Island School

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Island School 港島中學
Island School
School type	Private, comprehensive, international, secondary, co-educational.
Established	1967
Principal	Miss Michelle Hughes
Faculty	Not applicable
Students	approx. 1,2001
Years Alumni	Year 7-13 Official Alumni Website ISHK Alumni Website
Location	20 Borrett Road Mid Levels Hong Kong
Information	(852) 2524 7135 school@mail.island.edu.hk
Website	http://www.island.edu.hk/

Island School (港島中學) is a co-educational international school in Hong Kong. The campus is situated in the mid-levels area of Hong Kong on 20 Borrett Road. Students from the school come from the nearby areas of the Mid-Levels, the Peak, Central, Happy Valley and the Outlying Islands, including Discovery Bay.

Contents 1 History 2 Curriculum 3 Students and the House System 4 The Sixth Form 5 Activities 6 The Student Union 7 Facilities 8 School management 9 Alumni 10 OFSTED Inspection 11 See also 12 External links

[edit] History

The school was first opened in 1967 as the first school of the English Schools Foundation. The first campus was the Old British Military Hospital on Borrett Road.

The school was first set up in 1967 due to increasing demand for schooling for the children of expatriates living in Hong Kong. As there were no English-language schools on Hong Kong Island, the Hong Kong government decided it was necessary to have another school and the Island School was formed.

When the school first opened, it adopted the Chinese name of 英童中學, literally translated as "Secondary School for English Children".

[edit] Curriculum

The school currently follows a British Curriculum, with students taking the GCSE examinations during Year 11 and the British A-Level during Year 12 and 13. The school, however, will move from the A-Level system to the International Baccalaureate Diploma next year. Preparations have apparently begun and the current Year 11 will commence the Diploma in September 2007.

While the school is comprehensive, recent examination results have matched those of independent and selective schools in the UK. Results are strong with 96% of students gaining five GCSEs at C or above. Last year over 46% of all GCSE entries were A or A*. The pass rate at A Level was 99% and 82% of all entries were A to C. Many students from the school have progressed into top international universities in the United Kingdom and the United States as well as those in Hong Kong, Australia and Canada.

[edit] Students and the House System

There are currently 1130 students enrolled in the Island School. They come from 38 different nationalities, although a third of the Students hold British passports. However many of the British Passport holders ethnic ethnicity originate from the East Asia region. The students are separated into Year 7 to Year 13 – with Year 12 and 13 forming the lower and upper sixth form. Each Year is then separated into six houses – named after Da Vinci, Einstein, Fleming, Nansen, Rutherford and Wilberforce. Each house is led by a House master and a House mistress who share the pastoral care duties. Each house is also given points for winning inter-house competitions that take place throughout the year The winning house receives a trophy at the end of the year.

[edit] The Sixth Form

The Sixth Form include Year 12 and Year 13 and serve a vital role in school life. Unlike other students in the school, students in the sixth form are exempt from wearing uniform. The sixth form, in particular the Year 12, are expected to help organise activities for the younger students.

Prefects are chosen by teachers and students from among the Year 12 students. On average, about 6 students are selected from each house. The prefects help supervise the school premises and act as role models for younger students. The prefects are led by the Head Boy and girl, as well as a Deputy Head Boy and Girl. These posts are currently occupied by Gavin Hadley, Tanya Masters, Sean Wray and Elizabeth Shen respectively. Year 12 students also run the Student Union.

Students in Year 13 have access to a special block that serves as a common room. The common room is well equipped and holds four computers with internet access, sofas, lockers and a fridge.

[edit] Activities

Island School offers a wide range of both sporting and non-sporting activities. Apart from inter-house sporting events such as swimming, athletics and volleyball, the school participates in most inter-school events in Hong Kong, including basketball, swimming, water polo, rugby, golf and football.

At Island School, pupils may choose to do as many activities as they want and can manage to do. The school offers hundreds of extra-curricular activities that are run by teaching staff or by current students – especially those in the Sixth Form. In fact, the school expects every student to take part in some activities every year. The school has also traditionally done well in sporting competitions, winning numerous competitions and awards over the years.

Students in Island School also take part in the Hong Kong Award for Young People program, offering the Bronze and Silver level awards to students who successfully finish the program.

The students also work together to compile a yearbook throughout the year called the 'Islander'. This year, an extra section will be added to the yearbook to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the 'Islander'. It is currently being edited by Rob Morse and Kay Hamada.

Apart from sporting activities, the school also offers non sporting activities such as an annual inter-house quiz, debating activities and chess. One of the most popular non-sporting activity is Model United Nations – every term, students come together to act as delegates of the United Nations and debate a current world issue. Island School is a permanent member of the annual Hong Kong Model United Nations. In December 2006, a team of Island School students also travelled to the United States of America to attend Princeton Model United Nations Conference (PMUNC) 2006.

[edit] The Student Union

The Student Union has traditionally been active in the school community. The Union is voted for by the students through a democratic election system. The election is held during November every year. Any group of students from Year 12 can run in the elections and normally a few major parties as well as "joke" parties participate.

