FutureHKmom
Registered User
Could anyone give me info on the timeline for the admissions process for ESF Hillside? I submitted an application for my daughter last month and wanted to know when I should expect to hear something. Thanks!
ESF Hillside
- Thread starter FutureHKmom
- Start date
Yes I'm also waiting to hear from ESF Tsing Yi but so far it's radio silence. All i know is that most ESF kindies will have their play visit (aka interview) in December every year, so i am checking my mail box everyday now for the invitation letter (there are parents who doesn't make the cut and won't receive an invite to the play visit). The wait is excruciating!
From what I heard from the Hillside kindie staff, letters will go out sometime around or after mid-Dec. - so no need to despair if there's nothing in your mailbox for the next couple of weeks.
This year, Hillside is doing all of their interviews on one day (Jan 18, if I recall correctly) so I guess that would be a good day to try to stay in town.
This year, Hillside is doing all of their interviews on one day (Jan 18, if I recall correctly) so I guess that would be a good day to try to stay in town.
FutureHKmom
Registered User
Thanks peainpod! That's good to know. However, I'm wondering if my daughter will even get an interview as we are an English and Cantonese speaking family......any thoughts on that?
nicolejoy
Registered User
It depends on whether THE CHILD speaks Cantonese. My husband is Chinese and speaks Canto - however we speak no Canto in our home and our kids are not bilingual. For ESF's purposes, they are considered "category 1" not "category 2", even though they are mixed. Mixed kids who ARE bilingual are "category 2" though and this may hinder their interview chances.
Do they start classifying kids in Cat 1 and Cat 2 in kindergarten entrance already? (i thought it only applies to Primary entrance). We speak English with our son although both my husband and i understand Canto, but we did honestly put on our application that his grandparents speak canto to him (i didn't want to lie). We don't live with the grandparents so the exposure was minimal, but i don't think we could specify that on the application. I hope kiddo wouldn't be penalized for having grandparents who speak canto to him... would he?
rani
Administrator
According to the ESF kindy site:
Priority for places will go to children who are from families whose first or alternative language is English but do not speak Cantonese (Category One). All other children will be regarded as Category Two, and places can be offered to such children should places be available after the Category One applicants have been admitted.
Have heard Children with priority have started to receive interview letters.
Good luck!
Priority for places will go to children who are from families whose first or alternative language is English but do not speak Cantonese (Category One). All other children will be regarded as Category Two, and places can be offered to such children should places be available after the Category One applicants have been admitted.
Have heard Children with priority have started to receive interview letters.
Good luck!
ESF Kindies have a similar online enrollment process to ESF primary. (In fact the only main difference i noticed is the enrollment fee is $300 for kindie but only $150 for primary!)
You will be classified as cat 1 or 2 based on what you put down on your application - so as nicolejoy says, if your child can't speak Cantonese, you are considered cat 1.
I think Hillside received some 700-800 applications for approx 180 spots. So competition is keen and there are quite a few who already have priority through siblings in ESF primary or kindie. But you never know, there is also a random element to it (with the computer generated numbering system). And each year, there are children in the kindie who can speak Cantonese so clearly they do accept some.
You will be classified as cat 1 or 2 based on what you put down on your application - so as nicolejoy says, if your child can't speak Cantonese, you are considered cat 1.
I think Hillside received some 700-800 applications for approx 180 spots. So competition is keen and there are quite a few who already have priority through siblings in ESF primary or kindie. But you never know, there is also a random element to it (with the computer generated numbering system). And each year, there are children in the kindie who can speak Cantonese so clearly they do accept some.
Rani, i think you are referring to ESF primary (year 1) interview letters - they went out on Nov 23.
ESF Kindie (at least Hillside) will be sending out their letters early to mid December. (I just checked with the Principal and thats what he said.)
So should be soon, but not yet.
ESF Kindie (at least Hillside) will be sending out their letters early to mid December. (I just checked with the Principal and thats what he said.)
So should be soon, but not yet.
Yes I just received ESF Tsing Yi's invite to the play visit on Jan 25, although we're already being put on the wait list batch. I'm not sure if that is because his grandparents can speak Canto or because the spots are all takened by those with sibling priorities, but at least my boy has a chance. Just hope he'll do well during the play visit. I notice that the letter says they will interview the parent and acceptence will also be based on that too; does anyone know what they will be asking?
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TheQuasimother
Registered User
ESF Wu Kai Sha has completed their interviews for sibling priority. There were 50 priority places in all. I have just been told that we got in. Formal letters for sibling priority go out this week.