Choosing the right school for your child is one of the most important decisions parents have to make. The happiness and success of the child are key foundations upon which their future is built, therefore it is paramount that the school they go to value the child and encourage them to do their best at every front. Harrow International School Hong Kong is one such school where every child has the chance to grow in confidence by participating in a wide range of inspirational learning experiences. Located in a magnificent crescent-shaped building with custom-built facilities near the Gold Coast, Harrow International School Hong Kong is the first and only British international boarding and day school in Hong Kong. The School visions to cultivate leaders for a better world by equipping and challenging pupils to use their knowledge, skills, and talents to make life better for others. “Founded in 2012 as part of the Harrow Family of Schools there is a unique thread which binds our schools together. A Harrow Hong Kong education is based on the same ethos and identity which characterizes a Harrow education in the UK and here you will find a school where we fuse the best of Western and Eastern traditions,” says Ms. Ann Haydon, Head, Harrow International School Hong Kong
“Our approach to education means that Harrow Hong Kong pupils achieve top examination results, and develop into compassionate young people with strong values, who have a desire to make a positive difference in the world. At Harrow, we balance the rigour of carefully crafted examination preparation with the development of research skills and the ability to debate, communicate confidently, solve problems and think both critically and creatively. these skills have inherent, lifelong value and universities are always on the lookout for candidates who possess them,” adds Ms. Haydon. The school’s super curriculum encapsulates all those activities that foster academic endeavours beyond the measurable outcomes of examination results. It includes (but is not limited to) wide and habitual reading, extended project work, debate, public speaking, research, competitions, lectures and study trips. The Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) at Harrow Hong Kong, provides an opportunity for pupils to study a topic of their choice and to make their university application stand out by gaining additional UCAS points and demonstrating a true passion in their chosen area. Universities look positively at an EPQ for its rigorous academic content as well as the self-discipline and independent research involved.
Harrow Hong Kong also ensures to give its due importance to STEM education through the following activities:
• CAD-CAM group that teaches AUTOCAD. This is open mainly to pupils interesting in Engineering, Architecture or Physics.
• Physics Olympiad that involves challenging Physics problems that require creative thinking and application of Physics principles to a variety of situations.
• Robotics which involves using Lego and where, through the use of sensors and motors, creations are brought to life. Pupils have fun building their very own robot using Lego Mindstorm sets, learning how to work as
a team, and developing their technical skills.
• CREST: An opportunity for creativity in STEM. Pupils plan, research, carry out and present an investigation of their choice. In a recent example, a pupil developed a method for making biodegradable plastics from materials readily available in developing countries
• STEAM: An opportunity to explore the links between these subjects, through producing Art inspired by STEM; using STEM to create Art; studying Maths in Art, etc.
• Maths and Computing Society: Run by pupils, this has previously included sessions on cryptography and strategy games.
• Animation: A chance to explore the world of animation through some simple apps. Pupils work together to create short movies by the end of the term.
• Project Euler: Project Euler is an online Maths and computer programming course that encourage, challenge, 27
• CREST: An opportunity for creativity in STEM. Pupils plan, research, carry out and present an investigation of their choice. In a recent example, a pupil developed a method for making biodegradable plastics from materials readily available in developing countries
• STEAM: An opportunity to explore the links between these subjects, through producing Art inspired by STEM; using STEM to create Art; studying Maths in Art, etc.
• Maths and Computing Society: Run by pupils, this has previously included sessions on cryptography and strategy games.
• Animation: A chance to explore the world of animation through some simple apps. Pupils work together to create short movies by the end of the term.
• Project Euler: Project Euler is an online Maths and computer programming course that encourage, challenge, and develop the skills and enjoyment of anyone with an interest in the fascinating world of mathematics.
• Things to Make and Do in the Fourth Dimension
• Visions of Numberland: A combination of Maths and Art.
• Creative Coding/Computing for Prep School, where students learn how to code and are shown how to create, not simply use new technologies.
