Options for my 3yo daughter

Hi,

I'm Australian but live in the US, and I'm considering an offer to be transferred to HK. I think this would be great as the times my wife/I have been to HK when we lived in Australia, we loved it. Plus, it will be close enough to Perth to have a long weekend there every now and then - theoretically at least.


By the time we get there, our daughter will be 3. The company will pay for schooling, but I'm not sure what level of schooling exists for 3 year olds in HK. Can anyone fill me in?


We'd be very happy if she went to a Mandarin/Cantonese school/childcare place, as part of the reason for wanting to move to HK is for her to learn Chinese (particularly Mandarin) from a young age.


Any comments most welcome

Thanks

Andrew

Hi there,


For 3-year-old in HK, they usually start kindergarten (around Aug/Sept is beginning of the school year).


So you could choose from local or international kindergartens - there are many to choose from. There are some that have emphasis on Mandarin, such as the Chekiang Kiangsu one in North Point. Some of the international kindys will have Mandarin language teaching as well.


Some will be difficult to get into because they are full.


Maybe you should just find out where you'll be living first, and then surf the internet and find kindergartens in your area?

Chinese International School.

It starts at 4 years of age (kindegarten).

It is considered an International School with strong ties to China and an emphasis on the language, they teach Mandarin (not Cantonese), amongst other languages.

I went there, I'm an Australian, and I learnt Mandarin fluently as I went there from a young age. They follow the IB system in middle school and high school and therefore you can then move anywhere in world (not just bound by the Australia school system).

I went to university in australia.

Thank you so much everyone for your replies.


Milty, what you describe is pretty much PERFECT for what I hope for my daughter. You've really given me hope.


Slammy, thanks for those specific references.


Cara, I know what you mean and appreciate your point - I know that Cantonese is the real primary language. But I believe that learning Mandarin at school "should" be completely achievable - just with limited use on the steets, shops, businesses etc.


Thanks again

Andrew

Kiangsu and Chekiang Primary school. I sent my daughters there. Only mandarin medium primary school in HK. http://www.kcis.edu.hk/

Hi

I have young children who are about to start nursery and have lived in HK for 7 years.

For more international options that also have an element of Mandarin, look at the following to give you an idea of what is available and what the fees are to discuss with your company (not cheap!)


Plagroup/Pre-school

Woodlands Pre-schools - several around Hong Kong http://www.woodlandschools.com/Landing.php

Sunshine House - several around Hong Kong http://www.sunshinehouse.com.hk/

Tutor time - in Mandarin http://www.tutortime.com.hk/oper_location_red_hill.asp

English Schools Foundation (ESF) Kindergarten


Then most of the International schools have a kindergarten.

In HK there is: Australian, British, American style, Canadian, Singaporean, French, German Swiss and other international schools, as well as Montessori. Most have English speaking streams and all have Mandarin classes.


Lots of the relocation companies have a section on schools, here is one:

http://www.hongkonghomes.com/hong_kong_property/eng/useful/education02.htm

Good luck !

My daughters were a bit older when we came to Hong Kong. We are Australian, from Perth, but we had lived in Taiwan for a year before Hong Kong. Speaking Mandarin is very important to us. My daughters go to the Australian International School in Kowloon Tong which we are very happy with. They are the only school in HKG to closely follow the NSW curriculum and timetable and also offer the IB in secondary.

. Two longish holiday periods in the year of 4-5 weeks so good to get away from HKG.

We are quite happy with the mandarin at the school but we have also always had a private tutor come to our home to help.

It is disappointing that one can't practice more with locals but it can be done. Our tutor lives near us so knows shop keepers at the markets, restaurants that know Mandarin and our children can use what language they know when the tutor takes them to practice.

The opportunity is also there to use Mandarin in Shenzhen, just over the boarder in China. During the holidays we stayed over and my daughters used Chinese alot. They were always understood, had lengthy conversations, and were told they spoke very well.


Haven't done a long weekend back to Perth but have gone for a few days. It is an easy flight home and being on the same time means no adjusting and convenient to call family and friends.


It is not an easy decision. Check where places may be available.


Good luck.

I love IMS! Both of my kids love it too.


IMS is a bilingual school starting with toddler groups at 18 months. They also have a new primary school on Tin Hau Temple Road now.


All of the classes are in Mandarin and English, and the level of Chinese is really very high. Children are from all over, and many of the children have one parent that speaks Chinese. www.montessori.edu.hk


Both my kids love it. Good luck!