Recommendation : ESF or other international schools???

  1. #1

    Join Date
    Mar 2009
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    hongkong
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    3

    Recommendation : ESF or other international schools???

    Would like to know if anyone has feedback on Bradbury (ESF) or French International school or GSIC (english section) ??? Heard these schools are good schools?
    Do these schools teach "pin yin" instead of trad chinese in their mandarin classes?
    Any other international schools that you would recommend?
    My son is 6 this year and we will be moving to HKG soon.
    Any input is very much appreciated!


  2. #2

    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    HK Island
    Posts
    307

    A copy of my reply in your other thread in baby

    Plenty of other options. Please note that ESF schools go by catchment area, so in order to go to Bradbury you have to live in a certain district (which includes Stanley / Repulse Bay in this case). So until you know where you're going to live you cannot say for certain that Bradbury will be your school. We're right on the border, and therefore my oldest will go to Quarry Bay instead. Other options are Hong Kong International School, Canadian International School, Hong Kong Academy, German Swiss (see other thread on kids website about their possible move) and many more.

    No school is particulary better than another, meaning, it very well depends on your child and what's right for your child may not be right for mine. It also depends on the the (secondary) language thought at the schools (and your wishes) and the commute to your home. And of course, your budget. There is quite a big range from about $60k a year for ESF up to over $160k for HKIS. Also some school have (pretty steep) debentures.

    According to my information, French is very hard to get into if you're not French (and/or French speaking e.g. Belgium, Switzerland, etc.) since those children get priority even in the bilingual French / English stream. I don't think FIS has an English stream only, it's either French or French / English (where my friend's kids go and she had difficulty getting them in since she's from Belgium and French get priority over other French speaking nationals).

    There is a South China Morning Post school guide, I don't have the latest version (only on paper) but I am sure somebody can send it to you.


  3. #3

    Join Date
    Mar 2009
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    hongkong
    Posts
    3

    Thank you for the info. I will look it up.


  4. #4

    Join Date
    Sep 2002
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    Hong Kong
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    432

    This is last year's fees, but it should give you an idea of the cost difference

    List of Primary Schools in Hong Kong Island :: GeoKids.HK - Hong Kong's Premier Parenting Website


  5. #5

    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    hongkong
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    So many choices. I guess that is why I did not know where to start. We are thinking of staying around Happy Valley or North Point and trying to keep to a budget of less than HKD100K per year. My main area of focus is that the school is preferably bilingual (teach pin yin instead of the traditional chinese) and english. Regards


  6. #6

    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Hong Kong
    Posts
    4

    French Intl does have an english stream.