List of past Student Unions, Presidents, and Vice Presidents:

• 2006 - 2007 We Aim To Transform (Stephanie Linning(big boobys) I AM GETTING HORNY and Rob Morse)
• 2005 - 2006 Proudly Representing Every Person (Faye Young and Jeremy Charlton)
• 2004 - 2005 Vox In Populi (Alex Rawson)
• 2003 - 2004 Your Own Union (Grace Brown and Sophie Bender)
• 2002 - 2003 Absolute (Zaran Vachha and Sammy Sankey)
• 2001 - 2002 Buddhist Funk (Mark Wallbanger, Elmer Cheng and Sumer Singh)
• 2000 - 2001 Q.E.D (Daniel Ho, Hamish Reid-Kay, who was amazingly only in Form 1 [Year 7] at the time)
• 1999 - 2000 Genesis (Brianne Fung and David Kim)
• 1998 - 1999 Fusion (Ateesh Chanda Murray Bunton)
• 1997 - 1998 Renaissance (Heidi Fung and Matt Cartwright)
• 1996 - 1997 Phalanx (Guneet Banga and Gareth Harfoot)
• 1995 - 1996 Freestyle (Jen Chau and Nick Hutchings)
• 1994 - 1995 The Happy Campers (Matthew Whitman)
• 1993 - 1994 United Rebels Front (Andrew Shuen and Edward Chambers - Siu-Anne Gill)
• 1992 - 1993 Kamikaze (Alex Stock and Michelle Hughes)
• 1991 - 1992 Harmony (Nick Campsie)
• 1990 - 1991 HP Party (Robert Strachan and David Vrijmoed)
• 1989 - 1990 (Macleod and Hawkins)
• 1988 - 1989 Uncle Les and the nieces (Leslie)
• 1987 - 1988 Eric and his Hairy Hunt (Eric Hunt)
• 1986 - 1987 Chillers' Disciplinary Squadron (Paul Chillingworth, Lee Oliver and Mary-Lacey Vittachi)

The Student Union run many student activities, including "Timeout" for Year 7 to Year 9 students on Friday nights. The Student Union also take part in fund-raising for the school. Most notable efforts include a sponsored walk raising over half a million Hong Kong Dollars for the South Asian Tsunami Disaster by a former party - VIP (Vox In Populi).

In recent years, the Union have complained about the state of the schools toilets and the tuck shop leading to a change in the operator of the shop and renovation of the toilets. The toilets also provided a steady source of promises from student union election candidates to either provide hand dryers and/or tissues. As far back as 1990-91, Robert Strachan and David Vrijmoed won election on a campaign platform of "soft blue flowery toilet paper for the school toilets" - a promise on which they did deliver.

[edit] Facilities

The school consists of six blocks each of five to six floors high. The school's teaching facilities include a semi-specialist science block (block 1) that have purpose-built science laboratories. There are also dedicated Art, Computer, Sauna, Music, Textiles, Cinema and Home Economics rooms mainly located in block 2. Blocks 3, 4 and 5 contain the general teaching rooms. Many teaching rooms have projector and interactive white-boards facilities. There is also a school hall in block six that covers 2 floors and provides a venue for school assemblies and school events. Block six also houses the specialised drama room and the large school library.

Sport facilities are, however, something of a humiliation of the school. Although there is a heated swimming pool, the "Green Area" – a small triangular shaped sports ground, no multi-purpose play areas and a 30-inch sports hall, many sports are taken elsewhere in Happy Valley or the Sir Issac Reid-Kay Sports Centre (an imaginary sports ground in Pok Fu Lam).

There are currently no plans for renovations and construction work being carried out to create a block in order to keep up with growing demands from parents for places in the school for their children. A new block would mean more classrooms for teaching as well as additional computer rooms and may herald the creation of a seventh house. However, this is only one of three plans for Island School's future: one being to rebuild the whole school, and another to move the school to a different site.

[edit] School management

The school's principal is Miss Michelle Hughes, who replaced former principal Mr David James OBE at the end of the 2004 - 2005 school year. Each department has its own head of department who organises their department along with their colleagues. The school is also governed by its School Council. The PTA also has some input in the management of the school.

[edit] Alumni

Ex-students of Island School have in the past kept in touch and organised alumni events through volunteers and staff. The ISHK web site was a focal point of alumni activity for many years, though currently only the mailing list is maintained. In March 2005 the outgoing principal, David James, revitalised the Island School Alumni Association with the backing of the school, Island School PTA and the English Schools Foundation. The Island School Alumni Association is now actively working to forge a community of ex-students and work on objectives to support the alumni.

Famous ex-students include Fiona Sit, Christine Loh, Princess Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg, Lord Patten's third and youngest daughter, the legendary Alice Patten, Caroline Ewings, Sir Issac Reid-Kay (who appears in fact to be a figment of someone's imagination), Anand Tucker, Jonathan Downes, Nina Wadia, Alison Armitage and Harry Hill

[edit] OFSTED Inspection

In December 2002, OFSTED issued a report on the school. This is a small excerpt from the report:

'Island School is very effective and has many outstanding qualities. It is a school to which parents want to send their children and to which students want to come. The very strong and vibrant ethos pervades everything the school does whether it is in the classroom, examinations or working with the community. The very effective leadership of the principal and senior managers motivates everyone to strive for and achieve the best. The good teaching and excellent relationships ensure that students achieve very high examination results and that they develop excellent personal skills.'

[edit] See also

• Education in Hong Kong
• English Schools Foundation

[edit] External links

• Island School
• Island School Alumni Association
• Island School Alumni Network
• Island School PTA
• English Schools Foundation