The International Schools Review Forum

I am looking to hear from anyone about the English Schools Foundation in Hong Kong. In particular the King George V school that is part of their organisation. What are they like? There are no reviews of this organisation so maybe no news is good news?

[quote="grantw"]I am looking to hear from anyone about the English Schools Foundation in Hong Kong. In particular the King George V school that is part of their organisation. What are they like? There are no reviews of this organisation so maybe no news is good news?[/quote]

No personal experience of working from for ESF or that school. Based on interviewing with ESF and talking with teachers and parents familiar wih ESF schools they appear a class act and are definitely worth pursuing.

Discovery College and Renaissance College in HK are also part of the ESF group. They both have an excellent reputation, good resources, employ the best teachers, have good packages.

I've applied for a couple of positions there this year. The deadline is tomorrow, isn't it? I'd love to know what others' experience is as we start to hear / not hear / go through interviews etc.

i've also applied...have to say, i'm not feeling too optimistic as I've heard they get squillions of applications & it's super competitive, but i'm keeping my fingers crossed!!

yes, misskiwi, same here, I'm not holding my breath!
I'm also a bit worried about the pollution in HK, to be honest. I travel with kids and wouldn't want to jeopardise their health... (mind you, London's not exactly clean, but hear HK is much worse)

just out of interest, have you considered dubai?? i just ask because i'm based here at the moment, and lots of families love it here because it's so clean & safe!!

i've heard bad things about the pollution in HK too and am slightly worried about it given i'm an asthmatic (even the dust/sand in dubai sets me off!) - but i guess there's pros & cons about every city...

Misskiwi, I have considered Dubai but I'm really not sure it's the place for me. I love culture and museums and mixing with locals, and I hear there's isn't too much of that going on in Dubai... I'm looking for a soulful and amazing place. My ideal is Vietnam.

Also, money isn't really my priority. I just want an amazing adventure in a new culture with my family. I also want a good school, obvisouly!
I will consider Dubai as a plan B, when all the rest has fallen through.
How have you found it?

Haha, all those reasons you don't want to go to Dubai are the exact reasons I'm looking to leave!! A lot of people here love the safety/warmth/comfort/easiness of living here & don't seem to mind the fact that it is a cultural wasteland (!)...but I really really miss museums & culture & theatre etc etc etc. Of course, there's some of that to be had here, but it's in short (and expensive) supply. And as for mixing with locals...yeah, it just doesn't happen. Sad but true.

Anyhoo, I've had a good time here, and have saved a fair bit of money, but I'm ready to go!

Keep me posted if you hear from ESF and i'll do the same!!

Thanks for the feedback on Dubai, Misskiwi. We seem to have similar tastes :)

And yes, let's keep each other in the loop regarding ESF. We might hear something next week, who knows...

[quote="LondonChick"]And yes, let's keep each other in the loop regarding ESF. We might hear something next week, who knows...[/quote]

Yes, ESF will usually let you know within a week or so whether you made the shorlist to be interviewed (and then will have interviews done with 2 weeks of that).

Thanks for that, wrldtrvlr. I'll carry on checking my email every two seconds then :)

Can a family of my wife and I and our two young children (1 and 3) manage on my one ESF salary should I be lucky enough to get through???

Would really like to be able to save some money too - wishful thinking?

I literally this minue got an interview request from ESF, not at all for the job I would have thought they'd like me to do (I applied for several), but hey, I won't complain!
It's typical: nothing happened for weeks, then I got a reply last night, an interview today and now this tonight!

I have an interview too - but I really need to know if it is worth my while, I don't want to be scraping an existence.
Anyone know if it is possible to support a family of 4 altogether on one ESF salary????