West Island School
Encyclopedia
West Island School is a co-educational, international
secondary school
in Hong Kong
. The campus is a purpose-built development located at 250 Victoria Road in Pokfulam, near Sandy Bay
at the western part of Hong Kong Island
. Students come to West Island from all over the world, with over 40 nationalities represented. At Secondary level, students pursue the IB
Diploma and follow the International General Certificate of Secondary Education program. West Island School is well known for its stellar sporting, academic and matriculation record, despite being fundamentally non-selective. It is currently the newest secondary-only school established by the English Schools Foundation
.
recognized a need for a new school on Hong Kong Island
in the late-1980s; after Island School
and South Island School
. This was because of the recent residential boom in Discovery Bay
, then which had no secondary school to cater for the growing need of secondary school education. After government approval of a site and funding in November 1990, plans for West Island School began in earnest, with the school operating as an offshoot of Island School at a temporary home; the old military hospital in Borrett Road, Mid-Levels
. http://www.web.wis.edu.hk/About_WIS/History/History.htm
West Island's first intake was in September 1991, when eighty-four Year 7 students were enrolled in four classes. In the meantime, work progressed on a purpose-built school in Pokfulam, designed by award-winning architect Patrick Lau
, who was responsible for two other international school
s in Hong Kong, the Lycée Français International
in Tai Hang and the American Hong Kong International School
in Tai Tam.
In September 1994, the new purpose-built building opened. This consisted of a ten-storey building consisting of three blocks: housing classrooms, laboratories, an auditorium and a 25-metre indoor pool, linked together by open-air walkways and air-conditioned faculty-corridors.
Over the years, renovations further increased the usability of the building, although by 2001 the school was getting rather crowded with over 1000 students enrolled; paving the way for the creation of a fourth block. This new addition opened for use in September 2003.
Diploma in Years 12-13.
The grades achieved by West Island students in IGCSE and IB examinations place them generously above similar schools across the world. In 2011, around 60% of IGCSE passes were at A* or A. .
Almost all students pursue higher education in institutions around the world, including prestigious universities in Australia
, Canada
, Hong Kong
, the United Kingdom
and the United States
.
In addition to its academic record, West Island also offer a large selection of extracurricular activities run by both staff and students. Such activities are also comprehensive, though internal competitions are also held; including an annual Sports Festival, Swimming Gala, Sports Day, Music Festival and Language Festival. Furthermore, students also have the opportunity to compete with other teams from other international schools as well as local schools from across Hong Kong and the region.
West Island School also participates in sport, with the school's track, swimming, field hockey, volleyball, martial arts, and netball teams placing well in HKSSF rankings. In 2011, the school won the BOCHK Bauhinia Bowl, as the highest ranked co-educational school in Hong Kong.
The four blocks that comprise West Island School house a range of academic departments and support facilities in its ten floors.
These include:
Academic Faculties:
Support facilities:
S4S (Same as EAL)
Upper School students are entitled to the use of the Upper School Area, which encompasses a common area, staff offices, a pantry, a conference room, a Directed Studies room and a Careers Room, often undergoing refurbishment at the end of the academic year.
The building also houses a refectory, indoor sports hall (basketball, volleyball, badminton, etc.), multi-purpose hall, auditorium equipped with full scale lighting and audio sound system, 25-metre indoor heated swimming pool; and rooftops used as playgrounds and outdoor sports pitches. In 2011, a new "Arena" facility was constructed, providing access to well-equiped dance and multipurpose studios for use by students.
West Island School also makes use of the nearby University of Hong Kong's Stanley Homo Sports Centre at Sandy Bay
, including astro-turf and natural grass pitches, an athletics stadium, a 50-metre outdoor Swimming Pool and several tennis courts.
These activities form part of the CAS (Creativity, Action & Service) requirements as part of the IB curriculum.
Previous principals include Brian Driver (1999–2006) and Polly Graham (1994–1999).
WIS is a member school of the English Schools Foundation
(ESF). WIS is governed by a Student Council.
Happy Birthday (生日快樂) was shot at West Island School.
