Island Christian Academy (ICA) Hong Kong Island

I wanted to start a thread specifically to ICA, which can form a source for any parents who are interested in enrolling or already enrolled with the School. We as parents want the best for our Kids and schooling is the most important thing for a kid. Each parent has different requirement for their children, some want a school which gives lot of home work, and some want a school that finds a balance between home work, Play time and extra curricular activity. Some want the children to pursue IB in their final year but are not happy with the IB PYP program which they find is weak.

The main reason I thought I will start a thread was because I met a parent who has a kid in the ICA and she complained that the teachers are very loving and kind, I want strict teachers for my kid. They do not push the kid aggressively and do not give lots of home work. I want to send my kids to Chinese International School because they push hard and give lots of home work. I for one was surprised because most of the parents I know want exactly what she complained about ICA.

ICA has gone for an International Primary Curriculum (IPC), because it allows the schools to incorporate other curriculum with it unlike the IB PYP program (Read 3 R’s). ICA has included UK National Literacy Program to strengthen the English Skills of children, Australian National Numeracy Program for strengthening the arithmetic, and Easy Chinese Mandarin Programme for Mandarin.

We want our children to excel academically and emotionally and they should enjoy their education. It is the Parents desire that they go to the best colleges and develop character and give back to the society. Want to hear the feedback from parents who have their children enrolled in ICA about their academics and the quality of children studying. Is ICA only a temporary ground for children who did not get in any other Branded Names or there are actually good children who decided to stay back because it is a good school. The first year of the School is coming to an end and so we can get new feedbacks. I for one know some children who is planning to move to ICA next year for primary one who happen to be very intelligent and have made conscious decision to join ICA. When that happens it becomes a turning point for the new school, it is able to attract good children and this is what pushes a school in to the good school league. I understand ICA is currently primary and will start secondary in 2015-16 and that they may eventually purse IB in the final year.

So how does one compare ICA with GSIS, CDNIS, HKIS, OR CIS. One parent whose son goes to HKIS and daughter to ICA said ICA is far better than Hkis.

Need fair and balanced feedback.. it will help every one.

It wouldn't surprise me that you work for the ICA, as it's fairly obvious that you are here to promote the ICA--aggressively--rather than to seek parents' feedback as you claimed.

"A parent complained that the teachers are very loving and kind"? Come on!!! You know no parent would ever complain in those terms. If a parent wants their children to get lots of homework, there are plenty of schools to send them to other than the Chinese International School. CIS certainly is not known for pushing hard and giving lots of homework. Besides, everyone knows how nearly impossible it is to get into CIS; your whole story about meeting a parent who complains about the "very loving and kind" teachers at ICA and therefore decides to just send her child to Chinese International school as if it were simply a matter of her choice sounds entirely implausible.

Since you registered here in March, your only 2 posts have both been about the ICA. In your last post you were talking about how you met parents who picked ICA over ESF, how the ICA would start secondary school in 2015-2016 and therefore there should be no concern whatsoever about going to ICA. In this post above you claimed to have met a parent who said "ICA is far better than HKIS" and that you know "very intelligent children who have made a conscious decision to join the ICA".

For someone who is solely and exclusively focused on the ICA, who knows very detailed inside information about the ICA and who tirelessly promotes the ICA (with exaggerations and doubtful facts nonetheless), you don't even seem to have any child in the ICA. None of the things you said about the ICA is based on your own child's experience, but rather, they are all hearsay from mysterious "other parents", and they are all intended to build up the ICA by putting down other schools. I find all of this very interesting.

Hi Minkinski,


GOSH! My cover is blown.
Not your fault, if you got the idea that i work ICA because of my post. Maybe it is the way i wrote the post. Imagine me working for ICA and being only able to write only 2 posts in 4 months supporting them, i should be sacked for not doing my job properly and for not being able keep my identity secret. ..Damn.


I am still relatively new to HK and my kid is in kindergarten and I have applied only to HKIS,CDNIS, GSIS. Will apply to Esf too in August. Every word i wrote above is what feedback i got from parents who stay in my building or whom i meet when i pick my kid from activities. I was really bit bothered by the kind teachers remark because the lady seriously mentioned that. Since i am new to HK i have absolutely no idea about schools legacy. I wrote what i heard from parents, and yes i definitely know the parent who took ICA instead of Gleanely and the other parent whose son is in HKIS. Regarding knowing about ICA starting its secondary in 2015-16 and curriculum it is all on their website nothing confidential.


