How to Carefully Consider New Schools

The past few years have seen around 30 new preschools and primary/secondary schools establishing in various locations across Hong Kong. Schools boast state-of-the-art facilities including sky pitches, green roofs, black box theatres, coding and STEM/STEAM programs, unusual sports such as fencing and cricket, and the list goes on and on as each attempts to differentiate itself.

Follow the Leader

Take time to find out about the Principal/Head of School. This vital leader is a fundamental factor in your decision. Where did s/he come from? Is s/he new to Hong Kong or not? What is their track record and career history? Does their vision for the school match your vision for your child’s education? Have a chat – preferable face to face – and ensure you feel comfortable entrusting your child’s education to this individual.

Whilst the Head may play a key role in your decision to join the school, your child will not have a great deal of interaction with this person. Your child’s success in the school will be largely dependent on their teachers. Which brings us back to the Head, since s/he will the one recruiting. You will be putting your faith in their ability to bring in the team that can deliver on the school’s promise.

Quality of Teachers

Meeting the principal face-to-face is imperative

General accepted wisdom tells us that teachers are the most important school-based factor affecting learning; much more important than physical resources. So, it’s important to look past the fancy facilities and examine the hiring policies.

While experience and educational credentials often inform hiring decisions and are linked to pay, they may not relate to student performance and therefore may not be good measures of teacher quality.

What are valid