Harrow - Need some advice

bombombb

For some reasons, all my friends are talking about Harrow these days and there are both positive and negative. I want to
know more from the parent a here ;

1  For those kids who will start P1 at Harrow, what schools are they coming from?

2. Any idea what quality of students they are looking for ? English skills ? Academic results ? Sports ?

3. Did anyone decline  an offer, why?  

4 it is not an apple to apple comparison but if you have offers from ESF, SIS, KCIS, Harrow ? What would you pick (if financials is not a concern though we are only a middle class working couple)

Many thanks.

Atticus

Our 5-year old got an offer earlier this year but we didn't accept it due to the location of the school and hence the daily traveling time involved. We are not comfortable with letting a 5-year old spend 2 hours on the road each day. We considered moving the whole family to Tuen Mun but decided against it.

In terms of their admission standards, they do look for fluent (even close to native) English speaking candidates. They also observe the kids' personalities. A bubbly, outgoing and friendly character would definitely be a plus.

Our kid is fluent in English, Cantonese and Putonghua. He first went to Victoria's trilingual (English + Cantonese + Putonghua) and then bilingual (English + Putonghua) classes.

Harrow is very British. I have a strong preference for Harrow over other international schools because I went to school in England myself and intend to send my kids to school in England when they are older.

ESF, CIS, SIS, GSIS, HKIS, CDNIS, etc. are very established and very popular international schools in HK. They all have different strengths and one can't really comment on which one is better than the others. It all depends on what you believe is good for your kid(s).

topkidsmom

enough is enough

bobbycheung

回復 topkidsmom 的帖子

"All I can say in academic way is that there is no comparison with the facility and the qualifications of the teachers of Harrow"

To me, that's a pretty bold statement.  Did you actually compare the qualifications of Harrow's teachers with those of all other schools' in Hong Kong?  Any data that you could share with us?

topkidsmom

enough is enough

topkidsmom

enough is enough

bobbycheung

回復 topkidsmom 的帖子

The way you answered my question says a lot about you and your opinion.  Anyway, thank you for clarifying for us the basis of your opinion.

hkparent

I would concur with topkidsmom. The harrow website tells us a lot about their teachers' qualifications and background - if you have ever studied in the UK you will know about those top boarding schools from which the teachers have come from, and of course those universities where they graduated. The thing is - how many of us in HK can afford to study in Harrow ?:(

As mentioned by a parent above, it's not very meaningful to compare schools. But it would be helpful for parents like us to know more about the teachers of different IS in HK. Can anyone share? I can't locate similar information in the websites of HKIS, GSIS, CIS, ESF etc.

bobbycheung

回復 hkparent 的帖子

Thank you for the information.  That's in fact what I was asking for in the first place - data based on which topkidsmom formed her opinion.  Once we know what the data are, people are then free to form their own opinion.  We may agree or disagree with each other, but I don't see the need to be defensive, let alone offensive.

Anyway, I am not aware of any such qualification details disclosed in the websites of other schools either.  But I note from Harrow's website that, amongst others, the Head of Harrow's Lower School comes from Quarry Bay School and the Deputy Head of Lower School and Pre-Prep Phase Leader is from Kennedy School.  There are also a number of teachers coming from other international schools in Hong Kong.  In the circumstances, I don't know if it's justified to come to a conclusion that "there is no comparison with the qualifications of the teachers of Harrow".  In fact, I wonder how one can make a comparision if we don't even know what the other IS's teachers' qualifications are.  

Scotman

To be honest, I think everyone is entitle to air their opinion in this forum, and just an opinion. If bobbycheung wants to look for something from experts, he should find this our himself by doing the research himself. By commenting what topkidsmum stated here,it seems to me bobbycheung is a bit harsh. To be honest, this is un-gentleman like and should be condemmned by all of us here.

hkparent

Bobbycheung only quoted that some Harrow teachers have come from ESF or other IS. What a pity that he/she did not know about Harrow London, Tonbridge, CLC, King Edward V, King's Canterbury ...

I hope there would be a time they lowered their "entry barrier" :p

bobbycheung

回復 Scotman 的帖子

Obviously I was not looking for something from "experts" as the "experts" themselves couldn't tell me how they managed to make the comparsion without knowing the qualifications of the other IS teachers.  If what I said was a bit harsh, then what would you call the reply of topkidsmom?  Would you call it a polite response to my request for data?.  If you take the view that everyone is entitled to air her opinion in this forum without any justification or simply out of her own imagination, then I have nothing to say.

bobbycheung

回復 hkparent 的帖子

hkparent,

May I know how you managed to find out about the qualifications of the other IS teachers in Hong Kong?  None of them graduated from Oxbridge or other top UK schools?  None of them ever taught in Harrow London, Tonbridge, CLC, King Edward V, King's Canterbury ......?   When you said you hoped there would be a time they lowered their "entry barrier", do you mean no other teachers in Hong Kong are good enough to teach in these schools?  If you take the view that only Harrow London, Tonbridge, CLC, King Edward V, King's Canterbury ...... are good enough, perhaps Harrow should start by sacking both its Head of Lower School and the Deputy Head of Lower School and Pre-Prep Phase Leader as neither of them came from these schools.   Making them part of the Senior Leadership Team is obviously a big mistake as they are nether from Oxbridge nor from Harrow London, Tonbridge, CLC, King Edward V, King's Canterbury .......   

topkidsmom

enough is enough

topkidsmom

enough is enough

bobbycheung

回復 topkidsmom 的帖子

I have nothing against you nor Harrow School.  People who read through the entire post will notice I am not the one who started it all.  

hkparent

Oh such a debate and misunderstanding. My meaning of "entry barrier" in my earlier post - $3 million capital note for early years entry :(

nintendo

topkidsmom 發表於 12-9-17 21:14
That is just my personalopinion, to share with bombombb , not you,:;pppp:
why should I include your point of view?

Ha ha.................... if you want a fullreport you should pay for someone to do it for you.

Remember there is no free lunch in this world.

呢位朋友，你都幾唔客氣，甚至可以用冇禮貌形容你呢個 message

nintendo

Scotman 發表於 12-9-18 21:50
To be honest, I think everyone is entitle to air their opinion in this forum, and just an opinion. I bobbycheung wants to look for something from experts, he should find this our himself by doing the research himself. By commenting what topkidsmum stated here,it seems to me bobbycheung is a bit harsh. To be honest, this is un-gentleman like and should be condemmned by all of us here.

Bobbycheung 都係想問 topkidsmum 係憑乜野資料話 harrow 師資最好，你都可以話佢 harsh ？
重話要禁佢言 ？

咁你有冇睇 topkidsmum  個 message #6 ？

nintendo

hkparent 發表於 12-9-19 08:14
Oh such a debate and misunderstanding. My meaning of "entry barrier" in my earlier post - $3 million  capital note for early years entry :(

我識有人，就係比了一大筆錢，將兩個仔女送入 harrow，佢地話佢地早申情，連面試都唔駛
或者就如網友話齋，harrow 有全香港最好的師資，學生一定得到全港最好的教育