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98-694: The English Schools Foundation ( ESF ) is an organisation that runs 22 international schools in Hong Kong . It is Hong Kong's largest English-medium organisation of international schools. It was founded in 1967 with the passage of the English Schools Foundation Ordinance. In addition to tuition fees, the foundation receives an ongoing subsidy from the Hong Kong Government , which is being phased out. The schools also receive donations from their parent–teacher associations . In 1965,

196-657: A scholarship level paper on the same material, to attempt to win one of 400 national scholarships. The scholarship level was renamed the S-Level in 1963. Quite soon, rising numbers of students taking the A-level examinations required more differentiation of achievement below the S-Level standard. Grades were therefore introduced, with recommendations by the Secondary School Examinations Council (SSEC) of approximate proportions of pupils for each grade. The O grade

294-469: A better idea than raising the grade boundaries to keep the standards consistent, and it was proposed that on top of the A, an A* grade should be available at A-level in order to stretch the most able students while ensuring others are not disadvantaged. For modular A2 exams sat from 2010 onwards, the highest A-level grade is A*, requiring an A grade overall and 90% overall average UMS in A2 papers. The 2004 reform of

392-548: A big part, how the education is delivered is just as important. While English-language international schools are the most numerous, many international schools teaching primarily in other languages exist. For instance, there are 140 "German Schools Abroad" which are accredited and partly funded by the German federal government through the Central Agency for German Schools Abroad (Zentralstelle für das Auslandsschulwesen) and teach

490-545: A bilingual English–Mandarin stream. ESF primary schools follow the IB Primary Years Programme, and cater to students from Year 1 to Year 6. The PYP centres on the development of the whole child and provides for children's academic, social, physical, emotional and cultural needs. Students learn the PYP's six transdisciplinary themes, and develop and understanding of concepts, which allows them to make connections both within

588-399: A central application procedure in the year before admission. Applications are made online, on the online admission system. The applications are then sorted by priority category, and then each school makes an interview list based on the parent's preferences, availability and Education Bureau requirements. For other applications received throughout the year, they are processed and also placed on

686-565: A combination of school marks, via a transcript from their high school, and a college entrance exam, most commonly the SAT or ACT . In the United Kingdom , the high school diploma is considered to be at the level of the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE), which is awarded at Year 11. For college and university admissions, the high school diploma may be accepted in lieu of

784-405: A comprehensive internal review of financing needs, the foundation decided to introduce one-off non-refundable levy starting in the 2015/16 school year. The will be set at HK$ 38,000 for first-year students for, with lesser amount for those joining higher age groups – HK$ 3,800 will be charged for Year 13 entrants. The ESF expects to raise an extra HK$ 50 million every year through the levy, for

882-521: A conference in Italy in 2009, the International Association of School Librarianship came up with a list of criteria for describing an international school, including However, educators disagree on what the exact criteria should focus on. Factors such as international history, culture, and perspective within the education curriculum make a school "international". Although students' nationality plays

980-564: A curriculum at least partly based on German schools. According to the German Foreign Office, the government's support of these schools "helps to overcome cultural barriers, to convey a modern, diverse image of our country and to strengthen German language skills in other countries." Other examples of non-English international schools include: Curricula in English-language international schools are most often based on education in

1078-451: A grade A or A*, compared with 25.2% in 2019. In response to concerns shown by employers and universities that it was not possible to distinguish exceptional candidates among the large number of students achieving A grades, and in order to mirror GCSE standards, a higher "super A" grade (like the A* grade at GCSE) was proposed in 2004. It was generally agreed that bringing in higher grades would be

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1176-415: A growing number of schools and sixth form colleges would now arrange for their pupils to study for three A-Levels instead of four. A-levels evolved gradually from a two-year linear course with an exam at the end, to a modular course, between the late 1980s and 2000. By the year 2000 there was a strong educational reason to standardise the exam and offer greater breadth to students through modules and there

1274-493: A handful of agencies that specialize in recruiting international teachers. Over the years it has become more difficult to recruit young international teachers, partly because of security concerns and the trend towards less attractive compensation packages. In some countries, such as South Korea , recent visa changes have also made it more difficult to obtain both qualified and unqualified teachers. As of 2020, 33% of international schools are categorised as bilingual, with English as

1372-512: A high amount of lead in their water supplies. The news was announced through the ESF newsletter. It stated that one sample found in each of King George V School , Sha Tin College , South Island School and West Island School was found to have a higher amount of lead than the government's guidelines, and that all the other schools had water that passed the inspection. The newsletter did not specify where

