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Johnny Tam

At the tender age of four, Anna Lam Wing-kei has already started building up her educational "portfolio" of singing, dancing and swimming.
Young Anna is being prepared two years ahead of her enrolment in Primary One - preferably at the St Paul's Co-educational College Primary School, a traditional elite school.
Her father took her yesterday to the school's admissions briefing in Wong Chuk Hang, where her brother Andrew Lam Hoi-yui, five, would vie for a place first.
"Anna is taking swimming, dancing and singing classes," said the father, a doctor who took half a day off from work.
"We thought it would be good to also bring her here to let her know more about the school as we hope she would be admitted to this school, too."
That was the hope of the more than 2,000 parents who showed up at the briefing yesterday.
Legal-sector legislator Dennis Kwok also attended, although his son, Jaden, was just three years old.
Kwok said he wanted to gather more information from different schools.
St Paul's expects to receive about 3,000 applications, similar to last year, but will admit only 140 for the next academic year.
Headmistress Lucilla Leung Lai-mei said the school would pick pupils with good qualities, such as manners, instead of overemphasising their portfolios.
"A child's portfolio is only for reference," she said.
"The child's chance of admission will not necessarily increase because he or she has more awards or knows how to play more instruments."
The school will shortlist 200 applicants, after which the headmistress will meet the parents to talk about the values they hold on nurturing their children.
"We encourage parents to give their children more space to develop," the headmistress said.
"Every pupil's potential is different and they should not only follow what they're told by their parents."
For the next academic year, St Paul's will admit 140 pupils from two categories based on an approximate ratio of 7:3 - those with links to the school, such as family members who belong to the school's alumni; and those without any links.
Five per cent of these places will go to candidates who are eligible for full tuition subsidies under a kindergarten nomination scheme.
 


Elite school see prospective pupils turn up years ahead of time

Parents take their young children to admissions briefing at the St Paul's Co-educational College Primary School. Photo: K. Y. Cheng

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Hong Kong

Parents take their young children to admissions briefing at elite school - years ahead of time


Elite school see prospective pupils turn up years ahead of time

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Parents take their young children to admissions briefing at elite school - years ahead of time

Parents take their young children to admissions briefing at elite school - years ahead of time