• The Apps Lab for Prep School introduces the foundation concepts of computer programming, which unlocks the ability to make rich, interactive apps. The sessions use JavaScript as the programming language and App Lab as the programming environment to build apps, but the concepts learned in these lessons span all programming languages and tools.
• Computer Programming Club for Senior School is a community for aspiring programmers to learn the basics of coding, collaborate with like-minded people, investigate problems and provide creative solutions to these problems.
Joining Sixth Form at Harrow International School Hong Kong can provide an opportunity for pupils to strive for academic excellence, enjoy a range of co-curricular activities, develop as a young adult and build a platform for becoming leaders of the future. “Each pupil is encouraged to follow their path and develop as an individual. They consistently meet their firm choice university destinations, with many going on to competitive universities such as Oxbridge and the Ivy League to study demanding subjects such as Architecture, Astrophysics and Medicine. Our purpose-built Sixth Form Centre gives pupils a strong sense of identity in the main building and heart of School. It includes dedicated spaces for private independent study, collaboration and group discussions as well as a UCAS and careers section,” comments Ms. Haydon.
Needless to say, Harrow Hong Kong’s staff is dedicated to delivering a rich curriculum and programme of activities that challenge the pupils to explore ideas for themselves. Whether engaged in learning in the classroom, or through musical, artistic, sporting, enterprising or charitable activities, the pupils are encouraged to connect with their local, national, and international communities and to have a desire to do good.
What makes Harrow, Harrow?
Boarding is at the heart of what makes Harrow, Harrow. Therefore, it is no wonder that Harrow Hong Kong is the only international school in Hong Kong, which provides the opportunity of boarding education. Boarders live alongside House Masters and House Mistresses and their families and it is in this warm and nurturing environment that a real sense of community, built around enriching, long-lasting relationships, is nourished and grown. All pupils, whether day or boarders are members of a House. The Houses provide rich opportunities for interacting with pupils from a wide range of backgrounds and for developing more profound relationships with teachers and their peers. This comes in part from the daily challenge of living with other people, through which pupils develop the intricacies of human interaction.
The real strength of a House is the vertical integration of different year groups, which effectively creates a large family unit, allowing responsibilities to fall to older pupils to care for and support younger pupils. This results in a close-knit, family atmosphere in which boarders feel that it is their home during term time, and in which all pupils feel happy, secure and valued. In the Prep School Houses, there is a mixture of study bedrooms for two, three and four pupils; in the Senior School Houses, they include single rooms, usually with a shared bathroom, as well as rooms for two or three pupils. Each House has a common room with a variety of facilities in which its residents can relax and socialise. Besides, all boarders share a common room on the ground floor together with an outside patio area in front of the boarding block. The boarding facility also contains a health centre where 24-hour care is available. Facilities such as the Sports Hall, swimming pool, sports fields, tennis courts and music practice rooms are available to boarders out of School hours. The School proactively promotes and safeguards the welfare of pupils and is concerned about the wellbeing of every member of the school community. In all aspects of pastoral care, the School follows the UK’s Boarding Schools’ Association (BSA) standards.
Model United Nations
Staying true to its vision of creating leaders for a better tomorrow, Harrow Hong Kong has an academic simulation of the United Nations known as Model United Nations (MUN). Through the MUN program, pupils play the role of delegates from different countries and attempt to solve real-world global issues, with the policies and perspectives of their assigned country, learn about diplomacy and international relations as they engage in researching, public speaking, debating, and writing skills, and develop their critical thinking, teamwork, and leadership abilities. MUN provides an extraordinary experience for delegates, bringing people from all corners of the globe together, creating the skill set to be true global citizens and leaders for tomorrow.
Assuming great pride in being an extraordinary community where people matter, results count, and where a passion for excellence drives everything they do, the School is committed to offering a real breath of education. Harrow International School Hong Kong feed its pupils’ minds, while also passionately caring about their character development and happiness, thus staying true to its vision of creating leadership stalwarts for a better tomorrow.