1470-453: A large geographic area. Admission to A-level programmes is at the discretion of providers, and usually depends on GCSE grades. A typical requirement would be 5 A*-C grades at GCSE, although requirements can be higher, particularly for independent schools and grammar schools. A-levels are offered as an alternate qualification by a small number of educational institutions in Scotland , in place of

1568-982: A learning support place, or a place at the Jockey Club Sarah Roe School. Its schools have traditionally provided a curriculum based on the British curriculum, but since 2004 the organisation has transitioned to a more international curriculum from the International Baccalaureate , starting with changing the Year 12 and 13 programme from the British GCE A-Levels to the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme . As at 2021–22, 21 ESF schools are authorised as International Baccalaureate World Schools, including five kindergartens, nine primary schools, five secondary schools and

1666-474: A maximum mark of 600 (or 300 UMS each for AS and A2). The maximum UMS within AS and A2 may be split unequally between each modules. For example, a Physics AS may have two exam modules worth 90 UMS and 150 UMS, and a coursework module worth 60 UMS. The 'raw marks' i.e. actual score received on a test may differ from UMS awarded. On each assignment, the correspondence of raw marks to UMS is decided by setting grade boundaries,

1764-533: A mix of teacher assessment and informal "mock" exams taken earlier in the school year. This led to a grading controversy . On 6 January 2021, Secretary of State for Education Gavin Williamson confirmed that the 2020/21 series of A-levels would also be cancelled, pending further arrangements by Ofqual and the Department for Education. Prior to the 2015 government reforms of the A-level system, A-levels had (since

1862-526: A nucleus of additional classes to Island School. The school moved to its present site at Nam Fung Road in 1983. Following government review, it was determined that English-language grant-aided schools were no longer viable. These schools were subsequently handed over to ESF. Glenealy School, Kennedy School, Kowloon Junior School, Peak School and Quarry Bay School became ESF schools in 1979, followed by King George V School in 1981. In 1982, Sha Tin College, with about 50 students and six teaching staff, opened on

1960-584: A number of changes to the governance and management of ESF. Some of these are in response to the shortcomings identified by the Public Accounts Committee. The most substantial changes were to the structure and composition of ESF's governing body and committees, including the creation of a new Board of Governors to replace the Foundation. Unlike most other international schools in Hong Kong, schools run by

2058-519: A particular grade in the Sixth Term Examination Paper . The university is obliged to accept the candidate if the conditions are met, but is not obliged to reject a candidate who misses the requirements. Leniency may in particular be shown if the candidate narrowly misses grades. A-level grades are also sometimes converted into numerical scores, typically UCAS tariff scores. Under the new UCAS system starting in 2017, an A* grade at A-level

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2156-688: A place at an ESF primary school, then a secondary school up until Year 13, if they can benefit from a mainstream, English-medium education. ESF schools are non-selective. However, students must demonstrate sufficient English language skills so that they can benefit from the foundation's English-medium learning environment. Applicants are placed on a waiting list, and will be invited to an interview or assessment when vacancies become available. They will be required to complete age-appropriate assessments to determine if they can engage with an English-medium curriculum. Each September, children in K1, Year 1 and Year 7 go through

2254-544: A place regardless of performance in A2 examinations. Far more often, the offers are conditional on A-level grades, and become void should the student fail to achieve the marks expected by the university (for example, conditional offer of three A-levels at grades B-B-C). Universities may specify which subjects they wish these grades to be in (for example, conditional offer of grades A-A-B with a grade A in Mathematics). The offer may include additional requirements, such as attaining

2352-409: A process which involves consultation by subject experts and consideration of statistics, aiming to keep standards for each grade the same year on year. Achieving less than 40% results in a U (unclassified). For passing grades, 40% corresponds to an E grade, 50% a D, 60% a C, 70% a B, and 80% an A. The A* grade was introduced in 2010 and is awarded to candidates who average 80% UMS across all modules, with

2450-499: A range of subjects such as English, mathematics, science, the humanities, creative and performing arts, design technology and an additional language at an appropriate level. The ESF has received one of its best mean IB Diploma scores amongst its 969 students graduating in the class of 2021 in its history, at a 38.9 out of a possible 45. Sixty-four of these students received a perfect score of 45, which fewer than 0.01% of IB Diploma students receive. In May 2021, 1,000 students completed

