There’s always plenty to look forward to on the educational journey. From new international schools in Hong Kong to new facilities and curriculums and other updates, here are just a few of the latest developments in schools in HK and abroad!
Hong Kong School News
New Early Learning Space
HK’s newest bilingual nursery programme is opening its doors! Learn more about the CDNIS Early Years Centre at The Southside through a campus tour, and explore the expansive 14,000-square-foot space that includes state-of-the-art teamLab classrooms designed to ignite the imaginations of all learners. Applications for the CDNIS programme for two-year-olds will open soon*.
Don’t miss the opportunity to witness the future of early education and shape your child’s journey – register your interest and learn more by visiting cdnis.edu.hk. (*pending EDB approval)
Italian Kindergarten Open Day
The school’s Open Day on Saturday 27 April is a great chance to meet the team along with current and prospective families, plus you’ll also get to experience some on-campus activities. More details can be found at iikg.edu.hk/en/.
A Preschool Taster!
Discover the magic of learning at Malvern College Pre-School Hong Kong at one of its Taster Sessions, and see how the school supports children’s curious minds and passion for discovery. You’ll hear first-hand about Malvern’s curriculum and regular Forest-Beach School learning opportunities, and get a glimpse into a typical class and the Reggio Emilia inspired environment, from English/ Chinese circle time to group activities focusing on Maths, Literacy, Chinese, Expressive Arts and Design, and Understanding the World. The Taster Sessions conclude with a guided campus tour.
malvernpreschool.hk/taster-sessions
New Term, New Face
Creative Secondary School has made a fresh start to the opening term of 2024, with a flag-raising ceremony and a special assembly to welcome new School Principal, Mr Stephen Hindes. A lifelong resident of Hong Kong, he brings a wealth of local experience and international perspective. Stephen earnt his Executive Master of Arts in International Educational Leadership & Change (IB Leadership) at EdUHK and has over 20 years of experience. Most recently, he served as Assistant Principal at The Hong Kong University Graduates Association College. Outgoing Acting Principal Ms Lancy Tam will continue her contributions to the school as the new Senior Consultant – School Development and Quality Assurance. Good luck to everyone for a great term at CSS!
Making Learning Easier
Looking for a maths tutor and education specialist? With over 20 years’ experience, Annette Garrett-Cox provides bespoke maths tuition for 11+, IBMYP and IGCSE, using her Masters degree in Neuroscience and Education to support students with difficulties learning maths and fast learners seeking to be stretched. Annette also supports learners with maths anxiety and neurodiversities including dyscalculia, dyslexia and working memory difficulties. Through her business, Granite Rose, she offers online sessions to suit a Hong Kong time zone, along with workshops for parents about how best to support their child’s learning. graniteroseeducation.co.uk
A new sporting competition kicks off in style
More than 400 athletes from over 30 schools from Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Dongguan, Shenzhen, and Zhuhai competed in November in the inaugural Greater Bay Area Cup. Sponsored by CTF Education Group (CTFEG) and hosted by Benenden Bilingual School Guangzhou, the event saw school teams battle it out in basketball and football games, as well as tennis and golf matches. The GBA Cup aims to set a new benchmark for sports events that promote the development of athletic talents in the region, aligning with CTFEG’s commitment to exploring innovative approaches to integrate sports and education.
Read for Meaning
Do your children dislike reading? Are they getting enough out of books? Since 2007, Read for Meaning has fostered a love of literature and promoted active, productive reading through its after-school programme at German Swiss International and its open Saturday programme at Glenealy School in Mid-Levels. Pupils from five to 16 years benefit from small group study of fiction and non-fiction from around the world; they enjoy the process and broaden their horizons. Find out more or register for Term 2 book club sessions starting on 13 January at readformeaning.com.
HKA school fee reductions
Good news for new school families: Hong Kong Academy has announced reduced Pre-Kindergarten application and tuition fees! From August 2023, the one-off and non-refundable application fee is $1,500 and tuition fees will be lowered to $109,000 per annum, billed on a semesterly basis.
