschooling, I was self-conscious and lacked confidence. It’s scary venturing into unknown territory, and when none of your close friends or family is doing it, it can feel lonely. How did you come up with lesson plans? I began by reading books and articles online about different home education styles and approaches. Then I joined homeschooling groups and talked to other parents about their curriculum choices.
The Steimle family use the whole of Hong Kong as their classroom.
What other activities do they do? We do lots of arts and crafts, but our kids also experience a lot of real-life learning and activities outside the home like dance, piano, and gymnastics lessons, as well as nature walks, hikes, swimming, and snorkeling. Because our kids are with us all day, they also get to experience a lot of normal, adult life.
12cm Height and 19 cm Width.
Many people think homeschooling is illegal in Hong Kong. What’s the situation? It’s legal, but part of the confusion is caused because the EDB does not formally “approve” homeschooling and there is not a formal application process. One does not “apply” to homeschool. Rather, they notify the EDB that they are homeschooling by emailing and then the EDB will follow up with questions. sg
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Contact us on www.tute.hk 20 | Expat Parent Schools Guide
Do Allergies and Nutrition Affect Learning?
Allergies distract children & impair sleep
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Sleep disturbances from nose allergies reduce classroom attentiveness
Centre du Sommeil et de la Vigilance, Paris, France
Modern diets and vitamin deficiencies limit availability of vital Omega 3’s - EPA & DHA, essential to learning, mood and attention
Centre for Evidence-Based Intervention, University of Oxford, UK
Optimal health, comfort, sleep and nutrient levels enhance focus, memory and attention.
Help Children the Natural Way… For more information log on to www.mayahealthinstitute.com & www.sonalh.com Expat Parent Schools Guide | 21 20/F, Thyrse House, 16 Pottinger Street, Central; Tel: (852) 3568-3135 ; E-mail: info@mayahealthinstitute.com
school visits
School visits
Expat Parent has exclusive entry into Hong Kong’s schools. Join us on a behind the scenes tour of what’s going on. 22 | Expat Parent Schools Guide
school visits
Expat Parent Schools Guide | 23
kindergartens
KINDERGARTENs Miles ELP International School Nursery teacher Amanda Jones shows us around Miles ELP International Academy in Repulse Bay.
Messy place at Miles ELP International School.
E
very day we start our class with free play to settle the children into the start of the school day. Some children choose to play with their favourite toys and some help me with classroom tasks such as watering the plants, feeding our class pet Rollie, and preparing snacks. We then have circle time to talk about the theme of the day that is related to our monthly inquiry unit; children also greet each other and sing songs together during circle time. After that, it is exploration time – four to five learning stations are set up for children to freely explore. They mainly involve language (English and Mandarin), logical thinking, science, practical life and art and craft. This structure allows children to learn at their own pace and it motivates them to learn based on their interest and ability. It also gives teachers time to work with children individually. After exploration, we have snack time and playground. Depending on the weather and pollution, we sometimes stay indoors or go to the beach or our rooftop garden. After that, we either have music time with our professional 24 | Expat Parent Schools Guide
musician teachers, show and tell, imaginative play, library time, or a volunteer parent might lead an activity. We then have a little quiet time before finishing the class where children can read books, draw or play with building blocks. Each month we have one inquiry unit which we use to teach across subjects. This creates a cohesive learning environment which helps children to relate one idea to another. Based on this inquiry unit, and with reference to Early Years Foundation Stage Framework of the British National Curriculum (EYFS), we design four to five learning stations every day. Our Experiential Learning Program (ELP) emphasises hands-on experiences and motivating children to find answers to their questions independently. Most inquiry units are followed by outings or meetings with specialists to help children understand that what they learn in the classroom is useful in their daily life, motivating them to learn more. For example, we have an inquiry unit on ‘Space’. We enhance children’s language skills
by having them role play astronauts and go through the names of items we see in space and the space station. We make planets using yarn (children practice their hand movement by wrapping around a balloon using yarn and compare the sizes of the planets. To help children understand concepts of 2D and 3D, we have them use different shapes to design rockets on paper, then provide them with building blocks of different shapes and ask them to construct a 3D rocket based on their 2D designs. We love to take the children out onto the beach or to our rooftop garden to explore and discover too. Repulse Bay is a beautiful place. sg
Expat Parent Schools Guide | 25
kindergartens
Hamilton Hill International School Teachers Aileen Doyle and Waiyin Suen give an insight into a day at Hamilton Hill.
Teachers Aileen Doyle and Waiyin Suen with their class.
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e are lucky to have similar teaching styles and values in the classroom so co-teaching was relatively smooth from the start. Aileen has bags of energy and I like to think we keep each other on our toes in the activities we do. We make the bilingual environment as comfortable as we can by keeping it fun. A typical day at Hamilton Hill starts with our morning routines usually related to the unit of inquiry we are working on. We are also practising hard for our next drama presentation so this takes up a large part of our day. Of course we also have other regular routines such as snack time and music activities and
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we ensure a bilingual environment throughout the day. The highlight of our day is definitely drama time. This is when our students really spring to life. We find that our students are most relaxed when focused on drama work. We like to do lots of ‘hands on’ activities and we love messy play, so if you follow our lead prepare to get your hands dirty. We are a bit of a silly school I suppose! We laugh a lot, dance to silly songs and get messy with our play. The staff here are a bunch of big kids too really, the director plays the guitar for us, our rabbit has a funny ear and there’s always a silly drama going on. sg
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kindergartens
Woodlands Beachside Campus, Repulse Bay Catherine Jenkins, pre-school teacher, shows us around the Woodlands Repulse Bay Campus
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he highlight of my day is when we open the doors to the children and see their happy smiling faces arriving in class full of enthusiasm. It’s a wonderful start to the morning! It is lovely to see our students arrive at school keen and eager to start their day which begins with developmental play. This is a time for children to gain independence when selecting an activity of their choosing. Throughout the morning and afternoon children have the opportunity to join in with circle time, teacher-led activities, snack-time and our wonderful outside playground and indoor playroom with its very own ice-cream van and fish and chip shop. Growing up in the UK, I always lived near the beach so being based on the Southside suits me down to the ground. I have sea views
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from our classroom as well as from my home in Stanley. We follow the Early Years Foundation stage or EYFS of the British National Curriculum and use the early learning goals as a base for our curriculum plans. It is so rewarding for us to see the children grow into independent learners while preparing them for the challenges that face them in primary schools. We encourage working in partnership with parents and support an open door policy. The children’s parents have the opportunity to come in for a snack and story and join in with special events. If the children have family visiting, especially grandparents, it is lovely to see them too. sg
kindergartens Year 1 Interviews: What to expect Anne Murphy of ITS Education Asia (School Advisory Services) explains what you can expect at your child’s school interview for entrance to Year One. In Hong Kong, a child’s first interview could be at the age of just two-and-a-half years old to get into Kindergarten One. Of course, not all students who attend interviews for kindergarten are accepted as there are limited places at most ‘through-train’ schools. For those who have children born in 2012, applications will be open in September 2016 for August 2017 entry to Year 1. Interviews are carefully crafted to estimate a child’s ‘baseline’ abilities in very basic literacy, reasoning and cognition. The purpose can change from system to system and school to school, but the main elements are the same. At this young age, schools mainly look for social skills that suggest the child will fit into the school community. They are looking for children who share and socialise in a small group. They also look for curiosity and school
readiness. They will probably read a story to check if your child can sit and listen, and they will ask questions on the story they have read. The assessment is primarily about behaviour – taking turns to answer questions, sharing at play, and listening. What’s the purpose of the interview? 1. For the school to assess if the student is a good fit for the school and vice versa. This can be based on academics, behaviour, ethics and values, commitment to study, commitment to sport and co-curricular. 2. To ensure the school can cater for the student’s needs and provide any required learning support. 3. To get to know the student beyond what can be found on an application and school report. What do teachers test and how? English Language and Thinking Development Children might be asked to: Describe a picture of a family in a scene using complete sentences. Identify colours, animals and shapes. Make sounds associated with letters of the
alphabet. Communicate with other children in the group (usually 6-8 children) using English. Numeracy/Maths Recognise numbers 1 – 20 and or count to 20. Recognise shapes and identify the number of sides Social and Emotional Development Able to separate easily from parents. Takes turns, share and cooperate. Interact comfortably with peers without adult intervention. Follow instructions. Tips for Parents: It is important that your child is relaxed and healthy on the day. They should be expecting the assessment to be a play session where they can make friends. Make sure to remind your child to smile. At this age, it is still common for children to become silent when strangers ask them questions, so this is an area which can be worked on in advance. sg
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school visits
PRIMARY schools
Japanese International School Rebecca Simpson goes beyond the school gates.
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t seems I have found what many parents may consider the holy grail of international primary schools in Hong Kong – a very small and authentic community school with creativity at the core, sharing an impressive campus and the facilities of a school ten times its size. ‘Impossible!’ I hear your cry. But it’s real, I’ve been there and there’s even an artist-inresidence working with the kids on a schoolwide creative project. Here’s the real score - there’s no debenture. The Japanese International School (JIS) is a one form entry only school, meaning there is one small class of 25 students for each year level. This village-sized primary school in Tai Po offers the Primary Years Programme (PYP), and is led by a PYP trainer and experienced longterm Hong Kong educator, Mr. Simon Walton. A small school with big ideas With a maximum capacity of a mere 170 children, JIS is a very small international school by Hong Kong standards. “We are a one form entry only school, which makes for a very nice and cosy community”, says Walton. “It’s ideal for parents who don’t want their child in a facility of 900 kids, but prefer to be in a school where everybody is on a first name basis”.
