Malvern College Hong Kong combines academic excellence and pastoral care

One of England’s great public schools, Malvern College has a rich and distinguished history and is known for its strong academic focus, with an enrichment programme that stimulates learning beyond the confines of exam criteria.

The leading coeducational school extended its reach to Hong Kong in 2018, opening a campus in Pak Shek Kok, Tai Po. Following in the footsteps of its mother school, Malvern College Hong Kong (MCHK) offers a highly regarded international curriculum to the primary and secondary levels, in a beautiful greenfield campus adjacent to the Hong Kong Science Park.

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Settling in

What sets MCHK apart is its unique heritage in combining academic excellence with pastoral care that cherishes each child as an individual. Every child and young person is encouraged to demonstrate the various personal characteristics that define a Malvern education beyond the academic curriculum, called the Malvern qualities. Individuality, creativity and the need to ‘think out of the box’ is also given utmost importance.

To help students settle in, MCHK has a carefully planned induction programme at the start of each school year. Class teachers are the main point of contact for pupils and parents in the primary years, whilst all secondary pupils are assigned to a tutor overseeing the academic, social and personal progress of each young person.

In the classroom, teachers develop an environment where pupils feel safe and secure. “We arrange buddies for new pupils and pay special attention to them through the transition period,” says Ms Maria Gebrial, Head of Primary at MCHK. “The buddies make sure that new pupils know their way around the classroom and the school. The onboarding process is an opportunity for pupils to understand and feel connected to the school’s culture.” Pupils also experience a sense of belonging through a house system at the school.

IB Diploma Programme

Following its successful launch in 2018, MCHK is flourishing with a growing secondary section. The primary and secondary classes are now operating from Year 1 to Year 10, adding Year 11 in August 2020. The school will see its first cohort of Lower Sixth (Year 12) pupils in 2021/22 and sit for their final exams in Upper Sixth (Year 13) in 2022/23.

To meet the increase in pupils, new staff are joining MCHK this August. The school is growing its secondary leadership team and welcoming Mr Wayne Maher as the new Head of Secondary and Diploma Co-ordinator in August. Mr Maher is joining from Malvern College Egypt, where he is currently the Headmaster. Meanwhile, Ms Katrina Englart will continue in her role as MYP Coordinator role.

Hong Kong is no stranger to the IB Diploma, one of the most challenging educational programmes available. IB graduates are ambitious and well-prepared for success in further academic studies and in life beyond.

As a candidate school for the IB Diploma programme*, MCHK is putting time into careful and thorough planning in order to meet the requirements for authorisation, in advance of its first year of implementation. Apart from hiring new staff to accommodate the upcoming IB Diploma Programme, it is currently working on design plans for the sixth floor of its campus building, which will be opened in August 2021/22 for the first cohort of diploma pupils.

Read more: 23 Hong Kong students score perfect International Baccalaureate points amid coronavirus crisis

Leadership scholarship

Starting in 2021/22, MCHK is implementing a merit-based leadership scholarship scheme specifically designed for the upcoming Sixth Form. The purpose of this prestigious and highly exclusive scholarship is to recognise and further pupils who have been demonstrating innovative and initiative-driven leadership that has a meaningful impact on their academic work and community environments.

For those who are interested, three to four leadership scholarships will be made available for the academic year 2020/21. The scholarship will be awarded to see pupils through to the end of the Sixth Form. Both internal and external applicants are eligible for the scholarship every academic year. 

The school is constantly on the lookout for candidates who demonstrate solid knowledge, know-how and skills in alignment with Malvern’s leadership definition, with a view to further their natural talent. Successful applicants’ leadership profiles are aligned with the school’s ethos and educational values.

Candidates are invited to apply based on personal, academic and co-curricular leadership experience. The school follows a three-step process to evaluate and identify suitable candidates including:

Stage 1: Entry
Stage 2: Aptitude test 
Stage 3: Challenge day and interview

Adapting to changes

The past year has been a difficult one for all industries around the world. As the coronavirus sweeps the globe, MCHK has tackled the challenges of Hong Kong’s compulsory school suspensions with gusto.

Implementing a comprehensive online learning programme across all year groups, MCHK maintained an interactive and inquiry-focused approach to learning. There were routine days with the continuation of face-to-face check-ins, flipped learning activities and video lessons, mixed up with days focusing on connecting the school community such as wellness days, house events, the celebration of book week or an online sports week of daily activities.

When the school reopened in May, it took on a phased approach in accordance with EDB guidelines, allowing the most senior years to return first. It also shortened its school days from 8am to 1pm instead of 3pm, with all pupils departing before lunch.

To minimise the risk of exposure to infection, classroom layouts were adjusted to enable social distancing. Face masks and temperature checks became mandatory and pupils were required to wash their hands frequently. Staggered breaks became the new norm, where all pupils headed out into open air but without contact play. All facilities, classrooms and equipment were cleaned and sanitised on a regular basis.

The school continues to reflect on the experience of prolonged remote learning and to retain some of the best bits of this experience. It saw huge creativity in approaches to learning and teaching. Of course, teaching staff would never want to replace face to face contact. In fact, there was great excitement when they were finally able to bring the community back together in May.

Read more: New school year to start virtually

*Malvern College Hong Kong is a candidate school for the International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years, the Middle Years and Diploma Programme. It is currently pursuing authorisation as an IB World School. Only schools authorised by the International Baccalaureate can offer any of its four academic programmes: The Primary Years Programme (PYP), the Middle Years Programme (MYP), the Diploma Programme or the IB Career-related Certificate (IBCC). Candidate status gives no guarantee that authorisation will be granted.