My husband and I are in the process of choosing a school for our child and we're quite keen on the Australian school. I would like to hear from parents out there with children going there, re; teachers standard, sport curriculum, e.t.c. Positive and negative.
Thanks
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You are lucky that you can "choose a school"! My info is that school places are very limited in Hong Kong so that getting a place is not easy.
I have heard nothing but good reports of the Australian International School.
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Belle
17 yrs ago
My children go there. I think it is on par to a good private school in Australia - at least in primary. It doesn't offer the facilities of a top Aus private school though (space limitations, too new, etc) - but then again, I don't think any school in HK would offer the same facilities.
It is a very welcoming school for the children (not pressured) so my children love to go to school and are very happy there. For primary, this is exactly what I wanted for my two - for them to feel happy, cared for and learn. They focus on an all round education - academics, sports, swimming, art, etc. They do 1 hour of putonghua a day, which is good for a HK international school. The teachers, on the whole, are very good.
All in all - very good - especially if you are Australian and eventually want your child to go back to Aus for high school or university.
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"You are lucky that you can "choose a school"! My info is that school places are very limited in Hong Kong so that getting a place is not easy."
Yes and no. While you would be wise to apply for 3 schools just in case, you shouldn't be too concerned about the length of the waiting lists.
1. Waiting lists comprise all the kids who have applied to 2-4 schools. In other words those kids are on 2-4 waiting lists. But they can only go to one school. So the waiting list numbers look huge but in practice, while not being insignificant, are much lower.
2. Many schools (such as FIS and CDNIS) test all or most applicants. So even if the kids is #19 on the list, if he/she doesn't pass assessment, he/she is not getting in.
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My child has been at AISHK for the past year (early childhood/primary) and absolutely loves it. I have found the teachers to be great and very approachable. They are always available to talk to with any concerns and they provide detailed feedback. The standard is quite high I feel.
The parents are invited to be as involved as they wish, in the form of classroom helper days (reading, helping with writing, swimming), the Parent Association and class parents. There is also a great social side with the parents, which is fantastic for new parents who have just moved and don't know anyone.
The one thing I found comforting was the "buddy" system. When there is a new student, they are really looked after by the other students. At the end of the day, it's a transient lifestyle and these kids know exactly what new kids are going through.
There is a waiting list, especially in primary. You are given priority if you are Australian/New Zealander, but get onto them and keep up the contact with them, that's what we did.
It's also great for when we go back to Australia, our child can go straight back into the NSW system and year.
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cd
17 yrs ago
A couple of my friends who have kids there are not as happy and are considering moving their kids, it seems more common once they reach secondary age. They also say the parents are very cliquey.
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I reluctantly agree about the parents being cliquey, there are definitely those groups there, but I think that would be the same in lots of places.
When my child started there, I was lucky that I met a lovely lady and I became involved with very warm welcoming people, who just kicked back and relaxed. However there is a divide and as I did, I chose not to worry about what those type of people thought about me (I tend to go for comfortable clothes when picking up my child, instead of evening dresses!!! okay a bit overboard, but I'm sure you get the gist).
As for the secondary stage, I think there are limitations due to the space issue as Belle mentioned. But either way, the overall standard of education is quite high.
Overall I really like the school and my child is very happy there and that is the most important thing to me. At the end of the day if my child is happy at school and is, then I am happy to know that learning is enjoyable for them.
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My daughter started at the AISHK this year and we both love it. I disagree, most of the parents in my daughters class are very very friendly. I found that it's the local parents mostly that aren't friendly and don't want to get involved in school life. There only there so their kids can get an 'International School' education and not to form friendships. Maybe it's a language thing too, who knows. Just remember there are going to be snobby parents no matter where you go but so far so good for us. The staff are great too and very approachable. For Aussies I highly recommend it.
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hkjazz, I agree about the local parents. When we have our parent lunches, etc., very rarely do the local mums come as well. However, I do know a couple of local mums who are quite involved with the school and I think that is great. Maybe they also feel a littled daunted or shy as well, because well, we really aren't as reserved as the locals are we? :)
I had a whinge to my friend about these "cliquey" Aussie/NSW women who think they are holier than thou, and she (who has been living in HK many, many years) said they don't wish to make friendships with the mums who are "transitional" and are going to be leaving in a couple or few years. I have experienced this first hand when introduced to a woman. She was very friendly at first, asked all the questions about my family and husband's work. Then the big one, how long are you here for? I answered a couple or few years, depending on contracts, etc., she immediately switched off and physically turned away from me and completely ignored me from that day on. At first, I was quite put out and a little upset, but then I thought well &^()$$( you! But it's like anywhere, you will always get your snobs. I am lucky like you hkjazz that i have met some wonderful mums & dads and we have a great supportive network.