2548-557: A result, some papers were re-marked but only 1,220 A-level and 733 AS-level students saw an improvement to their results. To replace the cancelled summer 2020 examination series (owing to concerns over the spread of COVID-19 ), grades were awarded using centre-assessed grades and rankings. These were initially moderated by Ofqual but, owing to numerous problems , candidates' final grades reverted to those supplied by centres. This resulted in significant grade inflation, with initial calculations showing around 37.7% of candidates gaining

2646-576: A score over 90% UMS in all A2 modules. In Mathematics, which comprises six 100 UMS modules, only the C3 and C4 modules count towards this requirement. In Further Mathematics and Additional Further Mathematics, where more than three A2 modules can be taken, the three best-scoring A2 modules count. Recent research and the corresponding findings have shown that over a time span of several years students from Northern Ireland outperformed students from England and Wales in A-level examinations. According to UCAS and HKEAA,

2744-402: A subject-by-subject basis, the subjects being chosen according to the strengths and interests of the student. This encouraged specialization and in-depth study of three to four subjects. At first, A-levels were graded as simply distinction, pass or fail (although students were given an indication of their marks, to the nearest 5%). Candidates obtaining a distinction originally had the option to sit

2842-424: A total of 17,700 students, of whom 70% had parents who were permanent residents of Hong Kong. The total number of students in 2013 was 13,000, and the same percentage had permanent resident parents. The ESF Board of Governors manages ESF's affairs and maintains its educational standards. Its main responsibilities include working with the chief executive officer to establish the foundation's strategic direction, review

2940-517: Is a fitting opportunity for attending students to acquire a second language. International schools have also risen in popularity with the fast-paced growth of globalisation. Hannah Smith of The Guardian wrote in 2013 that many students of international schools move between countries and places constantly. Several reported that they feel they have no one place where they have roots or background. Many international students are often referred to as third culture kids (TCKs). A phenomenon they experience

3038-585: Is a main school leaving qualification of the General Certificate of Education in England, Wales, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man . It is available as an alternative qualification in other countries, where it is similarly known as an A-Level . Students generally study for A-levels over a two-year period. For much of their history, A-levels have been examined by "terminal" examinations taken at

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3136-462: Is an important distinction between private for-profit and private non-for-profit schools. Faculty at international schools are usually from or certified by the standards of their country of origin. Hiring is frequently done at large international job fairs, such as the ones held by the Council of International Schools (CIS), where schools can interview and hire several teachers at once. There are also

3234-442: Is given to children of staff, alumni, elite athletes, and specified visa holders. Priority is also given to siblings of enrolled students, and applicants who have purchased a HK$ 500,000 nomination right. ESF has provisions for students that have special educational needs. After SEN students go through the application procedure and are accepted, a moderation team will observe the student, and make recommendations on whether to apply for

3332-776: Is having their identity shaped mainly through people instead of place. An online survey by Denizen shows that over 200 participants first moved before nine years old and, on average, lived in four countries. These reccurring moves mean children continuously leave friends and relationships, which can bring about stress and anxiety. The transition to a completely new environment and culture can be burdensome as well. However, most international schools understand these circumstances and help students with this transition period through counselling programmes. International school associations and services: International schools International school teachers Examinations and qualifications Advanced Level (UK) The A-level ( Advanced Level )

3430-514: Is successful, a place will be offered subject to availability. Applications to Year 12 for the IB Diploma programme have special requirements: the student must have either achieved or been predicted five grade C's or above, completed the IB Middle Years programme, or completed an equivalent national qualification. Other students will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Priority consideration

3528-625: Is usually the minimum number of A-levels required for university entrance, with some universities specifying the need for a fourth AS subject. There is no limit set on the number of A-levels one can study, and a number of students take five or more A-levels. It is permissible to take A-levels in languages one already speaks fluently, or courses with overlapping content, even if not always fully recognized by universities. There are many options that are in place for students to choose to do coursework. The pass grades for A-levels are, from highest to lowest, A* , A , B , C , D and E . Those who do not reach

3626-422: Is worth 56 points, while an A is worth 48, a B is worth 40, a C is worth 32, a D is 24, and a E is worth 16; so a university may instead demand that an applicant achieve 112 points, instead of the equivalent offer of B-B-C. This allows greater flexibility to students, as 112 points could also, for example, be achieved through the combination A-B-D, which would not have met the requirements of a B-B-C offer because of

