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

March (Fridays): K2 Chinese PTCs (K1s will take place in May)

5,6,11 March: Vision Screening

7 March: K1 & K2 Jockey Club Oral Health Incursion

10, 13 March: K1 Excursion to Pamela Peck Discovery Space (Parents Required, Separate App Message)

20 March: Parent Webinar - How Do Children Make Friends?

Dear Hillside Families,

Within ESF, there is strong interest in learning through play, as expressed by colleagues during the recent ESF Learning Walks. At Hillside, we strongly embrace learning through play, recognising it as essential for growth and development. Our approach promotes social interaction, language skills, and emotional regulation. By providing purposeful play experiences, we encourage curiosity, creativity, and problem-solving, while our teaching team actively engages with children to enhance their understanding and foster meaningful connections. For more details about Learning Through Play, see the section below.

The K1 excursion to the Pamela Peck Discovery Space supports various learning goals and enhances the upcoming unit, "How the World Works." This experience promotes experimentation and exploration in engaging play areas. Thank you to all the parents joining us - your involvement makes a significant difference!

Thank you once again for being an active part of our community. 

Warm regards,
Audrey

Traditionally, children might learn about maths and numbers through worksheets or direct instruction. They would be presented with problems like "If you have 3 apples and you buy 2 more, how many do you have in total?" This method often relies heavily on rote memorisation and may not engage children's interest.

In a play-based setting, children could engage in a role-play grocery store. They would use play money to "purchase" items, counting out their money and figuring out how much change they should receive. For example, if they want to buy a toy for 5 pretend dollars and they give the cashier 10, they need to count the change back. This interactive experience makes maths tangible and relevant, allowing children to explore mathematical concepts in a fun and engaging way.

In a traditional setting, literacy might be taught through direct phonics instruction, where children learn letter sounds and practice reading from textbooks. They might spend time sounding out words in isolation without much context.

In a play-based environment, children could engage in a storytelling or role-play corner where they can create their own scenes and act out stories using puppets or props. They might work together to act out a narrative, using new vocabulary and sentence structures in context. This encourages creativity, enhances their understanding of language, and promotes collaborative storytelling, all while making literacy enjoyable and meaningful.

Our upcoming social media post will focus on “Skills Before Friendships.” We’ll be highlighting essential skills that lay the groundwork for successful social interactions. Understanding these skills will empower you to support your child's social development and prepare them for future friendships. We encourage you to engage with this content and share your thoughts! [IG: @esf.hillside]

We shared a few important safeguarding reminders in a separate App message this week. To reiterate:

• Photo Taking: Please be mindful that some families prefer not to have their children photographed. We appreciate your respect for their privacy.
• Supervision of Children: Ensure children are supervised during drop-off and pick-up times. Your vigilance is vital for their safety.
• Allergies: We continue to maintain a nut-free environment to protect our children with allergies.
• Children's Toilets: Only ESF staff members who have completed safeguarding training may assist children in the children's toilets.

Safeguarding is everyone’s business.

By ensuring that everyone involved with your child is aware of our safeguarding policies, we can help create a safer school community. For any child protection matters, please contact our Child Protection Officers: Laura and Audrey.

ESF head office has reviewed the 2025/26 calendar (LINK). The calendar will need to undergo Hong Kong government gazetting for 2026, which is typically completed in May. At this point, we do not anticipate any issues.

Please note that there will be a separate orientation schedule for K1s and K2s for the first weeks of term. We will share the schedule with parents in Term 3.

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NEW School Uniform
Pre-loved Uniform Swap
Please contact kinder@hillside.edu.hk for any general enquiries.