Schools and questions

  1. #1

    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Posts
    8

    Schools and questions

    Hi. My husband moves to hong kong this feb and myself and my daughter move end of june she will be ii in july and is looking for a school place. the problem we have is no places and my husband has to choose where to live in March so we could be far away from many schools should she get accepted.

    I read from the website that there are many problems with gaining places. as we will not get our residences as we will not be there till june. how do we apply to schools and is year 6/7 depending on curriculium a difficult year.

    what happens if you get no school for Aug are there tutors available to home school till a place is found as there is no way i would tutor my daughter, lots of advise please. are are currantly living in Abu Dhabi and that was a problem with schools are any of the local schools in Hong Kong english taught only?


  2. #2

    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Pokfulam Hong Kong
    Posts
    73

    Hello
    If you are trying to get your daughter into an ESF school then yes, finding a year seven place can be difficult. i am not sure about the other international schools like Kellett, HKIS, Canadian International, etc.

    Your husband should talk to his company about ESF's corporate Surety Scheme: http://www.esf.edu.hk/application-form
    which makes it easier when you know you are moving but have not yet moved. Applications are now open for CSS.

    Your husband also has the option of taking a one year lease when choosing flats.

    I don't believe any of the local schools have English as their main language of instruction.

    Should your child not get a place, I am sure there are tutors, but have no idea of their rates. I understand about not wanting to homeschool!

    I would think if you are wanting the ESF system that the CSS is your best bet, and it is available now, so getting started on that is a good idea.

    Good luck


  3. #3

    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    HK Island
    Posts
    307

    You could also look at schools that are a little less popular, like Delia School of Canada, Korean International School, American International School and I am not sure about Norwegian in Tai Po and HLY International School and their popularity.

    In terms of ESF, 2000-born students are now in Year 6. Year 6 spaces may be slightly easier than Year 7 spots.

    See ESF website: This year, 2,893 children are competing for 1,278 Year 1 places, an application number which is 38% higher than in 2008. For Year 7 admission, applications have gone up by 55% to 445 competing for 130 places. Year 1 applicants will be notified by post this weekend whether they will be invited for an interview.


  4. #4

    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    DB, Hong Kong
    Posts
    77

    I have also heard that Canada International is very good. You could try them (they are not the same as Delia which is further out of central Hong Kong Island).


  5. #5

    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    hk
    Posts
    23

    delia school of canada is in tai koo shing.
    canadian int'l school is in aberdeen.


  6. #6

    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Posts
    13

    I would recommend getting on the ESF waitlist as soon as possible, things do sometimes come up mid-semester. Try to find the school that has the shortest waitlist. It costs very little register online with ESF.
    If you get on the list now, you may well be lucky and have something by June.


  7. #7

    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Posts
    13

    And yes, Sylvan tutoring centre which has several locations does offer tuition for kids waiting for school places. They seem very professional. For my 8-year-old they recommended two hours a day with them, and then advise you find something kind of educational to do with them after that eg science centre.


  8. #8

    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Posts
    8

    thanks for your replies, I have sent off forms for 6 schools now, daughter will sit assessment tests for german international next week and has an interview in july for delia school of canada and another with ymca at Tung Chung and is on a waiting list of 15 at discovery college fingers crossed she will get into at least one.