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Getting into ESF Primary

  1. #11

    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    Hong Kong
    Posts
    432

    Kiwikids, My son is at ESF, and to be honest I don't think they know yet if any kids are leaving at the end of this term and the number of spaces available. We will be asked to pay deposits shortly for next term and that's when they should have a better idea about the wait list.


  2. #12

    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    pokfulam hk
    Posts
    2

    Hi, thanks a lot for your reply!


  3. #13

    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    HK Island
    Posts
    307

    My daughter is at QBS, but we haven't heard anything yet about next year's deposits, etc. I know a few leaving there, but I doubt whether the school has been informed. Also people tend to wait until the last minute, because they just never know?


  4. #14

    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    DB, Hong Kong
    Posts
    77

    We are waiting for a place with ESF also and the admissions people told me by June they will know what their numbers look like for DD's class next year. So we wait another month!


  5. #15

    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Hong Kong
    Posts
    1

    I applied about 1.5 years ago and they only told us my son was being put on their waiting list. Since then, I didn't hear anything from them....until 4 days ago!! My son went to an interview today together with 5-6 other kids. 30 minutes later, he was the only one who came out. I thought he already failed and that's why he came out so early. But then a lady came out and told us that he has been accepted!!

    She then asked us to pay $10,000 right at the spot to reserve his place, purchase uniform and so on...it all came so suddenly and hastily that we couldn't even know how to respond! Anyway, if you're worried, I think you should be more aggressive in requesting your recent status. Ring them up and let them know your situation and concerns. Good luck to you!


  6. #16

    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    KLN
    Posts
    51
    Quote Originally Posted by Mother Goose
    I applied about 1.5 years ago and they only told us my son was being put on their waiting list. Since then, I didn't hear anything from them....until 4 days ago!! My son went to an interview today together with 5-6 other kids. 30 minutes later, he was the only one who came out. I thought he already failed and that's why he came out so early. But then a lady came out and told us that he has been accepted!!

    She then asked us to pay $10,000 right at the spot to reserve his place, purchase uniform and so on...it all came so suddenly and hastily that we couldn't even know how to respond! Anyway, if you're worried, I think you should be more aggressive in requesting your recent status. Ring them up and let them know your situation and concerns. Good luck to you!
    Mother Goose,

    May I know which campus has offered you a place? We are in cat 2 and my child is not studying at an ESF pre-school. I'm thinking the chance is very low.

  7. #17

    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Pokfulam
    Posts
    3

    Hi
    This question is for mothers who's kids got in to Kennedy mid year.
    I have a 7 yr old daughter and we are returning to HK after 5 years. We have been asked for an interview by Kennedy in Aug, I think for Year 3.
    Can someone detail what the interview is all about - MotherGoose ? We are in Cat 1, and will move in July. Is this call for interview a formality or is it competitive ? Does anyone know ?

    Thanks for any advice...also, we will be staying in Victoria Gardens, Pokfulam.


  8. #18

    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    DB, Hong Kong
    Posts
    77

    Mother Goose - we were in a similar situation. Although we didn't have to pay the 10K on the spot, we had a day or two to get it back.

    So we are now no longer searching for schools after over 12 months on the case!

    My strategy was threefold:
    1) Try to get back on the lists of schools we were on three years ago before we left HK (we returned 9 months ago); and, in the same spot (worked for 2 of 5 school lists we were on)! We identified three levels of schools we were going to focus on. 1) Those in close proximity to where we live (practically no chance). 2) Those that we wanted the girls to go to and would have gone to first had we not had to contend with wait lists. 3) Those we knew we could (more than likely) get into which I put her on the list for entry in the 2010/2011 school year instead of entry immediately. I called or emailed each of the five schools every 6 weeks since we knew we were returning to HK (about 15 months ago!).

    2) Plan B -- Put our youngest on the list of the same schools and try and get her into ESF or DBIS in K1; and, then use reverse 'sibling preference' to get the older one in (and it would have worked except that 1 entire class of K1 kids entered DBIS because they had older kids in the school and so we kept moving back and back on the list!).

    3) Plan C -- Homeschool. I started an early childhood education course last year to help me plan for homework (and to homeschool if worst came to worse)!

    Plan B worked in the end but it was not easy either. I had it marked on the calendar when we could apply for the younger to go into K1 and couriered the forms back to the school. Had the previous years forms already filled out and copies of the documentation ready to. For the older one, who is going into P2 - her ESF interview was rather easy, she met with the teacher (we were not in the room) and they heard a book and had a chat. I have heard at LIS that the kids actually had to do a written test, including mathematics sums. I would say that Kennedy is probably similar to the ESF interview that DD had.

    Good luck with it.


  9. #19

    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Pokfulam
    Posts
    3

    Thanks for that. This sounds tougher than any job placement !

    However, does being called for the interview mean that the waitlist period is over ? Or do they still pop you back on the waitlist after the child has cleared an interview ?

    Also if anyone knows what they ask in a Y3 interview, it would be great.
    Thanks...


  10. #20

    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Hong Kong
    Posts
    11

    It usually means you are close to the top of the list. The school wants to now ascertain your child's skills and knowledge, hence suitability, should a vacancy occur in the near future. English competency will be tested - reading , writing, conversation, also some essential maths concepts for Year 3 will be assessed.


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