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That sense of authentic community is prevalent as he walks through the school, greeting each and every child by name. We’re stopped along our tour to receive an update from the Student Council as they cleverly deal with a change in lunchtime sports plans. These are confident, resourceful and polite students. “My mandate with the JIS staff is that relationships count”, explains Walton. “We are a small school with big ideas – there’s nothing we can’t do. Over the past few years we’ve taken the nucleus of a very small international school, and nurtured our positive values to grow into a unique school that is now on the map”. Facilities galore nestled at the edge of a country park Surrounded by lush greenery, JIS is located in a beautiful setting. Wild visitors occasionally infiltrate the school playground from the neighbouring country park so the school has an official protocol for students when they find a monkey in the playground. Pretty cool stuff if you’re 10 years old. While nobody wants their breakfast stolen by a cheeky monkey, it’s a welcome alternative to the concrete jungles which surround many Hong Kong schools. “We are an authentic community school
but we are not compromised by having to be in a small building tucked away somewhere”, says Walton. “We’re in a building that has every facility that a proper international school should have, and more, because we have a shared campus with twenty square kilometres of country park across the road. If we want to put on a drama performance we have a lovely auditorium; we have a pool, a field and a gym. We’ve got all the bells and whistles”. So how does such a small school find themselves swimming in such impressive facilities? The Japanese Ministry of Education supplies education for Japanese nationals living overseas, and there are currently four Japanese schools in Hong Kong. The JIS Tai Po campus is the most recent to be allocated by the Hong Kong government (1997) and built by the Japanese Ministry of Education. When the land was allocated for the school, the Japanese Ministry of Education also agreed to host an international school and so JIS Tai Po was born alongside the traditional Japanese primary school on the same campus. While the schools are remarkably different in their approach to education, they are graced with the same worldclass facilities.
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school visits Talking Head Simon Walton Japanese International School
What are some of the challenges being a principal at JIS? In a multi-cultural, multi ethnic, multilingual environment, the challenge is to find the best option for the students and their learning. One that is accepted by the school community as a whole and can be developed for the benefit of all students. What do you enjoy most about your role? The people and the relationships that are developed between the students, community and the school. Supporting the children in their learning and personal development is also very important to me. The four key values of our school explain a lot about my passion for my job: Our people, our curriculum, our diversity and our relationships.
Leading with creativity Creativity is at the core of JIS and a personal passion of Principal Walton. The school hosts an annual artist-in-residence who works with the children on a creative arts project. “We run a yearly artist-in-residence program - the arts is huge on my agenda”, says Walton. “In the past we’ve had artists that did sculpture, typography and calligraphy”. The arts in all their forms are embraced by the school, with authors visiting for the Hong Kong Children’s Literary Festival and even ‘poetry cafes’. Not only do the students enjoy this creative approach to learning, but the class teachers are also on board. “We’ve been doing the PYP longer than most schools and we do it very well”, explains Walton. Beyond primary One concern for parents interested in this school would be placement for secondary school. JIS is, however, a feeder school into 32 | Expat Parent Schools Guide
International College Hong Kong (ICHK). The team at JIS were an active part of the creation of ICHK and the schools retain an innate link. For those looking at alternative secondary schools, the team at JIS work with parents to help with the admissions process at other schools too. sg
School Report
Japanese International School
Established: 1997 Number of students: 168 Class size: 25 Curriculum: PYP (I.B.) 70,405 Fees 2016/2017: $91,900 Address: 4663 Tai Po Road, Tai Po Tel: 2834 3531
What has been the most memorable event in your career? It is almost impossible to say as there have been so many positives over the years. My transition from England to Hong Kong must rate as the best decision I have ever made. I have been able to have such a rich and varied career in education in Hong Kong. What’s the best advice you were given by a teacher? Whilst on teaching practice as a student I was advised to ‘keep smiling whatever happens’ – however naive this may seem, it really does help and I try to do it a lot. What qualities do you value most in people? Being positive, having the vision and commitment to improve and do great things together, wanting to help and support others.
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primary
Discovery Montessori Academy
The school sits on the ocean front.
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urrounded by the rolling hills of Lantau and offering magnificent sea views, parents looking for a new school would be hard pressed to find a nicer location in Hong Kong. With no cars and a generally sedate atmosphere at the North Plaza, the school sits in an ideal spot for its students to learn with minimal distractions - looking out of the window for views of the sea is, however, highly encouraged. Opening its doors to families just last year, the school has a capacity for up to 200 students. “Moving such a large body of staff and materials into the new campus was a big challenge”, says Christie Leung, School Supervisor at DMA. “But we are thrilled to be open and to have started life in the new school”. Joining its Montessori pre-school which is located next door, the school is now able to accommodate the pre-school students directly into the primary programme as well as welcome new students to the school body. “Some children enroll at the school from a nonMontessori style of education”, says Leung. “It can be a bit of a challenge getting children accustomed to our Montessori way of learning if they have not been educated in that style during pre-school, however, we find it does not take too long before they adapt and thrive with the other students”. Discovery Montessori Academy offers a combination of the Montessori Elementary and International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculums. The school is currently a candidate to be an official IB school and expects the accreditation
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process to take up to two to three years. “We are the first school in Hong Kong to implement both the Montessori Elementary and IB programmes in conjunction. Many schools in other countries have successfully followed this same path and we are looking to emulate that”.
Immediately noticeable upon entering the school is the bright and fresh feel to each classroom. Natural light streams in through large windows, while wooden desks and chairs seat small groups of children busy with their tasks. True to its Montessori approach, students are encouraged to choose their own learning activities and the class teacher will introduce a topic and support the student when needed. As a result, a walk around one of the classrooms may see a group of students working on numeracy problems while another group is busy tracing Chinese characters with a native Chinese-language teacher. Some students also happily take a book to the carpet for a spot of quiet reading. Each class at Discovery Montessori Academy features mixed age groups, where
students aged six to nine will be grouped in one class and students nine to 12 years in another. This, Leung believes, creates a special learning atmosphere in each class. “For the younger children there is a motivation to follow the example of the older children. The older children have a chance to become young leaders and act as role models for their peers”. Keen to incorporate the ample opportunities for outings in and around Discovery Bay into the curriculum, Leung has lots of exciting plans ahead. “The children have a couple of bigger field trips per year. Classes often go down to the beach and have even done a rubbish collection drive to learn about the environment and how to protect it”. With a brand new campus and a growing number of families and students to support, Leung knows the challenge will only get bigger from here on in, “I want to be able to see the children learn and be successful, that’s my biggest goal with the opening of our new school”. sg
School Report Discovery Montessori Academy
Established: 2015 Number of students: Capacity for 200 Class size: 25 Curriculum: A combination of IB and Montessori Elementary (6-12Y) curriculum Fees 2016/2017: $11,000/month
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primary
ESF Bradbury School
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n a tour of Bradbury School, one student shares her disbelief – her friend goes to another school and the principal there is a boy. A boy! Principal of Bradbury School, Sandra Webster, bends down and reassures her - boy principals can be pretty good too. As Webster leads us around the school and interacts with the student body and visiting parents, she shares her belief that children learn best when they feel happy, safe and want to come to school. “Even though we are a large school, we are fostering a strong sense of community”, she says. “This is what sets us apart from other schools. We have a great staff who have been here a long time”. Employing a teaching body of about 50 passionate educators, the ESF primary school is dedicated to creating an enjoyable learning environment for all young minds. Currently the school supports over 20 children with moderate learning difficulties who need significant support to access the mainstream curriculum. The school supports these students to remain with the mainstream curriculum as much as possible with the help of specialist staff members. Webster is clearly known to the students and parents alike and talks with great fondness about Bradbury families, delighting in getting to know them personally over time. “We have
a fantastic parent body here, I really enjoy meeting the parents”, says Webster. “We have parents who enroll their first child when they’re five years old and then subsequently enroll their younger children. I remember when I first started we had one family who had been here for over 20 years after putting all their children through Bradbury”. Every day, Webster stands at the school gate to greet each student in the morning. Including her farewells as they leave in the afternoon that’s 1,500 hellos and goodbyes a day. Her status as one of Happy Valley’s mostloved celebrities is certainly well earned. A Creative and Green Campus The Bradbury School campus is not significant in size and the facilities are by no means state-of-the-art, but the school has created beautiful spaces and resources for its students. The school grounds are steeped in
Talking Head Sandra Webster Principal of Bradbury School What do you enjoy most about your job? Without a doubt the people I interact with each day: the students, the staff and our parents. Did you have a standout teacher when you were at school? One of my high school teachers really stands out.
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student expression from artwork on the walls to student-styled and maintained landscaping. “Facilities fall into insignificance when you consider the emotional health of your child”, says Webster. “If they have beautiful classrooms but are miserable, then the school doesn’t work. Just because a school has a rugby field, it doesn’t mean it’s inspiring incredible rugby athletes. We go down to Happy Valley for rugby and use South Island School’s swimming pool. Facilities don’t make the school, a community makes the school.” One facility that the school is proud of - and which budding bookworms adore - is the school’s library. The space is an inviting, colourful, winding, seemingly endless cavern of books. It’s a beautiful library loved by the children and proudly maintained. In the concrete jungle of Hong Kong, Bradbury School is breath of fresh air. Literally. The school is consistently adding green
He was my home room teacher and was liked by us all as he was caring and compassionate. All of my classmates felt that he enjoyed being our teacher and we could easily talk to him, he was very approachable and non judgemental which is important when you are a teenager.
Which talent would you most like to have? I would love to be able to read music and play an instrument. Also, I would love to be fluent in a language other than English.
What’s the best advice you were given by a teacher? This from an Art teacher: natural talent will only take you so far, it is constant practice that makes the difference.
Tell us a secret about yourself. I love driving and I would love to be able to drive a high powered motorbike.
primary Navigating Hong Kong’s School Choices Webster is clear with her advice for parents seeking input on the right school path for their child. “Choose the school that you feel comfortable with, when you walk in the door you feel welcomed, you’re comfortable with the staff and you have a good vibe about it. It’s a relationship that goes on for six years. So, you need to feel confident your voice is going to be heard, you are going to be listened to as a parent and your child will be looked after and nurtured. Don’t worry about what you hear from other people. Choose the school that in your heart feels right, the one that you have a good gut feeling about”. sg elements, including NASA-recommended air purifying plants across the campus, and green walls in outdoor spaces. Add on-site composting initiatives run by the Year 6’s and the school has 750 little green thumbs ready to make a difference to the environmental future of our city. The Hong Kong government has acknowledged the school’s green efforts as the Cultural Department recently awarded a $600,000 grant to develop a green space on the school roof. This new initiative will allow
students to increase their green efforts and grow even more plants. Student Showcases Regular student showcases allow parents to visit the school and see the students’ recent work on display. It’s a chance for students to shine in front of their parents and for parents to see their child within the campus context and to explore their hard work. These events also provide opportunities for the teaching staff and parent body to connect with each other.
