Many international schools in the Asia region have waiting lists and it is not always possible to get your child into a school. If you decide you prefer home-learning while you wait for the place, ITS will support you with classes either at our Hong Kong schools or online. This will give you the confidence that your child is getting the proper academic support and will be ready to slot into class as and when the place does become available.
Contact Anne Murphy by email: [email protected] or telephone +852 2116 3916.
What is the international school primary curriculum? At ITS Tutorial School the curriculum is carefully planned to ensure that it is relevant to the backgrounds and experiences of international students and to the fact that this is a non-traditional learning environment with a short-term outlook to deal with the is-sue of waiting for a mainstream school place to become available. The curriculum is designed to meet the needs of all students in each Year group. Work is suitably dif-ferentiated to ensure that it is appropriately delivered to students of all abilities.
Aspects of the curriculum are explained to parents during an initial consultation. We extend an invitation for any parent interested in enrolling their children at ITS Tutorial School to visit us.
What will my child learn in English class? Students learn to speak confidently and listen to what others have to say. They begin to read and write independently with enthusiasm and interest. Students learn to speak clearly, thinking about the needs of their listeners. We encourage drama and role-play, especially as preparation for writing, inspiring children to become confident, creative and informative writers.
What is we do not speak much or any English at home? All children for whom English is not their first language are required to take an as-sessment before admission. A decision is then made as to whether they have suffi-cient English skills to enter Years 1 & 2 and if so as to whether additional EAL sup-port is required.
Our approach is based on content integrated language teaching, as we believe that children make the fastest progress when language is learned in context and im-mersed in a language-rich environment alongside their English-speaking peers. Di-rect support is provided mostly through in-class support but also where appropriate in small groups and one-to-one instruction.
The progress of the children is continually monitored and assessed. Once the chil-dren reach a level of English proficiency whereby they no longer need extra EAL sup-port they then exit our programme.
What is taught in primary Mathematics? We have daily mathematics lessons, including regular mental maths activities. Les-sons cover the key areas, number, shape space and measure, data handling and us-ing and applying mathematical knowledge. Students are taught through a range of ac-tivities, which include hands-on experiences and investigative application.
In Year 1 we introduce addition and subtraction as well as the fundamental principles of multiplication and division.
In Year 2 children develop all four concepts and are encouraged to carry out calcula-tions independently.
Students learn to have an awareness and quick recall of number bonds to 10, 20 and in turn 100. They are encouraged to develop an awareness of relationships between different concepts. Our programme follows the Primary Numeracy Framework.
Do primary children learn any Science? All our children are encouraged to question how the world works and why things hap-pen. They are not really aware that they are studying science but nevertheless they will develop early scientific skills, knowledge and understanding through projects and research. The children will be taught to discuss their findings, explain what has hap-pened and make comparisons.
Does your primary curriculum include humanities such as History and Geography? Much use is made of history stories, DVDs, non-fiction books, photographs and In-formation Technology. Our students learn about people's lives and lifestyles, respond to stories and use sources of information to help them ask and answer questions. They learn how the past is different from the present and develop the historical skills of enquiry and interpretation. They also investigate their local area and a contrasting area in the United Kingdom, Hong Kong or around the world, finding out about the en-vironment in both areas and the people who live there.
Can children do art in your primary school? We help children to express themselves through art. We teach basic skills and en-courage them to recognise different techniques, challenging them to explore a variety of media. We focus on observational drawing as well as working with paints, pastels, fabric, and collage. We look at the use of colour, shade and texture.
How many hours a week will my child learn? Everything we do is flexible and this will depend on your child’s learning needs, the school they are waiting for, and much more. We work with you to find the best bal-ance for you and your family.
What is the school fee? Again we are flexible and can suit all budgets. First we determine how many hours will be spent with us and we go from there.
Contact Anne Murphy by email: [email protected] or telephone +852 2116 3916.
Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.