Parents may submit one online application per child with their selected preference of kindergartens. Parents may choose up to 4 selected schools. There is no geographical zoning of ESF kindergartens. However, you can take the following guidance as a reference in identifying a suitable kindergarten based on location.
ESF Abacus International Kindergarten: Clearwater Bay, Tseung Kwan O, Hang Hau, Sai Kung
ESF Hillside International Kindergarten: Hong Kong Island
ESF Tsing Yi International Kindergarten: Kowloon, elsewhere in the New Territories
ESF Tung Chung International Kindergarten: Lantau (including Discover Bay), elsewhere in the New Territories
ESF Wu Kai Sha International Kindergarten: Ma On Shan, Tai Po, Shatin, Sai Kung, elsewhere in the New Territories
K1-aged children commence kindergarten in August each year. Each kindergarten will receive applications for K1 in accordance with the table below:
| Child born between | Submit application form | Start date in K1 class |
| Jan – Dec 2022 | 1 – 30 September 2024 | August 2025 |
| Jan – Dec 2023 | 1 – 30 September 2025 | August 2026 |
| Jan – Dec 2024 | 1 – 30 September 2026 | August 2027 |
| Jan – Dec 2025 | 1 – 30 September 2027 | August 2028 |
No child will be able to attend kindergarten prior to their allocated academic year.
Applications for K2, or for K1 outside the September admissions period, may be made at any time. Places are limited, but may become available during the academic year. If no place is immediately available, your child’s application will be added to our waitlist in accordance with their priority and date of application.
ESF schools are non-selective. The criteria for admission is that students must demonstrate sufficient English language skills so that they can benefit from a mainstream English-medium learning environment.
Applicants will be placed on a waiting list and will be invited to a Play Visit, interview or assessment when vacancies become available. Overseas passport holders (not BNO) will receive priority over local passport holders.
Priority for an interview or assessment will be based on the following ranked criteria:
*Staff are given priority according to employment terms for ESF or the Private Independent Schools.
#National-level athletes and athletes sponsored by the Hong Kong Sports Institute (HKSI) as an elite athlete.
Starting in December each year, kindergartens will invite children to attend the school for a Play Visit. The children must be accompanied by their parents. The purpose is for the kindergarten to observe the children, talk with the parents and determine whether the setting is appropriate for the children. It also enables parents to hear about the curriculum, view the premises, and decide whether they wish to proceed with the application.
Children may be invited back to the kindergarten for a second visit if the school needs further information on the child. The kindergarten may involve the special educational needs advisor in this visit.
Kindergartens will offer places to successful applicants after the visits have taken place. In some cases, offers of a place may be conditional upon a second or subsequent visit to the kindergarten, occasionally, parents may be requested to make additional arrangements to support their child when in kindergarten.
ESF kindergarten children who can benefit from a mainstream English medium curriculum will be guaranteed a Year 1 place at an ESF school.
To enable your child to enjoy the full benefit of their pre-primary education, you are advised to keep him or her enrolled in kindergarten for the full two years of the programme. Within ESF, the Primary Years Programme (PYP) curriculum extends from kindergarten into primary. Students who are planning to continue their education in ESF will have the advantage of continuity in their learning as they transition from kindergarten, preparing them socially and educationally for life in Year 1 in an ESF primary school.
An offer of a place cannot be made to a child who is not a resident of Hong Kong unless the child is permitted by the Director of Immigration to reside in Hong Kong. If a child, whose travel document/passport bears the endorsement “Visitor” over the immigration stamp and would like to attend a school in Hong Kong, clearance must be obtained from the Director of Immigration.
Parents of non-local children are advised to seek the approval of the Director of Immigration (https://www.immd.gov.hk) for entry to Hong Kong of the child in question, for the purpose of study.