School Report Bradbury School
Established: 1992 Number of students: 720 Class size: 30 Curriculum: IB Fees 2016/2017: $78,700 Address: 43C Stubbs Road, Hong Kong Tel: 2574 8249
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primary
ESF Beacon Hill School
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here’s no denying technology has a starring role in our day to day lives. At Beacon Hill School, technology also has a starring role in the classroom. “We’re very well equipped with IT, we have Chromebooks for each student from Years 4 - 6”, says James Harrison, Principal of Beacon Hill School. “That will be extended to Year 3 shortly. Each dedicated computer is used by a single student throughout the entire school year”. The school has a legacy of learning technology with the current ESF Learning Technology Advisor being a previous teacher at the school. “This year we’ve introduced 3D printing”, explains Harrison. “The students design their creations on an iPad and then they’re able to print them out on campus. That’s new for the students to explore this year, they love it!”. The students even have a dedicated, colour-filled room kitted out with 3D printers, a stack of iPads and lots of space to get creative. The room looks more like a space created for a San Francisco tech company than a Hong Kong school. Far removed from a traditional learning space, it’s filled with colourful padded seating, whiteboard walls for brainstorming and a stack of student-made 3D prints adorn the windowsill. Hong Kong’s next generation of techpreneurs may well be born from Beacon Hill School. An inclusive and caring community Beacon Hill is well-known throughout the ESF network and beyond for their inclusive nature, and their work with special needs children. Across the school they have over 20 students with moderate to severe learning difficulties. Each special needs student is fully integrated into the mainstream classroom, thanks to a lot of extra support. Within the special needs 38 | Expat Parent Schools Guide
On Beacon Hill A peak at the school’s activities.
department there are three additional learning support teachers and another three additional learning support educational assistants. “Our size is the perfect size for a primary school and everybody knows everybody”, reflects Harrison. “Even though our catchment area is quite elongated, we still have a strong sense of community. When you walk through the school door you get that buzz of excitement, it’s a happy school”. Beacon Hill School students are also actively working to bring their unique brand of happiness to the wider community. Students meet once a week for an after school club called MAD Club (Make a Difference), where students have raised money for local charities and even volunteered for beach clean ups. Budding green thumbs “We try to involve the students in regular green initiatives”, shares Harrison. “In fact, every Monday we kick off the week with GREEN time. That’s Go Reduce Energy Efficiently Now, an energy-saving activity where we return to class from our assembly and turn off everything we’re not using. The students drive GREEN time and they even came up with the clever acronym”. Fusing the school’s passion for technology and its fun approach to academics, students have participated in a next-generation online science competition. A student competed against children from different parts of the world to be crowned world champion. A great academic feat, achieved with a fun technology twist on the traditional approach to science. “Kids have such a lot of fun here and I think they love coming to school”, says Harrison. “Learning has got to be fun or it becomes twice as hard”. sg
School Report
Established: 1967 Number of students: 540 Class size: 30 Curriculum: International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IBPYP) Fees 2016/2017: $78,700 Address: 23 Ede Road, Kowloon Tong Tel: 2336 5221
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school visits
all-through and secondary
Principal Annette Brandt Dammann joins students during arts class; students leap for success at Sports day.
German Swiss International School
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he German Swiss School (GSIS) has enjoyed a long and successful history in Hong Kong. And this year sees yet another milestone, with the grand opening of its extensive, eight year-long refurbishment of the upper primary campus. Established in 1969 by German and Swiss families looking for a bilingual German/Swiss education for their offspring, the school first opened in a residential house at 1 Barker Road on the Peak. It grew, and in 1975 it opened its first ‘proper’ school building on Guildford Road. In 2007 the government awarded the school a second campus on Pok Fu Lam Road, which in 2010 became the permanent home to the kindergarten. But for the last eight years, upper primary (six-ten year olds) has been operating out of temporary accommodation in Wan Chai, while the Peak buildings are refurbished. This new school year has seen the grand
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unveiling of this project, with new library facilities, a dedicated art and music department just for upper primary students, and new classrooms. It also houses a large, modern, multipurpose area that can be reconfigured depending on the needs of different student and school events. The school prides itself on a fierce academic reputation. “We are academic as everyone knows, but we also provide an holistic experience”, says school principal Annette Brandt-Dammann. “We have a great approach to every single student. We have a good ratio and take time to give each child perspective, not just direction for academic development”. This strong sense of identity and belonging, coupled with the school’s creative and sporting excellence, is a powerful combination, and the school fosters a strong sense of pride and belonging - a lifelong experience for many as the school hosts a strong alumni programme
and enjoys great success attracting support from ex-students. GSIS in Hong Kong is unique among Germany’s international schools. Here, the school offers two streams of education – one stream in German, reflecting the German curriculum and taught in German. A second international stream is taught in English and follows a curriculum based on the British curriculum but extended and adapted to suit GSIS students. International stream students sit their IGCSE examinations in Year 11 before starting the IB Diploma Programme in their senior years. The split between the two streams is roughly one third in the German stream and two thirds of students in the International stream. While the playground language is English, German is a prevalent language in both streams. In the International stream, German is a compulsory subject from year two. Children are also offered a third language option -
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all-through & secondary Talking Head Annette Brandt-Dammann Principal of The German Swiss International School What are your biggest challenges? I’ve been sent from Germany to lead two different streams – the German stream and the English stream - but when we plan and profile the school we look at it as one school, creating one vision and mission. One very positive challenge is having so many cultures under one roof – this diversity includes the student body and GSIS staff. It’s a very vibrant atmosphere and we all benefit – it takes a lot of energy from all of us, but it gives us a lot back. What are the best bits of your job? Managing two streams of education is challenging - but I love it. I have to be motivated, to have an ideal of what the school should be. Germany has 142 schools in overseas countries and having an international stream like we do here at GSIS is definitely not the norm. What do you like most about Hong Kong? It’s a beautiful city. I love big cities but the mixture of skyscrapers in the city centre and the greenery is really great. The people in Hong Kong are very friendly, they make it very easy to fit in here.
Mandarin or French. In the German stream, the students are offered a choice of English, Mandarin, French and Latin to study. The school also fosters strong links with the wider community. “Parts of our social and charitable activities are student-led, parts are supported by teachers,” explains GSIS communications and relationships manager, Petra Loho. “The student council also picks one or two charities at the beginning of the school year to support.” “This year we’ve worked a lot for Crossroads here in Hong Kong and on an international level we led some initiatives for children in Syria. As part of the IB programme, the students have to do work beyond the classroom. Students also travel outside of Hong Kong to complete community service work. This has included teaching music to students in Cambodia, working with orphans from Katja House in Nepal and helping to build a school in Thailand,” says Loho. 42 | Expat Parent Schools Guide
For year 10 student George Newick, who helped on the Thai school building project, this was an unforgettable experience. “There was a great sense of teamwork as we ferried the buckets of cement along our conveyor belt of students. The gratification in seeing the building assembled from the materials we had raised money for was immense.” sg
School Report
Established: 1969 Number of students: 1300 Fees 2016/2017: $137,400 - $181,200 Address: Peak Campus: 11 Guildford Road, The Peak Pok Fu Lam Campus: 162 Pok Fu Lam Road, Pok Fu Lam Tel: 2849 6216 Address: gsis.hk
What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given by a teacher? Think independently and stay strong even when you are faced with a negative experience. What qualities do you value most in people? I value open mindedness, being honest, and those who are passionate about achieving their goals. Which talent would you most like to have? I think it’s best to figure out your own talents and make the best of them. Tell us a secret about yourself. A secret is a secret otherwise it wouldn’t be a secret!
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Guide | 43
all-through & secondary
International College Hong Lok Yuen
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estled among the leafy hills of the New Territories, International College Hong Lok Yuen (ICHK) is a world away from the bustle of the city. Here, kindergarten and primary aged children are able to complete their early education in the peaceful surroundings particular to this area of Hong Kong’s ‘darkside’. With an additional campus for secondary students in Sha Tau Kok, the school aims to make students resilient, confident risk takers. This is an aim supported by the small school environment and PYP curriculum, which aims
Talking Head Ruth Woodward Principal of International College Hong Lok Yuen What are some of the challenges of being a headteacher? Trying to understand that you can’t be everything to everybody. You have to try to do the best that you possibly can, knowing that you have to stand by what you believe professionally. We have the children that we need to take care of and they’re the most important thing.
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to inspire students with physical and intellectual independence. “We run an inquiry-based curriculum but I think our children develop a natural curiosity because they’re in such a warm community,” says headteacher, Ruth Woodward. “All the children know each other.” With a low staff turnover - the school even counts an alumni member among its team ICHK offers students a level of stability hard to achieve in a city known for the transience of its residents. To support this feeling of stability, the school always makes an effort to make space What do you enjoy most about your position? The children. I love that they feel they can walk freely into my office. Sometimes when they are in this part of the school they will pop in to have a chat. What do you like most about Hong Kong? The diversity, weather and the buzz. When I first came here I worked for the British forces. I used to be a headteacher in Sai Kung and they would fly me down for meetings in a helicopter, so I had a very good entry into the city, and now it’s my home. My boys, who were both born in Hong Kong, still live here.
for ex-pupils who are returning to Hong Kong. “If they leave, you generally find that they want to come back to our school. We try and make it so that at some stage we can take them back,” says Woodward, who has been with the school for over 15 years. It was 35 years ago when ICHK, like many of Hong Kong’s international schools, was launched by a group of parents looking for something different from the choice of schools available. In this case, they wanted their children to learn Chinese. As one of the first schools to What was the best advice you were given as a child? My mum used to say, you can do anything you put your mind to. How do you like to spend your free time? I do sewing and crafts, and I walk a lot. I love the theatre and ballet would probably be my favourite thing. I’m also a copious reader.
