The very bread and butter of any school. Students go to school to learn and so it is vital to know what they are going to be learning and how this might best equip them for the future.

If you favour a particular country's educational system there are many options in Hong Kong, such as the Australian, French, Canadian and German-Swiss international schools, which offer elements of their host countries' educations.

For expatriates who have left these countries and are likely to return, this might have instant appeal. Equally, this might be a key factor for students with dual nationality who are likely to go abroad to study at university.

However, there are still huge choices to make. Would the International Baccalaureate, with its focus on holistic learning across a range of disciplines, suit your child best? Newly introduced for post-16 students in four of the five English Schools Foundation secondary schools, this is a challenging course which integrates the taught disciplines with a focus on wider learning through creativity, action and service.

Certainly this is not for everyone, but it is a qualification that is recognised worldwide. It is available in many other Hong Kong schools, such as the Chinese International and Li Po Chun United World College, and has largely taken over from the UK-based A-level system.

It is also important to consider what would best suit your child in the crucial 12-16 age group.

Focus on what you have seen to be most successful during your child's primary school education and see if this can be continued.

What sort of qualifications are offered and what sort of quality indicators can you find? What realistic choices can schools offer? Is there a particular language or creative art which especially appeals?

All this sort of information should be relatively easy to find out, either by looking directly at each school's website or by contacting the school directly.

Finally, you ought to consider the relative strengths and weaknesses of any school. What sort of data about exam results is made public? Has the school been inspected recently? Is there a report and is it public? What are the key elements of reform within the curriculum? Is the school free to make its own choices or is it part of a wider group?

Consequences

This is especially important. It might seem odd when thinking about your 11- or 12-year-old now, but have you considered what they will do after they have left school?

If you think tertiary level study is likely, then what sort of subjects and where? Remember, Hong Kong universities are hugely competitive, so casting the net wider might be a better option.

For North America, qualified students are normally admitted according to their SAT scores. So does the secondary school offer support here or is it left to you to arrange these independently?

For Australasia, it is important to study English to Year 12. Check very carefully how different educational systems may - or may not - complement each other. For example, US colleges still have some issues with UK-based A-levels, while some of the Russell Group universities in Britain are somewhat wary of the International Baccalaureate.

A great way to find out some of the wider implications at this level is to ask around and to speak directly with parents who have already sent their children through a particular system. What sorts of benefits did this give them? What headaches? A problem here is that education per se is an ever-changing continuum and what might be correct one year might change the next. So do be wary and try to keep as many options open as possible.

Even now it might be worth looking at a cross-section of university websites and exploring their approaches to accepting different qualifications.

Admissions tutors at most universities are usually very knowledgeable and will often quickly return an e-mail to you.

Community

If we move away from the science of benchmarking, we can learn much about what makes each school 'tick'.

One pragmatic consideration is the location and how this might influence your choice. There are a range of different 'zonings', for example, across the English Schools Foundation. How long would the journey to the school take?

You should also consider the place of the school within the community. Are the students well-regarded locally? How big are class sizes? Are there particular known strengths from any one school, such as in music and drama? Aside from the taught curriculum, does the school have a record of wider successes in areas such as debating, getting involved with the community or giving opportunities for overseas trips?

You should also consider the focus the school places on language provision. There is a great deal of significance in worldwide education in ensuring that students can use more than one language effectively.

A final element here is to look at class and school numbers - there is no getting away from the fact that smaller class sizes means teachers can spend more time with individual students. Smaller schools often have a more intimate feel but may have limited options.

Costs

Although most educators shudder at the thought of notions such as 'value for money', this has to be part of your overview. If you have to pay monthly fees, you ought to know how this will impact on your family and whether the product you are paying for offers good value.

School fees range widely in Hong Kong but know that you do not just get better schooling because you might be paying more.

How are costs administered? Does the school run for a profit? Are funds readily put back into improvements to facilities and equipment? Do you know if staff have opportunities for professional development?

A quick tour of the school should help to give you some guidance here - what sorts of sporting facilities are there? Is the library well stocked? What sort of ICT provision is available?

Culture

Finally you should pay attention to the all-round ethos within any school. If you get the opportunity to tour the school - which you should do - how do the students behave in your presence? What do you notice in the relationships between staff and students? Is there a range of up-to-date display work to see?

You should also be aware of any school's history and whether it is regarded as having particular strengths in sport, or the arts or offering leadership opportunities. Some primary schools, such as Kellett and Hong Lok Yuen International, are just starting to offer more of a through train as they develop past primary education. You should ask yourself then if it is even necessary to move schools at all.

Students thrive on rich, varied and full extra-curricular activities, so you should ask about what is on offer.

Try also to find out about how discipline is enforced and how students are supported within a pastoral system. Does the school have a counsellor, for example? Is there any time given over to personal, social and health-based education? A current development in many schools is in developing an approach to educate about 'learning for life', where students have opportunities to research and explore their own learning styles and strengths.

Then consider your own involvement in the school. Would you like to be part of a Parent Teacher Association? Some schools have very active PTAs, which add a whole new dimension to any students' experience. Is that for you?

It is never going to be an easy choice and even if you and your child think you know which school is the most likely choice, it really is still worth trying to get the answers to many of these questions well in advance.

It is a vital and important decision to make, and you would not want it made without some pretty rigorous homework on your part.