I am also planning to apply to ICA if my kid does not get the above mentioned schools. I really want to know if this school is only a base for children trying for other schools or is genuinely a good school. , will help me to decide whether to apply or not to the school. I had mentioned this in my post but you surprisingly did not quote that. Minkinski if you really have any feedback about the school please post it even though your children may not be attending. We cannot have our kids attending all the schools to write a feedback in geoschools. You hear feedback from other parents and that is how you form an opinion and by the way i am still tensed about facing my boss in ICA, I may end up losing my job because of you.

What an interesting post!!! In the interest of the 'fair and balanced' feedback asked for by the OP I feel compelled to write. I am a current ICA parent and have been involved with Small world kindergarten and ICA for a number of years. Education is a emotive and subjective subject but in my opinion ICA is a truly wonderful school. The pastoral care is amazing and the academics are excellent, structured and rigorous in the right amount and still the children are aquiring a love of learning. It is a very happy school and as a parent who turned down an ESF place to remain at ICA I couldn't be happier with my decision. Given the choice of any school in HK for my child I would chose ICA every time. Obviously, as it is a new school its 'reputation' and therefore perceived desirability will take time to be established, although none of the parents I know who have children currently at ICA would consider moving despite offers from many other more established schools. All I know it that we feel very lucky to have found a school with true heart where the needs of the children enrolled there come first and foremost in absolutely everything the school management undertakes. The teachers there are indeed very loving and kind and as (lets not forget!!) we are talking about little children, babies in fact!!! of the ages 5-11 I see that as an essential plus point to the education of my child!! If you don't want loving and kind teachers who devote themselves entirely to the education and well-being of your child then ICA is not for you!!!! Hope that helps!!!

Ophelia, thanks a lot. You being a parent of a child attending ICA can give better and credible information. Your comment about the academic being structured, rigorous and children being loved is very important .


I come from a place where children are given tons of homework and have workload even at a young age. I personally have gone through the rote education system , i want my kid to have a balanced childhood and want her to enjoy her education. I know reading from geoschools forums that Hkis and Cdnis are easy going good schools, CIS ,GSIS FIS being very academic.


Ica website refers to starting a secondary school in 2015-16 ,will that really happen ? If that does not happen it puts a big pressure on the children and the parents to scout for a place in the secondary and that won't be easy. I for one would definitely want a school with a secondary school attached to it and the lack of clarity on that front is making me nervous about applying to ICA. Ophelia do you have any idea on that one.

These forums are a good initial source of information but I would really go and visit each of the schools you have identified. I am a firm believer in the 'feel' of a school as well as all the statistics, performance indicators, curriculum etc etc. As to your question about secondary school, we will be in HK for secondary education (and so are very interested in this point like yourself) and yes, at the moment there is no secondary extension. That said ICA has set itself the goal that when its current oldest class (Y3 going to be Y4 in August 2013, so born in 2005) reach the point where they graduate from primary to secondary there will be a school for them to go to. Having been along with them for the ride as they established ICA I have absolutely no doubt that they will achieve their goal.

Ophelia thanks for the feedback, i have visited some of the schools mentioned above but yet to visit ICA. Will definitely visit ICA and get the feel of the school. Thanks

Apologies if you are "tensed" because of my post-- you are right I suggested the idea that you might work for the ICA because of the way your post is written. Normally when a parent is only seeking information about schools, they would not write their post in a promotional style. As you never mentioned in your original post you are trying to decide whether to apply to ICA, you should not really be surprised that I did not quote that.


Anyway let's come back to the schools you talked about. From your follow-up post it's not clear to me where your kid is in the process. You have applied to HKIS, CDNIS and GSIS, you will apply to ESF in August, and you plan to apply to ICA if your kid does not get into those schools? Did you apply to HKIS, CDNIS and GSIS for entry this fall? If so, you should have already heard from them. If it's for fall 2014, wouldn't it be too late to apply to ICA after you have found out that your kid does not get into any of those schools? Or you mean you will apply early, but your kid will only go to ICA if he/she does not get admitted into any of those schools? That actually pretty much describes how ICA compares to those other schools, that is, generally kids go to ICA only if they cannot get into those other schools.

As for ICA's secondary school, since they have announced it already, there's little reason to doubt that it will happen. Whether it would be any good or whether you'd want your kid to go there at that point would be a separate concern though.

I do have knowledge and views about ICA that I'd like to share, based on my experience dealing with the management of ICA and my "feel" of the school. Will write a follow-up post when I have a bit more time.

Originally Posted by HKSchool

Hi Minkinski,


GOSH! My cover is blown.
Not your fault, if you got the idea that i work ICA because of my post. Maybe it is the way i wrote the post. Imagine me working for ICA and being only able to write only 2 posts in 4 months supporting them, i should be sacked for not doing my job properly and for not being able keep my identity secret. ..Damn.