offer a comprehensive Chinese language programme, today the school teaches the language five days a week. The children, who learn using traditional characters, which they see in their everyday lives, learn to speak Mandarin. Naturally, the students are streamed for these classes, with the native level group also given the chance to prove their bilingual muscle during drama sessions run in Chinese. While the majority of lessons are held in classes of up to 26 students, Chinese classes are no bigger than 14. ICHK’s respect for Hong Kong’s culture can also be seen in its work with the city’s charities. In particular, the Home of Loving Faithfulness, a residential house dedicated to those who suffer physical and intellectual challenges, located close to the school in Fanling, which receives a percentage of any profit made by the school. Further afield, the students recently raised enough money to rebuild two schools in Nepal. As a result, two earthquake-proof schools have been built out of bamboo and stone, and the school will continue to follow up and send resources. While this might be indicative of the school’s IB outlook, students do not need to look far to learn about other cultures. Around 35 nationalities are represented by the student body, with 50% of the student body accounted for by Hong Kong Chinese pupils. The remaining half of the school is made up of Australian, American, Spanish, German, Russian and French students, to name a few. In terms of staff, while the majority are from the UK, there are also teachers from Australia, New Zealand and Canada. While there is currently a waiting list for the school, Woodward stresses that the school makes room where it can. Younger students are also able to attend playgroup, accompanied by a parent or helper, which allows them to become familiar with the school environment before attending the nursery. The group is run by one of the nursery teachers, who can advise on daily routines, toilet training and the introduction of language. The school’s facilities nod to both the benefits of modern and traditional teaching methods and equipment. Recently purchased Macs and robotics technology are accompanied by an impressive school field, and outdoor space, including a garden where children have boxes they can use to plant vegetables and flowers. “There’s a great saying: “If we teach today’s students as we taught yesterday’s, we rob them of tomorrow”,” said Woodward, Established: 1983 referring to the quote Number of students: 400 from American Class size: Max. 26 Curriculum: PYP (I.B.) educational reformer, Fees 2016/2017: (Kindergarten - Primary) John Dewey. “We’re all $20,000 - $114,900 about a balance – it’s (Secondary) $150,300-$167,000 not all about children Address: 3 Hong Lok Yuen, 20th Street, being in front of the Hong lok Yuen Tel: 3955 3000 computer, but on the Address: www.ichk.edu.hk other hand, it is their g world”. s
School Report
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all-through & secondary
Christian Alliance P.C. Lau Memorial International School
F
ounded by the Kowloon Tong Church of the Chinese Christian and Missionary Alliance, Christian Alliance P.C. Lau Memorial International School (CAIS) has been welcoming students through its gates since 1992. Phrases such as ‘student-centred learning’ and ‘a whole child education approach’ are well-known to parents trawling through school brochures and websites. CAIS, however, seems to be living up to those claims as evident in the wide range of athletic, arts, extracurricular and spiritual activities which complement its academic programme. On a recent visit, the playground was buzzing with movement during a sports class, the art room was awash with colour, and senior students were excitedly preparing for an annual camp. Head of School, Art Enns, is keen to acknowledge this side of school life at CAIS. “We have a very strong academic programme and our students are very successful, but we’re not focused simply on academics”. Accredited to provide the diploma of Alberta Education since 2006, the school’s Secondary programme also offers students the chance to enroll in a number of Advanced Placement courses. These courses are internationally recognised by higher learning institutions worldwide as entry level university credits. While the Canadian influence is visible in the school curriculum and makeup of teachers and staff,
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students come from diverse backgrounds and 30 different nations are represented in the student body. The school is currently divided across two campuses. The main campus, located in Kowloon City, is home to Upper Primary and Secondary students and is the original site at which the school was founded in 1992. The second, the smaller Lai Yiu campus, caters for the youngest students up to Grade three. Now counting over 135 staff and 970
Every kid at this school, at any school, has a story
students across the whole school, CAIS has grown significantly over the years from its initial intake of just 40 students. CAIS is positioning itself to cater for the increased demand for international school education in Hong Kong by opening its new state-of-the-art campus in 2017. Located in Butterfly Valley, Lai Chi Kok, the new
campus looks set to become a benchmark for modern-day school campus’ to aspire. It will feature a performing arts theatre, swimming pool, fine arts and media facilities, a rooftop football pitch, communal learning spaces as well as gymnasia and a sports field. The opening of the new campus will begin a long-awaited new chapter for the school. “This has been in the planning since I arrived”, says Enns. “There’s simply no comparison between the facilities at our current campuses and what we will be able to offer at Butterfly Valley”. However Enns is quick to add that a new campus will not detract from the ongoing good work and vision that he has for its pupils. “The new Butterfly Valley campus is a building regardless of its impressive facilities”, says Enns. “We are the school. The new campus will help us to do what we do more effectively, but I wouldn’t see it as a banner for the school. The process of improvement will not come to an end when we move to Butterfly Valley, it’s on a continuum”. As part of the Association of Christian Schools International, the school proudly emphasises its evangelical values and teaching. Students take part in a number of school activities to benefit charities and contemplate on their spiritual outlook. The Social Justice Club is a particularly popular extracurricular activity where students
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all-through & secondary
team up with local non-profit organisations to make a positive difference in the community. Past activities have included spending time with special needs children in hospital and working with refugees. The school chapel is also used by students to worship and take time to reflect, while teachers and regular guest speakers are invited to the school, encouraging students to learn about Christianity. While there are no religious entry requirements - in fact over half of the students currently enrolled do not come from Christian families - the school is confident that
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parents look favourably on an education system with strong Christian values when looking for their child’s next school. “I think that CAIS has a very nurturing environment”, says Enns. “Parents feel safe sending their children to our school”. While the story of CAIS will soon enter into a major new chapter with the move to its new campus, Enns is keeping his eyes and ears firmly in the present and on something much closer to his heart. “Every kid at this school, at any school, has a story. I love the stories and I can’t wait to hear more of them over the years to come”. sg
School Report
Established: 1992 Number of students: 970 Class size: Max. 24 Curriculum: Alberta, Canada. Fees 2016/2017: $90,900 - $144,400 Address: Kowloon City Campus: 2 Fu Ning Street, Kowloon City (Grades4-12) Lai Yiu Campus: Lai Yiu Estate, Wah Yiu Road, Lai King (prep-Grade 3) New Campus: (scheduled to open in 2017): King Lam Street, Lai Chi Kok (Prep-Grade 12) Tel: 2778 3370 / 2713 3733 Address: www.cais.edu.hk
all-through & secondary Talking Head Art Enns Principal of Christian Alliance P.C. Lau Memorial International School How did you become principal of CAIS? I was a principal in Canada for seven years before I came to CAIS. By that point I had been involved in teaching and school administrative work for 20 years. I saw an advertisement for a principal’s position in Hong Kong back in 1998. I applied for the job and they flew me over for an interview. A few days later I found out that I got the job and I moved my family of six over to Hong Kong. Initially, I came on a two-year contract, but I’ve now been here 18 years! What do you enjoy about your job? There are so many stories and people that come into your life when you work at a school, but it’s always the relationships with staff and students that stand out.
What do you like about Hong Kong? As a father, I appreciate that Hong Kong is a safe place. I felt safe letting my teenage children travel around the city alone. How do you switch off and relax? I love to keep fit, although that is getting harder and harder as I get older. I enjoy getting out on my bike and counting up the kilometres. I enjoy spending time with my family and going hiking, or should I say, I did like hiking - my knees are not what they used to be. Most of all though, I just love to get outdoors and into the fresh air. Do you have a teacher from your time as a student who you remember well? In grade eight I had a teacher called Mr Macdonald. He was a very organised and goal-orientated teacher and he really kept us on-task; but he liked us, and you knew that he liked you. His classroom was a nurturing environment. With a teacher like him you aspired to excel because you wanted to perform at your best to impress him. He made
you feel appreciated, valued and accepted and those are the qualities that you should look for in a teacher. Are there any individuals from your time as a teacher or principal that stand out? A couple of years ago, I had a former student from my time in Canada come to Hong Kong and pay me a visit. He’s now a very successful chemical engineer in Calgary, Canada. He told me that what inspired him to become an engineer was the passion that I had for the maths and science classes that I taught him. He was encouraged by the set of values that I took into the classroom. That for me is a real memory that stands out and something that I cherish.
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all-through & secondary
Jockey Club Sarah Roe School
H
idden away in the leafy Homantin area of Kowloon, unknown to many, the Jockey Club Sarah Roe School (JCSRS) is one of the true jewels in Hong Kong education. Dedicated to children aged five to 19 with special needs, the school is the only one of its kind under the English Schools Foundation (ESF) umbrella. Founded in 1985, it owes its unusual name to the Hong Kong Jockey Club, which provided the school building, and Sarah Roe, a therapist who worked with children with special needs in Hong Kong. Catering to children with very different kinds of needs, the school’s team - an eclectic mix of nine specialist teachers, including one PE teacher, five therapists and education assistants - works together to tailor the curriculum to suit each pupil. Each class is made up of seven-10 students; each student has an individual education plan to enable staff to meet the needs of all pupils. “Our staff is hardworking, committed and passionate,” says Principal, Karin Wetselaar, who has been with the school for 18 months, and originally hails from the Australian capital, Canberra. Parents are also integral to the process. “Working in partnership with families is really important to us,” Wetselaar says. “We’re really lucky because our team here works together,
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Working in partnership with families is really important to us
around the student, allowing us to have a very transdisciplinary approach to teaching.” The curriculum, currently undergoing an overhaul, is soon to be brought more in line with the ESF programme, which follows the International Baccalaureate (IB). “For some of our students it’s about a balance between academics and independent skills. Our students tend to need a little bit more repetition, structure and routine, but we differentiate just like every other teacher does,”
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all-through & secondary Wetselaar says. Students are often referred to JCSRS from other ESF schools, after taking a test to determine how much extra attention they need. While all ESF schools cater to children with learning difficulties, and some are even equipped with special learning support centres, the students most in need of a tailored curriculum are sent here. The process of admitting a new student is thorough, and follows guidelines set out by ESF. But while in some ways the JCSRS is very different to mainstream schools, inevitably it shares many similarities. “Getting to know the child, developing a relationship with them and communicating with the families are all key when it comes to teaching any child,” Wetselaar explains. The school is a microcosm of Hong Kong in its multicultural make-up, with around 14 nationalities represented by the student body alone. “The multicultural nature of the school makes it a very rich environment,” Wetselaar says. While Wetselaar highlights the great support JCSRS receives from its school council, ESF and the parents, the school is responsible for its own fund-raising, and holds
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events dedicated to raising money throughout the year. This year’s events included a Jazz Fest at Grappa’s Cellar. Money raised goes towards growing the school’s facilities. These currently include a hydrotherapy pool, independent living skills room, library and creative arts space. “We’re very fortunate to have such good facilities,” Wetselaar says. While in the past it has been limited by its lack of outdoor space, JCSRS has maintained an impressive roster of sporting activities for its pupils, including kayaking, sailing, tennis, tenpin bowling. It also runs swimming classes after school. Students are transported to these activities using the school’s fleet of buses. JCSRS students are subject to the same fees as students attending other ESF schools, but even so the school is able to create a bright, happy and enthusiastic atmosphere for its wide variety of pupils. And as such a rarity in Hong Kong’s education system, JCSRS deserves better recognition. sg
School Report
Established: 1985 Number of students: 70 Class size: 7-10 Curriculum: Currently being brought in line with other ESF schools. Fees 2016/2017: $78,700 Address: 2B Tin Kwong Road, Homantin Tel: 2761 9893
all-through & secondary Talking Head
having the chance to live in France, but once I discovered special needs teaching I was sold. It’s absolutely my passion. I had many years in the classroom, as it should be, before becoming a principal.
books for the holidays. I enjoy travelling, so Hong Kong is the perfect place to live. I also like going to the movies and I try to go and watch a few films when the French Film festival is in town.
