International Schools Directory

The Peak School is one of sixteen schools that together form the English Schools Foundation (ESF), the largest foundation of international schools in the Asian region. Of the sixteen schools ten, including the Peak, are for primary aged children (5-11), five are secondary schools (11-18), and there is one all age school for children with profound learning difficulties. The Peak School has a long and proud tradition of service to the local community. From humble beginnings in 1911, when about six children were taught in one room of a house on the Peak, the school grew rapidly and soon occupied a suite of rooms in the old Peak Hotel. Some time later the school moved to what is now the Peak Fire Station, a building used latterly as an annex known as "Little Peak" until it became The Peak Fire Station in 1966. The present school building opened in 1953, funded by parents and a number of the larger commercial companies of Hong Kong. In 1979, The Peak School was handed over by the government for management by the ESF. An Executive Committee of the ESF was established to manage the affairs of the Foundation. Subsequently, the ESF set up The Peak School Council to manage the affairs of the school. The Council consists of the person appointed by the Foundation as Chairperson of the Council; the Secretary of the Foundation or her representative; the Principal of the school; two parents of pupils at the school, nominated by the Parent Teacher Association (PTA); two teachers from the school, nominated by the teaching staff of the school; and two persons nominated by the School Council itself. The academic school year is divided into trimesters: Autumn term (September-December0, Spring term (January-April), and Summer term (April - July). The Peak School curriculum is similar to that of primary schools (age 5-11) in the United Kingdom and is based on the National Curriculum of England and Wales (N.C.). It pays due attention to sound educational practices and reflects the need for flexibility of approach in teaching methods. It also relates to the Hong Kong environment and the diverse needs of the children who together represent about 25 nationalities and all the major religions of the World. The Peak School is a two-form entry, six year, primary school with a maximum of 30 pupils in each of its twelve classes. All ESF schools are well staffed with teachers holding qualifications recognised both internationally and in Hong Kong. Including the Principal, The Peak has the equivalent of 18 full-time teaching staff, 15 learning support assistants, 2 Mandarin assistants, a librarian, a school nurse and a resource assistant. The Office Manager and an Office Assistant run the School Office. There are also six care-taking staff, one of whom has on-site accommodation. There are twelve well-equipped, large, light and airy classrooms and a good number of valuable support rooms, which enable the curriculum to be delivered effectively to all age groups. The school grounds are attractive and mainly consist of a smaller covered play area and, for Hong Kong, an excellent larger play area.