Discovery College

Discovery College (Chinese: 智新書院) is a private independent school operated by the ESF in Discovery Bay, Hong Kong. It offers both primary and secondary education on one campus. The school first opened in August 2008 after replacing another ESF school, Bauhinia School, which first opened in January 2002.[2] Discovery College has five houses, and provides education from year 1 to year 13.[3]

Discovery College
智新書院
Exterior of Discovery College.
Location
Yi Pak Bay, Discovery Bay, Lantau Island

Hong Kong
Information
TypeCo-educational private primary and secondary school
EstablishedAugust 2006
PrincipalMr. James Smith [1]
Enrollment1,448
HousesJin Shu (metal), Qing Mu (wood), Liu Shui (water), Lie Huo (fire) and Re Tu (earth)
Colour(s)Red and grey
Websitewww.discovery.edu.hk

Discovery College was established by the English Schools Foundation to serve the needs of the local and expatriate communities in Hong Kong. It is a full Years 1 to 13 school offering the International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Programme (PYP) for Years 1-6, Middle Years Programme (MYP) for Years 7-11, and Diploma Programme (DP) for Years 12-13. Under the Private Independent School Scheme, 70% of the students of Discovery College must be Hong Kong permanent residents.[4]

History
Discovery College being constructed next to Club Siena in Yi Pak Bay, Discovery Bay

Plans to set up Discovery College as one of ESF's first private schools began in 1999.[5] As a private ESF school, Discovery College would not receive recurrent government subsidy. In 2001, the Education and Manpower Bureau (EMB) granted ESF a lot of land in Ma On Shan and in Discovery Bay to build two primary-cum-secondary schools under the Private Independent School Scheme.[4] The Discovery Bay site would eventually become the permanent campus of Discovery College.

Designed by Integrated Design Associates, the permanent campus was built between 2003 and 2008.[6] The 70,000 sq ft campus cost HK$290 million,[7] of which HK$137 million was granted by the Hong Kong Government.[8] Operated by ESF Educational Services Limited (ESL), an ESF subsidiary, Discovery College needs to repay ESF its capital costs of HK$168 million within 20 years of opening.[9]

In 2007, the primary section of Discovery College opened in a temporary site in Lai King, merging with former ESF primary school Bauhinia School.[10] About two thirds of the school's students were transferred from Bauhinia School.[7] The 450 students moved into the Discovery Bay campus when it began operation on 20 August 2008.[7]

Curriculum

Discovery College adopts a range of long-standing International Baccalaureate programmes: the Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP), Diploma Programme (DP), and the newly added Career-related Programme (CP), a curriculum for students aged 16-19 that is more personalized for those who are more certain of their future career paths.[11]

References
  1. "Principal's Welcome". Discovery College. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  2. "Hong Kong International Schools: Bauhinia School". www.internationalschoolguide.com. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  3. "Discovery College - IB Through school, Discovery Bay, Hong Kong". Discovery College. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
  4. Government subsidies to the English Schools Foundation (PDF) (Report). Hong Kong: Audit Commission. 23 October 2004. pp. 2–3. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
  5. Forestier, Katherine (2 September 2006). "Renaissance College Puts Fresh Face on the ESF". South China Morning Post. Hong Kong. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
  6. "Discovery College" (PDF). Building Journal. Hong Kong. November 2008. p. 36. Retrieved 30 November 2018.
  7. Heron, Liz (21 June 2008). "ESF on a mission of green Discovery". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 30 November 2018.
  8. Jasper Tsang Yok-Sing, President (1 June 2011). "Official Record of Proceedings" (PDF). Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Hong Kong Special Administrative Region: Legislative Council. p. 11192.
  9. Heron, Liz (30 November 2010). "ESF chief admits levy could have been avoided". South China Morning Post.
  10. Heron, Liz (14 June 2008). "Discovery day at new DB college". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 30 November 2018.
  11. Discovery College. "Curriculum – General". Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 30 August 2007.


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