UK to HK - At a deadend with schools - HELP

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  1. #11
    inprov

    I should mention that I am still looking for a preschool for my son, who will turn 3 in December. I am hoping to find a creative, nurturing and bilingual program.

    Any recommendations?


  2. #12

    hi there,

    not sure where you will be living but renaissance college in ma on shan has quite a few openings and i think you probably might be able to get all your kids into there.
    it is now part of the esf and focuses on the ib programme.


  3. #13

    Join Date
    May 2006
    Posts
    21

    Exclamation schools

    Well as u all say it wholly depends on where you want to live in HK as to where you send your children to school.. Kellett has a great reputation but unfortunatley spaces are rare.. we know this by 1st hand there was no place available when we checked out but after 6 weeks of our daughter being in the peak school we were contacted to say there was a place available.. we made the decision that our daughter had had enough upheaval so chose for her to remain in Peak.. she is happy here and has made some nice friends!
    I think schooling is hard in HK due to the travelling to schools or having to be in the catchment area..
    Our daughter is enjoying the peak and is blossoming..
    Good luck in finding somewhere that suits...


  4. #14

    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    Pokfulam
    Posts
    331
    Quote Originally Posted by en_sursis:
    it is now part of the esf and focuses on the ib programme.
    It is "run by" ESF - it is not an ESF school. It is very much a local school, with a minimum % of HKSAR passport holders stipulated by the govt. I don't mind nobody sitting next to me on the bus, but....

    Been around in circles with schools here, eventually decided kids were better off not coming to HK till schooling is sorted..

  5. #15
    inprov

    I visited a ton of schools during my recent visit and was very impressed with the ESF schools, but ultimately chose Hong Kong Academy. The building is run down, but the student/teacher ratio cannot be beat and I love the school's inclusive philosophy. There is also quite a bit of Mandarin in the curriculum.

    I think you will be happy with Peak school. ESF is a solid system and even with the large class size is still ahead of American private elementary schools. We are going to be living at Bamboo Grove on Kennedy Road. Where are you?


  6. #16

    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    Pokfulam
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    331
    Quote Originally Posted by inprov:
    We are going to be living at Bamboo Grove on Kennedy Road.
    Cool.. Glad that worked out..

  7. #17
    Quote Originally Posted by northlakes2:
    Hi, I hope you all can help!

    We are looking to move to Hong Kong from the UK in July, however I am not getting anywhere with a place at any of the International Schools.

    Discovery Bay has been recommended to us, however the only school is really Discovery Bay International School and I cannot get a place there. The closest then is Bauihia ESF, but then that is closing next year and the new ESF will not be opening in Discovery Bay until 2008. Even if I do get my daughter into Bauihia then she may be left without a place again next year as they cannot guarantee she will be able to move over to the new school (cannot understand why, but that is what she said!). Also, my daughter is only 5 and I am not keen on her having to get a bus from Discovery Bay to the Bauihia school which takes about 1/2 hour.

    I really love the look of the Australian International School, but will only have a slim chance of a place in Jan 2007. This school is however, in Kowloon Tong. There is also Beacon Hill ESF in Kowloon Tong which I would have a better chance of getting a place for her.

    Does anyone have any experience or knowledge of any of these schools and if Kowloon Tong is a good place to live. I have another daughter who is 3 and I will not be working, so I want to be able to get around and be close to facilities etc. My husband will be working at the airport. I appreciate that DB is closer for him, but I need to also prioritise schools.

    I am getting a little bit anxious because I cannot see a way into any of the International Schools and am not sure what I am going to do.

    Is there another alternative if we were to stay in DB? Or should we go with the Australian Intnl School and give Kowloon Tong a go? Does anyone know anything more about DBIS? Is it more International or local and how does anyone ever get a place there?

    Any suggestions / recommendations would be greatly received.
    I don't know if I could be of any help. I am what you would call a local expatriate boy - basically I am a non-chinese person who happened to grow up in HK.

    To answer your question, I will try to do so in short paragraphs:

    1. Since you are coming from the UK - I presume you would like your children to continue with an eduction that provides UK curriculum? This being the case I suggest that you go with the ESF schools.
    www.esf.edu.hk

    2. The ESF has several school and you can only go to the one that is in your zone of residence.

    3. I would suggest that you try to live somewhere near KOWLOON TONG, or WATERLOO ROAD, WYLIE STREET, YAU YAT CHUEN all of this have very nice residential buildings, with access to supermarkets, shopping centres, cinimas etc.

    4. If you live in the above areas your children can either go to BEACON HILL or KOWLOON JUNIOR school for their primary education. Then they will automatically be transferred to KGV school (this is conisdered one of the best schools in HK) for their secondary schooling.

    5. This is really your best option, because KGV is not only a very good school but it is a very big school for hK... where your child will have the experience of having gone to a proper school. Did I go to KGV, the answer is YES.

    6. This place is a bit far for your husband, but he can take the train or drive quite easily to the airport.

    Well this is my 2 cents worth, if you want more information, please feel free to ask.

    Alpine from Everest!

  8. #18

    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    Pokfulam
    Posts
    331

    Woodland Pre-Schools

    Learnt about this from a flyer in the mailbox.

    Excerpt from website

    New School Premises and New Locations

    We are delighted and very excited to announce that we have secured new, purpose-built premises just behind Kellett School. You can walk to the new school from the Fire Station on Victoria Road in 3 minutes. Our new mailing address will be No.29 Commercial Centre, Wah Fu 2, Wah Fu Road, Pokfulam. Our new premises are very spacious, with wireless internet connection and laptops for every class, a 1,000 square feet indoor play area and a comfortable waiting area for parents. During November and December the new premises will be fitted out and equipped to a high standard.