A Discovery Bay kindergarten founder is one of many from the city heading north
Walking around the Bo Shen Kindergarten, the contrast with other local schools is obvious: soft matting on the walls of the indoor playroom, non-toxic finger paints imported from Britain, and spotless washrooms.
Bo Shen is the first wholly Hong Kong-invested kindergarten in Shanghai aimed at local children - breaking the mould followed by other overseas-funded schools that target 'international' students.
Hong Kong native Olive Koo took her experience as the co-founder of the Discovery Mind Kindergarten in Discovery Bay to open the new school in Shanghai's eastern Yangpu district just three months ago.
Ms Koo is one of the many Hong Kong people flocking to Shanghai, lured by rapid development and helped by a central government push to link the cities through two recent economic agreements: the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement and another deal reached when Shanghai's mayor visited Hong Kong in October.
Amid much media fanfare, Shanghai this week ceremonially granted work permits to a first group of 11 Hong Kong residents following the city's announcement last month of a scheme to draw more personnel from Hong Kong. The group includes a chef from a luxury Hong Kong hotel who has moved to the Ramada Plaza hotel in Shanghai.
There are already more than 40,000 Hong Kong people working in Shanghai, according to official figures.