Finding the Best International Baccalaureate Schools in Hong Kong
IB Schools in Hong Kong

INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE SCHOOLS IN HONG KONG

The International Baccalaureate (IB) programmes are offered by most international schools in Hong Kong, as well as by a few leading government-assisted DSS schools. There are four programmes in total: The IB Primary Years Programme (IB PYP), the IB Middle Years Programme (IB MYP), the IB Diploma Programme (IB DP) and the IB Careers Programme (IB CP). Note that when people refer loosely to 'the IB', they are usually referring to the IB Diploma, which is completed in Years 12-13 (US Grades 11-12). The overall IB system, with its focuses on academic excellence and global understanding, is particularly well suited to Hong Kong given the city's long- established position as a gateway between China and the international community. Currently a total of 71 schools in Hong Kong offer one or more of the IB programmes. Full information about the IB system can be found on the official International Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO) website. One point to note if you are deciding between the IB Diploma and A levels for your child, is that most of the assessment for the IB Diploma comes at the end of the two year course, so there is a relatively heavy exam load at that stage. While A levels are equally demanding, there is more scope to spread the exams over the two year period. Additionally, while many students enjoy the breadth of the IBDP, there are other students who benefit from being able to focus earlier on their prefer

Schools offering the IB programmes are located all over Hong Kong, and include:

• Canadian International School of Hong Kong (CDNIS)
• Chinese International School (CIS)
• ESF Schools (including Private Independent ESF schools)
• French International School (FIS)
• German Swiss International School (GSIS)
• Hong Kong Academy
• Independent School Foundation Academy (ISF)
• International College Hong Kong
• Li Po Chun United World College
• Malvern College Hong Kong
• Singapore International School (SISHK)
• Diocesan Boys' School
• St. Stephen's College, Stanley

CHOOSING AN IB SCHOOL IN HONG KONG

In the first instance, parents and students should ask the same questions of an IB school as of any other school. There are, however, some additional points to consider:

Working backwards and examining the IB Diploma scores at your preferred schools is essential. The IB Diploma exam (the final two years) awards grades on a 45-point scale, where 45 is the maximum score and 24 is the minimum to obtain the Diploma.

Evaluate the IB school’s curriculum and programmes to understand if they align with the educational goals you have in mind for your child. Within the framework of the IB requirements, some schools pursue a relatively traditional approach to learning while others are more innovative and less conventional. Not every IB school will be right for your child.

For the Diploma programme, find out whether the school imposes any restrictions on subject choices over and above those of the IBO syllabus. In particular, can students choose their sixth subject freely or are they obliged to take a creative subject (great for some but no fun for others)? If your child knows which Higher Level subjects they want to take, ask about recent exam results, and how many students take that course. Find out how students are enabled to fulfil the community service requirements, and how much support they receive for extra parts of the course such as the Theory of Knowledge essay. You may wish to ask whether the 'first language' assessment can be taken in a language other than English, and if so what tuition is available. Which second languages are on offer, and from which level? If your child is not especially academic, ask whether they could be prevented from taking the IBDP and obliged to work towards a different qualification, and if so what.

For the Middle Years and Primary Years programmes, it's worth asking how students' achievements in core subjects such as English, Maths and Science are assessed.

If you need advice about whether the IB programme is right for your child, or how to choose an IB school, please don't hesitate to get in touch with us.