Is it hopeless?

[saun-mom]

Oh My

Jeremy- thanks for your comments. We're planning for a move in July- and hope to get our Corporate Surety application in by April. We also have a 6 year old, and a 7 1/2 year old. Our Hong Kong colleagues keep saying "it will be fine- you just might have to travel a bit for the school, and change next year". Which doesn't sound that great! I'll be curious to hear how your process goes, and I'll update on ours.
Good Luck!

 

[barbwong_130]

I don’t know if my experience is directly equal to yours as we have lived in Hong Kong for many years and both my younger children were in an international school already.

But it took 16 months for my 13/14 year old to get a place at our local ESF school – this would have been at least two months earlier but a friend of his applied after him and had priority to join before us! Maybe there was a place earlier at a different ESF school but the system only allowed us to be on one school waiting list at a time.

My youngest is still on the waiting list and has been for 6 months and now that her brother is in an ESF school she has priority. I’ve been told that she is currently third on the waiting list – so I’m hopeful that she will get a place in August - so hopeful that I’ve refused to pay the $20,000 deposit to retain her place at the current international school.

Home schooling is meant to be illegal in Hong Kong. By this I mean that if you are already in a school and the government knows about you they will follow up when you change schools. I’ve had government officials contact me because the new school forgot to let the Department of Education know when my daughter joined. But if you aren’t in the system yet it will be difficult for them to trace you. I’ve known people home school successfully by never getting into the scheme.

Good luck,
Barb

 

[Jeremy Clarkson]

Thanks for your responses and thoughts. I have an ESF Corporate Surety scheme application in but have not heard anything yet. Will keep you posted if and when I hear anything. I am hopeful but frankly it is another piece of stress that one could well do without!!!. Many of my colleagues believe that it will be OK when I arrive and have an address but for the most part they are not stating that based on recent experience so I will wait and see. Good luck saun-mom and thanks everyone else for advice- as a backstop my writing hand is getting very tired from filling out international school applications!!!!

 

[saun-mom]

Any updates?

We've gotten our corporate surety application in, and should hear something from ESF soon. I'm feeling positive, but would love to hear if anyone has had any news about their applications to ESF? Still huge waiting lists? or is there some movement?
Thanks!

 

[Anchor]

Hi,

I was wondering if you could tell me a bit more about the Japanese International School's English Section.
My son is turning 8 this summer, and I'd like him to be in a school that he enjoys, but is structured in the classroom, and in the school in general (i.e. events and classes are well-planned and executed, and it's not a 'let's see what happens today' kind of place (this is just based on what my child needs, not as a negative assessment). For example, we looked at Kingston, but it was a bit too free flow for him. In addition, in your opinion, is there a solid progression of skills taught (and hopefully acquired) in math and English? Last, my son is bilingual in English and Putonghua, so if you have any knowledge of the Chinese program and if it accomodates native speakers, that would be helpful. The principal has been very helpful with many questions, but it is useful to get a parent's perspective.

Sincerely,
Anchor

 

[Anchor]

Japanese International School?

Hi,

I was wondering if you could tell me a bit more about the Japanese International School's English Section.
My son is turning 8 this summer, and I'd like him to be in a school that he enjoys, but is structured in the classroom, and in the school in general (i.e. events and classes are well-planned and executed, and it's not a 'let's see what happens today' kind of place (this is just based on what my child needs, not as a negative assessment). For example, we looked at Kingston, but it was a bit too free flow for him. In addition, in your opinion, is there a solid progression of skills taught (and hopefully acquired) in math and English? Last, my son is bilingual in English and Putonghua, so if you have any knowledge of the Chinese program and if it accomodates native speakers, that would be helpful. The principal has been very helpful with many questions, but it is useful to get a parent's perspective.

I've posted this question on-line as well in case you prefer to reply to a post.

Sincerely,
Anchor

 

[kaplanmeier]

Jesus, I pressed "submit" and then lost everything... let me recall what I have written.

I do not have any benchmark to compare with but I am happy with the progress of my children. As an IB school, every day they spend quite a proportion of their time on the so-called unit of enquiry, during which children are led to explore the society and the nature. This part is supposed to be well planned.

For English, my children have made remarkable progress, but because of the lack of a benchmark, I am not really very able to judge how well organised the classes are. Children are supposed to (and most of them can) master (Jolly) phonics in their reception year, and then to develop reading and writing ability from P1. Because of small class size, in lower grades they have guided reading according to the level of each individual child. There is one or two library sessions every week to supplement the normal classes, and weaker students will have ESL classes. My children can read and write reasonably well and I'm quite satisfied (again, no norm, no benchmark, just subjective judgement).

For Math, it's a bit too simple. Well well, let's be positive: unlike us, our children probably won't be frustrated in math!

For Mandarin/Japanese, the levels of children vary very much, from native to, well, naive. However, because of small class size, each individual can more or less learn at his/her own pace. Nevertheless, Mandarin/Japanese is a second language in the English section and so, to be realistic, it is too simple for native speakers.

For PE, they have weekly swimming classes in the indoor pool, as well as normal PE classes in the indoor gym and the outdoor grass pitch. Very professional teachers. Just excellent!

 

[Anchor]

Thank you for comments on JIS

Thank you for your comments on JIS. I'll be visiting the school next month and your comments have helped a lot. Also, it's good to know how much your children enjoy the school. My son went to an IBO school in Italy a couple of years ago and enjoyed it greatly.

Anchor