Parents should refer to the “Determining Year Group” guidelines under the admission process to determine the appropriate year group to apply for when submitting their kindergarten application.
| 1-30 September |
|
| 2 September at 1pm | ESF Kindergarten Class A Debenture application opens |
| First Friday of October | Deadline for receipt of supporting documents |
| October |
|
| November | Parents receive Play Visit status notification letters
|
| November to January (Following Year) | First round Play Visits conduct at kindergartens |
| January to Early March (Following Year) | Parents receive letter with Play Visit result |
| March to August (Following Year) | Further Play Visits conduct by kindergartens if necessary |
Parents should refer to the “Determining Year Group” guidelines under the admission process to determine the appropriate year group to apply for when submitting their primary application.
1-30 September |
|
| 2 September | Nomination Rights applications open |
| First Friday of October | Deadline for receipt of supporting documents |
| Mid-October | Acknowledgement email sent to parents to advise admission process |
| November to January (Following Year) | First round interviews conducted at primary schools |
| March to August (Following Year) | Further interviews conducted by primary schools as necessary |
Parents should refer to the “Determining Year Group” guidelines under the admission process to determine the appropriate year group to apply for when submitting their secondary application.
| 1-30 September |
|
| 2 September | Nomination Rights applications open |
| First Friday of October | Deadline for receipt of supporting documents |
| Early October | Acknowledgement email sent to parents to advise admission process |
| Mid-October to the end of November | Interview period |
| Early/Mid-December | Offer for Year 7 places sent out |
| Mid-December | Deadline to confirm places offered by payment of a deposit and non-refundable capital levy |
2B Tin Kwong Road, Homantin, Hong Kong
1985
Age 5 – 19
70
Bespoke curriculum. All secondary-aged students access accredited ASDAN courses.
Everything we do at ESF Jockey Club Sarah Roe School is based on an understanding that every child is unique, with their own skills and passions. We offer our students some wonderful facilities to keep them happy, engaged and always learning. Our bespoke curriculum puts our students at the centre.
We reach our goals alongside our students through personalised, progressive and challenging lessons that offer students multiple opportunities for repeated, frequent experiences. Parents are an important facet of this team, since nobody knows your child better than you. Our teachers and therapists work with you to help establish suitable and practical goals for each student and how to support this learning at home. By helping each child to develop their own interests and personality, we help them to be the best they can be.
Anna Smakowska
Anna has almost 20 years of experience as a teacher and leader – with a strong focus throughout her career on helping students reach their full potential, regardless of any and all challenges that they may face.
The bus service for JCSRS students is managed by ESF Centre and JCSRS. School staff work as Bus Escorts and they are First Aid trained.
*The stops along the school bus routes may be subject to change. For more information, please contact the school.
ESF’s all-through education, K1 to Year 13, enables a seamless transition from kindergarten to primary and from Year 6 to secondary. The close links our primary schools have with their associated secondary schools play an important role in delivering a positive experience and a good start to the year, for our Year 7 students.
ESF will process and allocate according to an ‘associated secondary school’ for Year 7 placement. Below are the associated secondary schools for each primary school.
| ESF primary school | Allocated ESF secondary school |
|---|---|
| Bradbury School | South Island School |
| Quarry Bay School | South Island School |
| Glenealy School | Island School |
| Peak School | Island School |
| Kennedy School | West Island School |
| Beacon Hill School | Island School |
| Kowloon Junior School | King George V School |
| Clearwater Bay School | King George V School |
| Sha Tin Junior School | Sha Tin College |
The Year 7 transition information will be sent to parents via email with details to login and access the form.
All Year 6 students enrolled in an ESF primary school by 1 December are guaranteed a place in an ESF secondary school on completion of Year 6.
For Year 6 students in Learning Support (LS): the child’s placement will be managed and allocated through a different process that takes account of the availability of Year 7 LS placements across all secondary schools. The student’s Year 7 placement will be confirmed by the end of November.
