Harrow Internatoinal School (Yr 1) or Singapore Int'l School (PY2)

do123alex

How would you like to choose if you have both offers ?  My kid is still very young and currently at kindergarten level, till now we have not decided any plan to go overseas or stay in HK for higher grade education.  Advice please

AEteam

I would choose Singapore International School as it has track record.  Harrow is still very fresh.

whitesky

please check your PM.

bobbycheung

2 questions to consider:-
1. How important is Chinese Language to you?  SIS is one of the few IS that teaches Putonghua and Simplified Chinese characters to a relatively high level.
2. How much do you detest tests and exams?  Kids in SIS have regular tests and exams from a relatively young age.  They also have more homework compared with other IS eg. ESF etc.
(PS. I know nothing about Harrow International School)

By the way, Year 1 at Harrow and PY2 at SIS are in fact the same level.  The students will ultimately go to universities in the same year.

4eyesDad

It depends on where you live.
Harrow International is in Gold Coast, which is miles away from SIS which is located at the southern tip of HK Island.
Bearing in mind that your child is very young, and given the fact that both schools are very popular and should equally be a good choice, don't you think it more practical to send your kid to the one closest to your home or more convenient in terms of daily transport?
If both schools are the same distance from home and money is not a concern, I would choose Harrow International.
You may also consider whether English accent is a factor.

Chole

I will definitely not send my kid to a brand new school......  Personal opinion only.

4eyesDad

回復 Chole 的帖子

Will your opinion be different if that brand new school is going to be run by an educational organization like Harrow with several hundred years of outstanding educational achievements?

poonseelai

4eyesDad 發表於 12-4-1 09:22
回復 Chole 的帖子

Will your opinion be different if that brand new school is going to be run by an  ...

Heard that HK Harrow is not going to be run by Harrow in th UK. It has franchised the running of the school to a company owned by son of 邱德根. hK Harrow will pay a franchise fee to UK Harrow. Not sure about how is UK Harrow's involvement in the day to day running. Harrow Beijing and Bangkok are under the same system and others said their academic results are not impressive (sorry I don't have details). Will your opinion be different?

poonseelai

poonseelai 發表於 12-4-1 10:09
Heard that HK Harrow is not going to be run by Harrow in th UK. It has franchised the running of the ...

Another point is HK Harrow will pay a management fee to the company of Mr Yau.  This HK Harrow is in fact a business run by Yau.  Some people argue that why HK government need to pay so many subsidies to a private business (including the free use of land for the campus and recently an interest free loan of HK$200 million).  Imagine if these resources is to be spent on our local education system.......................

I'm not saying HK Harrow is bad (no one knows until it delivers it products).  Parents should ask for more information before they decide to send their kids there.  

bobbycheung

Here are the lists of university destination etc

Harrow Beijing
http://www.harrowbeijing.cn/Uploadfile/SchoolProfile20112012.pdf

Harrow Bangkok
http://www.harrowschool.ac.th/university-destinations.html

Harrow School itself
http://www.harrowschool.org.uk/1 ... niversity-subjects/

4eyesDad

回復 poonseelai 的帖子

The website says the current Deputy Head Master from Harrow School, London, will become the Head Master of Harrow International School Hong Kong this September.
Does it mean he is replicating the London Harrow model or is he, because of the commercial nature of the sponsors and the service agreement mentioned here, merely a figure head?
I don't know for sure.
I think at least Harrow is putting its name on this venture and it may not allow the standard to fall below average. After all, the results of Harrow international schools in Bangkok and Beijing this year are not bad at all. Two students from Harrow Beijing will go to Oxford and Cambridge this year - do you know how many DGS girls got an offer from Oxbridge this year?

ANChan59

回復 4eyesDad 的帖子

Two students from Harrow Beijing will go to Oxford and Cambridge this year

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Are they British or other nationalities?

ANChan59

回復 4eyesDad 的帖子

Girls and boys aim for Oxbridge from DGS and DBS will go for Pre-U programs before F4. Stay in HK mainly for local programs like Medicine and law.....

4eyesDad

回復 ANChan59 的帖子

Their website does not mention these 2 students' nationalities. Many established international schools in HK do not usually get one Oxbridge offer per year, let alone two offers. So I think it represents something quite positive about the relatively new Harrow International School in Beijing.
As to the comparison between Harrow HK and SIS, I think they are both reputable. If travelling time is not a concern and money is no object, I would choose the new Harrow International HK because of its English background. I am biased because I always love to hear proper English accent. I heard they now have a wait list for key entry classes - that is even before the school has started to operate!