Esf

[TheQuasimother]

If you are Chinese, and may or may not be Cantonese speaking, with a permanent HKID, your child would automatically be placed in Cat. 2 so priority for an ESF school and chances are slim. It doesn't matter that your child doesn't speak Cantonese. Beacon Hill is probably your best bet as it is the least subscribed. Everyone I know who did not attend an ESF school and even in Cat. 2 got in.

PIS is more expensive by a little over $1000 and in the future, you'll have to pay a one off capital levy (Renaissance College) or a yearly capital levy (Discovery College). As a permanent HKID card holder, you're more likely to get into a PIS than an ESF as there there is a rule mandated by the Education Board (EDB) that 70% of students at a PIS must be a permanent resident of HK.

 

[zhumgg]

Thanks for the very useful info. May I ask the following:

1. I have HKID with 3 stars (permanent ID) and US green card and my hubby is native American. My kid never live in HK and cannot speak cantonese. According to the difinition on-line, we should be in category 1?? I should just use my hubby's HKID to apply instead of mine??

2. Why Beacon Hill is normally undersubscribed?? Any reason behind it?? I visited it in May too and the school is a little old and small. Quarry Bay school is much bigger and new. I only visited these 2 ESF so have no ideas of the others

3. When you say PIS, are you referrring to ONLY the private schools within the ESF system?? What is the quality of the ESF private school compared with other international school like Canadian international school??

Thanks for any advice

 

[emma_mama44]

Try the overseas application which requires your address proof in the States.

The Central application usually starts on 1st Sept and finishs by 30th Sept each year.

Live on the Island side as the competition on the Kowloon side and New Territories side are super-keen! My fd returned from the States with her boy born and raise there, the application was turned down by the Kowloon Junior (ie not even a chance of interview!). The choice of ESF school is based on where u live, ie catchment area (except for the 2 private independent schools). Good Luck

Hey, the very hungry caterpillar is still very popular in the ESF interview

 

[TheQuasimother]

There were more than one family whereby one parent is Chinese and the other is non-Chinese (in my child's cohort). The child was always categorised as Category 2.

It has to do with catchment areas. Kowloon Junior includes catchment areas where there are LOTS of expats, specifically Category 1 expats. KJS is terribly hard to get into. Beacon Hill on the other hand, not so much. And, it isn't a through school (as I've been told). Re-application for high school places apply. I know parents who chose RC over Beacon Hill because they do not want to go through the application process later for high school. I don't know about how over-subscribed schools on the Island are as we live over on the Kowloon/N.T. side.

 

[zhumgg]

Wow, I heard the opposite thing. We were asked to avoid the Island side as competition is keen while choose to live in Kowloon or NT!!! I am not sure about overseas application niether as it seems that our presence in HK is very important. I will call different ESF to clarify whether we are in Category 1 or 2. Thanks for all the comments

 

[zhumgg]

Thanks Quasimother again. If you dont mind, I may send message to you if I have more questions. Have a good night

 

[MommyTo3]

My children are all in ESF this coming school year. A lot of answers have been answered already. Mine are at QBS and we're very happy with the school. Good teachers, cosy feel, friendly, very mixed so kids from everywhere but still quite an Asian look and feel (but kids have different nationalities, backgrounds, etc.). Wouldn't call the school new (at all) but they will start renovation / expansion in 2013 I think. Interview is quite simple, basically to check English language skills and social skills (and ability to be part of a 30 child class, etc.).

I am pretty sure you'll be placed into Cat 1 (but check). I know quite a few local parents (even both parents) who have raised their children in English, been through English preschools, speak English at home and their children are completely unable to enter local education as they only understand very basic Cantonese, they will be Cat 1, at least I know a few examples and they were put in Cat 1 and did get accepted. Some schools have Cantonese staff in the interview room to check for Cantonese ability and if sufficient, they'll be denied a spot (SJS has done this, from what I have heard). I think this is also the main problem of the oversubscription, more and more locals are entering ESF (currently around 75% are permanent HKID, although this could obviously include long term expats, etc.), and raising their children completely in English, with very little or no Cantonese. That's why SJS, KJS, etc. are just as bad! CWB has always been very bad, with many expats living in CWB/SK.

I still have many Caucasian friends, Cat 1, who did not get offered a spot and had to look for alternatives. As many have said on this website, never put your eggs in one basket and apply for multiple schools. ESF used to be a "back up" for expats if other international schools failed, it no longer offers any guarantee, so it has only become harder and harder to get a spot. And it's likely to get any better.

 

[zhumgg]

Thanks so much for the very useful information. I like QBS too but not sure if we can get in. Seems like Beacon hill school is our better bet......Also, I dont know how their random number works. I called QBS before, they said when people apply on-line, everyone has a random number which determine whether they get an interview....if so, 50% of this whole application is based on luck?? Did all your children studied in ESF kindergarten?? Make me wonder whether we should come back earlier to get into the kinddie which will give us priority for an interview for P1....but I think all the kinddie should be full too for 2011/2012....?? Any idea?? Thanks again

 

[carang]

don't think that getting into kindie is any easier....just as difficult

 

[MommyTo3]

My twins got priority because my oldest was already there. We applied in 2008 for her, and that was actually no problem back then for QBS (Bradbury was already an issue). As a clear Cat 1 she was accepted without problems and so were her brother and sister earlier this year. ESF Kindies are also oversubscribed now in order to at least try to get a priority interview. It doesn't guarantee anything.