ESF Y1 vs FIS Y1 (HELP!)

Mumuwong

My son got accepted by ESF, with the blessing of our nomination right, in Y1 in the coming Fall.  Suddenly, he was aksed to do the interview by FIS and we just received the offer. Heard that both schools are good.  We are traditional Chinese and keen on academic results.  My son used to study in monterssori kinder.

We do not have faith in IB curriculm in primary which the ESF adopts as we are concern that it is less structure.  We hope our son could establish a solid foundation in primary school in order to build his knowledge up.  We heard that the excellent IB results the ESF posted are achieved by students who were not IB-trained in primary.  We understand that the curriculm in FIS is quite robust and academically driven.  But we afraid most resources have been allocated to the French stream rather than the interational one. Of course, we are not sure whether we can fit in in the French community/culture.

If we choose FIS, we have to forfeit the nomination right we paid, no refund.  My younger son would probably unable to get a chance to go to ESF.  He is studying in a non-ESF kinder.

Really boring but TOUCH questions to parents.  Please kindly help. Thanks in advance.

oooray

It is really contradicting. You don't have the faith in IB run by ESF but you are afraid that your younger son cannot get in a place in ESF where you do not have the faith in their IB.
Giving that you are a traditional Chinese who keen on academic result, I would like to remind you that ESF primary, the less structured IB curriculum,  there will are no exam and ranking from Year one to six. I am afraid that you will feel very uncomfortable with such arrangement.

Jackieson

回覆 Mumuwong 的帖子

....... we afraid most resources have been allocated to the French stream rather than the interational one. Of course, we are not sure whether we can fit in in the French community/culture.

If we choose FIS, we have to forfeit the nomination right we paid, no refund.  My younger son would probably unable to get a chance to go to ESF.  He is studying in a non-ESF kinder.

************************************

At FIS, students in or below Form 5 follow the British system and take the GCSE on finishing Form 5, By then, students move on to Form 6, IB diploma begins.

2013 IB Results Reporting Thread

http://www.edu-kingdom.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=2613069&extra=page%3D16

從字裡行間, 似乎你已有答案.

Fatrara

I do not know where you got the information:   " We heard that the excellent IB results the ESF posted are achieved by students who were not IB-trained in primary."

The majority of the  11 ESF Primary schools got their IB PYP qualifications between 2009 and 2010. (with Renaissance being the earliest in 2007, and Kennedy being the last in 2011).  If we count the students that take the full 6 years of IB PYP program starting in 2007, the first batch would now be in Year 7.  And they will only be having their final IBDP scores in the year of 2020 when reaching year 13 (those from RC).  The majority of ESF students fully trained in IB PYP will only reach Year 13 in 2022.

The IB curriculum is wonderful.  It provides a platform for the kids to explore many different things.  My older child is now in Year 3 and I am constantly being amazed by how much and how useful the things he is learning.

Having said that, it is a not easy for parents like us who grew up in the traditional education system.  I have to spend a lot of time helping my son doing research and collecting information for his homework assignments.  I also learn a lot along the way in helping him, but it is great fun.  And the parent/children relationship being nutured in a positive way.  Very rewarding.  It beats pushing your kids in completing their "fill in the blank", "grammar drill", and "copying and dictation" homework exercises in traditional schools.   

As someone said already, if you are not mentally prepared, you will be frustrated because there are no exams, no marks to gauge how well your children are doing.  The only reference mark you might have is the child's reading level.  ESF is very strict on reading.  Children are constantly assessed on what level of reading capability they are doing.  There is a very well-structed reading level bechmark you can follow, but each child is allowed to develop on their own pace.  However, if the child falls too far behind, the teacher would want to talk to you.

In my opinion, every child should be put through the IB curriculum, outgoing or timid, chatty or reserved, thinking type of action type, they all can benefit.

Mumuwong

Thank you all for your kind inputs and comments.

Of course, I find it uneasy to forgo the money but it is a sunk cost. Like all parents, I hope to  provide kids with better choice as far as possible.

I am fine with the no exam system but I doubt the appropriateness of adopting IB in primary stage as I don't know whether all kids are receptive to the inquiry-style as such a young age when a solid and robust system may help.

Thank you for telling me that FIS is adopting the British system which  based on my opinion is quite robust.

Hope to hear more views . Thank you.

FattyDaddy

Mumuwong 發表於 14-6-13 21:07
I doubt the appropriateness of adopting IB in primary stage ...

You did not know in advance that ESF primary schools follow IB?

If I were to pay HK$500,000 for nomination right, I would have convinced myself and eliminated the doubt before I went ahead :)

jolalee

FattyDaddy 發表於 14-6-13 23:56
You did not know in advance that ESF primary schools follow IB?

If I were to pay HK$500,000 for nom ...

I thought so too. If i need to fork out a huge lump sum for anything, I'd make sure i really want it.... Also, I heard that if you turn down an offer from ESF they do have a 'black list' and it'd be harder to get back in if you apply later. Not sure if it applies to sibling, but anyhow with sibling priority to FIS, may as well have both siblings in the same school when the little bro is old enough.

annie40

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my daughter is alumni of both ESF and FIS. May I know which ESF primary your child will go?

annie40

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小學部行IB或英制，對教學素質的影響不大，重點是學校對學生的要求，要求高，自然帶動整體在術科上水平提升。如果學校注重全人發展，術科必然相對做少了，在小學階段，會有一定差別也是必然結果。
原來HKD500,000提名權是一次性支出，沒得退回？真是大數目啊！

annie40

請問仔仔是年頭或年尾出世的。

Mumuwong

My son is born in Jan.