I am still relatively new to HK and my kid is in kindergarten and I have applied only to HKIS,CDNIS, GSIS. Will apply to Esf too in August. Every word i wrote above is what feedback i got from parents who stay in my building or whom i meet when i pick my kid from activities. I was really bit bothered by the kind teachers remark because the lady seriously mentioned that. Since i am new to HK i have absolutely no idea about schools legacy. I wrote what i heard from parents, and yes i definitely know the parent who took ICA instead of Gleanely and the other parent whose son is in HKIS. Regarding knowing about ICA starting its secondary in 2015-16 and curriculum it is all on their website nothing confidential.


I am also planning to apply to ICA if my kid does not get the above mentioned schools. I really want to know if this school is only a base for children trying for other schools or is genuinely a good school. , will help me to decide whether to apply or not to the school. I had mentioned this in my post but you surprisingly did not quote that. Minkinski if you really have any feedback about the school please post it even though your children may not be attending. We cannot have our kids attending all the schools to write a feedback in geoschools. You hear feedback from other parents and that is how you form an opinion and by the way i am still tensed about facing my boss in ICA, I may end up losing my job because of you.

Thanks Minkinski for your reply. I am really looking forward to your experience and 'Feel' about the ICA school.


I started applying to the above mentioned schools in March - April this year, which meant that i was not allowed for assessment this year. They have put me for assessment for next year ie for 2014 -15 batch. I will apply for ESF this year in aug/Sep this year. ICA came to my picture because of very positive reviews from parents i know are sending their children there. Four Children i know will be joining Ica this september for year 1,out of which 2 of them had received placement in ESF and 2 of the other received placement in one of the above mentioned international schools ,which surprised me.


I have always received positive reviews about ICA, but from your post it looks like you have a different view and that is exactly why i started this new thread. It is always healthy to receive 2 different view points , the more the better. It helps parents like me who are new to hk and who want maximum reviews as possible to make a decision. All the other established schools have many posts hence i decided to start a new thread for ICA. Finally in HK with so much competition most of the parents do not chose the school,the school choses them.


Once again thanks MinKinski for your feedback , i hope you get time to post your view on the school.

I'm not too surprised that four children you know picked ICA over ESF or another more established school. Any school is likely to have fans, depending on the parents' background and circumstances. For example, I completely understand why deeply religious families may prefer ICA; after all it's hard to find a more religious school than ICA. Also some families have budget concerns, and ICA is much cheaper than those more established schools you mentioned.

As you must know, ICA is affiliated with Small World, and they are run by the same group of people. The principal of ICA had been the principal of Small World for many years before ICA opened last year. Small World children have priority to get into ICA. Yet this year only around 80 children from Small World applied to ICA, representing only about half of the graduating class at Small World, and even fewer ended up accepting ICA's offers. No one knows ICA better than Small World families, because they are essentially one and the same school. Granted there are some Small World parents who rave about ICA, but the fact remains that just half were even willing to apply, and this is against the background of severe shortage in spaces in international schools. I would think this data is more significant than your knowing four children who preferred ICA over another school.

The teachers put emphasis on "acting" kind and loving. It's easy for parents to get intoxicated with the impression that everything is going so well, my child is so well taken care of, but it's difficult for parents to get a realistic sense of how your children are actually doing. While we all definitely want our children to be loved, we also need to prepare them for challenges in real life. We need schools to equip our children with real skills, social, emotional and academic skills they'll need later on in life. We need schools to help children grow, and not always paint rosy pictures for parents. If children don't learn what they need to learn early in life, they will suffer later in life.

For non-religious families, ICA's heavy commitment to religion may also be cause for concern. The children are only in class for about 5 hours a day. If they spend one of those five hours on religion, that means they are not doing the other stuff they ought to be doing at this age. I have a lot of respect for the Christian faith, which is why I didn't mind sending my child to a Christian school in the first place. But when I saw a gathering at ICA with over 100 children listening to a man preaching, the man asking the children some questions about God, and all the little children chanting in unison in response, I was deeply bothered. Young children at this age are easily brainwashed. Parents should consider whether it would be in a child's best interests to have a certain religion inculcated into him/her this way, with this intensity, at such a young age. Of course, for deeply religious families this would presumably not be a problem but a benefit.

Lastly, from my personal dealings with ICA and Small World's top management, I am deeply disappointed. Let's say the character they displayed fell very far short of honoring God. I do care about the character of management, even though they may not be interacting with my child on a daily basis, I believe their character seeps through the whole system and sets the basic tone for the school. And I have zero tolerance for hypocrisy and dishonesty.