What are some of the challenges being a principal? Trying to do your best all the time for the students and the families. Juggling and balancing what needs to happen, prioritising, making sure the students are always at the centre of everything we do.
What do you like most about Hong Kong? I love Hong Kong! I love the multicultural side to Hong Kong, the fact that I can get out and walk at the weekend, and that I can walk out of my apartment and go to 15 different restaurants. I think the people are really warm and friendly. I’d never visited Hong Kong before moving here 18 months ago and the minute I arrived I loved it.
Which talent would you most like to have? I’d like to be able to play a musical instrument. I think that would be just wonderful. I love the saxophone and the flute, but they’re not necessarily the instruments I’d choose. I’d love to be able to decide I want to play something and then do it; it must be a wonderful skill or career to have.
What do you enjoy most about being a principal? Working with the students and fabulous staff, and I love working with the families. I enjoy working with people, so I have everything really. I learn a lot from all of them and that’s a privileged position to be in. We’re a real community and we know each other well.
What’s the best advice you were given by a teacher? Never, never give up. It was a little mantra that one of the principals had and sometimes you have to keep that in the back of your mind when you might want to give up. Also, knowing when to give up is important too.
Did you always want to work in education? Teaching was always on the radar for me, and I started out as a French teacher. I loved
How do you like to spend your spare time? I’m a very keen reader, and I don’t get nearly enough time to read, but I’m stacking up my
Did you have a standout teacher when you were at school? I probably had quite a few favourite teachers, and like everybody there were teachers who understood me, helped me, and they helped because they got to know me, and that’s always really special.
Karin Wetselaar Principal of Jockey Club Sarah Roe School
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all-through & secondary
Hong Kong Adventist Academy
N
estled on a shared green campus in Sai Kung, is Hong Kong’s only private Adventist school, Hong Kong Adventist Academy (HKAA). Opened in 2011, the school is led by a veteran Hong Kong educator and offers its 130 pupils a values-based education. Students at the school learn via the Griggs program, and the first HKAA graduate is due to finish school in the summer of 2017. HKAA is still finding it’s feet but it could be the beginning of something special for the Adventist community in Asia.
Leveraging the Adventist network The Adventist community supports, and is supported by, a network of learning and community institutions in Hong Kong. These include two hospitals, Happy Valley Adventist Hospital and Tsuen Wan Adventist Hospital, and the Sam Yuk schools which are partly government funded. The Hong Kong Adventist Academy is unique in this ecosystem as it is an entirely private school funded by school fees with the support of the Adventist community.
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The lush green lawns in front of HKAA.
HKAA shares a very green and spacious campus with Hong Kong Adventist College, a private program affiliated with Andrews University, the flagship university of the Adventist Church. This affords students the opportunity to join the campus in reception and continue on to finish their tertiary studies in the same place. However, as many parents know, not all students are interested in a continued education in Hong Kong, many want to fly the nest and head overseas. With this in mind, students at HKAA are working to graduate high school with a qualification and grades that will open up opportunities at universities in the US and Europe. HKAA teaches the Griggs programme and graduating students are issued the Griggs Diploma recognised by Maryland State. While the school is offering an Adventist education, they are accepting non-Adventist students. “We accept students of all faiths and even those with no religious background,” says Dr. Tam, “we call this a mission school, we try to use the school as a means of spreading gospel to the students. However, we don’t do it in an indoctrinating way. We have a solid religious curriculum in our school. In elementary school we tell bible stories and sing songs in religion classes. In middle school we do what’s called value education - how to apply and understand values
in life. In high school we have ethics – how Christian values can be applied in life.” A small community with plans for growth HKAA was opened in 2011 and remains a small and growing community that offers an all-through education from reception to high school graduation. In the 2016/17 school year the school body will comprise about 170 students. A newly renovated separate building will house the reception students. The school has capacity for 300 children in 31 classrooms and is now offering places in all school years, except the final year of school. The school is working towards a 10 year plan to have a full school with two classes per year level. Students come from all over the world to attend HKAA including a large population of Korean children, many Japanese and USA students, as well as some from Australia and Central and Southern America. 40% of students are from local Hong Kong or Mainland Chinese families. sg
School Report
Established: 2011 Number of students: 170 Class size: 15 Curriculum: International curriculum plus Chinese subjects Fees 2016/2017: $79,000-$99,000 Address: 1111 Clear Water Bay Road, Sai Kung Tel: Primary 2251 6671 Secondary 2623 0034
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after-school activities
let us play
Our pick of after-school activities for kids.
Asia-Pacific Soccer School APSS runs courses for boys and girls of all abilities aged five to 13 years old every day of the week across Hong Kong. Above all fun, courses are designed to help every player develop their skills and self-confidence regardless of ability. Talented and hardworking players may be invited to join the successful elite squad programme where players compete in the Hong Kong Junior Football League. Regular friendly tournaments and games are held for those are not quite ready too. www.apsoccer.hk
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Twinkle Dance Founded by Twinkle Lam in 2007, Twinkle Dance Company offers ballet, jazz and contemporary dance classes for children aged 14 months all the way to adults. All of the teachers have professional training and
qualifications. Private classes can also be arranged for one-on-one tutorial or small groups. Shop 311, One Island South, 2 Heung Yip Road, Aberdeen, www.twinkledance.com
PARTY MENU Dinosaur Party Basic Birthday Party
Mermaid Party
Little Luau Party
$399
$399 $299
Big Funky Bowling Party
Pirate Party
$399 Life's a Beach Party
$499 $399
$599 CONTACT: PARTIES@URBAN-ENT.COM
4/F, Centro, 1A Chui Tong Road, Sai Kung, N.T., Hong Kong
WWW.TIKITIKI.HK
tikitikibowlingbar tikitikibowlingbar tikitikihk
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after-school activities
Rumple & Friends Childrens’ entertainment company Rumple & Friends runs courses in circus, musical theatre and drama for budding young entertainers. Rumple & Friends also host some of the craziest children’s birthday parties around where themed entertainers perform shows and play games. www.rumpleandfriends.com
Faust Since 1999, Faust has brought the wonderful world of theatre and performing arts to young people in Hong Kong through after-school drama workshops and theatre productions. Faust aims for a fun-filled learning environment for children aged three to 18 years to develop greater self-confidence and a love of the
theatre through lively workshops, performance skills and gaining theatre knowledge. No prior experience required. The annual Faust Festival is the highlight of the year where young thespians perform some all-time classics as well as original scripts written for Faust. www.faustworld.com.hk, 2457 9114.
ESF Sports and ESF Language & Learning ESF Sports and ESF Language & Learning are part of the English Schools Foundation and have one of the largest after-school programmes in Hong Kong. Their after-school programmes use the facilities of many of the ESF schools and classes are open to non-ESF students. The ESF Sports programme offers coaching in a range of sports for children of all ages and abilities. From football, netball and swimming to basketball, gymnastics and tennis, classes are above all fun with ample progression for talented youngsters to thrive in a competitive environment. www.esf.org.hk
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Art Loop Art Loop is a studio school dedicated to art education for children aged three and up in mixed age group classes. By practicing various art techniques and learning about famous artists, children have a wide range of topics to develop their artistic side. Unit 14, 12/F, Genesis Building, 33-35 Wong Chuk Hang Road, Wong Chuk Hang, www.artloop.hk
• Private and Group Lessons Available • Infant Aquatics • Helpers Learn to Swim Programme • Bronze Medallion Life Saving Courses • AUSTSWIM Certified Coaches
REGISTER NOW! ALL LEVELS WELCOME!
Email: timbaswim@cdnis.edu.hk For More Information: www.cdnis.edu.hk
Canadian International School of Hong Kong
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after-school activities
Starlit Voice The only accredited exam centre in Hong Kong for the London Academy Of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) syllabus, Starlit Voice uses drama, literature and poetry to ignite children’s imaginations, improve communication skills, build confidence and have fun. A class at Starlit Voice can range from learning how to use and interpret body language and eye contact to performing in space and learning how to use your voice to convey meaning. Speech Festival classes and interview training are also available. Classes are held at international schools throughout the territory. www.starlitvoice.com.
IAFT The International Academy of Film and Television (ITAF) is a boutique film school offering a range of programmes covering acting, filmmaking, directing, cinematography, screenwriting and editing. IAFT places a strong emphasis on small class sizes, and students are encouraged to develop their personal expression skills as well as being comfortable both behind and in front of the camera. www.iaft.net
Bricks 4 Kidz Kids who like Lego will love Bricks 4 Kidz. Recognising its potential to be more than a simple toy, Bricks 4 Kidz has become a global franchise introducing the colourful bricks to thousands of youngsters around the world. At Bricks 4 Kidz, students construct a new model each week based on different themes, from space and sports to amusement parks and animals. Young builders will learn about the concepts of design and develop their creative side with experienced model builders. Each model has two difficulty levels so kids in need of a challenge can get to grips with axles, gears and motors and push themselves to master remote controls and gear ratios. Classes take place at Bricks 4 Kidz Creativity Centres in Wan Chai and Sai Kung as well as 60 | Expat Parent Schools Guide
Auntie Tam’s Education Centre Auntie Tam’s after-school homework club in One Island South is an ideal space for children to get assistance with their school work from a range of educators who specialise in English, Mandarin and Maths. There’s also an arts and crafts area, a library and several computer stations. The Kids’ Zone also allows parents to drop off the children to be looked after and use the facilities, from making arts and crafts to reading books and simply playing. Prices start from $100 an hour or $500 per day. www.auntietamscentre.com at a number of international schools around the city. Full details can be found at www.bricks4kidz.com.hk.