3724-684: The BMAT and LNAT for specific courses, or conduct interviews to select applicants. In 2005, the head of admissions at the University of Cambridge outlined changes he believed should be made to the current system, particularly the use of the Advanced Extension Awards , a more challenging qualification based on the more advanced content of the A-level syllabus. More universities have wanted to see applicants' individual module results to see how comfortably they have achieved their result due to fears that

3822-491: The CIE . OCR and CIE are both branches of the parent organization, Cambridge Assessment . OxfordAQA is a partnership between AQA and Oxford University Press . In the UK it is customary for schools to register with multiple examination boards and to "mix and match" A-levels to get a combined curriculum that fits the school profile. The exam boards finance themselves through the fees charged to

3920-570: The ISC Research Data , there were a total of 7,655 registered International schools worldwide. That number has since risen to 12,373 registered international schools in July 2021. The number of students attending international schools has also increased from 3.54 million to 5.68 million since 2011. In April 2007, there were 4,179 English-speaking international schools, which was expected to rise with globalisation . In New Delhi , worldwide entries for

4018-416: The University of Cambridge International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) June 2009 examination session are up by almost 20% on the same session last year. The strong growth confirms the status of Cambridge IGCSE as the world's, and India 's, most popular international curriculum for 14- to 16-year-olds. With rapid globalization, these numbers will most likely continue to grow. Asia and

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4116-518: The Yokohama International School was established in Yamate , Yokohama , Japan . These schools catered to children of expatriate families. These could include diplomats, missionaries, military members, business workers transferred to foreign office locations, etc. An example would be children of American military personnel attending Department of Defense Dependents Schools (DoDDS). At

4214-448: The A-level might not offer an accurate test of ability, or that it is a good prediction of future academic success. In 2002, allegations that students had been given lower marks than they deserved in order to fix overall results and make the pass rate seem lower than it had been in previous years were raised. The Tomlinson Inquiry was set up to ascertain whether this was an underhand way to disprove that A-levels were becoming too easy. As

4312-557: The BBC, the percentage of students achieving an A* is about 8–10%, which essentially lies within the A-B range of their Hong Kong counterparts in respective subjects. In the United States of America the high school diploma is the qualification generally required for entry into colleges and universities. Students are usually evaluated and granted admission to US higher education institutions based on

4410-591: The College Entrance Examination Board tests, a minimum score of 600 or higher in all sections of the SAT or a minimum score of 26 or higher in all sections of the ACT along with a minimum score of 600 in relevant SAT Subject Tests may be considered as meeting general entry requirements for admission. The Equality Act says that exam boards are required to take ‘such steps as it is reasonable to have to take to avoid

4508-465: The Curriculum 2000 reforms) consisted of two equally weighted parts: AS (Advanced Subsidiary) Level, usually assessed in the first year of study, and "A2 Level", usually assessed in the second year of study. It was also possible to take both AS Levels and A2 Levels for a subject in the same examination session - this was most common with Mathematics and Further Mathematics, where a student may have completed

4606-517: The D grade. Depending on the specific offer made, a combination of more than 3 subjects (typically 4 or 5) with lower grades, or points from non-academic input such as higher level music grades or a Key Skills course, may also be accepted by the university. The text of the offer determines whether this flexibility is available – "112 UCAS Points" likely would, while "112 UCAS Points from three A-level subjects" would not. There are currently three examination boards which provide an international variant of

4704-409: The ESF receive an ongoing subsidy (called a 'subvention') from the Hong Kong Government . The reason for this is historical and lies in the foundation's statutory basis. Before the handover of 1997 , it was generally accepted that this subsidy was fair and that the foundation had a reason to be subsidised. There has been controversy regarding subsidies to the foundation. The fiscal deficit suffered by

4802-632: The GCSE if an average grade of C is obtained in subjects with a GCSE counterpart. As the more academically rigorous A-levels awarded at Year 13 are expected for university admission, the high school diploma alone is generally not considered to meet university requirements. Students who wish to study in the United Kingdom may additionally participate in the Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) programs, which are considered to be at

4900-568: The Hong Kong A-level examination has historically been benchmarked against the UK A-levels. In general, a UK A grade is broadly equivalent to a Hong Kong A-C grade. This conclusion is based mainly on the percentage of pupils achieving the respective grades in respective exams. In the UK, on average 25% of participants of each subject achieved an A grade every year, compared to the 25% A-C rate in Hong Kong – A(4%), A-B (10%), A-C (25%). According to