HKA’s Pre-Kindergarten programme is for children aged 3 to 5 years and involves a daily 4.5-hour programme with the option to enrol in after-school activities. Classes are limited to 18 students, with one English-speaking teacher and the other teaching in Mandarin to expose students to a dual-language environment.
Applications are open for an August 2024 start date, with limited spaces still available for mid-year 2023/24 entry. If you’re interested in HKA, contact admissions by email office@hkacademy.edu.hk or call 2655 1118 to book a visit and a personalised tour.
CDNIS is expanding!
Canadian International School of Hong Kong (CDNIS) is set to unveil a state-of-the-art, purpose-built CDNIS facility in The Southside, Wong Chuk Hang. The 14,000-square-foot space will offer the half-day Early Years Programme, the popular bilingual half-day programme of Early Years 1 classes for three-year-olds, and a new bilingual Nursery Programme for two-year-olds (pending EDB approval). Its stimulating and spacious classrooms will support the school’s youngest learners as they’re introduced to inquiry-based IB components, and help to foster curiosity and creativity in both English and Chinese.
The expansion is expected to be finished in time for the 2024/2025 academic year, with applications for the CDNIS Early Years Programme opening in April 2024. For more info, visit cdnis.edu.hk
Planting Trees
Planting TreesIt’s a great time to teach children an appreciation for the natural world, and the International College Hong Kong (ICHK) Hong Lok Yuen has been recognised for doing just that! At the International School Awards 2023, ICHK won the Sustainability Award for its tree-planting initiative in the kindergarten and primary years, which sees students allocated their own tree to care for, to develop an understanding of their role in sustainability. (Look out for the community wide organic farm coming to campus soon, too.)
Meanwhile, Year Three students created a song and music video, “Whispering Reefs”, about protecting marine life, which won first prize at the 2023 Voices for the Planet Awards! (Find out more anout the awards here.) ichkhly.edu.hk
Parent Workshops
Shrewsbury International School is hosting a series of online chats with parents centering around the identification of five key ideas or tips under a common theme. Aptly named “Five ways to…”, the 45-minute sessions are hosted at 5pm on Wednesdays periodically throughout the academic year, covering topics such as inspiring children to write, effectively managing challenging behaviour, and supporting Chinese learning as a non-native speaker. The school says the talks will draw far more broadly upon the expertise of the academic team than ever before. To register, visit hjuglcnu.paperform.co.
Happy 60th Anniversary!
It’s not only one of the biggest international schools in Hong Kong, but with six decades of education under its belt this year, the French International School is also the oldest. Some 2,700 students from 45 countries attend FIS across four campuses, in an all-through school that offers two internationally accredited streams in French and English. The academic environment is multilingual, inclusive and caring – and you don’t need to speak French to join! Find out more about how FIS seeks to unlock and develop each learner’s talent and passion while supporting their needs at fis.edu.hk.
Getting Ready for Middle School
YMCA Christian Academy is launching a new Year 7 programme in 2024-25, where children aged 11 and 12 can take part in specialised preparations for Middle School. The programme will be based on the International Middle Years Curriculum (IMYC) and provide flexibility for the school to incorporate its Christian values, and its Wellbeing Curriculum, Chinese Students and Learning Diversity provisions. It’s also transferable to British, American and IB schools, providing a seamless transition and plenty of options. If additional support is needed, coaching is available to develop skills to prepare for the move to secondary school. For more information, head to yca.edu.hk/year7.
