Welcome to the Wycombe Abbey School Hong Kong official Q and A page. Here we ask the questions, and the school answers directly. It is its chance to have its say on specific areas you have told us you want to know about. If you think there are additional questions we should be asking you may contact us here.

Does your school have a waiting list? In which years?

We are a brand-new school, so there is not currently a waiting list yet. However, we are receiving a lot of interest. Currently, we are accepting pupils all through the year.

What are qualities and characteristics that define your school and its students?

Wycombe Abbey School Hong Kong offers a quintessential British Prep School education for Year 1 to Year 8. The school provides a holistic approach based on the British National Curriculum, complemented by a strong focus on Chinese language.

How many nationalities are represented in your school? How international would you say your school is?

At least twelve different nationalities.

Are there high proportions of a particular nationality?

Not really. Most of our pupils are Hong Kong residents but the spread of nationalities is quite varied.

What is the teacher: student ratio in your school?

We have one teacher and one teaching assistant with every class. Each class can take a maximum of 20-24 pupils, so our ratio is around 1:10-12.

Does your school measure Value Added data? Please provide details of how you measure, and current Value Added benchmark scores.

We are too new for this to be measurable yet, but this will follow in due course.

If external examinations and assessments are part of your curriculum, which ones do you offer?

We are registered as a Common Entrance examination provider for those pupils who wish to apply to UK independent schools.

Please provide details of how well your school did in its previous external exams for students at 16 and at 18 years of age? Please provide sufficient detail to allow parents to have a view on how academic your school is?

N/A

What percentage of your sixth form that take exams at 18 go to university, and where, in general, do they go?

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Describe your school's approach to education and teaching?

We are a British-style school for Hong Kong children. We believe in exciting children about their education. Our lessons are based on excellent, supportive teaching, requiring pupils to engage collaboratively in order to achieve ambitious outcomes. Our style is formal, polite and encouraging. Our teachers are all UK trained or similar and we teach the UK curriculum, although some content has been adapted for Hong Kong.

Do you develop independent learning through homework and, if so, what are your recommendations regarding this, particularly time spent on homework?

We recommend that no homework task should take any more than twenty minutes to complete. We do not teach any new concepts through homework.

Homework exists to help consolidate the day’s learning and to help develop good study habits for when pupils are older.

Physical education and sport is an important aspect of a healthy lifestyle. How does your school ensure children engage in physical activity?

Yes, we agree that physical education and sports are very important to children. For our Key Stage One pupils, they have four days of PE lessons, each lesson is around 35 minutes. For our Key Stage Two pupils, they have two days of PE lessons, each lesson is around 70 mins. All kinds of sports are offered after school each day for two hours as ECAs.

How does your school promote healthy lifestyles?

We teach healthy living as a core strand of our PSHE lessons which are timetabled each week for every class. We offer a very physically active school day, with all kinds of sporting and kinetic activities, including yoga, different styles of dance, drama and martial arts. Amongst other things we offer the highest indoor climbing wall in a school in Hong Kong!

How do you promote healthy eating?

Yes, we encourage healthy eating at school. We work with an outside catering company, ‘The New Luncher’, that specialises in healthy and safe food for children. They make sure that all the ingredients used are natural and healthy for children.

Does the school have cafeteria facilities for the students? How does it promote a balanced diet?

We have a dedicated dining hall where our pupils can enjoy their catered lunches.

What is the approximate average cost of a lunchtime meal?

There will be a very small variation in price subject to the menu of our caterer.

What is the starting and finishing time of your school day?

We start the day at 8.10am and school ends at 3.00pm. We encourage our pupils to stay for extra-curricular classes or homework classes, which runs from 3.00pm – 5.00pm.

Is there a school uniform?

Yes, pupils must wear their uniform and school bag to school.

Please advise on your discipline policy?

We have a school code based on safety, common sense and care and respect for others. Bullying is not tolerated.

How do you feedback progress and attainment to students and parents?

Pupils receive feedback continuously via marking and 1-1 discussion with their teachers. Each child receives a printed termly report which pays equal attention to each pupil’s ‘Achievement’ and ‘Effort’.

How often is the more formal feedback such as reports and parent/teacher meetings?

Reports are issued at the end of each term. Parent feedback evenings are also held termly but at a different time.

Which languages are taught at your school - please detail any as a first as well as second language?

We teach Chinese as our second language using Simplified characters in Putonghua. Any other language is available as an ECA activity if enough demand is there.

Do you offer EAL or TEFL support for those students where English is not their first language?

Yes, both consistently during school hours and as an optional ECA activity.

Do you offer a dedicated prayer room/s for students? For which faiths?

N/A

How do you support gifted, able and talented students?

We support gifted, able and talented students by setting specific, targeted challenges in those areas where a pupil excels.

Do you have a learning support team in your school?

Yes, we have a full-time Learning Support Teacher (SENCO).

Not all schools are staffed or resourced to offer learning support to those children with either moderate or significant learning needs. To what level can you offer support for those with learning differences?

Each child is assessed separately, to decide whether we can offer an effective support strategy or not.

Does your school have particular expertise in dealing with a specific learning need such as dyslexia, dyspraxia, aspergers syndrome and so forth?

We have a SEN specialist at school taking care of pupils with special needs.

Does your school have an educational psychologist or access to one to assess and support those youngsters with more challenging learning and emotional needs?

We have access to Educational Psychologists, should we need one.

Do you have a parents’ group supporting the school?

We have a parent representative group.

Are there opportunities for parents to support the learning, activities and events within the school or on trips other than through the parent group?

Yes.

Is there an opportunity for parental representation on your school Board of Governors?

No.

Do you offer specific activities, events or information sessions for those parents new to the school and/or area?

Yes, we offer daily School Tours and information meetings to see the campus and meet our Headmaster and our Admissions team. Private meetings can easily be arranged upon request.