| Language Policy |
Holistic Language Policy – English, Putonghua and Cantonese are all strongly promoted across the school through performances, reading and other language-enhancing activities. The school considers that the continued development of students' mother tongue supports their successful acquisition of additional languages. All teachers are teachers of language, and this drives the school's recruitment of a language-rich, culturally diverse teaching team (42% native-English speaking and overseas-returned bilingual). Teaching staff come from all 6 continents bringing cultural and linguistic diversity to the school which matches our student body. |
| Learning and Teaching Strategies |
Small class size – not more than 26 students for all classes, and not more than 20 in F.5 & F.6 classes. Highly favorable 1:10 teacher-student ratio to cater for student diversity and individual needs and talents.<br><br>Learning and Teaching – students learn through inquiry via MYP units of study driven by guiding questions, global contexts, inter-disciplinary links and standards-based assessment tasks. Teaching is consciously multi-level in order to provide appropriate challenge and support to different students. Both English and Chinese reading habits are promoted through a number of ways including:<br>1. A strong emphasis on literature in both Chinese and English curricula, involving the study of several set texts for both languages;<br>2. An extensive library easily accessible to all students, both physically and online version;<br>3. Newspaper and magazine subscription schemes;<br>4. Regular reading time;<br>5. Reading buddies, Battle of the Books, World Book Day and other co-curricular activities throughout the year. |
| School-based curriculum |
1. Electives: 2X and 3X. Subjects offered: Biology, Chemistry, Physics, DAT, BAFS, TFL, Economics, History, ICT, Geography, Music, Visual Arts and English Literature<br> 2. Curriculum highlights: Unique Curriculum Policy – the only school to implement the new HK secondary school curriculum through the IB Middle Years Programme (www.ibo.org/myp), and providing students with the option of applying to study the IB Diploma, recognized throughout the world as one of the top qualifications for university entrance, or if choosing to continue with HKDSE. |
| Approach to Catering for Learner Diversity |
The school welcomes students from a wide range of linguistic, cultural and social backgrounds, well supported by our scholarship and fee remission schemes. The internationally-minded IB curriculum caters very effectively for students coming from diverse backgrounds. It provides for 1st and 2nd language learning courses and we offer these courses for both English and Chinese. There is also a Centre for Academic Language Proficiency to improve students’ language skills to access the English-medium curriculum, whilst our CLACH (Chinese Language, Literature, Arts & Chinese History) programme provides an inter-disciplinary approach to strengthen students' Chinese learning skills, activities and knowledge. We offer many co-curricular activities to expand students’ horizons and to promote their individual interest in the arts, sports, service, STEAM, culture and leadership. |
| Approach to Integrated Education |
The school has a clear ethos of inclusive education. We have a Learning Support Department which includes a SEN Coordinator (SENCo), learning support teachers, an educational psychologist and speech therapists. The Learning Support department adopts a range of strategies to support ‘local & NCS’ students with special educational needs and to help students be integrated into our school, which include but are not limited to support groups, individual academic counselling sessions, co-teaching with subject teachers, and school-based speech and educational psychological services etc. The Learning Support Department often works with other teams to ensure that pastoral care and academic development are holistically addressed.<br><br> |
| Education Support for Non-Chinese Speaking (NCS) Students |
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| Home-School Co-operation |
The CSS PTA was established in November 2008. A CSS Parents Educational Institute is set up and courses for parents began in 2009. Parental views are surveyed each year. Student-teacher-parent conferences are also held to discuss student progress in school throughout the year. |
| School Ethos |
Support for students – This is provided through the house system. House tutors offer 1 to 1 and small group tutorials to review students' overall progress. ESL and learning support is targeted at identified students. In addition, the school has a full-time guidance counselor to support students' needs. |
| School Development Plan |
(1) Enhance students' approaches to learning and improve their attainment.<br>(2) Deepen students' learning opportunities, broaden choice, and strengthen their participation in determining future pathways.<br>(3) Develop teaching effectiveness through capacity building and professional development.<br>(4) Align and strengthen stakeholder support and development structures to match school values.<br>(5) Align and strengthen core school values, practices and culture.<br>(6) Reinforce and further develop high calibre quality assurance and self-evaluation strategies, policies, practices and procedures. |
| Teacher Professional Training and Development |
Teachers' Professional Development – all teachers benefit from school-based learning through collaborative curriculum planning, sharing of good practice, as well as attendance at EDB, IE and IB workshops. |
| Life-wide Learning |
(1) Co-Curricular Activities (CCA)<br>CCAs are vital to the all-round development of students. They help them to acquire healthy, well-balanced lifestyle and a positive attitude to life. Every year, students are offered over 50 activities, clubs and societies for students to choose from. Students can take full advantage of these opportunities to broaden their horizons, excel in interest areas and to develop leadership skills. The school also organizes various camps and excursions to extend students' learning beyond the classroom. CCAs take place outside of class during lunchtimes and after school.<br><br>(2) Creative Week<br>One of our key highlights of experiential learning is the Creative Week. During spring time each year, classes would not take place for one week in the classroom but away from the normal routine. Creative Week gives students the opportunity to engage in activities in and beyond Hong Kong.<br><br>(a) S.1 students will take part in an adventurous outdoor education or overnight camp where students spend time with fellow housemates and tutors for 5 days together, participating in a range of activities such as rock climbing, kayaking and other team building games.<br>(b) Students in S.2 would participate in different cultural and service camps.<br>(c) S.3 to S.5 students can choose to go on a wide choice of programmes in Hong Kong and overseas.<br><br>(3) Study Tours<br>Study Tours are specifically organised trips to local, Mainland China and overseas destinations to learn and gain experiences in various subject areas that would enhance students’ learning.<br><br>(4) Student Exchange Programmes<br>Student Exchange Programmes are valuable and meaningful opportunities for students to learn beyond the context of our own community in Hong Kong. Students would gain a unique and life-changing experiences in attending schools abroad. The widening of their horizons would also enable students to embrace the CSS Learner Attributes to become a true CSS Learner. |