A student joining Year 6 from 1 December onwards can not be guaranteed a secondary school place at their corresponding ‘associated secondary school’ but offered a Year 7 place at an alternative secondary school where there is availability.
The guarantee of Year 7 place is with the corresponding secondary sections. Transfer requests to an ESF secondary school may be considered based on availability and date of written request starting from 1 September to your school’s admissions office. There is no guarantee of transfer to Year 7 in an ESF secondary school.
Please note transfer between a private independent school and an ESF school and vice versa will mean payment of deposit and capital/building levy to take up the school place.
Please note the following key dates:
| First two weeks of September | Parents complete the Year 7 transfer form |
| End November | Year 7 offer letters are sent via email from ESF Centre |
| Beginning of December | Deadline to confirm places the Year 7 places offered. ESF primary students are requested to pay the deposit to confirm the place. |
Students who are attending ESF kindergartens will complete the Year 1 transition process. Information from ESF kindergartens will support the transition process.
Students in ESF kindergartens identified as needing additional learning support may be recommended to apply through the Admission and Review Process. This is a separate application process managed centrally at ESF Centre. This process also applies to all students applying from outside ESF. There are limited resources for placement within Learning Support and Jockey Club Sarah Roe School. Not all students going through the Admission and Review Process may be placed, as the demand is often greater than the number of places available.
The Year 1 transition information will be sent to parents via email with details to login and access the form.
All K2 students enrolled in an ESF kindergarten before 1 December are guaranteed a place in an ESF primary school on completion of K2.
A new student joining K2 on or after Year 1 offers to go out cannot be guaranteed a primary school place but will be given high priority on the waitlist for a Year 1 place.
Allocation for primary school is based on priority order plus EDB requirements (when necessary), and computer-generated random numbers. K2 children may be directed to an alternative primary school if there is an oversubscription at their first preference school. There is no guarantee of the school of first preference. All ESF primary school offers are accepted with a two-year commitment before any transfer request, regardless of residential address.
Please note the following key dates:
| First two weeks of September | Parents complete the Year 1 transfer form |
| End November | Year 1 offer letters are sent via email from ESF Centre |
| Beginning of December | Deadline to confirm places the Year 1 places offered. ESF kindergarten students are requested to pay the deposit to confirm the place |
The ESF Levels of Adjustment (LOA) provide a framework for identifying and documenting the adjustments and accommodations for students who require support for learning.
ESF uses LOA 1 to 6 to describe the amount and type of support a student requires in order to access the curriculum. The LOA also reflects the level of provision required.
Outlined below are the most common placements for students with LOA 1 to 6. Occasionally, placements may differ depending on the profile of the individual student.
Additional, ongoing class-based teaching and learning adjustments led by the class or subject teacher, in liaison with the IN department and/or short-term small group or individual intervention in 1 or 2 dimensions of schooling.
Regular, individualised teaching and learning adjustments of objectives, outcomes, materials or equipment, in multiple dimensions of schooling, as a result of class-based assessments and teacher judgement.
A combination of additional small group support, for minimum 2 cycles of intervention, in multiple areas. The student has an IEP, there is an ongoing liaison between class/subject teachers and the IN department, and there is regular contact with parents. These students often sit well below age-related expectations in one of the dimensions of schooling.
Daily, individualised teaching and learning adjustments of objectives, outcomes, materials or equipment.
Access to daily push-in support in mainstream lessons and pull-out support focusing on skill development, concept reinforcement, and functional life skills teaching. Access to alternative curriculums at the secondary level.
Continuous, individualised support. Systematic interventions and highly individualised teaching programmes through multidisciplinary approaches with a high staff-to-student ratio.
Many students who require less extensive, class-based teaching and learning adjustments are catered for within mainstream classes in all kindergartens and schools.
Students who require more extensive, daily teaching and learning adjustments are catered for within learning support (LS) within ESF primary schools and secondary schools.
Entry to this level of provision is through a central process called the Admissions and Review Process, not through the local school.
