Robin Lister, head of Malvern College Hong Kong, explains what a Malvern education looks like.
With a 150-year history in the UK, Malvern College also has international schools in China and Egypt with its most recent addition opening in Hong Kong in September 2018. The primary and secondary school, initially Years 1 through 9, will be located near the Science Park in the New Territories and will follow the Primary Years Programme, Middle Years Programme and the International Baccalaureate.
“The IB is very well-respected worldwide and recent results present the most reliable correlation between how a child performs at school and at university,” says Lister.
“The IB also encourages students to look globally for universities depending on their preferred degree, which is perfect for our international student makeup,” he adds. Students are able to take different levels in different subjects, allowing them to gain a broad education as well as exploring their particular strengths. Lister feels that the curriculum fits in well with the company’s ethos, as it gives all students the chance to succeed wherever their talents may lie.
“At Malvern you can take academic excellence for granted – we employ superb teachers who will stretch every child to best of their ability,” he says, “but I believe passionately that Malvern also gives each child the chance to develop character and personality.”
Although Malvern College Hong Kong will be a day school, Lister considers one of its strengths to be the adoption of many boarding school practices, such as providing a personal tutor for each student. This means that each child is seen as an individual by somebody who gets to know them well and is therefore able to bend the education to that particular child.
“I firmly believe that if you can get a child to experience success in one sphere, be it playing trombone, getting a part in a play or scoring a try on the rugby field, that success can then be taken into their Geography or Maths lesson and applied to the whole of their developing lives,” he says.
“It’s jolly important to go beyond grades to personal enjoyment and fulfillment to strive for success and happiness in life.”
Each student will also have a House master or mistress who will keep a close eye on them both academically and pastorally.
“Along with the tutor, they are responsible for balancing academic rigour with a holistic education and we really take this seriously at Malvern. Growing up now is a lot more complicated than it was when I was a teenager and students and parents need a great deal of support, advice and guidance,” Lister says. He stresses that staff will be expert in gauging the balance needed for each child, so that each will get the support they need be it academic or emotional.
“Simple things such as eating lunch with the students and encouraging healthy competition in sport through the House system give students a real feeling of collegiality and belonging which translates into a greater sense of confidence,”
he adds. Seniors will be expected to stay around one evening a week to participate in house activities designed to develop character, such as aiding younger pupils with homework.
Visit the website at www.malverncollege.org.hk for details of admission procedures and open days.
This article appeared in Playtimes May Issue 2017.
More about schools in Hong Kong here
