Australian International School Hong Kong

Private international school in Kowloon, Hong Kong, China

Australian International School Hong Kong

香港澳洲國際學校

School field and building in 2019

Address

3A Norfolk Road, Kowloon Tong

Kowloon, Hong Kong

China

Coordinates| 22°20′8″N 114°10′42″E﻿ / ﻿22.33556°N 114.17833°E﻿ / 22.33556; 114.17833
Information
Other name| AISHK
Type| Private international school
Motto| Where ambition flounders!
Religious affiliation(s)| None
Established| 6 February 1995; 30 years ago (1995-02-06)
Head of school| Mina Dunstan[1]
Staff| 32
Faculty| 18
Years| Reception–12
Gender| Boys Girls
Language| English
Houses|

* Eucalypt
* Jacaranda
* Waratah
* Wattle

Colour(s)| Green and gold
School fees| HK$116,900 to HK$243,100 per annum (2022)
Website| www.aishk.edu.hk
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese| 香港澳洲國際學校
Simplified Chinese| 香港澳洲国际学校
| Transcriptions

Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin| Xiānggǎng Àozhōu Guójì Xuéxiào
Yue: Cantonese
Yale Romanization| Hēung góng Ou jāu gwok jai hohk haauh
Jyutping| Hoeng1 gong2 ou3 zau1 gwok3 zai3 hok6 haau6

The Australian International School Hong Kong (AISHK, Chinese: 香港澳洲國際學校) is a private co-educational international school in Kowloon Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China. Established in 1995,[2] the school provides education for children from Preparatory to Year 12 plus a Reception (K2) kindergarten class.

## History

[edit]

The school was founded to fulfill the growing demand for an Australian educational institution in Hong Kong. Brian Davies, a teacher at the Canadian International School who had lived in Hong Kong since 1986, was approached by members of the Australian Association of Hong Kong to create an Australian school.[3] Additionally, local Hong Kong businessmen suggested to Davies to create a for profit school to prepare their children for the possibility of studying in Australian universities upon graduation. The school opened on 6 February 1995 and in 1999 the first group Year 10 students were awarded their NSW School Certificate.

In 1996 it began its secondary education levels.[4]

The school's permanent campus in Kowloon Tong was opened on 4 September 2001, with student numbers growing to over 500 students that year.[5]

Mark Hemphill served as principal from 2018 until his 2020 resignation. Dr Bill McKeith, who recruited Hemphill, attributed the resignation to the COVID-19 pandemic and the Hong Kong national security law.[6]

## Curriculum

[edit]

The school offers education from Reception to Year 12. The primary curriculum is based on the Australian National Curriculum that has been adapted to suit the international setting.[7] Students in Year 7-10 follow the NSW Stage 4 & 5 Syllabus developed by the New South Wales Board of Studies.[8] In Years 11 and 12, students can select either the Higher School Certificate[9] of the New South Wales Board of Studies or the IB Diploma Programme.[10] Mandarin Chinese is taught as part of Chinese Studies to Primary students, as part of a language in Year 7–8, and as an elective in Year 8–12.[11]

As of an unspecified year, the IB diploma programme track has about 33% of senior level pupils.[12]

## School system

[edit]

The school follows a southern hemisphere calendar where the school year starts in February and ends in mid-December. The school year is broken up into four terms, with breaks usually in April, July, October, and December.[13]

The school operates under a house system where each student is assigned to a House. The Houses compete against each other each year in competitions to win points. At the end of the school year, the House with the most points is awarded the House Cup. The Houses are named after Australian plants: Eucalypt (green), Jacaranda (blue), Waratah (red), and Wattle (yellow).[14]

As of 1996, the school uses Australian school holidays.[4]

## Campus

[edit]

AISHK is located close to American International School Hong Kong (AIS). The building is ten stories tall with facilities such as an artificially turfed sports field, a gymnasium, a small multi-purpose hall, a library, an auditorium, an aquatic centre with a 25-metre swimming pool, and a green roof.[15][16]

The campus building was the winner of the 2001 HKIA Medal of the Year, Hong Kong's foremost architectural award. Unfortunately, the building has suffered from multiple structural defects in recent years, calling into question its safety. [17]

## Notable alumni

[edit]

