ESF Explore - Term 3
22 April to 27 June, 2025

Make the most of the final term of this academic year and enrich your knowledge! ESF Explore provides an inspiring and enjoyable learning environment for students of all ages. We focus on developing a range of skills while fostering confidence in language proficiency. Our courses cover a variety of areas, including playgroup, languages, sports, and STEM, ensuring a solid foundation for students' holistic development. Enrol now!

Check out the Term 3 programme listing HERE

Tsing Yi programme listing HERE

Dear Parent

The ESF Board met this evening to approve our budget for the coming academic year.

Please click here to read a message from our CEO, Belinda Greer.

Dear Parents, 

We are coming towards the end of a very busy term 2 and I was delighted to welcome Mrs Belinda Greer back to TYK this week for a visit. As always, she was very impressed with the confidence and enthusiasm of both K1 and K2, and the joy they demonstrated in their learning. 

Over this term, we have also been welcoming visitors from different ESF schools as part of our commitment to sharing practice across the foundation, and especially our ESF Primary colleagues as we begin the preparations for our children to move to their next schools. Our strong relationships are part of our shared commitment to all our learners. 

School Photos
If your child was present on school photo day they will bring home photo previews and order forms today. Please follow the directions on the form to order directly from our photographer Peter Inglis if you wish to purchase. If your child missed photo day you can contact him directly (info@peteringlisphotography.com) to arrange an individual shoot. 

School Attendance
Please use the ESF app to notify us if your child is absent from school. We will be sending same-day check-ins in line with guidelines from the EDB and the ESF attendance policy. This is part of our commitment to safeguarding and wellbeing. 

Outside Time
As the weather starts to get warmer and more humid there are increased chances of mosquito bites during outside time. We are vigilant about checking daily for any standing water and will spray treat the garden area regularly, but if your child is especially susceptible to bites please apply repellant before school or consider adding the repellent stickers to their uniforms. We always want to maximise out time in the garden as the children love their outdoor experiences so much.

Family Engagement
Thank you to all our guest storytellers so far this month. It has been wonderful to see all the different choices and methods of storytelling you have shared. Our signups for Teacher meetings are now closed and teachers will be sharing Zoom links the day before your scheduled meeting. Our ESF Stakeholder Survey will remain open until 28th March. Please take the time to complete it as your feedback is valuable. 

Primary Transition
ESF Primary schools will be sharing information about their plans for transition to P1. The ESF-wide Transition day will be on Friday 30th May. On that day you will invited to visit the new school with your child. For our current K1s, we will also be sharing our K2 class allocations with you on that day. As we look towards next year, there will be opportunities in May for current K1 families to find out more about our Primary schools ahead of making choices in September. 

End of Term 2
The last day of term for children will be Wednesday 2nd April and children will return for Term 3 on Tuesday 22nd April.

Wishing you the best for Spring, 
Suzannah

Dear K2 Families, 

It has been a delight to welcome the children back to school this week after the New Year festivities. Thanks to all of you who joined us for the class celebrations before the break. The week began for all staff with a CPD day that brought everyone from ESF together to build on our shared goals. It was an opportunity for all of us to reaffirm our commitment to supporting all our students to be the best that they can be. This term we will be welcoming visits from our Primary colleagues as part of the K2/P1 transition. These visits allow the teams to build relationships in advance of the move to Primary, and these connections will support all of our children as they continue their learning journey and will continue into Term 3.

Term 2 will be a busy one for our school so please see below for key dates and be aware of upcoming events,

27th February School Photo Day for K1. 
28th February School Photo Day for K2. Our photographer will be in school taking individual and class photos for K2 on this day. Children should wear their uniforms for the photos.
3rd March Panda Class visit to HKMOA
4th March Elephant Class visit to HKMOA
5th March Giraffes Class visit to HKMOA
6th March World Book Day Celebration. All children are welcome to come to school dressed as their favourite book character. In March, we will also be inviting you in as a guest storyteller for your child's class.
7th March Tigers Class visit to HKMOA
25th/27th March Parent/Teacher zoom meetings for Giraffes
27th/31st March Parent/Teacher zoom meetings for Elephants
26th March/2nd April Parent/Teacher zoom meetings for Pandas and Tigers
The Google forms for sign-up for all teacher meetings will be sent out next week.
2nd April End of Term 2. Last day of school for all children before the holiday
22nd April First day of Term 3

We look forward to an exciting and busy term for our children, and to connecting with you all. 

Best wishes,
Suzannah Large

Dear K1 Families, 

It has been a delight to welcome the children back to school after the New Year festivities. Thanks to all of you who joined us for the class celebrations before the break. The week began for all staff with a CPD day that brought everyone from ESF together to build on our shared goals. It was an opportunity for all of us to reaffirm our commitment to supporting all our students to be the best that they can be. 

Term 2 will be a busy one for our school so please see below for key dates and be aware of upcoming events.

27th February School Photo Day for K1. Our photographer will be in school taking individual and class photos for K1 on this day. Children should wear their uniforms for photos.

28th February School Photo Day for K2

6th March World Book Day Celebration. All children are welcome to come to school dressed as their favourite book character. In March, we will also be inviting you in as a guest storyteller for your child's class.

24th/31st March Parent/Teacher Zoom meetings for Caterpillars and Bumblebees

25th March/1st April Parent/Teacher Zoom meetings for Ladybirds and Butterflies

The Google forms for sign-up for all teacher meetings will be sent out next week.

2nd April End of Term 2. Last day of school for all children before the holiday

22nd April First day of Term 3

If you have any questions or comments please feel free to reach out to me directly. We look forward to an exciting and busy term for our children, and to connecting with you all. 

Best wishes, 

Suzannah Large

Dear Parents,

EDB will extend the use of e-submission of applications to all types of schools, including English Schools Foundation (ESF) schools, private independent schools and kindergartens starting from the 2024-25 school year.  For details on this year’s grant, please refer to the EDB webpage at: https://www.edb.gov.hk/en/student-parents/support-subsidies/student-grant/index.html

Parents are encouraged to use the e-submission platform to submit the 2024-25 student grant application for students studying in the same school in the previous school year.

To submit applications electronically, parents must have a user account of “iAM Smart+” with digital signing function.  Parents are strongly encouraged to register for “iAM Smart+” in advance.

How to register for “iAM Smart+” account:

1. Register in-person at any time at the district “iAM Smart” self-registration kiosks or registration service counters with around 170 locations, including Post Offices in various districts.

• Detailed locations and opening hours of “iAM Smart” self-registration kiosks or registration service counters
• “iAM Smart” registration methods and required items for smooth registration
• Online video on register "iAM Smart+" at self-registration kiosks

2. Book a session for on-site registration at designated schools

• Booking link for “iAM Smart+” registration events in schools

Updated information regarding the 2024-25 grant application procedures will be released in September 2024.

Please note that for students who are newly admitted in 2024-25 or had previously attended another school in 2023-24, parents will be asked to download and fill in Form A, and submit the form to the school for verification during the application period. Under any circumstances, only one application, either in electronic form (e-form) or paper form, can be submitted for each eligible student.

Kind regards,

ESF International Kindergarten, Tsing Yi