My husband and I just returned from a four day trip to HK before our move in May. We have a 4 year old who needs to enroll somewhere next year, preferably in an international primary school. We toured several schools and it seems that we have no chance to be admitted for 07-08 because our daughter won't arrive in HK to interview until May. We are sort of terrified- what if she doesn't get in anywhere? Does anyone home school? I am an ESL (English as a second language) teacher with 15 years experience in public US primary schools, lots within mainstream classroom literacy programs. I am considering pulling together a small homeschool group. Comments and advice would be very, very helpful.
Home school?
- Thread starter wintermom
- Start date
have you tried to contact the school that you're interested, and inform the of your situation (arriving in May). i'm sure a lot of int'l schools are willing to do sth special for you. home-schooling is not much of an option cos you wouldn't know much of the curriculum in hk. & i'm afraid it'll be tough for the little one to catch up when she goes back to sch. plus, i don't think she's not gonna get in anywhere. i assume your child has met all the milestones & is developing normally. that usually secures a place in any English school foundation schools (we call them ESF) or a regular int'l kindergarten. there are a lot of choices in hk.
carang
Registered User
not only that, but it is technically illegal to homeschool in hk. there may be ways around it if you can prove to the gov't that you are qualified to teach and can provide a curriculum to them.
dont' worry too much about waiting lists as hk is a very transitory place and people are always relocating so there might not be much of a wait.
good luck!
dont' worry too much about waiting lists as hk is a very transitory place and people are always relocating so there might not be much of a wait.
good luck!
barbwong_130
Registered User
While it may be illegal to home school the law doesn’t ask you to attend school until the September of the year you are 6. So home schooling for kindergarten would be no problem.
Thank you for replies. Of course I would prefer for my daughter to be in a regular school program- we were told that the waiting lists were long for a limited number of openings. She will be five by next year. Maybe we should just continue to apply and write explanatory letters as you suggest. I think my daughter will interview fairly well. She is accustomed to classroom environments and is writing now, though does not know all her sounds. She is generally an eager but quiet student, but I think she'll answer questions in a classroom setting. It's just so scary to think of selling our home, moving across the world, and having nowhere to send her! The ESF schools won't let me apply until we have a permanent HK address. Maybe the odds are better if we focus on K3 programs in Kindergartens rather than the reception/prep classes of primary schools? Also she has been in Montessori schools since age of 6 months, and so those are a good option I think? Any comments very much appreciated. Thank you.
rani
Administrator
Hi,
If she's 5 next year, then she doesn't go to P1 until Sept 08. ESF starts taking applications from Sept 07, so you'll be here. Here are a few kindergartens you can look at:
- Tutor Time in Tai Tam
- International Montessori School in Wanchai (a couple of members have applied from abroad and gotten in)
- Casa Bambini - a new Montessori school that opened last month. Email - [email protected] for more info. Their website isn't up yet
- HK Academy -
If she's 5 next year, then she doesn't go to P1 until Sept 08. ESF starts taking applications from Sept 07, so you'll be here. Here are a few kindergartens you can look at:
- Tutor Time in Tai Tam
- International Montessori School in Wanchai (a couple of members have applied from abroad and gotten in)
- Casa Bambini - a new Montessori school that opened last month. Email - [email protected] for more info. Their website isn't up yet
- HK Academy -
i would imagine of she's had experience w/ montessori, i'll be a definite advantage to getting in one of the montessori schools in hk. besides the one mentioned by rani, there's also highgate house school on the peak. they have a website highgatehouse.edu.hk, i think. can also try PIPS (parkview intl preschool in parkview) (rani, do they have a website?)
it is scary for all to drop everything & go to a new environment. but hk isn't that different than other big cities in the world, and there are a lot of nice ppl who found kindergarten with passion & are willing to consider your special situation.
good luck!
it is scary for all to drop everything & go to a new environment. but hk isn't that different than other big cities in the world, and there are a lot of nice ppl who found kindergarten with passion & are willing to consider your special situation.
good luck!
rani
Administrator
PIPs does have a website
http://www.pips.edu.hk
http://www.pips.edu.hk