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tuition
In tuition Where to find a tutor.
PGEM
ITS Education Asia ITS Education Asia provides educational support for children and adults across a range of subjects as well as exam preparation services for SATs, iGCSEs, A-levels, IB and more. Take a tutorial programme at one of ITS’ Hong Kong schools or use the online learning service. In addition to tutorials, ITS offers
university admissions advice and an education consulting service that works with families and employers to find the right schools for children in Hong Kong, from nursery to secondary schools. Locations in Central and Tsim Sha Tsui. For details, call 21163916 or visit www.itseducationasia.com.
Annie Mandarin Center
Kaplan
Annie Mandarin Center was founded by professional Mandarin teacher Miss Annie Liang. Qualified Mandarin teachers are available for one-on-one classes covering speaking, listening, reading and writing skills. Tuition classes can also be tailored to help complement school lessons and exam preparation. One hour lessons start from $500 per hour. Prices may rise depending on how far the teacher must travel to meet the student. www.anniemandarin.com, 2333 8992.
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Kaplan is an international provider of educational and career services. Offering a comprehensive range of programmes from language tuition to exam and admissions preparation, Kaplan has helped thousands of students make the grade. Also on offer is one-on-one tuition for students who need to work at their own pace. Personal tuition classes can be booked in 10-hour packages with additional hours purchased after that. www.kaplan.com.hk, 2526 3686.
For support outside the classroom, PGEM offers online tuition and academic support in a range of subjects, as well as essay help, online SAT/ACT test preparation and university counseling. PGEM also covers IB MYP, IB DP, AP, A-Levels, IGCSE and HKDSE including languages. Learners can book slots with tutors through the PGEM website for a one-on-one session using interactive video calling, live chat and whiteboard facilities. Online fees for live one-on-one tutoring are USD$60 per session; fees for essay help and writing support are between USD$60-USD$150 (for USD$150 essay supervisors provide four rounds of feedback/comments on a student’s work). Ask questions, receive feedback and develop a deeper understanding of academic subjects from the comfort of your own home. Unit 609, New World Tower One 16-18 Queen’s Road Central, Central, Hong Kong, 2500 6078, www.teachers-to-go.com.
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tuition
Sylvan Learning Center Sylvan uses a diagnostic assessment to establish a child’s strengths and weaknesses and designs a tailor-made programme accordingly. Tuition in Maths, Science, Mandarin, English reading and writing is available in addition to homework help, preparation for school entrance exams (UK, US and Hong Kong) and for the IGCSE, IB, SAT and ACT. Lessons are available for children aged five -18 and are taught in groups of three (students work on their individualised programme with two other children at the same table). Sylvan’s holiday camps are available during the summer, winter and spring breaks. They include STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths), robotics and coding, as well as writing. Sylvan has two locations on the Southside of Hong Kong: 2/F, One Island South, 2 Heung Yip Road, Aberdeen; G209 The Repulse Bay, 109 Repulse Bay Road, 2873 0662, http://sylvan.edu.hk.
Pasona Education Founded in 1984, Pasona Education is a professional training institute that offers expertise in Japanese, English, Mandarin and Cantonese tuition to both children and adults. Classes are taught by trained native speakers and are open to all levels of learners for both general and business use. Students can enrol on private tuition courses as well as group classes. To supplement class teaching, cultural workshops and Awaji study programmes are also organised. 2/F, Vulcan House, 21-23 Leighton Road, Causeway Bay, www.pasona.edu.hk, 2577 8002.
Tute.HK The brain-child of Oxford-educated businessmen Richard Howorth and Alastair Altham, Tute.HK uses British undergraduates from top UK universities to lead online tutorials. Students can opt for group or one-onone sessions in almost any discipline or area in which they need help. All sessions are recorded, so students are able to re-play sessions at a later date. This also enables parents to keep a check on what is going on. As well as individual subjects, study areas covered also include the International UK Entrance Test, IGCSEs, A-levels and IB. Tutors have access to a huge online library of coursework materials. To sign up or find out more, see tute.hk. 64 | Expat Parent Schools Guide
Southside Mandarin As well as offering straightforward Mandarin lessons, this learning centre has playgroups and immersion programmes for children aged six months to 12 years. Babies up to 24 months old join the Putonghua playgroup whilst older children can attend art, music and drama classes taught in Mandarin. A special fun club combines language and cultural learning with play-based activities for children aged three to seven. All classes are taught by professionally qualified native speakers with experience in early childhood and primary education. Shop 106-107, 1/F, One Island South, 2 Heung Yip Road, Wong Chuk Hang, 3427 9619, www.southsidemandarin.com.
Hong Kong Institute of Languages Since 1985 the Hong Kong Institute of Languages has been at the forefront of teaching foreign languages across the territory. Whether hoping to improve a second language, prepare for language examinations or simply out of enjoyment of learning a foreign language, the institute has a range of courses to suit. Students can choose from private tuition, semi-private tuition and small group classes with programmes running one or two classes per week for each module. Too busy to make a class at the Institute in Central? Lessons can be arranged at a time and location convenient for you. www.hklanguages.com. sg Expat Parent Schools Guide | 65
family fun
kids’ adventures Great ideas for family days out.
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family fun
Tai Long Wan beach Venture out to Sai Kung for some of Hong Kong’s finest beaches. Our favourites include the powdery white sands of Long Ke and Tai Long Wan beaches. Getting there from Hong Kong Island takes about 90 minutes, but it is a relatively hassle-free trip. Take the MTR to Hang Hau and the 101M green minibus to Sai Kung, then catch a cab to the East Dam of High Island Reservoir (about $100). Tell the taxi driver to
head towards Long Ke and the dam marks the end of the road. To get to Tai Long Wan from Long Ke is a little more tricky and is a bit of a hike on a hot summer’s day, but the views from Sai Wan Shan overlooking Sai Kung peninsula are spectacular. From the summit follow the path down and along the MacLehose trail for about an hour to reach Tai Long Wan.
Expat Parent Schools Guide | 67
family fun
Tai O Tai O is home to a community of fisher folk who have built their homes on stilts on Lantau Island for generations. There is a traditional seafood market and plenty of small boats that will take you on a tour around the harbour and up for a closer look at the stilt houses. Tai O remains a quaint fishing village for the moment and the picturesque setting make for a wonderful day away from the busy city. From Tung Chung MTR Station, take bus 11 to Tai O bus terminus.
Cheung Chau To think of Cheung Chau is to think of buns. Every year, thousands of people flock to the small island for one of Hong Kong’s quirkier traditions, the five-day Cheung Chau bun festival. The island, though, is fun to visit all year round. In the 19th century, pirate Cheung Po Tsai was the scourge of the South China Sea. Said to have bases all around Hong Kong, he remains most closely associated with Cheung Chau, depositing his booty in a cave. While the loot is long gone, if it was ever there, the cave remains a popular sightseeing spot. Take a walk around the island and hit the beach on sunny days and don’t leave without trying the famous Cheung Chau giant fish ball skewer. Ferries to Cheung Chau operate from Central Pier 5.
Museum of Coastal Defence Set in a British fort now over a century old, with beautiful views of the Lei Yue Mun channel, this museum offers a fascinating insight into Hong Kong’s military past, from the Ming and Qing period, to the British colonial era and the Japanese occupation. Take the historical trail through the casemates and passageways to the sea, and explore the array of artefacts on display, including uniforms, maps, cannons, replica torpedos and guns. $10 standard; $5 concession; free for under-fours. Free on Wednesdays. 175 Tung Hei Road, Shau Kei Wan, hk.coastaldefence.museum, 2569 1500.
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family fun
BMX Park Adrenaline junkies will love the International BMX Park at the restored Gin Drinkers Bay Landfill in Kwai Tsing district. The park features a 350m International standard BMX track and a 60m development cycling track. Training courses available for beginners. Student entry starts from $50 a day and bike and safety gear from $40. Contact the BMX Park Office at 2419 9613 for opening hours. 91, Kwai Hei Street, Gin Drinkers Bay, Kwai Chung.
Dragon’s back Hikes in Hong Kong don’t get much better than this - wonderful views of Shek O, Stanley, Tai Tam and the South China Sea and the lure of the beach at the end. Easily accessible from the city, a hike over Dragon’s back is also perfect for visiting guests and the trail shouldn’t prove too much of a challenge. Take plenty of water on sunny days as the route is mostly unshaded. Look out for the paragliders who leap from the mountain out towards the sea. Take bus 9 from Shau Kei Wan bus terminus to To Tei Wan, Shek O Road. Take the same bus from Shek O or Big Wave Bay to return to Shau Kei Wan MTR and bus stations.
