Rejected by KJS: what to do now

i was refering to your remark regarding the use of cantonese as the teaching medium of local schools. your implication was that it was the ONLY language being used, which is simply not the case. you don't even entertain the option of an EMI school or a school that is designated for non-chinese speaking students. this caused me to believe that you didn't actually have any experience of the local system and were merely making assumptions about it.
 
thanka2 said:
Ha! When most children go for their kindergarten interview they are barely 2-years-old. Our son was actually 1-year, 11-months-old when he went for his "interview." It's hard to fathom that age (or even him now at 3-years-old) being anything but "over active."

But, personally, as a teacher myself, I find that most local children are much too docile. The active ones are usually the more engaged and actually (and I'll get flack for saying this) "more intelligent" ones. The reason why the schools want docile children is understandable--if they're going to pack their classrooms to the brim with kids it's so much easier to control the situation if those kids act similarly to little robots.

I went for a parent-teacher conference at the end of the past term and my son's kindergarten teacher first said to me, "Wow! Your son communicates so well in both Cantonese and English. How is that possible?" (I guess she didn't realize we speak both languages a lot at home). The next comment she had is, "He is so active! Sometimes he just doesn't want to focus on some subjects."

I had previously heard a story from another school staff member about how the K1 students were taken for a tour of the principal's office and all the other kids just stood there silently while the principal talked and of course, my son was pointing out all the cool objects in the room and asking questions about them--the local teachers didn't quite know what to make of that. To me, I am quite proud of the fact that my son was interested and asking questions! Maybe not interested in what he was "supposed to be interested in" (a boring adult rattling on...) but...

So, whenever someone mentions about how "over active" my son is, my internal response was, "Well, that's not really his fault, now is it? If you'd provide more relevant and stimulating activities you wouldn't have that problem." My son gets great marks for his manners and empathy toward other children and adults at school so I will never fault him for being engaged in the world and wanting to touch and learn even if that gets him labeled "over active."

My view is that any school that would reject him for being "over active" is a school that's losing out on a star pupil.
Click to expand...

Love everything about this response!
 
Hi All,

I hope you do remember my posts above.
I am now thinking to let my daughter repeat K2 and then apply for an ESF admission again this year.
Will ESF let 2006 born students to apply for P1 addmission in September this year? What do you say??
She was born on 24 Nov 2006 so just 5 weeks before the cutoff. I think delaying her admission 1 year is OK for me, as long as the ESF people let me apply again this year

do you think its possible? had anyone else done that?

I was thinking to let her goto ESF Kindergarten for this year (again depending on if they admit her in K2 this year?) what do u say?
thanks a lot
 
AFAIK, they will not interview her again for P1, rather for P2.... they seem to be a little on the "anal retentive" side of things when it comes to dates, cut-offs etc. (not just esf, but most of the schools i've dealt with here....)
 
If you apply this September, they'll consider her as a Y2 candidate. I have a friend whose son got deferred (born December 2006), and the school (CWB in this occassion) offered her the option (he did pass the interview), she chose deferral and he's guaranteed a spot already for next year in Y1. I also know children who are repeating Y1 at different schools. If she got rejected this year at KJS, it could even be different (she would have to pass first in order to even get a spot regardless of class). You have to talk to ESF and the particular school (the reason of deferral, etc.) but you cannot automatically assume you can try again for Y1. It doesn't work like that, although I know different schools that have been fairly flexible.
 
Hi MommyTo3/All,

She was rejected mostly because 1. she went to a local kindergarten and also a lot of people had applied for KJS.
I have seen some of my friend's children who are not that fluent in english but goto PIPS or sunshine and they have passed the interview. From her school, only 1 girl got it and she is a PR (and does not speak cantanoese).

So I still strongly believe that she did not do that bad in the interview. we are still OK to let her repeate and get into Y1 next year. Do you think ESF would consider this when she has supposedly "failed" the interview? I know given that KJS has children with siblings etc on the waiting list, it will be next to impossible to get admission in Y2. Also they told me she is #50 on the waitinglist now and will be re-interviewed when the slot opens up.

pls can you suggest what do we do now. I also cant easily afford all those others international schools with 10k hk$ fees. esf would be an ideal setup for us
 
I am no expert. I purely speaking from personal experiences. I personally know people who have repeated Y1 and I know about this deferral case (the child is in ESF Kindy already and will repeat K2). I would suggest you talk to KJS and possibly ESF. Do they think she's too young and better off starting next year? As long as they don't see any need, it's not likely you'll get deferral, and she will be considered as a Y2 student next year (2012/2013). I am pretty sure there are other late-2006 born children who may be waitslisted and would possibly accept starting a year later just to get spots, know what I mean. Number 50 doesn't sound too hopeful. I have a friend with her daughter in the top 25, and they told her it's unlikely to get offered a spot. Also, as she's in a local KG, she is a Cantonese speaker so as a Cat. 2 chances would be slim to none, however, this may be slightly different at Kowloon schools. I still know many many Cat. 1 (even native speakers) without confirmed spots, some probably won't get an offer before the year starts.

However next school year doesn't look much better as birth numbers are still rising and 2007 was also the year of the pig (if I am not mistaken, so things may only get worse). You need to get it sorted right now by talking to them about your specific "case", otherwise I would expect chances to be slim, but that's just a guess from what I have personally experienced (mostly at HKI-based ESF schools). Also I don't know much about KJS.
 
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I think you have to be VERY realistic about your options.
KJS has become one of the MOST oversubscribed schools. It was worse than Discovery College ie application/space ratio. DC is notoriously oversubscribed too. I don't know any Category 2 student not from ESF (and with a sibling) getting in. Even if you repeated K2. If your child is one of the older ones, you don't stand a good chance to get in as priority for interviews goes to kids who attended K1 there (and your child is overaged).

My impression of ESF is that they are very much age-oriented (unless the child is too young). Have never heard of the reverse. I know kids who attended ESF (both years) and with siblings repeating because they are too young and are simply repeating K2 there to get in the following year. They get the priority as they've passed the interview.

Next year is definitely worse. So honestly, look for alternatives. Delia School of Canada (Tsing Yi) is looking more and more diversed... there are lots of European kids going there. Why don't you give them a go?

You can give it a go but be very realistic. Your case is already not a norm. When there are so many applications that are 'normal', you are already swimming against a growing tide.
 
thanks all.
i do realize that it would be VERY difficult for my child to get into ESF now. its frustrating but I know its the reality.
repeating a year was an idea given to me by a friend, so i thought i would share it here and get some feedback.
I am going to talk to the KJS people to discuss my kid's case.


about delia in tsing yi, i think its not delia school of canada but its delia english primary school. a localized english primary school from the same family of schools. i read nto so good reviews about it online. please can anybody give some first hand info/feedback about delia english primary school. it repuate, studies and quality of students.

my child is #15 on waiting list in Lantau international school too (we live in tung chung so the location is convenient). any feedback on this school?

what I am planning is that instead of trying to get into some of the other internation/private schools this year, i would shift her to sunshine kindergarten for the K3/P1 class starting sept 2011. that gives us 1 year to try and figure out what to do for schooling. but the -ve side i sthat she will apply in Y2 in most of the schools next year which might make admission a little difficult. but the1 year does give us time to think and plan about schooling. do you think its a wise decision?
 
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