ESF: The first 50 years of our journey
[Sponsored article] 1967-- The English Schools Foundation (ESF) was founded in response to Hong Kong government recognition of growing demand for English-language education during a period of rapid economic development. Beacon Hill School and Island School were the first ESF schools to admit students.
[Sponsored article]
1967-- The English Schools Foundation (ESF) was founded in response to Hong Kong government recognition of growing demand for English-language education during a period of rapid economic development. Beacon Hill School and Island School were the first ESF schools to admit students.
1975 – Bradbury School opened as Causeway Bay School on Eastern Hospital Road. The school moved to its present site at Stubbs Road in 1980.
1977 -- South Island School started as a nucleus of additional classes to Island School. The school moved to its present site at Nam Fung Road in 1983.
1978 -- Following a government review, it was determined that English-language grant-aided schools were no longer viable. These schools were subsequently handed over to ESF. Glenealy School, Kennedy School, Kowloon Junior School, Peak School and Quarry Bay School became ESF schools in 1979, followed by King George V School in 1981.
1982 -- Sha Tin College, with about 50 students and six teaching staff, opened on the premises of KGV School, where it was known as Sha Tin Annexe. The school was renamed Sha Tin College in 1983, and moved to its current location in 1985.
1988 -- Sha Tin Junior School opened in Fo Tan.
1991 -- With 60 students and four members of staff, West Island School (WIS) opened on the site of the Old Military Hospital in Mid-Levels. In 1994, the school moved to Pok Fu Lam.
1992 -- Clearwater Bay School opened at its permanent site in Clearwater Bay. Previously known as Boundary Junior School, it had been operating at a temporary site near Boundary Road in Kowloon since 1975.
1994 – Jockey Club Sarah Roe School (JCSRS) was established with support from the Hong Kong Jockey Club, originally having just two classrooms and six students in the ESF Therapy Centre. It was named after well-known occupational therapist Sarah Roe, who established the forerunner of JCSRS.
1996-- ESF Educational Services Ltd (ESL) was established with a view to offering a broad range of extra-curricular and after-school activities including sports, language and learning activities.
1997 – Celebration of ESF’s 30th anniversary.
1999 – The first ESF International Kindergarten was opened in Sheung Wan with a view to offering quality early years education. It was subsequently renamed “Hillside” when it relocated to Stubbs Road in 2010. The premises had previously been used for the ESF Centre offices, which moved to Quarry Bay.
1999-- Located on the waterfront, the purpose-built ESF Tsing Yi International Kindergarten opened on two floors, offering inside and outside space for young students.
2004 -- Housed in a former village school in Clearwater Bay, the ESF took over the Abacus kindergarten, refurbished the site and re-opened the school as ESF Abacus International Kindergarten
2005—ESF announced its decision to phase in the International Baccalaureate (IB) qualification across its schools in place of the A-level. By 2013, all 20 ESF kindergartens, primary, secondary and private independent schools were authorised IB World Schools.
2006 -- Located in Ma On Shan, Renaissance College (RCHK) was established as an ESF private independent school for primary and secondary students.
2007 -- Celebrations to mark 40th anniversary.
2008-- Approved by the Legislative Council, the ESF Ordinance (Amendment) Bill signified a major change in governance structure.
2008 – Succeeding its forerunner Bauhinia School, which had opened in 2002 in Lai King, Discovery College located in Discovery Bay opened as an ESF private independent school for primary and secondary students.
2009-- Located in Ma On Shan, the ESF Wu Kai Sha International Kindergarten opened.
2015-- The proportion of ESF graduates accepted by leading universities worldwide topped 95 per cent. They went on to nearly 250 institutes of higher education in 19 different countries.
2016-- Covering more than 11,000 square feet with a design that meets the needs of 300 young children, ESF Tung Chung International Kindergarten was opened and gained IB candidate status in 2017.