Posted by
Mighty
17 yrs ago
Hi, we hv been offered an admissions screening for our daughter at RC for P1. I have been away from Hong Kong for quite a while so I hv no idea of what you do at admissions screening. I appreciate input from parents who have experience with RC admissions screening. Tks.
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Hi sorry to hear that but what we heard about the school so far was good. I wonder why they turned you down. You said your son is 7 so he must hv applied for Year 3 in their system, but then I thought the school pays more attention to school report for older children. Anyway, have you found a school yet for your son? There are some good direct subsidy schools in Hong Kong which are open to non chinese speaking children. Do you need any information? If RC failed us, then I will go direct subsidy schools.
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I've been interested in direct subsidy schools as well. However, many of them have history and maths in Putoghua and therefore my kids can't go. However, Pui Kiu, although a very patriotic (to China) school, seems to offer a curriculum with an international perspective and all of the classes are in English in primary.
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Yes Pui Kiu College is one choice. I went to their parents' seminar last year. I also had a opinion like yours that the school is a very patriotic one, however, that changed after the seminar. The Principal is very down to earth. Surely the school treasures chinese culture but not that 'patriotic' (in a negative way) as we thought. There are more choices for non chinese speaking students : Po Leung Kuk Camoes Tan Siu Lin, Po Leung Kuk Choi Kai Yau, St Margaret etc. Subjects (except chinese) are all taught in English and have lots of different nationalities. School fees are very affordable too. However, entrance interviews to all the above (Pui Kiu too) are very competitive.
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Hi everyone! I am a RC mom, and I would like to try to answer some of your questions.
If you were applying for Year 2-4 and Year 7-8 entering Fall 2008, admissions will be very competitve because the year levels were already full to begin with. Currently, there's 6 classes for Yr 1-3 and Yr 7, and so there will only be spaces available if some students left the school. The other year levels are not at full capacity as they will be opening new classes, but the max is 6 classes per year level.
As for the admissions testing, I think that the emphasis is more on English speaking/listening for the lower grades, and writing is increasingly important as the year level advances. For example, I heard that for Yr 6 admissions test, the kids will do a writing part first, and if they passed then they will be invited for an interview.
Pui Kiu is also a good choice. Even though Chinese is taught at local school level there, all other subjects are taught in English. Most importantly, the curriculum is quite "international school" minded, and seems to focus on the well-rounded development of the whole person.
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Tks for your reply. Thank god i finally got an RC mom reply. I am applying for Y1 and I am a bit concerned about writing. We are living overseas at the moment and the kindergarten here is very relaxed (but with discipline, like no eating on the school bus etc) so my child is still not really into writing, though she has no problem in speaking/listening to English. So Ultramom, in which year did your child get in? If it was Y1, can you recall the screening scenario and tell me more about it. What do you think about the school? Hope you dont mind sharing your comments/opinion here.
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Hi Mighty! My son applied for Year 4 last year. During the interview, three kids went in together with the primary principal, Mr. Muller who is absolutely great by the way! He asked them some questions about what they liked to do after school and what they did for sports, music, etc. Since this was for Year 4, the kids had to do a comprehension task and were asked to write about if they had three wishes. I think it was all age appropriate and my son was very happy with the experience.
Sorry I don't know how the screening would go for Year 1, but I would imagine it to be pretty standard stuff, like playing games and reading a story, etc. Since the curriculum is IB and very focused on hands-on learning, I think you have no need to worry at all. Just relax and try to get there early, let your child familiarise with the environment and he/she should be fine!
I really like the school so far. The campus is well-equipped, and the teachers & staff are very professional and caring. It's a nice little community! The curriculum is challenging, but not in the traditional "didactic" way. The kids are exposed to a wide range of interesting topics and are allowed to shine through in their own unique strengths.
However, I've heard that competition is very keen for Year 1. So, good luck with everything! Hope to see you next year !
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Hi Ultramom, thank you so much for your detailed input. I will try to relax (^-^) then. Yes you are right and I will be there early for sure. Just one last question, on the first interview, did any of the teachers talk to you and did u have the chance to ask questions about the school etc? I will go with my daughter but my husband is also debating whether he shld join in or not, if there is possibility of talking to teachers.
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When my son had his interview, the parents went on a school tour led by the school principal, Peter Kenny. So, we were able to talk to him and asked him many questions. But I'm not sure if they are still doing that this year.
I know that you are not in HK at the moment, but you can sign up for school tours. The tours are conducted twice a month, and the IB coordinator will bring you around the school to see the facilities. This is usually done during the school day, and so you could see the classes in action as well as ask questions.
Please go to the school website and search school tours, or call the school to schedule a date. I think that you will feel much better about it after actually seeing the school and talking with the people. Cuz it's really hard to make a decision based on just hearsay and looking at the website!
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Hi Ultramom, I sent you a pm. Many tks.
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Mighty, Pls check your PM.
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My child was also turned down by RC despite returning from a school in UK.
It appears that RC do not take on children simply because they are native in English. But in fact "selecting" children on a criteria which they do not disclose. Of course, they are not going to admit that to the parents. Otherwise, all entrance tests and requirements would be clear and transparent.
Ironically, my child was allocated a place in one of the top local schools and she is trilingual and progress very well in all areas.
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Hi Babswymak
Was your child already trilingual when she came back from the UK? If she spoke only English at the time of enrolment, then I am very eager to know which top local school will take children who are non chinese speaking. Do you mind sharing your information and experience? I still think RC is a good school but if there is a good local school who accepts non chinese speaking children, then I would like to have a go too, with the understanding that it wl be even more competitive in admissions. So far from what I gathered, direct subsidy schools offer a more flexible and all round education to children which sound very ideal to me. But my daughter will no doubt beyond compete with local children at interviews so my first choice was ESF and RC, as their style is more an English way of assessing children.
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Mighty,
Yes, my child was trilingual when she came back from the UK. Although my first language is English, I made sure my child was fluent in English and Chinese. You never know when you need it and this proves the very point! Sometimes it is such an asset to be fluent in several languages.
I guess I'm also lucky and blessed for being allocated a place in a top local school. You will be surprised that there are a few top local schools that do take on non-Chinese speakers. You have to do your research beyond direct subsidized schools. But I think children coming from the Western world tend to fit into the international schools and esf as that is the style of education that they are used to. However, I do know some western families who have put their children into the local schools and were very satisfied and gained great value (where else can you learn written and spoken Chinese for free!).
The direct subsidized schools do provide an all round education with an international outlook and I also applied to these schools for my child too. I think these schools provide a better balance and affordable.
If your child does not get accepted by RC send me a private message for a list of other schools in HK. Good luck!
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Hi babswymak
Sent you a PM. Tks.
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I spoke with the admissions advisor at RC and told them that my son had ADD and they told me to save my money (have to send in around $800 with the app).
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hi babswymak
can i also get this list of schools? i'm afraid i dont know how to PM you. i personally am worried that the local schools give too much homework and also the kids learn like "peking ducks" (as i'm told in cantonese), ie the kids arent independent thinkers. but if local schools are good as you say then i would like to invesetigate furhter as i'm rigth now i'm thinking of esf kindergarten (and esf priy & secy) for my daughter but if its so difficult to get in, i need to know of some other options.
tthanks
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Hi flowers-daffodil,
It really depends which local school you go to. You really have to do your research, as there are active based schools in HK. Look at my list under Advice Forum, "Living in Hong Kong" and "School System in Hong KOng" . Good luck!
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thanks a lot babswymak - will chk yr list.
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