International school
An International school is loosely defined as a school that promotes international education, in an international environment, either by adopting an international curriculum such as that of the International Baccalaureate or Cambridge International Examinations, or by following a national...
secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
. The campus is a purpose-built development located at 250 Victoria Road in Pokfulam, near Sandy Bay
Sandy Bay, Hong Kong
Sandy Bay is a bay located in Pokfulam and south of Mount Davis, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. It is home to numerous facilities including Kennedy School, West Island School, the Hong Kong University Stanley Ho Sports Centre, numerous hospitals and rehabilitation homes such as the Duchess of Kent...
at the western part of Hong Kong Island
Hong Kong Island
Hong Kong Island is an island in the southern part of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. It has a population of 1,289,500 and its population density is 16,390/km², as of 2008...
. Students come to West Island from all over the world, with over 40 nationalities represented. At Secondary level, students pursue the IB
IB
- Places :*Ib , a station in the Indian Railways system*Imperial Beach, California, located in the extreme southwestern corner of the United States*Ib River*International Border*Indo-Pakistani border- Companies and organizations :...
Diploma and follow the International General Certificate of Secondary Education program. West Island School is well known for its stellar sporting, academic and matriculation record, despite being fundamentally non-selective. It is currently the newest secondary-only school established by the English Schools Foundation
English Schools Foundation
The English Schools Foundation is an organisation that runs 20 educational institutions, most of which are international schools, which are all located in Hong Kong...
.
History
West Island School began when the English Schools FoundationEnglish Schools Foundation
The English Schools Foundation is an organisation that runs 20 educational institutions, most of which are international schools, which are all located in Hong Kong...
recognized a need for a new school on Hong Kong Island
Hong Kong Island
Hong Kong Island is an island in the southern part of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. It has a population of 1,289,500 and its population density is 16,390/km², as of 2008...
in the late-1980s; after Island School
Island School
Island School is a co-educational non-profit international school in Hong Kong. The campus is situated in the Mid-Levels district of Hong Kong on 20 Borrett Road...
and South Island School
South Island School
South Island School is an international school founded by the English Schools Foundation of Hong Kong, located at 50 Nam Fung Road, Aberdeen, Hong Kong...
. This was because of the recent residential boom in Discovery Bay
Discovery Bay
Discovery Bay is a mixed, primarily residential, development comprising a residential development and private and public recreational facilities in Hong Kong. It is situated on the north-eastern coast of Lantau Island in the New Territories. The development spans an area of 650 hectares , and...
, then which had no secondary school to cater for the growing need of secondary school education. After government approval of a site and funding in November 1990, plans for West Island School began in earnest, with the school operating as an offshoot of Island School at a temporary home; the old military hospital in Borrett Road, Mid-Levels
Mid-levels
Mid-levels is an expensive residential area on Hong Kong Island in Hong Kong. It is located halfway up Victoria Peak, directly above Central...
. http://www.web.wis.edu.hk/About_WIS/History/History.htm
West Island's first intake was in September 1991, when eighty-four Year 7 students were enrolled in four classes. In the meantime, work progressed on a purpose-built school in Pokfulam, designed by award-winning architect Patrick Lau
Patrick Lau
Patrick Lau Sau-shing, SBS, JP is an award-winning Hong Kong architect, legislative councilor, educator and civil servant.He is currently a representative on the Legislative Council of Hong Kong as a member for the Architectural, Surveying and Planning Functional Constituency, as well as a member...
, who was responsible for two other international school
International school
An International school is loosely defined as a school that promotes international education, in an international environment, either by adopting an international curriculum such as that of the International Baccalaureate or Cambridge International Examinations, or by following a national...
s in Hong Kong, the Lycée Français International
Lycée Français International
The Lycée Français International, or French International School of Hong Kong, is a French school located in Hong Kong. It was given the name "Victor Segalen", a French poet, in 1994...
in Tai Hang and the American Hong Kong International School
Hong Kong International School
Hong Kong International School is a prestigious international private school in Tai Tam and Repulse Bay, Hong Kong. Founded in 1966 by a group of Christian businessmen, HKIS spans from reception one to the twelfth grade. Its Lower and Upper Primary Divisions are located in Repulse Bay, and the...
in Tai Tam.
In September 1994, the new purpose-built building opened. This consisted of a ten-storey building consisting of three blocks: housing classrooms, laboratories, an auditorium and a 25-metre indoor pool, linked together by open-air walkways and air-conditioned faculty-corridors.