Hong Kong public pools Hong Kong is blessed with a surprising number of public pools - 43 to be exact. Open from April until October, remember to check the opening schedules of each pool as they are all different and don’t go on a cleaning day as the whole pool will be shut. We love the slides and pools at Pao Yue Kong in Aberdeen and Kowloon Park swimming pool in Tsim Sha Tsui is one of the biggest and best pools to spend a hot afternoon. Prices start from just $8 for children 13 years old and under and $17 for adults, entrance on weekends and public holidays is a few dollars more. Visit the Leisure and Cultural Services Department’s website for more details. www.lcsd.gov.hk
70 | Expat Parent Schools Guide
Kids Name Labels, Gifts & More
Expat Parent Schools Guide | 71
directory
Kindergarten Anfield International Kindergarten
Anfield International Kindergarten & Nursery
Bebegarten Education Centre
Address
Address
Address
|5 Cumberland Road, Kowloon Tong
|L 2, Phase 1, Laguna
| Unit 301-305, Level 3,
Verde, 8 Laguna Verde
One Island South,
Avenue, Hunghom
2 Heung Yip Road,
Telephone
| 2794 3668
| admin@anfield.edu.hk
Telephone
| 2766 3882
Website
| www.anfield.edu.hk
| admin-lv@anfield.edu.hk
Telephone
| 3487 2255
Curriculum
|E arly Years Foundation
Website
| www.anfield.edu.hk
| info@bebegarten.com
Curriculum
|E arly Years Foundation
Website
| www.bebegarten.com
Curriculum
| The Language of Children
Year Groups
| Playgroup, Nursery &
Tuition fees 2016/2017
| From $1,500-$10,000
Stage Year Groups
| K1-K3
Tuition fees 2016/2017
| $6,600-$9,100 per month
Stage Year Groups
|N ursery & K1-K2
Tuition fees 2016/2017
| $6,600-$9,100 per month
Wong Chuk Hang
K1-K2 per month
ESF Abacus International Kindergarten
ESF International Kindergarten, Hillside
ESF International Kindergarten, Wu Kai Sha
Address
Address
Address
|1 A Mang Kung Uk Road,
|4 3B Stubbs Road,
| Level 1, Lake Silver Tower, 599 Sai Sha Road,
Happy Valley
Clearwater Bay
Ma On Shan
Telephone
|2 719 5712
Telephone
| 2540 0066
| kinder@abacus.esf.org.hk
| kinder@hs.esf.org.hk
Telephone
| 2435 5291
Website
| www.esfkindergartens.
Website
| www.esfkindergartens.
| kinder@wks.esf.org.hk
Website
| www.esfkindergartens.
Curriculum
| IB Primary Years
Year Groups
| K1-K2
Tuition fees 2016/2017
| From $7,200 per month
org.hk
org.hk Curriculum
| IB Primary Years
Curriculum
Programme
Programme Year Groups
| K1-K2
Year Groups
| K1-K2
Tuition fees 2016/2017
|F rom $7,200 per month
Tuition fees 2016/2017
| From $7,200 per month
72 expat-parent.com
org.hk
| IB Primary Years
Programme
directory
Kindergarten ESF International Kindergarten, Tsing Yi
Eton House
Address
Address
| Maritime Square, 33
Hamilton Hill International Kindergarten
|L G/F Kindergarten,
Address
| No. 1-3 Ching Wah Street, North Point
Mayfair By The Sea I,
Tsing King Road, Tsing Yi Telephone
| 2436 3355
23 Fo Chun Road, Tai Po
Telephone
| 3461 9750
| kinder@ty.esf.org.hk
1/F, Redhill Plaza,
| info@hhik.com
Website
| www.esfkindergartens.
3 Red Hill Road, Tai Tam
Website
| www.hhik.co
Curriculum
| International Curriculum
Year Groups
| Pre-grade 1 to
Tuition fees 2016/2017
| From $5,920 per month
org.hk Curriculum
| IB Primary Years Programme
Year Groups
| K1-K2
Tuition fees 2016/2017
| From $7,200 per month
Telephone
| 2780 5700
|e nquiry@etonhouse.com.hk
Website
| www.etonhouse.com.hk
Curriculum
|R eggio Emilia-inspired bilingual Inquire-Think-
and Early Years Program pre-grade 2
Learn Programme Year Groups
|P laygroup, Pre-Nursery,
Tuition fees 2016/2017
|$ 1,500-$9,700 per month
Nursery, Kindergarten
Little Dalton Kindergarten
Miles ELP International Academy
Safari Kid International Hong Kong
Address
Address
Address
| 101 Chi Fu Landmark Chi
Telephone
| 2177 0001
| KG01, G/F, Wah Sin
|B 102, the pulse,
Fu Fa Yuen, Pok Fu Lam
28 Beach Road,
House, Pok Fu Lam Telephone
| 2792 2566
| info@littledalton.com
Telephone
|3 586 3071 / 3586 3070
| infohk@safarikidasia.com
Website
| www.littledalton.com
| info@miacademy.com.hk
Website
| www.safarikidasia.com
Curriculum
| English Early Years
Website
| www.miacademy.com.hk
Curriculum
| Own curriculum
Curriculum
|E xperiential Learning
Year Groups
| Accompanied playgroups,
Tuition fees 2016/2017
| From $1,200 per month
Foundations Stage,
Repulse Bay
Chinese curriculum Year Groups
| Playgroup, Pre-K, K1-K3
Tuition fees 2016/2017
| Please check website
Pre-Nursery, L1-L4
Programme
complemented by a Year Groups
|P arent-and child, Nursery, Primary Years Foundation,
Tuition fees 2016/2017
|F rom $1,720 per month
expat-parent.com 73
directory
Kindergarten Southside Kindergarten
Sunshine House International Pre-Schools
Address
Address
|G 203 The Repulse Bay,
| Main Campus: Pok Fu Lam
Telephone
|2 592 7527
Discovery Bay, Chi Fu,
| info@southside.edu.hk
Sai Kung, Clearwater Bay
Website
| www.southside.edu.hk
Curriculum
|U K National Curriculum
Tuition fees 2016/2017
Address
| Kong Chian Tower Block 1 , 351 Des Voeux Road West,
Other campuses:
109 Repulse Bay Road
Foundation Stage
Fairchild Kindergarten
(*Fairchild Kindergarten opening Oct 2016 pending licence.)
Shek Tong Tsui Telephone
| 2898 1611
Tung Chung
| info@fairchild.academy
Telephone
|2 551 3781
Website
| www.fairchild.academy
| chifu@sunshinehouse.
Curriculum
| Reggio Emilia-inspired
Tuition fees 2016/2017
| TBD
inquiry-based programmes
com.hk
|F rom $9,200 per month Website
|w ww.sunshinehouse.com.hk
Curriculum
|B ased on English National
Tuition fees 2016/2017
|P lease check the website
Curriculum
The International Montessori School
Woodland Preschools
Parkview International Pre-School
Address
Address
PLU PRIM S ARY
Address
|C ampuses in Mid-levels,
|C ampuses in Tai Tam, Repulse Bay, Mid-levels,
Reservoir Road
and Aldrich Bay
The Peak, Happy Valley,
Other campuses: West
Telephone
|2 772 2468
Pok Fu Lam, Aberdeen, Sai
| info@ims.edu.hk
Kung and Kennedy Town
Website
| www.ims.edu.hk
Telephone
Curriculum
|M ontessori Dual-
|N ursery, Kindergarten, Primary
Tuition fees 2016/2017
| 2812 6023
|2 559 4855
| pipsinfo@pips.edu.hk
| enquiry@
Website
| www.pips.edu.hk
Year Groups
| Playgroup, Pre-nursery,
Curriculum
| IB Primary Years Programme
Tuition fees 2016/2017
| From $1,735-$18,000
Website
|w ww.woodlandschools.com
Curriculum
|E nglish National
Tuition fees 2016/2017
|F rom $1,100-$12,700
Curriculum, EYFS
|F rom $10,000 per month
per month
74 expat-parent.com
Kowloon and Sham Tseng Telephone
woodlandschools.com
Language Programme Year Groups
| Main campus: Tai Tam
South Horizons, Stanley
Kindergarten
per month
directory
Primary Anfield School
Address
| No. 1, Lung Pak Street,
Beacon Hill School, English Schools Foundation
Bradbury School, English Schools Foundation
Address
Address
| 43C Stubbs Road,
| 23 Ede Road,
Happy Valley
Kowloon Tong
Tai Wai, Shatin Telephone
| 2692 8823
Telephone
| 2336 5221
Telephone
| 2574 8249
| office@anfield.edu.hk
| bhs@bhs.edu.hk
| enquiries@bradbury.
Website
| www.anfield.edu.hk
Website
| www.beaconhill.edu.hk
Curriculum
| UK National Curriculum
Curriculum
| IB Primary Years
Website
| www.bradbury.edu.hk
Year Groups
| Y1-Y6
Year Groups
Curriculum
| IB Primary Years
Tuition fees 2016/2017
| $114,000
Year Groups
| Y1-Y6
Tuition fees 2016/2017
| $83,500-$100,700
Programme
edu.hk
Programme
| Y1-Y6 Tuition fees 2016/2017
| $83,500-$100,700
Clearwater Bay School, English Schools Foundation
Glenealy School, English Schools Foundation
Kennedy School, English Schools Foundation
Address
Address
Address
| 19 Sha Wan Drive,
| Lot 235, DD 229, Clearwater Bay
|7 Hornsey Road,
Pok Fu Lam
Mid-levels
Clearwater Bay Road, Telephone
|2 522 1919
Telephone
| 2855 0711
Telephone
| 2358 3221
| enquiry@glenealy.edu.hk
| office@kennedy.edu.hk
| info@cwbs.edu.hk
Website
| www.glenealy.edu.hk
Website
| www.kennedy.edu.hk
Website
| www.cwbs.edu.hk
Curriculum
| IB Primary Years
Curriculum
| IB Primary Years
Curriculum
| IB Primary Years Programme
Year Groups
| Y1-Y6
Tuition fees 2016/2017
| $83,500-$100,700
Programme
Programme Year Groups
| Y1-Y6
Year Groups
| Y1-Y6
Tuition fees 2016/2017
| $83,500-$100,700
Tuition fees 2016/2017
| $83,500-$100,700
expat-parent.com 75
directory
Primary
Secondary
Peak School, English Schools Foundation
Concordia International High School
Island School, English Schools Foundation
Address
Address
Address
| 20 Borrett Road,
| 20 Plunketts Road,
|6 8 Begonia Road,
Mid-levels
Kowloon Tong
The Peak Telephone
| 2849 7211
Telephone
| 2789 9890
Telephone
| 2524 7135
| office@ps.edu.hk
| office@concordiaintl.
| school@online.island.