Students who require the most extensive teaching and learning adjustments are catered for within the Jockey Club Sarah Roe School (JCSRS).
JCSRS has a bespoke curriculum that is designed to be broad and balanced to meet the needs of our diverse learners. The curriculum is taught through subjects but has significant elements of project based learning that enhance transdisciplinary application of knowledge and skills.
The JCSRS curriculum is divided into six pathways, each with its own distinct learning approach and priorities. The pathways are determined by age and also by the needs of students.
The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB DP) is a course designed for students aged 16 to 19. Students can choose to follow either the full IB Diploma Programme or their choice of individual IB Diploma courses. Widely recognised as the best possible preparation for study at university, the IB DP builds research skills, promotes personal responsibility and encourages independent learning.
The full IB DP core comprises six subjects and the following key components:
Students can choose one subject from each of the groups below, three at Higher Level (HL) and three at Standard Level (SL).
Our personalised pathways allow students to focus on creative projects and inquiries and reflect on their achievements. Students whose strengths are in applied learning are often practical and goal-oriented. Courses are routed in practical and real-world situations and are made relevant to the world of work. The courses are modular with no external examination element.
ESF schools currently provide Business and Technology Education Council (BTEC ) courses which are recognised by many universities worldwide. These courses can be studied alongside other subjects and provide a varied learning experience for students.
A number of ESF schools are also developing the International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme (IBCP) to offer opportunities for those students who have a particular career path in mind. The IBCP allows students to specialise and dedicate themselves to a career path that they know they want to pursue. The IBCP encompasses some elements of the IB Diploma Programme within its structure. It also encompasses the IB’s educational philosophy and mission.
The Middle Years Programme (MYP) prepares students to become active, caring, lifelong learners who demonstrate respect for themselves and others and have the capacity to participate in the world around them. Learning focuses on the development of the whole child as an inquirer, both in and beyond the classroom and encourages students to be critical, creative and reflective thinkers. The MYP is a framework on which to hang a challenging and rigorous curriculum, which provides authentic, real-world connections to the learning in the classroom.
The curriculum consists of 8 subject groups integrated through 6 interactive areas providing global contexts for learning.
Our MYP centres around and is underpinned by the following five key components:
As a further means of developing autonomous, self-directed learners, students are given the opportunity to demonstrate their learning through completing a project, which encourages reflection on their learning and outcomes of their work. This is a long-term project, which is embedded within a global context and generates a synthesis of creative and critical thinking and approaches to learning through an in-depth investigation.
MYP Projects
Students who complete the MYP in Year 9 or Year 10 complete the community project, enabling them to develop their commitment to service as action within the community. All students who complete the MYP in Year 11 complete the personal project.
The IGCSE is a two year course of study with an externally set syllabus with assessment criteria for Years 10 to 11. The five ESF secondary schools design courses to meet these criteria. This includes a range of language courses available in foreign, second and first languages. The examinations are externally set which is similar to the IB Diploma final examination period. Grades are awarded with students typically taking between seven to ten subjects.
Students will also be able to access a range of co-curricular courses in the creative, community service and physical domains. Some of these activities have qualifications associated with them.
International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (PYP) is an international, trans-disciplinary programme designed to foster the development of the whole child, not just in the classroom but also through other means of learning. The PYP focuses on the total growth of the developing child, encompassing academic, social, physical, emotional and cultural needs.
We provide a wide range of curricular and co-curricular programmes and opportunities. The curriculum is expressed in three interrelated ways:
Our approach to learning is through play based theory. Across five key areas of enquiry; Wellbeing, Belonging, Communication, Contribution, and Exploration, each toddler’s voice will be heard, their progress celebrated, and their language and knowledge nourished. Our curriculum centres on the premise that everything that occurs with or for the child is curriculum. It is inquiry based and concept driven. It is designed to be stimulating yet flexible to provide for the children’s desire to explore and investigate.
