Moving from London to Hong Kong - Advice Needed!!!

[MDL]

Hi everyone,

We are potentially relocating to Hong Kong from SW London in a couple of months and I wondered if any of you had experience of living there, particularly with small children ( my girls have just turned 4). I am going out there next week for a few days to look around and figure out where to live etc. If anyone has any advice of good areas to live with children, what schools to look at, things to do with young kids or general advice about relocation I would really really appreciate it. Not sure where to start!!!

Thanks very much!

There's some good and helpful information about moving with children at: www.moveoverseas.co.uk/who/family-with-school-age-children.aspx. It's got some great tips about finding schools and how to explain the situation to your children.

I hope that's helpful!

Wow this thread is very informative!! Sorry for bumping an old thread but I am in the UK getting ready to move with my 2 kids 4 and 2 years old and living in Sai Kung. Would anyone possibly give me a list of the closest international primary schools available from there? Currently I only know so far esf clear water bay and also kellet school near Kowloon bay mtr?

Also how has the OP coped since moving to HK? Me and my husband are Chinese but we both were born in the UK and have been residents since so we are used to the uk way of life too even though HK is where we are originally from. We both can't read or write Chinese but can speak some if the lingo. Just confused to what the Sai Kung international primary school list is!

Thank you!

Hotapple Are you on Facebook?? Find a group called Hong Kong Schools and ask on there because at this stage of the school year you will need to be quite open to suggestions as you've missed the deadlines for applying for a place for your oldest- when is he 5, because that impact if you're looking for a K2/reception place or a Y1 place.

Kellett Kowloon campus doesn't open until Sep 2013, and if you're not on the list already and don't have a debenture then you wont get in this year for reception and unlikely for Y1.

Similarly ESF Clearwater bay will be full for year starting August 2013 and wait list is massive, but if he's 6 in 2014 then he'll be in Y1 now (Jan-Dec cut off) I think he'd be Year 2 which may have places

HK Academy opens in Sai Kung this year as well (August). Again, you've missed the cut off, but check their website re which year your son would go into.

Hong Kok Yuen International school has a good rep but is not in Sai Kung

Harrow is on the gold coast. Amazing campus. Great atmosphere. Very impressive. Very expensive BUT do seem to have less pressure on places than some.

Basically, the entry year is always the worst. After that, places do come up.

Be aware that some schools eg ESF, runa Jan-Dec cut off. Others (Kellett and Harrow) run a Sep-Aug cut off, so if your childs birthday falls between Sep-Dec they will be in a higher year at ESF than at Kellett/Harrow

HTH