Hong Kong international schools ultimate curricula guide: from the famed IB programme to the UK national curriculum and A-levels, the Montessori method and more
- There’s a bewildering range of different curricula on offer at all educational stages and selecting the ones that best fit your child’s needs is key when deciding on a school
Choosing a school in Hong Kong can be a dizzying decision, but considering the different curriculums offered can help narrow it down. From preschool to pre-university, here are the different curriculum options available in Hong Kong international schools and how to decide on what’s best for your child:
Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)
Ages: 0-5 years
Developed in the UK, Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is a statutory framework that sets the standards for the learning, development and care of children up to five years of age. A mix of play-based and adult-led learning (via discussions, modelling and both direct and indirect teaching), EYFS is built around four guiding principles: that every child is unique, they learn to be strong and independent through positive relationships, the environment plays a key role in their development and learning, and that children learn in different ways and at different rates.
“Extensive research has shown that young children learn best via inquiry and the vehicle of play-based learning,” says Jacqueline McNalty, head of Malvern College Pre-Schools. “This teaching and learning approach is developmentally appropriate and enables young children to explore concepts, develop skills, and deepen their understanding in a fun, interactive, multisensory and engaging way.”
Children in the EYFS curriculum have three prime areas of learning: communication and language, physical development, and personal, social and emotional development, plus four additional topics that strengthen and support these areas, including literacy, mathematics, understanding the world, and expressive arts and design.
Montessori
Ages: 2-12 years
The Montessori method is a child-centred, educational system developed by Dr Maria Montessori in the early 1900s that emphasises a hands-on approach to learning. Encouraging children to learn through play, it focuses on the development of the whole child, including their cognitive, physical, and social-emotional skills.
Extensive research has shown that young children learn best via inquiry and the vehicle of play-based learning
Running in three-year cycles, Montessori schools believe that each child reaches their full potential after that period of being in the same environment with the same teacher. The teacher-designed curriculum covers practical life, sensory skills, maths, language, science, geography and art, under which children of different ages and abilities are free to explore their own interests and learn at their own pace.
Some Montessori schools – like International Montessori School in Hong Kong – offer dual-language immersion, making it easy for children to become fluent in both English and Mandarin while learning. So what are the downsides to this curriculum? While the Montessori Method can encourage to children become more independent and self-motivated, critics believe that it can also result in difficulty working in groups or under authority later in life.
Reggio Emilia
Ages: 3-6 years
Named after the city in Italy where it was created, the Reggio Emilia method was established after World War II when educators and families believed that children needed a new way of learning. Instead of a teacher-led approach, children learn under a self-guided curriculum that encourages exploration and discovery through hands-on activities such as painting, drawing, sculpting, drama, art, music, cooking, science and more.
In the Reggio Emilia method, parents are seen as the first teacher for the child, while the environment is considered the child’s “third teacher” – a space that goes beyond just being safe and useful, to encourage a connection with nature. For Malvern College Pre-School, which offers both the EYFS and Reggio Emilia method, this is seen in their Forest-Beach School programme, a temporary classroom that is held outdoors in nature for students to develop a wide range of practical and intellectual skills.
“We place the child at the centre of all that we do and value, what Reggio Emilia describes as the ‘emergent curriculum’ where we recognise children’s individual interests, and we use these interests strategically when teaching our EYFS learning outcomes,” says McNalty. “These learning principles and outcomes are also achieved at Forest-Beach School which continues to promote self-esteem, creativity, confidence and independence in the great outdoors.”
English National Curriculum
Ages: 5-18 years
The English National Curriculum (also known as the British or UK curriculum) is one of the most popular curricula in Hong Kong and known for its highly structured system that defines how subjects are taught, the knowledge and skills required in each subject, and the way that its students’ progress is assessed and reported.
Under this curriculum, core subjects for students include English, science, maths and literature, alongside other subjects including art, music, physical education, history, design and technology, citizenship and foreign languages for a well-rounded education.
As students move from primary to secondary school, they gain a deeper understanding of each subject and how it relates to their other studies. Traditionally, this curriculum prepares students for their GCSE and A-level qualifications, which in turn are the gateway to getting into the UK’s prestigious higher education institutions.
