Advice on getting into school for Y1

[notmyaisle]

forgive me, I have posted something similar a few months ago but, we are now no further down the line than when I last posted.
We are arriving in HK at the end of July and, as yet, we still have no place in a school for our daughter.
All the schools we speak to say they have a waiting list for Y1 place and the panic has now set in that we will still not have a place come September.
In the UK, the local authority is obliged to find you a school place but, I have no idea how to go about things in HK. It's made harder by the fact we are not there yet to 'bang on doors'.
Do we have to throw lots of money at applying to every school in HK to sit on their waiting list?
Our daughter is already in the school system in the UK and I am concerned it will make the move that much harder for her by her not being able to settle into a school.
Also, I'm aware that home schooling is not legal so, how long can she be out of school for whilst wating for a place?

My husband's company does not help in any way to find a school so we do not have the optin of company debentures and he's on the verge of panic inthinking he will have to quit his job if we can't get her into school.

Thanks for reading - hope someone can enlighten me.

 

[hunhun]

Have you spoken to KCIS yet?
Kiangsu - Chekiang International Sections

 

[Seb's Dad]

hello
sorry that you aren't having an easy go in placing your daughter.

homeschooling is legal in hong kong. i know of a few hs families.

i believe there are places at harbour school, delia school of canada, norwegian international school, and a few other schools. you may not get your first choice, but you won't be left school-less...not in this economic climate!

while there are waiting lists for the schools you do want, there are also many families leaving hong kong at the end of the academic year. take heart, those waiting lists may vanish faster than you think.

do you have a set address for when you do get here? i would imagine that would help you if you are trying to get on the esf waiting list.

hope this helps

 

[momwboys]

I know it's hard not to worry, but openings will come available. We were in the same position this time last year for our two children. Once we accepted a position at our current school, another school also offered a place.

Most schools are waiting right now for confirmation letters from current students. Once they have those numbers, they will be able to offer positions to new students. Also keep in mind that many parents have applied to two or more schools, so the waiting lists may be inflated.

Although our school hasn't been too effected, I'm hearing that many families are starting to leave due to the economy. That should open a few places for families moving in.

It's very unsettling to not know, but the majority of families moving into Hong Kong with school age children have gone through exactly what you are facing now.

 

[nameless]

I believe homeschooling is illegal in Hong Kong.

Why don't you try Norwegian International School as advised above? I think they have places. You can also try Japanese International School. Try these whilst waiting for your desired primary school.

 

[Seb's Dad]

may, i think we are both right on homeschooling...

it is illegal but parents have made a way to make it legal!

The Hong Kong Homeschool Meetup Group (Hong Kong) - Meetup.com

from another geobaby thread: As for homeschooling I know that at the Adventist College in Clearwater Bay they run a coop homeschooling program there for primary school children - if you want info on homeschooling I suggest you start there.

it is illegal, so the adventist college program for homeschoolers (which has government approval) was started. there are many homeschoolers in hong kong.

 

[nameless]

Oh wow, I didn't know such groups exist in Hong Kong. I think it's great!