Website
| www.ps.edu.hk
Curriculum
| IB Primary Years
Year Groups
| Y1-Y6
America’s curriculum with
Diploma, Applied
Tuition fees 2016/2017
| $83,500-$100,700
SAT, AP and TOEFL as
Learning Programme
Programme
edu.hk
edu.hk Website
| www.cis-hk.edu.hk
Website
| www.island.edu.hk
Curriculum
|B ased on North-
Curriculum
| GCSE/IGCSE, IB
(BTEC qualifications)
exit qualifications Year Groups
| Grades 7-12
Year Groups
| Y7-13
Tuition fees 2016/2017
| $123,500-$131,200
Tuition fees 2016/2017
| $115,700-$121,500
Quarry Bay School, English Schools Foundation
King George V School, English Schools Foundation
Sha Tin College, English Schools Foundation
Address
Address
Address
| No. 3 Lai Wo Lane,
| 6 Hau Yuen Path,
|2 Tin Kwong Road, Ho Man Tin
Braemar Hill, North Point
Fo Tan, Sha Tin
Telephone
| 2566 4242
Telephone
| 2711 3029
Telephone
| 2699 1811
| office@qbs.edu.hk
| office@kgv.edu.hk
| info@shatincollege.edu.hk
Website
| www.qbs.edu.hk
Website
| www.kgv.edu.hk
Website
| www.shatincollege.
Curriculum
| IB Primary Years
Curriculum
|G CSE/IGCSE, IB Curriculum
| IB and applied learning
Year Groups
| Y7-13
Tuition fees 2016/2017
| $115,700-$121,500
Diploma, Applied
Programme Year Groups
| Y1-Y6
Learning Programme
Tuition fees 2016/2017
| $83,500-$100,700
(BTEC qualifications)
76 expat-parent.com
Year Groups
| Y7-13
Tuition fees 2016/2017
| $115,700-$121,500
edu.hk curriculum, IGCSE/GCSE
directory
All-through South Island School, English Schools Foundation
Australian International School
Canadian International School of Hong Kong
Address
Address
Address
|3 6 Nam Long Shan Road,
| 50 Nam Fung Road, Aberdeen
| 3A Norfolk Road,
Aberdeen
Kowloon Tong
Telephone
| 2555 9313
Telephone
| 2304 6078
Telephone
| 2525 7088
| sis@sis.edu.hk
| info@aishk.edu.hk
| schoolinfo@cdnis.edu.hk
Website
| www.sis.edu.hk
Website
| www.aishk.edu.hk
Website
| www.cdnis.edu.hk
Curriculum
| IB Diploma, SIS Diploma
Curriculum
| Higher School Certificate,
Curriculum
|M iddle Years Programme,
and Applied Learning Diploma Year Groups
| Y7-13
Tuition fees 2016/2017
| $115,700-$121,500
IB Diploma, IB Primary
IB Diploma Year Groups
| Reception-Y12
Years Programme,
Tuition fees 2016/2017
| $90,200-$194,200
Ontario Secondary School Programme Year Groups
| Pre reception-Grade 12
Tuition fees 2016/2017
| $98,600-$178,200
West Island School, English Schools Foundation
Christian Alliance P.C. Lau Memorial International School
Discovery College, English Schools Foundation
Address
Address
Address
|3 8 Siena Avenue,
Telephone
|3 969 1000
| 250 Victoria Road, Pok Fu Lam
| Lai Yiu Estate, Wah Yiu Road, Lai King / 2 Fu
Discovery Bay
Telephone
| 2819 1962
| wis@wis.edu.hk
Telephone
| 2778 3370 / 2713 3733
| office@dc.edu.hk
Website
| www.wis.edu.hk
| info@cais.edu.hk
Website
| www.discovery.edu.hk
Curriculum
| Middle Years Diploma,
Website
| www.cais.edu.hk
Curriculum
| IB Primary Years
Curriculum
| Alberta Curriculum and
IGCSE, IB Diploma,
Ning Street, Kowloon City
Foundation Diploma,
Advanced Placement
WIS International Diploma
Programme
Programme, IB Middle Years Programme, IB Diploma
Year Groups
| Y7-13
Year Groups
| Preparatory-Grade 12
Year Groups
| Y1-13
Tuition fees 2016/2017
| $115,700-$121,500
Tuition fees 2016/2017
| $90,900-$144,400
Tuition fees 2016/2017
| $108,400-$146,600
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directory
All-through French International School
German Swiss International School
Harrow International School Hong Kong
Address
Address
Address
| 38 Tsing Ying Road,
| Campuses in Happy
|1 1 Guildford Road,
Tuen Mun
Valley, Jardine’s Lookout,
The Peak / 162 Pok Fu
Hung Hom and Chai Wan
Lam Road, Pok Fu Lam
Telephone
| 2824 9099
Telephone
| 2577 6217
Telephone
|2 849 6216/2849 6217
| info@harrowschool.hk
| info@lfis.edu.hk
| eubowski@gsis.edu.hk
Website
| www.harrowschool.hk
Website
| www.fis.edu.hk
Website
| www.gsis.edu.hk
Curriculum
| K1-Y13
Curriculum
| IB Diploma, IGCSE,
Curriculum
|G CSE, IB Diploma,
Year Groups
| Early Years Foundation
Year Groups Tuition fees 2016/2017
French National
GSIS German Stream
Stage, New Primary
Curriculum
Curriculum
Curriculum, IGCSE,
| Reception-Y13
Year Groups
| Kindergarten-Y13/K12
Tuition fees 2016/2017
| $137,400-$181,200
A-Levels Tuition fees 2016/2017
$139,959-$190,317
| $96,589-$184,038
The Harbour School
Hong Kong Academy
Hong Kong International School
Address
Address
Address
| 138 Lee Chi Road,
|3 3 Wai Man Road, Sai Kung
Ap Lei Chau Telephone
| 3708 9060
Telephone
|2 655 1111
| info@ths.edu.hk
| office@hkacademy.
Website
| www.ths.edu.hk
Curriculum
| American
Website
| hkacademy.edu.hk
Year Groups
| Kindergarten-Secondary
Curriculum
Tuition fees 2016/2017
| $152,600-$170,400
Year Groups
Road, Tai Tam | 3149 7000
| admissions@hkis.edu.hk
Website
| www.hkis.edu.hk
| Primary-Y12
Curriculum
| American
| IB Primary Years
Year Groups
| Reception-Grade 12
Tuition fees 2016/2017
| $95,400-$218,500
Programme, Middle Years Programme, IB Diploma
78 expat-parent.com
Repulse Bay/1 Red Hill Telephone
edu.hk
Tuition fees 2016/2017
| 6 South Bay Road,
| $131,000-$206,500
directory
All-through International College Hong Kong, Hong Lok Yuen
Kellett School
Address
Address
| 20th Street, Hong Lok
Renaissance College, English Schools Foundation
| 2 Wah Lok Path, Pok Fu
Yuen / 60 Sha Tau Kok
Lam/ 7 Lam Hing Street,
Road, Shek Chung Au
Kowloon Bay
Address
|5 Hang Ming Street,
Telephone
|3 556 3556
Ma On Shan
Telephone
| 3955 3000/2655 9018
Telephone
| 3120 0700
| info@rchk.edu.hk
| info@ichk.edu.hk
| admissions@
Website
| www.rchk.edu.hk
Website
| www.ichk.edu.hk
Curriculum
| IB Primary Years
Curriculum
| IB Primary Years
kellettschool.com Website
| www.kellettschool.com
Programme, UK National
Curriculum
| English National
Curriculum, IGCSE/
Year Groups
| Reception-Y13
Year Groups
| Y1-13
GCSE, IB Diploma
Tuition fees 2016/2017
| $150,500-$192,500
Tuition fees 2016/2017
| $105,000-$142,200
Year Groups
| Nursery-Y13
Tuition fees 2016/2017
|
Programme, Middle Years Programme, IB Diploma
(Kindergarten - Primary) $26,500-$114,900 (Secondary)
$150,300-$167,000
Nord Anglia International School
Victoria Shanghai Academy
Yew Chung International School
Address
| 11 On Tin Street, Lam Tin
Address
Address
Telephone
| 3958 1488
| info@nais.hk
Website
| www.nordangliaeducation. com
Curriculum
| IGCSE and IB
Year Groups
| Primary Y1-Y6/ Secondary Y7-Y9
Tuition fees 2016/2017
| $141,150-$157,450
| 19 Shum Wan Road,
|3 Somerset Road,
Aberdeen
Kowloon Tong/2 Kent
Telephone
| 3402 1000
Road, Kowloon Tong/
| enquiries@vsa.edu.hk
3 To Fuk Road, Kowloon
Website
| www.vsa.edu.hk
Curriculum
| IB Primary Years
Tong Telephone
| 2338 7106
Programme, Middle Years
| enquiry@hk.ycef.com
Programme, IB Diploma
Website
| www.ycis-hk.com
Year Groups
| Y1-12
Curriculum
| Nursery-Y12
Tuition fees 2016/2017
| $118,700-$171,450
Year Groups
| IGCSE/GCSE, IB Diploma
Tuition fees 2016/2017
| $64,614-$192,540
expat-parent.com 79
dreams
Simon Walton
Mina Dunstan
Principal of Japanese International School
Principal of esf quarry bay school
When I was a child, I did not particularly enjoy being at school, so becoming a teacher was not an obvious career path. While at university I found that my focus shifted towards wanting to teach primary education and I went on to do my teacher training.
Even when I was young, my sister and I loved to play schools, and I enjoyed playing the role of teacher. I then went on to do some work experience in a school and subsequently chose teaching as a career.
What did you want to be when you were a child?
Bill Garnett Principal of ESF Peak School Either a doctor, policeman or teacher, in the end I opted for a teacher. In a way there are days when you put on your policeman hat and days when you put on your teacher hat. I get the best of both worlds.
Ruth Woodward Principal of International College, Hong Lok Yuen My Grandmother was a hat maker and had her own shop, I loved going there and seeing all her wonderful designs. I would have loved to have done something in fashion. Nevertheless I still get the chance to make costumes for the school play and also hold Principal’s sewing lessons for students at lunchtimes.
Annette Brandt-Dammann Principal of German Swiss International School When I was six or seven I wanted to teach, but then I changed my mind and decided to be an artist. I studied art at two universities in the Netherlands before returning to Germany to do my teacher training. Quite aptly, my first teaching position was as an art and German literature teacher I still teach those subjects to this day.
80 | Expat Parent Schools Guide
Ann McDonald Principal of Kellett School Even from a young age, I always knew I wanted to be a teacher. Having said that, there was a brief moment during my early twenties when I wanted to become an air stewardess, but unfortunately height restrictions deemed I fell half an inch short of that dream!
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