International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Programme (PYP)
Age: 3-12 years
The IB Primary Years Programme offers an inquiry-based, transdisciplinary curriculum framework that builds conceptual understanding and encourages children to be actively involved in the world around them. This student-centred approach to education focuses on the total growth of the developing child, encompassing social, physical, emotional and cultural needs, in addition to academic welfare.
Students in the IB PYP programme are taught six subjects in a non-traditional, transdisciplinary way, through “units of inquiry” that are studied in connection with each other and in the context of the real world. This allows children to not just take in knowledge point-blank, but to understand “the bigger picture” and develop their own skills and thoughts.
IB Middle Years Programme (MYP)
Ages: 11-16 years
As students transition from the PYP to the MYP, they continue to develop their knowledge, conceptual understanding and skills by studying eight subjects through the global contexts. The five-year programme sees them learning two languages, humanities, sciences, mathematics, arts, physical education, and technology per year, including some interdisciplinary learning that involves at least two subject groups.
The MYP framework includes approaches to learning (ATL), which helps students learn how to learn, key and related concepts where students explore big ideas that matter, and global contexts to help students understand the real world relevance of their studies. The students’ learning then culminates in a student-initiated, independent inquiry project at the end of the MYP programme.
One thing to note is that the IB PYP is not a prerequisite for the IB MYP, and neither is the IB MYP a prerequisite for the IB Diploma Programme. In fact, many schools follow the IGCSE curriculum up until age 16, and then use the IBDP for ages 16 to 18.
International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE)
Ages: 14-16 years
The International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) is the international equivalent of the GCSE qualification taken by students in year 10-11 in the UK to prepare them for further pre-university studies, such as the International Baccalaureate and A-levels.
Subjects covered usually include English language and literature, maths, chemistry, biology, physics and language, plus further subjects such as geography, history, business studies, economics, art, drama and computer science.
Designed by University of Cambridge International Examinations, the IGCSE exams signal the completion of high school education and students who pass will progress to A-levels before entering university.
The IGCSE is much more structured than the MYP, which is a framework that allows more flexibility. Under the latter, teachers build a curriculum with guidelines, whereas IGCSE is taught in a straightforward manner with specific outcomes – being the external examinations. What’s more, students in the IB MYP framework are not assessed through exams but through a series of criteria in each of the subjects, such as written assignments, solo or group presentations.
IB Diploma Programme (IBDP)
Ages: 16-19 years
Widely accepted by universities around the world, the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) is a two-year programme for secondary school students between 16 and 19 years of age.
To earn their IB diploma, pupils must choose from six subject groups and complete theory of knowledge training, a research project, a 4,000-word essay, and participate in a mandatory creativity, activity and service (CAS) component. There is also the option to take fewer courses and earn IB certificates instead.
Critical thinking, inquiry, risk-taking, and communication are integral to the IBDP learning experience. The development of soft skills such as empathy, having a global perspective, and being open to different viewpoints is also nurtured. Ultimately, the IBDP aims to develop students who have excellent breadth and depth of knowledge, who flourish physically, intellectually, emotionally and ethically.
A-levels
Ages: 16-18 years
For students preparing to attend higher education, the A-levels are a UK subject-based qualification for ages 16 and above that is recognised in most higher education institutions across the UK and worldwide.
While there are no compulsory subjects with A-levels, students can self-select three or four subjects that benefit their future studies most, whether that means maths and a range of sciences, English literature and other arts subjects, or a mix of different kinds of subjects.
At the end of the two-year course, students must pass the written examinations as the main assessment.
“A-levels develop critical thinking, independent research and analysis, which are essential skills for success in higher education,” says Ms Laura Yandell, Principal Deputy Head (Curricular) of Harrow International School Hong Kong. “The curriculum offers a wide range of subjects to choose from, allowing pupils to tailor their studies to their interests and future ambitions.”
Since A-level courses are more in-depth than IB, which focuses on a broader range of subjects, A-levels are great for students who already know which subjects they excel in, allowing them to focus their efforts on getting the best academic results in those subjects.
Yandell adds, “The A-level curriculum is suited for pupils who are academically inclined and have a passion for learning. Pupils who excel in this curriculum are typically independent, self-motivated, and have strong analytical and problem-solving skills.”