4998-600: The Hong Kong Government following the Asian financial crisis forced the government to cut costs. There were also allegations that the foundation has misused funds on entertainment and over-extravagant recruitment procedures. A report criticising the ESF's use of funds was published by the Hong Kong Government in November 2002, resulting in a continuing debate about whether the subsidy should be cut or even suspended. The subvention

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5096-552: The Hong Kong government released its "Education Policy" white paper , which recommended that future expansion of English-medium schools should be through aided schools rather than through government schools. In accordance with the white paper's recommendations, ESF was established in 1967 under the English Schools Foundation Ordinance (Cap. 1117). The foundation's initial two schools were Beacon Hill School and Island School. In 1975, Bradbury School opened as Causeway Bay School on Eastern Hospital Road. In 1977, South Island School started as

5194-647: The IB Middle Years Programme between Year 7 and 9. At Years 10 to 11, students follow a curriculum designed by the school, that leads to IGCSE and GCSE qualifications, with the exception of Discovery College and Renaissance college which follow the MYP. At Years 12 and 13, students can either take the IB Diploma programme, or an applied learning pathway such as BTEC or the IB Career-related programme. Students study

5292-534: The IGCSE/ GCSE programme. For exams using the A*-G system, 40% of students obtained A* and 96% obtained A*-C, and for exams using the 9–1 system, 50% of students obtained a grade 9 or 8, and 97% obtained grades from 9 to 4. This was the fifteenth consecutive year that more than half of students attained either an A or an A* grade. For Discovery College and Renaissance College which take the IB Middle Years programme, in 2020,

5390-479: The Mathematics syllabus, following calls that it was too hard, attracted criticism. In the change, content consisting of three modules (Pure 1–3) was spread to four modules (Core 1–4). It was alleged that this made the course easier as students did less work for the same qualifications. Further reforms in 2006 to make the Mathematics syllabus more popular were met with mixed opinions. Supporters cited it would reverse

5488-496: The Middle East are the leading geographical locations in international school growth. Enrollment in international schools located in the Middle East alone has grown by 20% since 2015, reaching 1.7 million enrolled students. Southeast Asia has grown by 35.5% and East Asia has grown by 33.3% since. South Asia experienced the largest jump in growth by 64.6% since 2015. Since international schools also tend to offer bilingual education, it

5586-746: The United Kingdom , education in the United States , or curricula specially designed for international schools, such as the International General Certificate of Secondary Education or the IB Diploma Programme . These international curricula are committed to internationalism, developing the global citizen, providing an environment for optimal learning, and teaching in an international setting that fosters understanding, independence, interdependence, and cooperation. Like other schools, international schools teach language arts, mathematics,

5684-510: The United Kingdom A-level examinations to international students. These are Cambridge International Examinations (CIE), Edexcel and OxfordAQA . 1980: 589,270 Note : norm* - grades allocated per the norm referenced percentile quotas described above. The most common criticism of the A-level system is an accusation of grade inflation . The press have noted the steady rise in average grades for several consecutive years and drawn

5782-520: The addition of ESL ( English as a second language ) classes for students who may need them. In addition, students may select Advanced Placement (AP) programmes to prepare for college-level education, specifically in the United States. An international school teacher or educator is someone engaged in the education of pupils in schools other than their country of citizenship. The term generally refers to teachers who are teaching in private schools or public schools . While these schools are private, there

5880-478: The best mark contributing to the full A level, has improved results of the A level. Some believe that students are tending to select easier subjects in order to achieve higher grades. Universities in Britain have complained that the increasing number of A grades awarded makes it hard to distinguish between students at the upper end of the ability spectrum. Many universities administer their own entrance tests such as

5978-496: The conclusion that A-levels are becoming consistently easier. A 2007 report by Robert Coe compared students' scores in the ALIS ability test with equivalent grades achieved in A-level exams over a period of approximately 20 years; he found that students of similar ability were achieving on average about 2 grades higher than in the past. In the case of maths it was nearer to 3.5 grades higher. The government and teaching bodies maintain that

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6076-480: The current linear structure. British Examination Boards ( Edexcel , AQA and OCR ) regulated and accredited by the government of the United Kingdom responded to the government's reform announcements by modifying specifications of several A-level subjects. On 18 March 2020, A-level examinations were cancelled in order to curtail the spread of COVID-19 in the 2019–2020 coronavirus pandemic . The A-level and AS-level qualifications would instead be awarded based upon