The school is so warm and welcoming and I know that when we do leave eventually, we will all be sad to say goodbye. My child has met some great kids and has formed great relationships, both in her year and other years as well. I just hope that we can have the same sort of experience when we go home.
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though I agree with you that people shouldn't decide whether they make friends with people depending on how long they plan to stay, but if you have lived here as long as I have, which is all my life, I have one friend left in this city that I went to school with, and superficial short term friendships become, well tiresome after a while. Though I never ask someone how long they plan to stay, it doesn't really cross my mind actually when I meet someone, rather I ask how long they have been here, I can understand someone's mindset if they do, and if they lose interest if they find the person they are talking to is going to be in Hong Kong temporarily, that doesn't mean to say the person they are talking to should be blanked, rather rude and superficial if you ask me, but I can understand not wanting to pursue some kind of deep friendship, for someone who has seen the come and go for 30 years, that kind of temporary thing is no going to hold a lot of interest, and I don't blame them.
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I can see where you are coming from Digital Blonde, but really it's just downright bloody rude to dismiss someone. I don't care whether I liked that person to begin with or not, you just don't do it. If they don't want a lasting frienship that's fine, at least be curteous.
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It is very rude. There is a way to do it politely, If it was me and push came to shove and I had to explain it, I would have just said, look I am just not interested in a temporary friendship, in my experience they rarely stand the test of time and people leaving Hong Kong and I just don't want to invest I have done it to many times before. Not a lot someone could say to that. Perhaps its forward but at least you avoid being rude and explain what the deal is to the person.
That being said, I have never actually done that, but I am never rude to people I have no intention of being friends with.
Personally I don't ask how long people are going to be here for, I assume most people are here temporarily, even I don't plan on retiring in Hong Kong. I do always ask how long people have been here for. I don't have a lot of friends here either anymore, a lot of acquaintances that I don't have much time for.
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I have been moving around for quite a few years now. So have many of my friends. I have come to an acceptance of the fact that I may never live in the same place as these people again. They are still my friends though. I keep in touch with email and phone. I send the occasional present to them or their kids. It's not like hanging out with your buddies but I still consider these remote friends among my closest friends.
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Digital Blonde, I hit reply by accident before I finished my comment (baby screaming in background!) so I must apologise as it looks like I was having a go at you, which I definitely was not I assure you.
I was going to go on to say since living here I have said goodbye to a couple of people and it is sad and I sometimes think is it worth it? But then I look back to a great friend I met over here who left a few months ago. We became very close and it hurt like hell when she left, but I keep in contact and probably always will.
There are some people you meet who you just know will a friend for life and those who you may be good friends with now, but when you leave, whilst you have fond thoughts, that will be about the extent of it.
Anyway, as I said, the majority of the mums at AISHK are lovely, caring and openly welcoming, just a few on the side that aren't and that is fine, each to their own.
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Hi neenib, I've been moving around my entire life. I can hardly count how many people I've known with whom I felt I had a special bond. When someone new came to town, I was the first person to throw a coffee morning or lunch and invite everyone who might be of interest to them. My husband and I have met many couples and thoroughly enjoyed their company while we lived in a country and yet, later, some seem to just write you off. It's amazingly painful and some people are thinking of avoiding such painful feelings. It's also painful when you make a best friend and that person leaves. I can't tell you how comforting it is for me to have friends who are local, married to locals or who want to retire here. I've had my heart broken over and over when friends leave. I have to recover after a friend leaves before I can get up the energy to try to make a new friend again.I think that's what you could say to men who want to date you.good luck.
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"I found that it's the local parents mostly that aren't friendly and don't want to get involved in school life."
I wonder why they should get places for their kids at an international school when they should just send them to local school for local kids. Preference/priority should be given to Australian/New Zealand kids before any local kids are admitted, especially with their non-engaging/unfriendly parents.
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