Posted by
tictactoe2
17 yrs ago
I am in the process of applying for my 3 year old and 4 year old. Any comments on the school. Any idea how fast the waitlists move? Any recent experience in what happens duirng the 'interview'. does being non-Chinese and non-Canadian limit your chance of getting in? For long-term expats do they tend to leave their children in the school trhoug to the end of High School? Any other comments or impressios from current parents and/or teachers at the school would be very much appreciated
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any cdnis parents out there?
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Why are you considering CDNIS if you are not Canadian and not Chinese?
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the school has a good reputation and good facilities and it goes right through to high school
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They are probably all still on holidays. Why don't you consider other ones such as HKIS, FIS, or GSIS? All three meet the criteria you mention, although CDNIS has the newest building.
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I have or am considering some of these schools as well and I have contacts or know people who send their children to these schools. I need some insight in to CDNIS. NOTACLUE do you know anyhting about this school?
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HC thanks for your views. HC do you know why your friends took their children out, was it due to the quality of Englsih of the other students? Any others out there with a view on this school?
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There is absolutely nothing wrong with the standard of English at CDNIS. A large % of the students are Chinese, but many are North Americans who speak English all of the time at home. I have one Canadian friend whose child was not accepted as her standard of English (her only language) was not high enough.
As for the Mandarin programme, it is not as intense as the CIS or SIS fully bilingual programmes. However, not every child at CIS is taught 50:50 - there are 3 streams and only the top stream is truly bilingual. It depends on what you want from the Putonghua programme. As a western family, without any Chinese speakers, we decided against a bilingual school as we could not give our children any support in the Chinese portion of their education. The Canadian approach would have been perfect for us - little and often, with teachers who instill enthusiasm for the language in the children.
The Canadian School now follows the IB curriculum at all levels, so has appeal to more than Canadians. However, the point made above is valid - you need to think about where your children will go to secondary school or university. If you are aiming at US unis, HKIS might be the best preparation, likewse for the UK, GSIS is one of the best choices IMHO.
CDNIS is full of very happy, well-balance children who receive an excellent all-round education in a very pleasant environment. I would not say that it is the most academic school in HK - if your children need a more academic environment or a totally bilingual programme, then I'd look elsewhere.
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Mum of 2 thank you for your views. As a parent this minefield of choosing a school is very difficult. Even more difficult if you are planning to be in HK for the long term and do not want to send your kids to boarding school and you are not North American or Chinese and you would like to take an open apporach to where your kids might choose to go to university. At the same time wanting your kids to learn mandarin and at the same time have a well rounded education. Deciding this when they are 3 and 4 when you do not know their full academic potential. I personally was not seen as a top performer until I was around 10. Any others with thoughts on this school would be much appreciated.
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ltxhk
17 yrs ago
CDNIS' primary school is strong and balanced. It has moved to the PYP curriculum, and thus is suited for children of all nationalities regardless of Uni intentions. I have kids at the school, and even the early primary level classes' English standard now competes head-on with HKIS. By the time the kids are in P1, their reading and oral levels are as high as your would find at the ESF schools. The school is young compared to HKIS or CIS, and thus if you look at the standards on the upper school it is quite different than the primary. However, if you kids are only 3 and 4 years, you should really only consider the primary experience, since by the time they are in secondary the situation at any school will have evolved.
Most international families (about 30% of the class) are interested in their kids learning Mandarin. It is a relatively intensive programme with at least one hour per day. It is not bi-lingual like CIS, but even the international kids can really learn Chinese. My 13 year old is now far more than conversational, and can even read the Chinese newspaper. We chose CDNIS because we would be here a long time, and felt it would be great for the kids to learn Mandarin at the same time.
Our kids will go to USA uni, and the USA top universities will easily accept kids with IB diploma. ESF, CDNIS, HKIS, CIS acceptance into top USA universities are all good. HKIS is a good school, but you certainly do not need to select this school to prepare for USA uni.
As for concern on academic potential, ESF probably has the most support for varied needs kids. However, CDNIS now has a specialized support team if the child encounters any difficulties in learning.
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ltxhk thank you for taking the time to share your experience. do you think that native english speakers will be held back in any way by going to CDNIS say compared to ESF?
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ltxhk
17 yrs ago
Definitely not in the primary years. Spoken English standard is good, and Chinese kids are really pushed for academic performance. If your kids turn out to be gifted or accelerated, there are sets within the classroom for reading, maths etc from P2.
ESF offers a different environment; very diverse, and strong in general academics, but very weak in Mandarin. If any English is sacrificed (which we don't find for our 9 yr old child), it will be compensated by the Mandarin language learning along with the strong music programme. There is no perfect school, but if you would like your children to learn Mandarin, and still have a truly international teaching staff with international lesson approach/ standard for all subjects, CDNIS is a good choice.
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ltxhk - thanks for your thoughts. My assessment is leaning towards yours, there is nver going to be a perfect fit school. CDNIS does seem to meet my minimum requirements for Mandarin whilst at the same time being well rounded. Also seems to be a huge amount of extra activities the students can get involved in and it seems like a real school community and welcoming to non candaian families.
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Nuts and Bolts congratulations on the success of your daughter. So I assume that you ans your husband have no Canadian connections?
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I am considering CDNIS for my 7 year old son. He was born and raised in Canada and this is the first year he will be studying in Hong Kong.
Since it is already too late to apply for 2011 - 2012 school term, I am applying now for 2012 - 2013. Does anyone know what the Debenture is for? Does every student have to buy it? How much would it cost? Or is it just to increase the chance for admission?
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Ed
9 yrs ago
Canadian school in Hong Kong fires group of teachers after year of tumult
A Canadian school in Hong Kong fired a group of its teachers early Thursday afternoon, putting an exclamation point on a tumultuous year marked by warring for control of an elite institution.
The bloodletting left teachers in shock and students in tears as a secretary handed pink slips to 11 staff, one of whom had taught at the school for 18 years. “This termination will take immediate effect,” stated the letters, which were handed to teachers at the Canadian International School of Hong Kong shortly before students left for the summer. Some were standing in their classes signing yearbooks when they received the news, and broke into tears.
“That’s horrible, right? It’s totally amoral and inhumane,” said Heather Sheridan, an upper school counsellor who is leaving this year from a place whose troubles have become an ongoing drama in a city where hundreds of thousands hold Canadian passports.
Moments later, security guards appeared and teachers found themselves locked out of their e-mail accounts, a tactic common in the business world, but rare in education – in particular at a Maple Leaf-waving place that long prided itself on being the “happy school.”
More http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/canadian-school-in-hong-kong-fires-group-of-teachers-after-year-of-tumult/article24932281/
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Ed
9 yrs ago
Revolt grows: CDNIS students and alumni mobilise against school administration
http://harbourtimes.com/2015/06/28/revolt-grows-cdnis-students-and-alumni-mobilise-against-school-administration/
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