6174-450: The disadvantage’, meaning that they are required to make reasonable adjustments for students who would otherwise be at a substantial disadvantage when demonstrating their skills, knowledge and understanding in an assessment. For students taking GCE A-level examinations with learning difficulties, an injury/repetitive strain injury (RSI) or other disabilities, some of the access arrangements offered are: Access arrangements must be approved by

6272-667: The downward trend in students taking the subject whilst others were concerned that the subject was "still incredibly difficult". Despite ongoing work to improve the image of A-levels in the business community, a number of business leaders expressed concern about the suitability of the qualification for school leavers and to urge the adoption of the International Baccalaureate in the UK as an alternative qualification at schools. Examples of concerns were those raised in 2009 by Sir Mike Rake, Chairman of BT Group , Sir Terry Leahy, Chairman of Tesco and by Sir Christopher Gent, Chairman of GlaxoSmithKline . Some schools have also moved to offering

6370-456: The end of the second year. AS is still offered, but as a separate qualification; AS grades no longer count towards a subsequent A-level. Most students study three or four A-level subjects simultaneously during the two post-16 years (ages 16–18) in a secondary school , in a sixth form college , in a further and higher education college, or in a tertiary college, as part of their further education . A-levels are recognised by many universities as

6468-436: The end of these two years. A more modular approach to examination became common in many subjects starting in the late 1980s, and standard for September 2000 and later cohorts, with students taking their subjects to the half-credit "AS" level after one year and proceeding to full A-level the next year (sometimes in fewer subjects). In 2015, Ofqual decided to change back to a terminal approach where students sit all examinations at

6566-509: The entire Mathematics A-Level in their first year of study, followed by the entire Further Mathematics A-Level in their second. It was typical for an AS course to comprise two or three modules, with the A2 half of the course comprising two or three modules, for a total of four or six modules. The modules within each part may have been equally weighted, or be of varying weights. Modules were either assessed by externally marked papers, or by school-assessed, externally moderated coursework . Following

6664-544: The exam board concerned. There are others available, but these are the most commonly used. A-level examinations in the UK are currently administered through 5 examination boards : AQA , OCR , Edexcel (London Examinations), WJEC/Eduqas and CCEA . The present 5 can trace their roots via a series of mergers or acquisitions to one or more of the originally 9 GCE Examination boards. Additionally, there are four examination boards offering A-level qualifications internationally: OxfordAQA, Edexcel, Learning Resource Network (LRN) and

6762-475: The five exam boards. Although exam boards often alter their curricula, this table shows the majority of subjects which are consistently available for study. See a list of, click on the "show" below, Advanced Level Subjects (usually referred to as A-Level): The number of A-level exams taken by students can vary. A typical route is to study four subjects at AS level and then drop down to three at A2 level, although some students continue with their fourth subject. Three

6860-430: The government's Secondary Examinations Council decided to replace the norm referencing with criterion referencing: grades would in future be awarded on examiner judgement thus eliminating a possible inadequacy of the existing scheme. The criterion referencing scheme came into effect for the summer 1987 exams as the system set examiners specific criteria for the awarding of B and E grades to candidates, and then divided out

6958-419: The improved grades represent higher levels of achievement due to improved and more experienced teaching methods, but some educationalists and journalists argue that the change is due to grade inflation and the examinations getting easier. It has also been suggested that government pressure on schools to achieve high examination results has led them to coach students to pass the examination rather than understand

7056-552: The launch of the International Early Years Curriculum (IEYC) in 2016 has provided an international curriculum for early years learners aged 2–5, growing to 500 schools and early years settings between 2016 and 2021. In 2013, 3063 schools were offering the international baccalaureate curriculum in the world, and over 1000 schools offering the IEYC, IPC and/or IMYC around the world. The curriculum could also be based on

7154-715: The level of the A-level qualifications and earn points on the UCAS Tariff , or may opt to take A-level examinations in British international schools or as private candidates. College Entrance Examination Board (CEEB) tests, such as the SAT , SAT Subject Tests , or the ACT , may also be considered. The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) recommends that in addition to a high school diploma, grades of 3 or above in at least two, or ideally three, Advanced Placement exams may be considered as meeting general entry requirements for admission. The IB Diploma may also be accepted. For

