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ESF - English Schools Foundation

The English Schools Foundation (ESF) operates five secondary schools, nine primary schools and a school for students with special educational needs across Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the New Territories. It is the largest international educational foundation in Asia.

Chairman / President

Dr Kim Mak

CEO / Managing Director

Belinda Greer

CFO / Finance Director

VIvian Cheung

Industry

Education & Academia

Website

esf.edu.hk

Headquarters address

1/F, 38 Gloucester Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong

Year founded

1967

Despite government incentives, Hong Kong’s birth rate is close to historic lows. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

Good Schools Guide

Hong Kong’s baby bonus fails to boost births – what would work?

The three-year fertility incentive brought cash but failed to deliver more children – would-be parents weigh in on what would actually drive their decision.

18 Jul 2026 - 12:00PM

Good Schools Guide

Uniform or no uniform: how Hong Kong schools decide on a dress code

11 Jul 2026 - 12:00PM

Good Schools Guide

Hong Kong’s Gen Alpha is learning about managing money

10 Jul 2026 - 2:05PM

ESF - English Schools Foundation

Hong Kong’s baby bonus fails to boost births – what would work?

The three-year fertility incentive brought cash but failed to deliver more children – would-be parents weigh in on what would actually drive their decision.

Uniform or no uniform: how Hong Kong schools decide on a dress code

Hong Kong’s Gen Alpha is learning about managing money

14 of 27 top IB scorers from English Schools Foundation plan to study medicine

Some ESF students attribute their success to discipline, miso soup and using a Nokia phone.

73 Hong Kong students from 17 schools score perfect IB marks

Victoria Shanghai Academy posts record nine IB top scorers, while Po Leung Kuk Choi Kai Yau School reports six.

How scholarships are opening Hong Kong’s international schools to local pupils

International schools are using scholarships to welcome talented local pupils from diverse backgrounds, transforming lives and enriching classrooms.

ESF links kindergartens to primary schools, securing places through to graduation

ESF chief executive Belinda Greer calls through-train arrangement ‘significant’, saying it will bring immense benefits to students and families.

Hong Kong schools record net student rise for 2 years straight

Figures shift from net decrease to net increase after Top Talent Pass Scheme launched and annual quota for another key admission scheme removed.

Education Bureau steps in after Hong Kong school’s phone ban sparks backlash

Students at Kwun Tong Maryknoll College protest stricter phone rules imposing demerits and confiscation.

ESF reserves reach HK$3.75 billion, even as government subsidies shrink

Hong Kong’s largest international school group also says in latest annual report it expects increased competition to bring in new students.

ESF administrator jailed for 25 months for accepting bribes to favour applicants

Fatimah Rumjahn accepted HK$640,000 from 13 parents and a middleman to help them secure kindergarten places by tampering with admissions system.

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}Editorial | Making Hong Kong desirable to overseas students must be a priority

At stake is not just the survival of international schools that don’t meet non-local student quotas, but also the city’s status as a global hub.

ESF among 8 school operators that failed to meet non-local student targets

Education Bureau says non-local enrolment at some schools dropped to as low as 39 per cent, well below required targets of 50 to 98 per cent.

13 parents, middleman get up to 14 months in jail for bribing ESF employee

‘It is understandable to have high expectations for their children. But the premise is that [parents] have to obey the law,’ judge says.

Hong Kong’s ESF schools group plans to increase fees by 4.1% on average next year

Despite a smaller rise than last year, the English Schools Foundation says increase is needed to maintain teaching quality and meet technology demands.

Hong Kong students honour over 400 foreign domestic helpers as ‘second mothers’

Renaissance College’s annual ‘Jie Jie Day’ engages participants with cultural games, raffle draws and networking opportunities.

14 convicted of bribing ESF worker to obtain places at Hong Kong kindergarten

Defendants face prison sentences for offering English Schools Foundation employee up to HK$200,000 in exchange for kindergarten admission.

How Hong Kong’s kindergartens are shaping future academic success

Kindergarten admissions can have a profound influence on future educational and even career success.

English Schools Foundation in Hong Kong to open 3 new kindergartens in 2026

New institutions will offer 400 first-year places in 2026, while two existing preschools will be closed, international school group says.

Hong Kong international schools’ debentures, capital levies: how do they work?

Court case prompts fresh scrutiny of how Hong Kong’s international schools raise funds with debentures and capital levies.

A third of Hong Kong IB candidates earned top marks: what’s their secret?

Hong Kong’s top or near-perfect scorers represent nearly 10 per cent of top achievers globally.

Star IB students from Hong Kong’s ESF school group share tips for success

Eleven of 15 top students from city’s largest international school group say they plan to pursue degrees in medicine locally.

Tackling social media’s impact on teens’ mental health

As teenagers grapple with identity and peer relationships online, the importance of teaching media literacy and healthy social media habits has never been more crucial.

Hong Kong schools told to add national education elements to more subjects

Education Bureau tells schools to add national education to subjects including English, maths, music, visual arts and PE.

Hong Kong’s ESF school group plans to increase fees by 4.8%

Parents of children in secondary schools may have to pay up to HK$750 more per month starting next academic year, pending approval.

Then & Now | How Hong Kong’s English-medium schools evolved from the late 19th century

Demographics have shifted over the past century, with ethnic Chinese now the overwhelming majority of the student population in these schools.

Why international kindergartens are bucking the trend of school closures

Despite facing record low enrolments in 2025, the city’s international schools are continuing to expand to meet the demands of modern parents.

Former worker at Hong Kong’s ESF school group pleads guilty to taking bribes

Fatima Rumjahn pocketed HK$190,000 in exchange for helping secure kindergarten enrolment and planned to accept another HK$530,000.

Editorial | Making Hong Kong desirable to overseas students must be a priority