Parents

As you are aware, your school will begin using ESF Hub at the start of the next academic year. This new system will bring everything related to your child’s education into one place. 

With the launch of the new app and web portal, you will be able to carry out operational tasks like reporting absences, giving permissions and finding out the latest news from the school and you will get a whole new level of access to what your child is learning each day.

ESF Hub has a lot of functions and we know that being faced with a new system can be overwhelming. That is why we are going to go slow with its introduction. For now, we want to make sure that everyone is ready to use the basic elements of ESF Hub from the start of the school year - and we can introduce you to the more in-depth functions as the term progresses.

With that in mind, we have produced this handy User Guide for ESF Hub. It will show you how to master the basics and make sure that you are ready for launch. 

We will be in touch again with your log-on details and instructions on how to get started. The current ESF app will no longer be in use in your school, so you will need to download the new ESF Hub app. We will let you know when you can do that.

Your school and the ESF Hub team will also be making sure that you are fully supported when we launch. 

For now, we don’t need you to do anything, other than familiarise yourself with this guide.

As always, thank you for your support of ESF and of your school.

Rob Shorthouse

Director of Strategy and Communications

Parents

Today we are making a significant announcement, one which will help us write the next chapter in our ESF story.

From September 2026, families applying for a K1 kindergarten place for their child will be joining a complete K1-Y13 school system. For the first time, we are directly linking specific primary schools with our kindergartens, in the same way that secondary schools are already associated with primaries.

This means that when a child joins ESF at K1, they will know precisely which school they will attend until they complete their studies in Y13.

The move is designed to deliver key benefits to students and their families by:

• Giving parents certainty and peace of mind about their child’s schooling.

• Allowing schools to better share resources, including specialist teachers and support services across all phases.

• Ensuring that the key transition phases between kindergarten, primary and secondary schools are managed even more effectively.

The move will allow our world-class early years educators to work together more closely than ever to truly get to know each child. Teachers in our kindergartens and their linked primary schools will collaborate deeply to understand each child’s unique learning style, ensuring the transition to primary school is a progression, not a new start.

By completing our through-train model, ESF is evolving from a network of associated, individual schools, into a truly unified education system. For our families, this means greater coherence and a seamless progression in their child’s learning. From the moment they first walk through our gates until they graduate from secondary school, each child will experience a single, connected ESF community.

This is the next exciting chapter of our story.

All of the details about the move, including an interactive educational journey planner, are available at https://join-us.esf.edu.hk/earlyyearsnewapproach. You can also access a full Q&A document here.

Belinda Greer

Chief Executive

Dear Parents,

Keeping your child safe is our top priority at ESF.

I would like to share our Safeguarding and Child Protection Brochure with you. This document explains how we work to protect your children from harm.

You may be aware that Hong Kong has introduced a new law regarding child protection. As of 20 January 2026, our teachers and staff are legally required to report serious safety concerns to the authorities. We view this as a positive step to ensure children's safety, and all our staff have been trained on this new law.

We want to work closely with you to keep your child safe.

If you ever have a worry or concern, no matter how small, please come and speak to us. It doesn't have to be about a major incident; it could simply be a feeling you have or something you are unsure about.

You can speak with your school's Principal, or contact your school's Child Protection Officers directly. Please visit your school's website and go to the "What we stand for" section. You can find their contact details there.

Our doors are always open to you.

Sincerely,

Mark Blackshaw

Director of Education
English Schools Foundation