Anchors Academy
New kindergarten and primary school Anchors Academy has opened in Yuen Long in the New Territories, offering a creative, hands-on curriculum that combines the best elements of Eastern and Western educational ideals. There’s a focus on developing international mindedness, confidence and character, and the specialised STEAM curriculum lets children learn how to explore and grow within an innovative world. Additionally, each student has an opportunity to learn English, Cantonese and Mandarin through play. anchorsacademy.edu.hk/en
Clever Kids
After navigating some turbulent years of study, Hong Kong’s 2023 cohort of A Level and IB students has achieved outstanding results. This year, 23 Hong Kong IB students scored a perfect 45. While this is down from 93 perfect scores in 2022, there is a global trend towards lower scores with the return of the pre-pandemic awarding systems. Plus, the average IB score here was 36.25 compared to the global average of 30.24, and the IB pass rate of 97.7% compared to 79.3% globally. There have been success stories in A Levels too, with students already being accepted into top universities around the world on the back of top grades. Congratulations from the Expat Living team to these students for their results, and to the families and teachers supporting these young minds to achieve their best!
Stellar Grades at DBIS!
Among the high achievers mentioned above were students at Discovery Bay International School, with the A Level/BTEC Level 3 Class of 2023 excelling in their final summer examinations. Some 19% of all grades achieved were an A*, and 40% either A* or A. Principal Mr Marc Morris was justifiably impressed: “These results have left an indelible impression on everyone at the school – they’re a testament to the unwavering dedication and perseverance of each student.” He also pointed to the invaluable support provided by the school’s teachers. To find out more about learning at DBIS Sixth Form, visit dbis.edu.hk/sixth-form, and for scholarship applications, go to dbis.hk/year12scholarship.
Exploring & Learning
Thirty years after launching as an integral offering of the ESF (English Schools Foundation), ESF Sports & Language has rebranded as ESF Explore. The new name celebrates and reflects on the expanding educational offerings of ESF – and there’s a new logo, too. Education at ESF means a great deal more than academic achievement, and the ESF Explore curriculum has been developed to nurture the whole child. There’s a wide range of classes, courses and activities catering to children from infants to teens, with expanded categories covering playgroups, sports, language classes, arts, drama, STEM learning, and more.
New Head of Hong Kong Academy
HKA will soon welcome a new Head of School, with Kasson Bratton accepting the offer to join from July 2024. Kasson is currently Deputy Head of School and Director of Learning at Nanjing International School in mainland China, where he has worked for the past nine years. His understanding of the international school ecosystem in East Asia, leadership in infusing global citizenship into the curriculum, and commitment to cultivating rigorous and inclusive learning communities strongly align with HKA’s mission and vision. The HKA Board say they’re looking forward to supporting a seamless Head of School transition over the next year.
Zoning requirements dropped!
From 1 August 2023, families looking to send their children to any of the 22 English Schools Foundation (ESF) schools in Hong Kong can apply without needing to have their residential address fall within a specific geographical area for a particular school. The ending of these zoning requirements opens up all ESF schools to applicants regardless of where they and their family live in HK. The new process will operate for any application submitted on or after 1 August. Parents who are in the midst of the application process before that date will be contacted and offered the chance to revise their choice of school.
Visit esf.edu.hk for details of ESF schools and their locations.
Need a Tutor?
UK-based education company Renewed Learning has recently expanded to Asia and launched Renewed Learning Asia. With a team of tutors from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, students can expect world-class teaching from inspiring and engaging mentors. RLA provides expert tutoring across all subjects to students aged four to 18, including exam preparation for 11+, 13+, GCSE, A-Levels and IB. Tuition can be provided in person in Hong Kong, and online across Asia.
New Curriculum Strand
ICHK Secondary is an IB World School in the New Territories that’s doing things a bit differently. While students at ICHK follow BTECs, IGCSEs and the IBDP, they’re also given the option of graduating with a Mastery Transcript. Offered as an additional qualification to the IB Diploma, the Mastery Transcript is unique in that it features no grades; rather, it aims to value and recognise students for all their capabilities, passions, achievements and interests, not just academic abilities. This is in line with the ICHK belief that a secondary school experience should deliver both character and academic achievement in the same child.
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