We have primary and secondary school children and would prefer that the kids won't need to travel too far to school. We have a budget of $40K-$60K (need atleast 3 bedrooms). Would appreciate anyone who can help with the following questions:
1. With only 5 secondary schools, which are the best and which corresponding areas should we look to live in to limit the commute for the kids?
2. How do kids get to school? Public Transportation? School Buses?
3. I read many posts that talk about waiting lists for the schools, what is the situation like?
Thanks
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I hear the ALL the schools are full, ESF and the internationals.
Look under ask an expat re property chat, some good info there.
Public transport is good all over the island and the school buses run most places,
Really advise you contact the schools direct and see about availablity
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The area you live in is likely to be dictated as to where you can get school spaces. I would suggest that you call all schools that you feel would be suitable for your children and find out which has the shortest wait list. You may want to move into that catchment area. I did hear recently that the Austrailian International School had spaces for both primary and secondary and that SIS had secondary spaces available, so you may want to try those. All schools have school buses and they have bus mothers for supervision for Primary schools, public transport seems to be very efficient. Good Luck!
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So what happens if you can't get into a school?
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ness
19 yrs ago
There will be places coming up at all schools because of the number of expats who leave during the summer. The waiting lists here are also not very well documented in my experience so rather than being told your number on the waiting list and there being a very clear policy on who gets preference it seems to be a little more ad hoc than that. If you cannot get into the ESF primary school of your choice then you can attend another one until a place becomes available at the school you do want. For instance many children who attend the Peak ESF primary school do not live in the catchment area (rental prices there are very high) or have moved out to cheaper areas over time. They still have school buses that do the run from the southside, pokfulam, parkview and happy valley as well as mid levels. The children go past other ESF schools. It is a nice school so many people prefer to keep their children going there in any case. I think that basically you have to just take a leap and have faith that it will all work out in the end.... nothing is that easy unfortunately. www.classmatesasia.com has a list of most of the interntaional schools. And www.esf.edu.hk is the esf website with links to all the schools. Unfortunately it is difficult to put the children's names down for an ESF school unless you have a house but many of the schools will accept an undertaking that you are planning to live in the area or else you take a serviced apartment in the catchment area while you are looking/waiting for you apartment to become available.
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Thanks that is great advice. Now the question is which area has the best ESF's. Are all ESF's equal? In other words any reccomendation on where we should live, in order to be on the waiting list for the better ESF's?
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cd
19 yrs ago
Ness is right, many students will be leaving in the summer and the number that don't notify the school until the end if at all is quite high. If you are coming from Great Britain then you should be put to the top of the waiting lists of the ESF schools. Would definately recommend KGV (secondary) in Kowloon, a great school, my kids love it there and touch wood are doing really well. Many kids at that school live in Sai Kung and Clearwater bay which is a great place for families, there are many school buses to that area. Clearwater Bay also has a nice primary school. Also for your budget you would easily get a 4 bedroomed house with pool and garden in Sai Kung/Clearwater Bay.
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That is very helpful. We will definitely check out Sai Kung. We are Americans (which probably gets us to the bottom of any list, these days) and are moving from Beijing. What about the midlevels, are the ESF's any good there? How long does it take from Kai Sung to Central? Is there MTR there?
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Sai Kung to Central or anywhere on the island is a long way. You also need to consider where you work. there is no MTR there. the closest is Hung Hau and a minibus. Clearwater Bay is closer but more expensive. Because both are out further your $40 - 60k will go quite a long way, compared to Midlevels but you will NEED a car. There is a huge ExPat community out that way too. Good luck!
As for schools, we managed 2 kids into the Australian School but they run a Jan - Dec year but we are Aussies. they started 20 new kids this term.
Siblings get first rights, so get one into your preferred school and your second goes to the top of the list.
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cd
19 yrs ago
We live right in the middle of Sai Kung and Clearwater Bay, I can be in Central in 25mins by car (depending on the traffic), 35 mins to Stanley, 40 mins to airport, 25 mins to TST. To get to say Times Square by public, its a 5 min bus ride to Hang Hau, then 8 stops on the MTR. Hardly the other side of the world. Yes Sai kung would take much longer and is much easier if you have a car, many people drive to Hang Hau then use the Park and Ride, $5 an hour, but its worth the extra travel for the quality of life, much nicer than living in the city especially if you have kids. Re the ESF schools, you would still get a higher priority than many on the waiting list as a native English speaker. Try and look round some. A word of warning, the office staff at ESF schools are pretty unhelpful and will make it very difficult for you to look round, bypass them and go direct to the principle or vice principle and they are much nicer and will often show you round themselves.
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ness
19 yrs ago
ACtually I would second Saphires recommendation for Pokfulam if you want to live on the island - you. Both schools are great and your housing budget will go that little further than midlevels.
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Thank you all! this is a great start. We will be checking things out next week.
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@@
19 yrs ago
Both Glenealy and the Peak school (which are the catchment for certain parts of Midlevels) are wonderful schools. Certainly give the Peak a call, our friends who arrived recently managed to get their children in with no problem, even before getting their lease sorted.
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South side of HK, Happy Valley, Shouson Hill areas etc. would be in the catchment areas for Bradbury Primary School (places available) and South Island (Secondary) School (places normally available)while still making travel to Central relatively easy.
Most ESF schools are much of a muchness but some tend to be over subscribed due to location etc. (KGV for example).
Have a look at the individual schools if you get the chance but I believe ALL applications have now been centralised through the ESF HQ.
Contact the ESF directly - Chris Forse is probably the best person to help you out (www.esf.edu.hk)
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