If it's any help I was in exactly the same place as you were last year for QBS - Cat 1 with no interview in Jan. We were put on a wait list and short story is (I won't mention the stress or the bottles of wine) we got offered an interview in April and she was accepted to start Sept this year. Be thankful that you're not in the Bradbury catchment area as that is more of a nightmare....There were a number of us about 6 mums from the same woodlands school in exactly the same position. You could consider Delia School of Canada as they do have positions available (and this was the week before school started this year).
Under priority one but no intervew at ESF
- Thread starter wegetable
- Start date
I don't know what number we are at on the waiting list, QBS wouldn't tell me, they just said it is computer generated. The bottom line is 265 people are competing for 120 spots, all under Cat. 1. That translates to half of the people are not going to get a place. I am not putting all my eggs in one basket at this point.
fhurley
Registered User
Elise, who decides who gets interviewed? Is it central admin or the individual ESF schools?
The sorting of applications is a very simple process. Interviews are offered on a priority system. This is how it works. All applications are given a random priority number when they are received and allocated to their school of catchment according to their address.
Next the applications are sorted and the priority is like this.
Category 1 Siblings
Category 1 ESF Kindergarten Children
Category 1 children from other kindergartens
Category 2 siblings
Category 2 ESF kindergarten children
Category 2 children from other kindergartens
Category One
Children who speak English as a first or alternative language but do not speak Cantonese and/or read and write Chinese characters.
Category Two
Children who can access the local system but who also meet ESF's entrance requirements.
Within each of these priority groups the children are ordered according to their priority number. Then the school will invite a number of children at the top of this list for interview. So, if they have 120 places they may invite 130 children, knowing that some may not have enough English to be accepted or may relocate before August. The 'extra' 10 will know from their letter that they are being interviewed for a waiting list place. Once all the places have been filled each school may invite another child for interview as children drop out. So, the decision about who gets interviewed is not really decided by anyone just following a set of guidelines and trying to be as fair as possible.
I hope this helps to clarify the system.
The sorting of applications is a very simple process. Interviews are offered on a priority system. This is how it works. All applications are given a random priority number when they are received and allocated to their school of catchment according to their address.
Next the applications are sorted and the priority is like this.
Category 1 Siblings
Category 1 ESF Kindergarten Children
Category 1 children from other kindergartens
Category 2 siblings
Category 2 ESF kindergarten children
Category 2 children from other kindergartens
Category One
Children who speak English as a first or alternative language but do not speak Cantonese and/or read and write Chinese characters.
Category Two
Children who can access the local system but who also meet ESF's entrance requirements.
Within each of these priority groups the children are ordered according to their priority number. Then the school will invite a number of children at the top of this list for interview. So, if they have 120 places they may invite 130 children, knowing that some may not have enough English to be accepted or may relocate before August. The 'extra' 10 will know from their letter that they are being interviewed for a waiting list place. Once all the places have been filled each school may invite another child for interview as children drop out. So, the decision about who gets interviewed is not really decided by anyone just following a set of guidelines and trying to be as fair as possible.
I hope this helps to clarify the system.
fhurley
Registered User
This is actually not true - If you look on the ESF website it is quite clear. They have priority within category, as I mentioned above. There are several Category 2 siblings who, unfortunately due to the numbers of Category One students in certain areas, will not have an interview this year.
According to the ESF admissions policy:
"Within each category priority for interview will be given to students who:
1.are siblings of children already attending an ESF school;
2.are attending an ESF Educational Services Ltd Kindergarten (for Year One only);
3.are former students returning from a period overseas;
4.have a parent who is a full-time employee of ESF;
5.are the children of former ESF students."
The full admissions policy is here: http://www.esf.edu.hk/our-schools/admissions-criteria/admissions-policy-and-procedures.
We are applying for Glenealy. My LO is Category 1, priority 5 (child of former ESF student), so luckily we have an interview. However, I have heard that there are some Category 1 applicants for Glenealy with no priority who do not have interviews yet.
"Within each category priority for interview will be given to students who:
1.are siblings of children already attending an ESF school;
2.are attending an ESF Educational Services Ltd Kindergarten (for Year One only);
3.are former students returning from a period overseas;
4.have a parent who is a full-time employee of ESF;
5.are the children of former ESF students."
The full admissions policy is here: http://www.esf.edu.hk/our-schools/admissions-criteria/admissions-policy-and-procedures.
We are applying for Glenealy. My LO is Category 1, priority 5 (child of former ESF student), so luckily we have an interview. However, I have heard that there are some Category 1 applicants for Glenealy with no priority who do not have interviews yet.
Well, may be true but I am hearing and seeing different things, may depend on the school though.
My Cat 1 friend (no priority) has an interview at Glenealy but she says most people she knows have not ... She seems lucky. We're Cat 1, priority 1 (older sibling), I am only a p/t employee so no benefit from that.
Hi all, I am new to this forum and hope that someone can help me clarify the cat1 and cat2 definition. How does ESF actually verify which category the child belongs to? I mean aside from color of skin, parents's nationality and if they are work in HK on a work visa and etc, what else do they look at and what proof? I hear from all of you that you children of cat1 are not getting offers and in some cases not even an interview, but I see lots of local chinese kids in their primary schools and it is obvious that they also speak fluent cantonese and therefore have access to local education system. What is it the ESF looks at to draw the line? We are Canadian's and speak only English at home, but an I am planning on sending my 1y old boy to mandarin lessons later on, will this hinder his classification as being cat1? Thanks!