Upcoming Dates

Please click to download the 2024/25 Hillside Calendar. You can also access the school calendar via the ESF App.

27 November: Parent Webinar - Play & Challenging Emotions

29 November: K1 Shared Learning Day 

11 December: Hillside Family Event, Last Day of Term for Children (Separate App Message)

12 December: ESF K1 Admissions 2025/26 (No School)

6 January: First Day of Term 2

Principal's Message

Dear Hillside Families

As we continue our journey in early years education, it is important to explore the difference between skill-based learning versus traditional knowledge-based learning and why we prioritise play-based inquiry learning in our curriculum.

In today's rapidly changing world, the skills our children acquire are more vital than ever. The World Economic Forum has projected that half of today's core skills will change, with critical thinking emerging as one of the top ten essential skills for the future. This highlights the need for an educational framework that not only imparts knowledge but also prepares our children to navigate an evolving economy.

Image credit: World Economic Forum

At Hillside, we deliver the International Baccalaureate (IB) philosophy, which places inquiry-based learning at the heart of its programmes. This approach is designed to nurture our students' natural curiosity, helping them to explore, question, and engage deeply with the knowledge around them. Through play-based inquiry, children are encouraged to investigate their surroundings, make connections across disciplines, and analyse different perspectives.

This approach fosters essential skills such as critical thinking, collaboration, and creativity—all foundational elements for lifelong success. Rather than merely memorising facts, we aim to cultivate an environment where children can develop their personal strengths, ask questions, and apply their learning in meaningful ways. Hence, you will often hear teachers talking about "Approaches to Learning (skill sets)" or "Learner Attributes" rather than maths learning or phonics hour. 

By prioritising play and inquiry, we are preparing our children not only for academic achievement but also for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. Together, we can ensure that our young learners become confident, capable individuals ready to thrive in a complex world. Please take a look below for suggestions on how parents can support this at home.

Warm regards
Audrey

Supporting Skill-based Learning

Here are some examples of how parents can support skill-based learning at home:

• Encourage Curiosity: Foster a sense of wonder by encouraging your child to ask questions about the world around them. You can also model by sharing wonderings. When they express curiosity, take the time to explore those questions together. For example, if they ask about how plants grow, you might say, "I wonder what a plant needs to grow?" and plant some seeds together to observe the growth process.
• Promote Playful Learning: Incorporate educational games into family time. Board games, puzzles, and building blocks not only provide fun but also promote critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration skills. Games that involve counting, strategy, or storytelling can be particularly beneficial.
• Involve Them in Daily Tasks: Involve your child in everyday activities, such as cooking or shopping. Ask them to help measure ingredients or compare prices, which can help develop their mathematical and reasoning skills while also teaching them about responsibility.
• Support Creative Expression: Provide opportunities for creative play, whether through arts and crafts, music, or dramatic play. Encouraging your child to express themselves creatively can enhance their critical thinking and self-confidence.
• Read Together: Make reading a shared activity. Discuss the stories you read, encouraging your child to predict what might happen next or to share their thoughts on the characters. This not only improves literacy skills but also enhances comprehension and analytical abilities.
• Encourage Reflection: After engaging in an activity, ask your child what they enjoyed or learned from the experience. This reflective practice helps them to articulate their thoughts and develop their reasoning skills.
• Create a Learning Environment: Designate a space at home that is conducive to learning and exploration. Stock it with a variety of resources—books, art supplies, and educational materials—that invite curiosity and experimentation.

K1s Explore Bradbury School

We're excited to share that the K1 children will be taking a short trip next door to Bradbury School to explore their "Teletubby Land"! This gentle excursion will provide a fun play opportunity and help them get used to transitioning to new spaces. This is also a great way to prepare them for later on in the year when we'll be using various spaces at Bradbury School for incursions and learning engagements. In addition to the class teachers, we'll deploy extra school staff to support the children during this visit.

Please note the following dates:
Frog and Panda Class: Monday, 2 December
Monkey and Dolphin Class: Wednesday, 4 December

Fire Drill Message

Yesterday, we practised our school fire drill. We first discussed the need to immediately stop what they were doing and line up quickly and quietly. They then need to follow their teachers, who will lead them outside, away from the building, to the safe meeting place. The teachers will then check to ensure all the children are accounted for.

After the discussion, we sounded the alarm (whistle) to practice this. The children did an excellent job listening and following instructions carefully – well done, everyone!!

Parent Webinar: All You Want to Know About Speech Development

Imogen from Imagine Speech-Language Pathology ran a fantastic webinar for parents that was informative and easy to apply. She talked about typical and atypical communication development in our kindergarten-aged kiddos and what to look out for. She even shared some helpful tips on maximising your child's communicative potential. You can find her slides HERE and recording HERE.

Here are a few examples of when children start eliminating phonological processes.

Bradbury Winter Market

The Bradbury School PTA is excited to invite you to the Winter Market at Bradbury School on Saturday, 30 November, from 10am to 2pm. This is the biggest event of the school year and promises to be a fun-filled evening for the whole family. There will be a carnival atmosphere with games, food stalls, and loads of fun on the school grounds. It's a great opportunity to interact with other parents in the ESF community.

Date: Saturday, 30 November

Time: 10am to 2pm

Location: Bradbury School, 43C Stubbs Road, Hong Kong

Helpful Links

Parent Handbook 
Inclement Weather Arrangements
NEW School Uniform
Pre-loved Uniform Swap
Please contact kinder@hillside.edu.hk for any general enquiries.