7252-562: The main language. 52% of international schools offer a UK style of education, around 20% offer the International Baccalaureate Programme, and 21% offer US-style education. Statically, international school students have achieved higher examination marks compared with the global average: There has also been an increase in The National Curriculum of England and Cambridge Curriculum as a curriculum choice over

7350-523: The mean grade per subject was 5.7 points, higher than the worldwide average of 4.6 points. The mean number of total points per student was 52.2 points out of a maximum possible score of 63 points. The ethnic groups of the foundations' students include local residents of Hong Kong , Europeans and other nearby regional countries. As of 2016 the students came from over 60 countries; the ESF schools, except kindergartens, are required to have at least 70% of their students hold foreign passports. As of 2017, ESF had

7448-435: The minimum standard required for a grade E receive the non-grade U (unclassified), and those who fail to complete any of the subject's components will receive an X . There is no A* grade at AS level. The process to decide these grades for modular A-levels involves the uniform mark scheme (UMS). Under this scheme, four-module A-levels have a maximum mark of 400 UMS (or 200 UMS each for AS and A2), and six-module A-levels have

7546-426: The other grades according to fixed percentages. Rather than awarding an Ordinary Level for the lowest pass, a new "N" (for Nearly passed) was introduced. Criticisms of A-level grading continued, and when Curriculum 2000 was introduced, the decision was made to have specific criteria for each grade, and the 'N' grade was abolished. In 1989, Advanced Supplementary (AS) awards were introduced; they were intended to broaden

7644-452: The overall curriculum strategy for all schools, and ensure the efficient use of resources. Every ESF school has a school council. The school councils' main responsibilities are to work with the principal to establish the strategic direction for the school; to approve the school's curriculum that aligns with the curriculum strategy approved by the Board of Governors; and to approve the allocation of

7742-478: The past 10 years. Schools are also adopting a hybrid model of teaching and learning moving forward to provide more flexibility. With the increase in situations such as diplomat relocation or missionary travels, there has been an increase in the demand for international schools. Especially within the start of the 20th century, there has been a massive growth in international schools worldwide. In 2011 alone, 345 new International schools were established. According to

7840-516: The premises of KGV School, where it was known as Sha Tin Annexe. The school was renamed Sha Tin College in 1983, and moved to its current location in 1985. In 1988, Sha Tin Junior School opened next to Sha Tin College. Schools that are part of ESF include: Starting from August 2022, ESF has become an all-through educational system. This means that children who join K1 from August 2020 will be guaranteed

7938-496: The reforms, A-Levels and AS-Levels have been decoupled, with AS-Level results no longer counting towards the A-Level qualification. The AS-Level consists of the first half of the A-Level course, and can be taught alongside the first year of the full A-Level course. Grades are determined by adding up the mark for each component (which is sometimes weighted) and applying a grade boundary. A wide variety of subjects are offered at A-level by

8036-535: The replacement of schools. In 2014 government subvention comprised 17.7% of ESF's operating income. Tuition fees made up 74% while the balance was generated through interest income, renting out property, and other minor sources of income. The ESF was involved in the controversial 2015 Hong Kong heavy metal in drinking water incidents . Amid the scandal in September 2015, ESF tested the water in its schools, collecting over 300 samples. Four ESF schools were found to have

8134-482: The school's original country education. Schools that are a part of the International Schools Consortium (iSC) deliver an International Standard Classification of Education ( ISCED ) curriculum. This is the standard curriculum for American schools. High school education includes core classes such as English, Foreign Languages, Mathematics, Physical Education, Science, Social Studies, and Fine Arts, with

8232-460: The school's waiting list. Children in kindergarten are assessed based on a play visit in December of each year. The play visit allows the school to observe the children, talk with the parents, and determine if the school is appropriate for the child. For applications to primary and secondary school, students will be invited for an interview and assessment when new places become available. If the student

8330-804: The schools for administering the examination. In addition to the centre registration fee, A-level Mathematics will raise £120.00 per student, while Biology, Physics and Chemistry £90.00 per subject and languages such as Spanish, French and German £100.00 or £201.15 depending on the syllabus. (2019-20 AQA figures) A-levels are usually studied by students in Sixth Form, which refers to the last two years of secondary education in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, taken at ages 16–18. Some secondary schools have their own Sixth Form, which admits students from lower year groups, but will often accept external applications. There are also many specialist Sixth Form and Further Education Colleges which admit from feeder schools across