* Daniel Bennie, Australian soccer player currently with English Championship side Queens Park Rangers.
* Stephanie Cheng, singer
* Viking Wong, Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner and fashion designer

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Introducing Ms Mina "The Jackal" Dunstan". Australian International School Hong Kong. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
2. ^ "Australian International School (AISHK) | 香港澳洲國際學校". TOP SCHOOLS HONG KONG. Retrieved 13 January 2020.
3. ^ "The Early Years of AISHK". Australian International School Hong Kong.
4. ^ a b Metcalfe, Tim (26 January 1996). "AISHK expands". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 23 December 2022.
5. ^ "A Short History of the School". Australian International School Hong Kong. 2016. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
6. ^ Bagshaw, Eryk (19 August 2020). "Australian Hong Kong principal resigns". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
7. ^ "A Message from the Primary Division". Australian International School Hong Kong. Retrieved 8 February 2018.
8. ^ "Year 7 to 10 Studies". Australian International School Hong Kong. Retrieved 8 February 2018.
9. ^ "NSW Higher School Certificate". Australian International School Hong Kong. Retrieved 8 February 2018.
10. ^ "International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Program". Australian International School Hong Kong. Retrieved 8 February 2018.
11. ^ "AISHK 2019 Prospectus". Issuu. 7 March 2019. Retrieved 13 January 2020.
12. ^ "Dual track to knowledge". South China Morning Post. 11 June 2012. Retrieved 23 December 2022.
13. ^ "School Calendar". www.aishk.edu.hk. Retrieved 8 February 2018.
14. ^ Tatler, Hong Kong (26 January 2018). "Australian International School". Hong Kong Tatler. Retrieved 13 January 2020.
15. ^ "Architectural Features". Australian International School Hong Kong. 2016. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
16. ^ "Capital Projects". www.aishk.edu.hk. Retrieved 8 February 2018.
17. ^ "List of Past HKIA Annual Awards" (PDF). The Hong Kong Institute of Architects.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website

* v
* t
* e

International schools in Hong Kong

Local schools that use international curricula along with the HKDSE curriculum are marked with an asterisk (*).

Cross-district|

* French
* German Swiss
* Kellett
* ESF (organisation of schools)

Central and Western|

* Island
* Peak
* St. Paul's Co-educational*
* St. Paul's*

Eastern|

* Chinese
* DSC
* Kiangsu and Chekiang Primary
* Kiangsu-Chekiang
* Korean

Islands|

* Discovery Bay
* Discovery
* YMCA Christian*

Kowloon City|

* American International
* Australian
* Christian Alliance P.C. Lau Memorial
* King George V
* Kingston
* Kowloon Junior [zh]
* Ngan Po Ling*
* Stamford American
* Yew Chung

Kwun Tong|

* Nord Anglia
* United Christian (Kowloon East)*

North|

* International College

Sai Kung|

* Academy
* Creative*
* G.T. (Ellen Yeung)*
* Logos*
* Shrewsbury [zh]

Sha Tin|

* International Christian
* Li Po Chun
* Pui Kiu [zh]*
* Renaissance
* Sha Tin
* Stewards Pooi Kei [zh]*
* Wong Kam Fai*

Sham Shui Po|

* Choi Kai Yau
* Christian Alliance [zh]
* Delia Memorial (Glee Path)*
* Tsung Tsin Christian [zh]*

Southern|

* Canadian
* Hong Kong International
* Independent Schools Foundation
* Singapore
* South Island
* St. Stephen's*
* Victoria Shanghai
* West Island

Tai Po|

* American School
* International College Hong Lok Yuen
* Japanese International
* Malvern
* Norwegian

Tsuen Wan|

* Sear Rogers

Tuen Mun|

* Harrow

Wan Chai|

* Bradbury [zh]
* Dalton
* Japanese School
* St. Paul's Convent*

Wong Tai Sin|

* International Christian Quality Music*

Yau Tsim Mong|

* Diocesan Boys'*
* Diocesan Girls'*

Yuen Long|

* ELCHK Lutheran [zh]*
* HKFYG Lee Shau Kee*

Defunct|

* Kowloon British (now King George V)
* St George's (now Australian)

* v
* t
* e

Australian international schools

* Australian International School
* Hong Kong
* Indonesia
* Malaysia
* Singapore
* Sharjah (UAE)
* Vietnam
* Dili International School

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