Over the years, renovations further increased the usability of the building, although by 2001 the school was getting rather crowded with over 1000 students enrolled; paving the way for the creation of a fourth block. This new addition opened for use in September 2003.
Curriculum
The school offers secondary education from Years 7 to 13, for children aged 10–18. West Island School students follow the International General Certificate of Secondary Education program in Years 10-11 and pursue the IBIB
- Places :*Ib , a station in the Indian Railways system*Imperial Beach, California, located in the extreme southwestern corner of the United States*Ib River*International Border*Indo-Pakistani border- Companies and organizations :...
Diploma in Years 12-13.
The grades achieved by West Island students in IGCSE and IB examinations place them generously above similar schools across the world. In 2011, around 60% of IGCSE passes were at A* or A. .
Almost all students pursue higher education in institutions around the world, including prestigious universities in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
In addition to its academic record, West Island also offer a large selection of extracurricular activities run by both staff and students. Such activities are also comprehensive, though internal competitions are also held; including an annual Sports Festival, Swimming Gala, Sports Day, Music Festival and Language Festival. Furthermore, students also have the opportunity to compete with other teams from other international schools as well as local schools from across Hong Kong and the region.
West Island School also participates in sport, with the school's track, swimming, field hockey, volleyball, martial arts, and netball teams placing well in HKSSF rankings. In 2011, the school won the BOCHK Bauhinia Bowl, as the highest ranked co-educational school in Hong Kong.
Facilities
These include:
Academic Faculties:
- Creative Arts (Art, Drama, Music, Theatre and Film Studies)
- Design and Technology (Design and Technology, Food Technology, Textiles Technology and Graphics),
- English
- Individuals and Societies (Geography, History, Psychology, Philosophy, Business Studies and Economics),
- ICT (Information and Communications Technology)
- Mathematics
- Modern Languages (Mandarin Chinese, French, Spanish and Italian)
- Science (Biology, Chemistry, Environmental StudiesEnvironmental studiesEnvironmental studies is the academic field which systematically studies human interaction with the environment. It is a broad interdisciplinary field of study that includes the natural environment, built environment, and the sets of relationships between them...
and Physics)
Support facilities:
- Careers Deparment', which includes Careers, concerning entry into higher education and similar prospects
- English as an Additional Language (EAL, ESL)
S4S (Same as EAL)
- The school library
Upper School students are entitled to the use of the Upper School Area, which encompasses a common area, staff offices, a pantry, a conference room, a Directed Studies room and a Careers Room, often undergoing refurbishment at the end of the academic year.
The building also houses a refectory, indoor sports hall (basketball, volleyball, badminton, etc.), multi-purpose hall, auditorium equipped with full scale lighting and audio sound system, 25-metre indoor heated swimming pool; and rooftops used as playgrounds and outdoor sports pitches. In 2011, a new "Arena" facility was constructed, providing access to well-equiped dance and multipurpose studios for use by students.
West Island School also makes use of the nearby University of Hong Kong's Stanley Homo Sports Centre at Sandy Bay
Sandy Bay, Hong Kong
Sandy Bay is a bay located in Pokfulam and south of Mount Davis, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. It is home to numerous facilities including Kennedy School, West Island School, the Hong Kong University Stanley Ho Sports Centre, numerous hospitals and rehabilitation homes such as the Duchess of Kent...
, including astro-turf and natural grass pitches, an athletics stadium, a 50-metre outdoor Swimming Pool and several tennis courts.
Extracurricular Activities & CAS
-After school Activities- Activities after school- Horizon's Week – A week where the whole school gets to go on different trips overseas, camping in HK or HK. .
These activities form part of the CAS (Creativity, Action & Service) requirements as part of the IB curriculum.
Management
The current principal of West Island School is Jane FoxcroftPrevious principals include Brian Driver (1999–2006) and Polly Graham (1994–1999).
WIS is a member school of the English Schools Foundation
English Schools Foundation
The English Schools Foundation is an organisation that runs 20 educational institutions, most of which are international schools, which are all located in Hong Kong...
(ESF). WIS is governed by a Student Council.
Popular culture
A scene in the 2007 Hong Kong filmCinema of Hong Kong
The cinema of Hong Kong is one of the three major threads in the history of Chinese language cinema, alongside the cinema of China, and the cinema of Taiwan...
Happy Birthday (生日快樂) was shot at West Island School.