8428-666: The school’s annual budget. ESF was established by government ordinance in 1967. There were no amendments to the ordinance until March 2008, when an amendment to the ESF Ordinance was passed by the Legislative Council . In response to shortcomings in governance that were highlighted by the Legislative Council in January 2005, the ESF carried out an extensive consultation process to produce an amended ordinance, which provide for

8526-473: The sciences, humanities, the arts, physical education, information technology, and design technology. More recent developments for primary school include the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) and International Primary Curriculum (IPC). Secondary education is provided through the relaunched IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) and redeveloped International Middle Years Curriculum (IMYC). Most recently,

8624-488: The source of the water containing high lead were in those schools. The individual schools have halted the use of those water sources pending an investigation. International school The first international school can be traced back to the International School of Geneva , founded in 1924 by Arthur Sweetser and Ludwik Rajchman with an emphasis on bilingual education (English and French). Later that year,

8722-582: The standard Scottish Higher , and the Advanced Higher levels of the Scottish Qualifications Certificate . The schools that offer A-levels are mainly private fee-paying schools particularly for students wishing to attend university in England. Many international schools choose to use the British system for their wide recognition. Furthermore, students may choose to sit the papers of British examination bodies at education centres around

8820-529: The standard for assessing the suitability of applicants for admission in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and many such universities partly base their admissions offers on a student's predicted A-level grades, with the majority of these offers conditional on achieving a minimum set of final grades. A-levels were introduced in 1951 as a standardised school-leaving qualification, replacing the Higher School Certificate . The examinations were taken on

8918-401: The subject, and to other subjects. Students are taught using an inquiry-based approach, and are encouraged to be curious and to interact to issues locally and globally. In addition, all students are taught Chinese and the four skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing. They also learn about Chinese culture, and their history and society. The curriculum of ESF secondary schools is based on

9016-407: The subject. In 2000, the A-level system was changed to examine students at the end of each of the two years of A-level study, rather than only at the end of the two years. The results of the first year's exam (AS-level) allowed students to drop subjects they find difficult after one year and to retake AS examinations to achieve a higher grade at that level. The availability to resit the AS paper, with

9114-498: The subjects a pupil studied post 16, and were to complement rather than be part of a pupil's A-level studies. AS-Levels were generally taken over two years, and in a subject the pupil was not studying at A-Level. Each AS level contained half the content of an A-Level, and at the same level of difficulty. Initially, a student might study three subjects at A-Level and one at AS-Level , or often even four subjects at A-Level. However, due to decreasing public spending on education over time,

9212-469: The two all-through schools. All five of ESF's kindergartens follow the IB Primary Years Programme, designed for students aged between 3 and 5. The curriculum encourages children to learn through inquiry and hands-on experiences. It is focused on early literacy and numeracy, as well as Mandarin Chinese, which is integrated into the curriculum. At Abacus kindergarten, there is a choice between an English stream and

9310-909: The world, such as those belonging to the British Council . According to the British Council, A-levels are similar to the American Advanced Placement courses which are themselves equivalent to first-year courses of America's four-year bachelor's degrees. A-level students often apply to universities before they have taken their final exams, with applications administered centrally through UCAS . British universities (including Scottish universities, which receive many applicants taking A-levels) consider GCSEs, AS-level results, predicted A-level results, and extracurricular accomplishments when deciding whether applicants should be made an offer through UCAS. These offers may be 'unconditional', guaranteeing

9408-561: Was also a pragmatic case based on the inefficiency of linear courses where up to 30% of students were failing to complete or pass. Curriculum 2000 was introduced in September 2000, with the first new examinations taken in January and June of the following year. The Curriculum 2000 reforms also replaced the S-Level extension paper with the Advanced Extension Award . The Conservative Party under Prime Minister David Cameron initiated reforms for A-levels to change from modular to

9506-492: Was cut for several years in line with a general reduction in government expenditure and then frozen. The ESF has recently addressed concerns about governance by putting forward a new ordinance that will change the way the organisation operates. The foundation imposed a refundable capital levy of HK$ 25,000 per student in 2011. The changes culminate in the phasing out of government's annual subsidy (worth HK$ 283 million) with effect from 2016, tapering to zero in 2028–29. After

9604-402: Was equivalent to a GCE Ordinary Level pass which indicated a performance equivalent to the lowest pass grade at Ordinary Level. Over time, the validity of this system was questioned because, rather than reflecting a standard, norm referencing simply maintained a specific proportion of candidates at each grade, which in small cohorts was subject to statistical fluctuations in standards. In 1984,

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