Class of 2021 Results and Pathways

Head of School Message

Mr Howard West Head of School

Welcome to the 2021 Annual Review. It is my pleasure to provide this report as Head of School and to provide an overview of yet another eventful yet successful school year.

Though the year commenced with online learning in place, due to the ongoing impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, AISHK students were supported by their teachers and parents, displaying much resilience and resourcefulness throughout 2021. The eventual arrival of a return to fullday classes from May was welcome news for all and came with much joy and further flourishing of our students, learning once again on campus.

AISHK commenced the school year with 1,114 students and, including departures and arrivals, ended the year with 1,165 students. The welcoming of new students and their families into the school at the start of each term, and during, was well supported by the AISHK Parent Association, the Admissions staff, teachers and students. Providing a warm welcome to newcomers is an important hallmark of AISHK which we seek to maintain.

As a staff body, AISHK continued to extend and enhance our skills and delivery of a leading international education through professional learning. Our whole-school focus saw professional learning communities of teachers working in groups across the Primary and Secondary Divisions, using the framework of ‘Principles of Learning’ from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Teachers identified an area of their practice to improve using a ‘Data Informed Decision Making Cycle’ developed by Australian Independent Schools New South Wales (AISNSW) to ensure it was an evidence based approach.

Wellbeing

AISHK recognises the evolving and ever-present need for a sound understanding of what wellbeing means in a school and personal context. Early in 2021, a Wellbeing Committee was reconvened, led by the Deputy Heads of Secondary and Primary and comprised of staff representatives from across the school; Andrew Wookey (HPE Teacher), Kathleen Ellis (Head of PDHPE), David Emery (Secondary Teacher), Paul McGunnigle (HSIE Teacher and Head of Community Service), Joanna Chan (Primary Psychologist), Bernadette Spencer Secondary Psychologist), Christopher Bird (Deputy Head of Primary, R-2) and Donna Botfield (Deputy Head of Primary, 3-6).

The Committee is dedicated to proactively identifying and implementing an evidence-based wellbeing approach. A whole-school approach is shown to “improve wellbeing, reduce internalising problems and support gains in interpersonal and intrapersonal attitudes and skills” (AISNSW Wellbeing Literature Review 2021). Meeting at least twice a term, the Committee discusses up-to-date research into school wellbeing, the unique needs of our school community and the values and mission of AISHK.

During Mental Health month, AISHK held Tune into Mental Health Week, commencing on 25 October, featuring a variety of events, activities and information sessions for students, staff and parents. Emphasis was placed on the importance of both individual and collective wellbeing, as well as our efforts as a wider community to become mental health allies.

Primary

During a challenging start to the school year, Primary students displayed great resilience and flexibility, supported by their network of parents, staff and peers. A great sense of ‘normality’ returned with resumption to on-campus learning. For many Primary students, this marked the first time they had set foot on the School grounds since their enrollment. 2021 class cohorts were maintained so that peers remained in the same groups of the preceding year. This assisted students in building upon the important relationships which they had established.

A key focus point for Primary was to promote reconnection in the school and to nurture teacher-student, studentstudent and school-parent relationships.

The return of School Camps was met with great excitement for Years 3-6, as were the programs for Peer Support, House Spirit days, swimming, musical performances, excursions and incursions, Chinese Week, Book Week, Mental Health Week, Mufti days and much more.

Led by Head of Primary, Mr Brendan Kean and supported by a range of staff, a diversity of professional learning initiatives continued in 2021, including a focus on English with leading literacy expert Sue Pike from AISNSW. The establishment of the English Committee, comprising representatives across Primary year levels, ensures that a dedicated group meets regularly to review the English Curriculum and to make recommendations for changes and enhancements to the program.

A key focus point for Primary was to promote reconnection in the school and to nurture teacher-student, studentstudent and school-parent relationships. The ability to host parents on campus in a range of ways was pivotal to this and to overall community engagement, particularly for the newer families in Primary who had the opportunity to connect with fellow newcomers. Parent meetings with the Primary Leadership Team returned to the calendar, as did student-led conferences, school tours and class visits, audiences for assemblies and special events, many of which made for a festive end to the year.

Secondary

Secondary students should be very proud of what has been accomplished in 2021 despite significant obstacles. Students continued to make connections between their learning and real-world situations and problems, and as the year has progressed, we were able to reinstate excursions and other off-campus experiences to make learning more authentic. Curricular highlights of the year which were once again enjoyed on campus included the inaugural Shakespeare Festival, the Science Fair and the Senior Art Exhibition.

Secondary staff engaged in professional learning to ensure the development students’ 21st century skills, including an insightful session in April with Professor Nicholas Davis – former Head of Society and Innovation at the World Economic Forum.

With the easing of restrictions in the second semester, the Performing Arts faculty saw several events return, including the Rock Band and String and Vocal Ensembles performing publicly. Competitive sport returned with friendly, yet keenly contested fixtures taking place at both AISHK and other schools. Experiential learning and outdoor education saw camps and adventure days organised for the different Secondary year levels, while many students continued to pursue the Hong Kong Award for Young People by undertaking overnight hikes of varying degrees of difficulty.

Led by Head of Secondary, Mr Peter Phillips, and supported by many staff, 2021 also saw the successful completion of the IB Diploma 5-year Review and evaluation.

As the conclusion of 2021 drew near, the Valedictory Assembly and Valedictory Dinner were both stirring farewells to our graduating Year 12 students. For ten students who began with us in either Reception or Prep, it was the culmination of their entire school education at AISHK. We were delighted to celebrate the many achievements of this cohort, which are further detailed in this publication.

Community Engagement

Surveys of the staff, student and parent groups conducted by MMG Education in the later part of 2021 provided the School with useful data and feedback about school involvement, satisfaction and expectations. We are pleased to share the outcomes of this survey within this publication.

Staff

The achievements of our esteemed and well-qualified staff in teaching and leading the students remain a pillar of support for the School’s success. Staff managed a myriad of tasks in juggling the variations of online learning, but always with the key purpose of providing the best learning for our students

There were well-deserved promotions from the start of the year with Mrs Botfield and Mr Bird becoming Deputy Heads in the Primary Division and Mrs Haymes Deputy Head in Secondary; along with Mr Peter Phillips being appointed as Head of Secondary from Term 4. Their leadership and contributions in the school executive, along with Mr Kean and Mr Christmas, make the operational work of the school very effective. Farewells were made to several teachers in 2021. For some, it was earlier in the year: Ms Jo Spencer, Ms Feona Crawford, Dr Jean McPherson, Mr Henryk Flak, Mr Steven Potts; whilst at the end of the year in Primary we farewelled Ms Kate Beange, Mr Josh Aghion, Ms Erin Torres, Ms Emma Knight, Mrs Rachel Collins, Ms Jamie Dy. Secondary included Mrs Nancy Mitchell, Mr Ian Pomeroy and Ms Heather McCann. We wish them each much success in their next teaching experience.

I take this opportunity to thank the AISFL Board for their continued support and sound governance, which ensures the School’s success. Their dedicated work under the Chairmanship of Professor Richard Petty is highly valued and demonstrated throughout this Annual Review.

Thank you to all parents and guardians for your enduring commitment to AISHK and for entrusting us to guide your children through their daily school lives.

In the previous 26 years, AISHK has striven to be a school of excellence which prospers the wellbeing and learning of every student within its classrooms. 2021 was a year of extraordinary challenges and of great accomplishments.

Our mission “to provide a world class international school where students achieve their personal best” has remained at the fore of everything we have done this year.

Thank you for making 2021 a success.