Part of the ESF family, this primary school in the New Territories is offering students a well-established International Baccalaureate programme with a strong emphasis on the creative arts.

Founded in 1992, this inclusive school is an International Baccalaureate primary school for families living in the Sai Kung, Clearwater Bay, and Tseung Kwan O communities in the New Territories. The school, which is part of the English Schools Foundation (ESF), has a student population of 720 five to eleven-year-olds coming from more than 35 different nationalities.

In line with all ESF primary schools, Clearwater Bay School follows the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP). All subjects – English, maths, social studies, science, and the arts – are taught within the context of the IB Programme of Inquiry. This road map for education looks at Who We Are, Where We Are in Place and Time, How We Express Ourselves, How the World Works, How We Organise Ourselves, and Sharing the Planet. As well as daily Chinese lessons, the school’s curriculum has a very healthy dose of technology, creative arts, and PE.

There’s a strong creative arts provision here, with extra-curricular activities including choirs, Chinese singing and dancing, recorder, xylophone, Chinese drumming, theatre club, ukulele, art club, and music lessons offered by specialist instrumental teachers. The school offers various leaderships opportunities on the student council, and as house captains and eco monitors.

Admission and fees
As with all ESF schools, parents must live within the catchment area of Clearwater Bay School. This includes the areas from Clearwater Bay/Sai Kung area from Choi Hung to Clearwater Bay Road and Sai Sha Road from Tai Mong Tsai up to Sai Keng Tsuen, and the Sai Kung Country Park. Yau Tong and Tseung Kwan O area between Hang Hau and Tseung Kwan O tunnel; Lam Tin.

The ESF sets standard fees for all its primary schools, which is HKD 111,200 for Years 1 to 3 and HKD 93,900 for Years 4 to 6. There is also a one-off non-refundable capital levy (NCL) which starts at HKD 38,000 in Year 1 and reduces to HKD 28,000 in Year 6.

While ESF schools are not as cheap as they used to be, following the phase out of government subsidies from 2016, they still offer a more affordable education when compared to most international schools in Hong Kong. The ESF will see the withdrawal of its annual HKD 283 million subsidy from the government over the next 13 years. In 2018-19, all year groups except Years 1 to 3 will continue to be subsidised by the government; this helps to explain why Years 1 to 3 fees are higher than Years 4 to 6.

A full review will be posted shortly.

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