Plan B if we have to wait to get into an ESF School

[Viv2011]

Thank you all for taking time to participate in the discussion, very helpful information...We went to HK to visit three schools and were blessed with two offers. We are deciding now. See you all in the new site.

 

[Iramanis]

I am now in HK on holiday to get a feel of what it's like to live here. Unfortunately some of the options suggested here are not suitable for me because of our circumstances. We are relocating ourselves (husband originally from HK) and do not yet have jobs in HK so ESF's CSS option is out. We will also be taking a big risk in selling our house in the UK, giving up our jobs, taking my elder child out of a good school (free state school) and funding the relocation with our own savings.

I've been here for over a week now and whilst I have not properly stated job hunting yet (no point as we are leaving next week) we have viewed quite a few properties to see how small is small and goodness me...they are really small...
The older properties do have bigger rooms but have a dated feel.

It seems whatever pros we have in the UK are cons here in HK and vice versa...in terms of accommodation, taxes, schools, having a family network around us etc...we really have lots to think about after this holiday and have to do a lot of weighing. It's a bit daunting coming to a different country with no jobs (yet), no definite school place and knowing that the initial cash outlay will be huge.

I am rather confused...

 

[Iramanis]

Quoted by Zoemum - Yet the inquiry-based PYP program allows students to learn things in depth. For instance, in her current unit of learning, my daughter has to find out what things are made of (e.g. wood, metal, fabric, etc) and examine the properties of different materials (e.g. transparent, opaque, waterproof, flexible).

Hi Zoemum, my daughter who is currently in Year 2 (so 6 years old) in the UK did exactly this last term. They learnt about different materials (ie wood, metal etc), the difference between liquid and non-liquid, how a kettle boils etc. Whilst she does not normally come home with a lot of homework (just a book bag with a contact book and a reading book which they change once every few days) I think they make them do the thinking at school. I think the main difference between a traditional school and and an international school (in HK at least) is that the former may force feed information to the children (please correct and forgive me if I am wrong) whereas an international school tends to make the children do the thinking themselves. Very different styles but I do believe that local children although lacking in English language skills make it up with their mathematical skills.

 

[Sarah_Lotus]

My son changed from Canadian International to first KCIS for two terms and then to West Island School (ESF) when he was in Year 9.

We applied for the place at KCIS because he was still on the waiting list at WIS and they told us that it could be another year before he got a place there.

My son was very happy at KCIS. They improved his mathematics a lot. Mainly because he had maths homework everyday and thus lots of practice. His Mandarin also improved.

Both schools were working towards him sitting his GCSEs at the end of Year 11 and then studying IB for Years 12 and 13.

The main reason he left KCIS was that ESF promised to give my son extra help because of his dyslexia. This is something all ESF schools offer but very few other international schools do.

My son is now studying in Year 11 and is taking BTECs rather than IB – this again is something that ESF offer and most other international schools don’t. We are very happy with his progress at West Island. And also happy that he now stands a good chance of getting into university in England with his qualifications – something that he might not have managed if he’d been forced to study IB.

My other son, now studying mathematics at Sheffield University, went to boarding school for his sixth form in order to study A levels rather than IB – his only option in Hong Kong.

Good luck with your choice,
SARAH