If there is no better choice, I am satisfied with ESF which supported why we put a big sum in buying the nomination right.  We would put more emphasis on the pros and cons of the school in selecting schools before taking into account the money issue.  I of course do feel very very hurt of losing the money.

slamai

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According to many scholars and my experience, inquiry-based learning is suitable for almost all kids which helps develop their mind during childhood by providing appropriate stimuli.  Aren't children born to inquire matters they are not familiar with?  Apparent lack of academic achievements during primary years can easily be made up for during early secondary years provided a solid foundation of language and learning attitude/skill-set has been laid.

Mumuwong

Thanks Slamai.

Jolalee, noting that you are interested in GSIS from other post, which is also based on UK curriculm, would you support the UK curriculm more than the IB, which I personally believe would lay a more solid foundation in primary years which may help IB learning at senior secondary.  I believe most of the int'l schools, no matter FIS, ESF, GSIS or CDNIS, would in some extent encourage students with inquiry mind.  Does it have a big difference in UK national curriculm and IB in this respect?

jolalee

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As Annie who has more experience here stated 小學部行IB或英制，對教學素質的影響不大 as well as more and more parents telling us that PYP does not hinder a child's academic progress in the long run, i think it is important to look at the long range results of each school. I believe you haven't mentioned which ESF school you child go into, as that may make a difference as well...

My interests in GSIS now is only a by-product of discussion on this forum. Yes GSIS was once our top choice before my son got into a through-train IS, but given my son was almost age 2 by the time i wanted to apply and realized the queue begin from birth, we didn't even register. After learning lately that they do not teach Chinese until P4, that threw me off GSIS primary even more (may still consider GSIS secondary if my son excels academically, but i cannot see that coming yet, fingers crossed).

Personally I prefer North American over UK curriculum since i was raised in Canada, but my husband prefer the more solid UK teaching instead. After going through Montessori we were both in love with it and considered the IMS offer (my son was also Montessori trained, since age 1). In the end however, our son won over. Given he is very active, we picked for him an active school, which happens to run the full IB program (and honestly my son's character may not fit GCSE either).

At the end of the day you need to pick a good, suitable school rather than which curriculum it runs. For the sake of argument, a good school that runs IB may be more solid than a lousy school that runs the UK curriculum, although we know both schools in questions are good schools. Between FIS & whichever ESF school your son got in, also look into:
1) Where would your children most likely head to for University? (UK, US/Can, Aus, HK?)
2) What fits your family? (sounds like you prefer UK curriculum, and would feel uncomfortable in IB. In that case don't go for IB if that means there'll be a struggle between you and the school / the child)
3) What fits your child? (what are they like and where do you feel they will thrive?)

koala_xin

A little bit deviated from the topic:
We tried to switch our kid to ESF this year (lower primary) for various reasons.
We don't have foreign passport, our kid goes to local kindergarten & primary. We have no choice but have to consider purchasing NR.
My feeling is ESF doesn't actually care that 'huge' (for us) amount of money. They response to your NR application very slow. Central office and schools doesn't communicate effectively (my feeling only).
Most sadly, I can't even pay the 500K because they said they don't have quota. Notice they do have students leaving (since my friend has kid in the same year)..........

lui

原帖由 koala_xin 於 14-06-19 發表
本帖最後由 koala_xin 於 14-6-19 01:09 編輯

A little bit deviated from the topic:

Did you try other ESF school? They do have a quota assigned for each school.

VVhuilee

原帖由 jolalee 於 14-06-17 發表
回覆 Mumuwong 的帖子

As Annie who has more experience here stated 小學部行IB或英制，對教學素質的影 ...

based on your research/personal feelings,  which ESF primary is good?  what do you think about Kellet and HK Academy?  if you don't want to response in public,  pls pm me.  your input is much appreciated.

HKPES

koala_xin 發表於 14-6-19 01:05
A little bit deviated from the topic:
We tried to switch our kid to ESF this year (lower primary) fo ...

"In any academic year, the number of places offered to INR applicants will be limited to 150 across all ESF schools from Year 1 to 13."
So, if you're too late and if all the quota has been filled, then I suppose there's nothing the schools can do..  

kksjennifer

If i line up for the NR on the very first day it issued, do i get a high chance to successfully buy it for Year 1 admission?
For those got it or know it, would you mind share your experience? Thank you very much.

lui

原帖由 kksjennifer 於 14-06-19 發表
If i line up for the NR on the very first day it issued, do i get a high chance to successfully buy  ...

It's on first come first serve basis. Hence if you line up even earlier (before 1.9) and be the 1st few, I don't see why you dont stand a chance. Remember each school bears a quota. You will need to Putin your 1-3 choices in case the first choice is filled up. As per parents experience,KJS hasbeen so popular that the NRwas fully filled  up.