Desparate Mum Seeking Advice on HK international schools

Hello Asiaxpat community,


I'm a desparate mum of two children (6 &3). I'm trying to find a proper school for them and all I found out so far is a hard fact that we are terribly late to applying for 2013-2014 year enrollment with many schools.


Could any of you share your insights regarding HK international schools. What are the international schools and kindergartens are considered as very good / good ones? How easy to apply to ESF schools at this time? How should I approach this task given we are so late in sending in applications (I just learned about moving to HK). Anything you feel will help my situation would be so so highly appreciated!!!


Could any of you share your view on American International School and Delia School of Canada? Thank you!

Get in touch with Ruth Benny of company called Top Schools Hong Kong.... She is an expert in this field and may be able to point you in the right direction.

Good luck!

and i would consider to apply to pretty much every school you can think of. i think your choice is limited, so it's more a question of what choice you will get at all

Thanks, Cluck - I'm Ruth. You're not too late, hknewcomer2013 and I can certainly help if you'd like to get in touch.


We have a few families in the same boat.


All the best!

Hello Cluck, Cookie09 and hkwaffle, thank you all so much for your valuable advice!


I heard some terrible stories about hk international schools (drug intake by students, etc). Could any one comment on Clearwater Bay area and its schools? Some one told me it had bad reputations, but then what she said might have been "Repulse Bay". She mentioned a Cantonese name which sounded like either one of them. Has any one heard of Renessaince school?

Hi hknewcomer2013,


My wife said the elementary school was newly built in 2011. it follows the US system. Good luck with your search!

Hello hknewcomer2013,


There is a school for kindergarten in Red hill Plaza called Sunshine house International Pre- school. They accept children in between semesters and will offer the best for your child. As for your 6 yr. old enroll him/her to their oldest group while you are waiting for a proper school for them. Hope this help. Good Luck.

Hi

I am also in the same boat -we are heading to Hong Kong in the summer and I am having a hard to on schools ...which makes looking for a house hard also when you don't know the area. I have a 8 year old boy and 6 year old girl. Let me know how you go - good luck. :)

Clearwater Bay / Sai Kung area has quite a few schools, ESF Clearwater Bay (will be very hard to get a 6 yo into), HK Academy is moving there, Kellett will be in Kowloon Bay (will be quite hard as well, possibly more spaces at new campus though). Other options in the NT are JIS, NIS, ICS, HLYIS, or even Harrow (will be hard as well, plus expensive). I have friends living in Sai Kung and their kids go to HLYIS, and they're quite happy, they had no choice.


Repulse Bay will have higher rents and spaces on the island are even harder. ESF will be close to impossible for a 6 yo as well. There is HKIS, CDNIS, FIS, GSIS, or the popular bi-lingual / full immersion schools (ISF, CIS, etc.) but all these schools are very popular. IMS is starting to belong in this list too (Montessori, although they'll be expanding into Stanley). Less popular ones are KIS, Delia School of Canada, Harbour School but even these schools are starting to get fuller and fuller, though you'll have a better chance there.


There are also local EMI schools, I am not sure how this process works. Rosaryhill is next to Bradbury and I know somebody who's kids go there.


Lots of preschools have P1 programs now as there aren't spaces in international schools, so this will depend on the age of your child. My 2006 born ones are already in Y2 heading for Y3.


I would start with the less popular ones and put your name down at as many places as you can. You can always start in a serviced apartment so that you don't have to sign a 2-year lease.