South Island School

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  1. #1

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    South Island School

    Does anyone have any experience with this ESF high school? What did/do you think of it? Our daughter has been offered a place here, has an interview and English proficiency test in August but has also been offered a place at the second top selective state school in NSW, Australia (which is consistently one of the top five schools with regards to HSC Year 12 results). We are now facing the very difficult decision of choosing. Would appreciate any experiences/advice about SIS. Thankyou.


  2. #2

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    How old is your D ?
    If you choose Australia, does that mean leaving Hong Kong or will it be a boarding situation?


  3. #3

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    Well, my husband is working in HK. We originally planned to come a couple of months after him last year. However, we couldn't get a school place anywhere for our kids. Every school had long waiting lists, including private schools. So we decided that I would come back to Australia with the kids and we have been visiting in the school holidays. Since then, my daughter sat the selective school exam here and my son started kindergarten. Our son has still not been offered a place anywhere in Hong Kong but perhaps if our daughter takes up the ESF place, he would hopefully move quicker up the waiting lists?


  4. #4

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    I see, so you are separated due to school issues.

    If I were in your shoes, I'd move to be with him. Being a whole family in an OK school is better than being in a top school while away from a father figure. SIS is a fine IB school. Its not a "top" school (whatever that means) but nor is it a particularly bad school.


  5. #5

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    I attend an ESF school at the moment, and I've heard some nasty rumors about SIS. It's usually about how the people there aren't actually that nice, and are quite arrogant. I know this isn't much help really, since they're just rumors and I'm just here to tell you what I've heard. I haven't heard anything wrong with them, and a school is just a school. Their education isn't bad at all, and I doubt a little rumor of students being rude is going to change your decision.

    I'm sorry if this doesn't help at all. I'll ask around for you, since I have friends who attend SIS.


  6. #6

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    Which class? My understanding of the syllabus at SIS is that there isn't a structured ICT subject, which is a bit retarded and will be a hindrance to the further education of the child.


  7. #7

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    Instead of vague and often incorrect impressions, you might want some hard facts:

    SIS just had the best IB results they've ever had which are comparable with the best schools in HK. Three of their students scored the top score of 45 points...less than 1% score that worldwide and very rarely do schools have more than one student achieving this. Their mean score is 36 also comparable to some of the best schools IB schools in HK(CIS is usually around there), the average worldwide is 32 this year. They had an astonishing 32% of their students scoring over 40 points, the world average is 6% and CIS best year was 29%.

    For those children that are slightly less academically minded, there is a good offering of BTEC classes which can be combined with some IB courses if one is so inclined.

    As for ICT, all students have laptops and it's integrated into the curriculum in the younger year which makes more sense than having separate classes particularly in the younger groups. They also get more specific targeted training in DT. SIS offers the CIE Award for year 10 and 11 which is getting to be standard in ESF school, it's more practical than IGCSEs and even though ICT is largely irrelevant in IB and many schools don't even bother offering courses, SIS offers both ITGS and computer science so to claim that this will be a hindrance to a child's education is beyond ridiculous.

    ESF schools also have a nice multicultural environment with many opportunities whether sporting, cultural or artistic. Their fees are also slightly less than other international schools in HK so it's not bad value for money. As is the case with all schools, it's not hard to find faults and some unhappy people however it's definitely well above any average school anywhere in the world.

    Last edited by gilleshk; 14-07-2012 at 01:17 AM.

  8. #8

    Let me tell you what I know about SIS since I am studying in CDNIS and im 16

    SIS is not a bad school, as a matter of fact I have a lot of friends studying in SIS.
    They are all sweet and cool young gents and ladies. Other than the fact that, yes some of them might be a bit rude, but cmon they are teenagers, I would be lying if I tell you I havent swear in my whole life. They only down side to SIS is its not really a huge school,and some kids there are kind of spoiled. But think about this, if you choose that school you were talking about in aussie, then It would be the same as those top schools are usually posh and you know.... Hong Kong is a safe place, if not one of the safest place in the World. Also ESF schools have a pretty good record for they IB course.
    If I was you, then I would definatly come to Hong Kong, and your husband is in Hong Kong... CMON HAHA WHAT ELSE IS STOPPING YOU??
    Hong Kong is also a lot smaller than aussie, so its easier to look after your daughter.BUT BUT BUT, I am sure you would find as much fun as you are having back in aussie..
    This is just a perspective from a 16 year old teenager boy who is also studying in Hong Kong, in an international school.. no biggie not important .. HAHA
    just so you know There are a lot more options in Hong Kong in terms of job wise.
    Hope this helps
    Edward


  9. #9

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    Quote Originally Posted by Sugar_Coated:
    I attend an ESF school at the moment, and I've heard some nasty rumors about SIS. It's usually about how the people there aren't actually that nice, and are quite arrogant. I know this isn't much help really, since they're just rumors and I'm just here to tell you what I've heard. I haven't heard anything wrong with them, and a school is just a school. Their education isn't bad at all, and I doubt a little rumor of students being rude is going to change your decision.

    I'm sorry if this doesn't help at all. I'll ask around for you, since I have friends who attend SIS.


    met some ladies from SIS this weekend and they were perfectly friendly and well rounded. they'd also gone from SIS to graduate from well known universities.

  10. #10

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    I've tutored a lot of SIS students in the last 6 years and I don't see anything wrong with them. As the above post mentioned, you will find faults in all schools including the top boarding schools worldwide.

    They have well above average grades for IGCSE and IB and again as mentioned, a lot of them end up at prestigious universities in the UK/US.