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ESF Primaries

  1. #1

    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Posts
    5

    ESF Primaries

    We're moving to the HK this summer as ESF secondary teachers. We therefore can choose which of their schools we send our 6 year old to but would like to know if we should have any preferences?

    We will be working at West Island and South Island Schools and first of all, thought that we probably should be based on the South of the Island and therefore send our boy to Kennedy School.

    However, given the prices of accommodation on the Island itself, we have now started looking at Clearwater Bay and Discovery Bay as options where we could live.

    How do the ESF schools of Kennedy, Discovery College and Clearwater Bay compare?


  2. #2

    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    HK Island
    Posts
    307
    Quote Originally Posted by MrsDizzy
    We're moving to the HK this summer as ESF secondary teachers. We therefore can choose which of their schools we send our 6 year old to but would like to know if we should have any preferences?

    We will be working at West Island and South Island Schools and first of all, thought that we probably should be based on the South of the Island and therefore send our boy to Kennedy School.

    However, given the prices of accommodation on the Island itself, we have now started looking at Clearwater Bay and Discovery Bay as options where we could live.

    How do the ESF schools of Kennedy, Discovery College and Clearwater Bay compare?
    Kennedy would be one of the lowest on my list. It's large (5-form) and I heard communication leaves much to be desired in a variety of areas. If you're going to work at WIS and SIS staying on the island would make a lot more sense. My kids go to QBS, very happy there, very good communication, overall lovely staff, still quite an Asian feel, not perfect, but we're happy. Have friends who are happy at Peak and Glenealy as well (both 2-form only). There are quite a lot of teachers who live in DB and take ferries to the HK Island. DC would be more expensive as you'll pay a % of the fees and it's PIS. Bradbury has busses going to DB as it's officially their catchment area. Have friends at CWBS and they're happy but don't know enough about it. Lots of foreigners from what I understand. However, coming from Sai Kung / CWB every morning into HK Island wouldn't be very enjoyable, quite a trip, especially going all the way to SIS or WIS. ESF has various staff quarters too, any chance for those? Feel free to pm me.

  3. #3

    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Posts
    5

    Re: ESF Primaries

    Thanks very much for taking the time to reply. What a quandary!

    We need to finalise our choice by this coming week. We are allowed to put down DC or Renaissance PLUS one other. We only pay 20% of any of the ESF schools' fees and don't get teachers' quarters, as far as I know.

    There are other reservations expressed on here about Kennedy and so we're beginning to lean towards the other schools.

    The trouble is that our choice of where to live is inextricably linked to the choice of school.

    As far as living/accommodation is concerned, we quite like, as much as one can discern from the internet, the look of the CWB area and Silverstrand doesn't look too far from Hung Hau MTR (We both have access to School buses from say Fortress Hill at about 7:00am). Our second choice would possibly be on the South of the Island and thirdly DB which would be a ferry followed by School buses at 7:30 from the pier in Central.

    I wonder if it would be possible to live in the South of the Island and still send him to Bradbury?

    Sent from my GT-N7100 using GeoClicks Mobile


  4. #4

    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    HK Island
    Posts
    307

    ESF Primaries

    Bradbury covers most of the south side up to Tai Tam (QBS). And going west will become Kennedy. Southside is generally expensive but know some people who teach at ESF and live in smaller, older, low rise buildings, e.g. in Stanley. Happy Valley could also be a good option, close to Bradbury. Not sure about Ap Lei Chau / South Horizons, and which catchment this exactly is.

    I know it's 20% of the fees but for the PIS 20% will be more than the regular ESF schools. Not a major difference though. I still think it will be quite a hike from the other side. I have friends in CWB and wife has to drop husband off at Hang Hau every day as they live far down in their village. Still costs time, so you need to live closer to main road which will probably drive prices up too. DB will always be a ferry ride, but I know teachers who live there and travel to HK Island every day.

    I guess it really comes down to how much you can spend on housing and how far you are willing to travel. Plus the school of your choice needs to have a spot. Even ESF teachers cannot always get the spot at the school they want, as siblings also have priority, etc. plus Y2 (assuming) is not easy in general. So you may want to double check with your schools of choice as well.

    MrsDizzy likes this.

  5. #5

    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Hong Kong
    Posts
    44

    If you are going to be working at WIS/SIS, you might really want to consider living on the island. However, rents are exorbitant.

    Discovery College is great because your child will have instant access to a community. So making new friends will be really easy. My top choice would be Glenealy School. Over Bradbury or Quarry Bay school. I'm a teacher too (not with ESF) and the latest conference I attended, interacting with the teachers from ESF schools, Glenealy has my vote. Open, progressive and excellent management.
    But having said that, Bradbury has buses from Discovery Bay and lots of kids at DB who aren't at DC attend Bradbury. So it is a very convenient choice.

    MrsDizzy likes this.

  6. #6

    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    HK Island
    Posts
    307

    ESF Primaries

    It will be very hard to find affordable housing in Glenealy catchment (small catchment). same goes for Peak. At least Bradbury or QBS will offer a much larger area to choose from with a much wider range in terms of rent. I'd prefer QBS over Bradbury but I am biased however they are really doing a great job, it's also better mixed in terms of race (lots of Asians), which we like.

    MrsDizzy likes this.

  7. #7

    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Posts
    5

    As DC is a PIS, are we more likely to get him into DC than say Bradbury or Clearwater Bay? We certainly don't mind paying the extra.


  8. #8

    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    HK Island
    Posts
    307
    Quote Originally Posted by MrsDizzy
    As DC is a PIS, are we more likely to get him into DC than say Bradbury or Clearwater Bay? We certainly don't mind paying the extra.
    DC is extremely hard. I know an ESF teacher a few years back who couldn't get his children in there ... Not sure how it has changed. Would call the schools you're interested in and ask. That's the only way. Will ESF Centre support?

  9. #9

    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Posts
    5

    Re: ESF Primaries

    I emailed ESF and they clarified that we'd only get 80% of the standard ESF fees paid if we applied to DC, not 80% of DC's fees. I am now in touch with the Admissions Officer so that we can apply. I was also told by non-Admissions staff that we are virtually guaranteed a place but where we live will determine which school. They implied that the quicker we knew where we would live and applied, then the more chance we'd get our first choice.

    If DC is difficult to get into and unlike DC staff we don't have priority, then we'd probably put down Bradbury as our first choice.

    I personally would prefer to live in Clearwater Bay and send him to that school but a lot of people are saying that even from the Hung Hau/Silverstrand area my commute to WIS would be a bit long.

    Sent from my GT-N7100 using GeoClicks Mobile