1. Specific Objectives
The 3-year school plan for 2008-20011 aims to:
- Broaden students’ perspectives towards their life and career goals.
- Foster a positive & stimulating English and learning environment at school.
- Develop students’ study skills and nurture constructive learning habits.
- Stretch the able and support the less able students.
Scripture of the school year 2008-2009:
And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight to help you to determine what is best, so that in the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless.
( Philippians 1:9-10)
2. Class structure and admission:
A symmetrical class structure is adopted. There are five classes in each form for S1 to S5, and three for S6 and S7.
No school places in S4 and S6 are allocated to outside students.
3. Teacher qualifications:
The school currently has 66 teachers, of which 32 (48 %) hold university degrees and 24 (37%) hold master degrees. Education psychologist and social worker are also employed to support the school’s work. Our teachers are eager to enrich themselves by further study and regular sharing. Classroom observation has long been practised in the school.
4. Religious education:
The school practices Christian education. The spirit of Jesus Christ is fully reflected in the school’s policy, management and campus life. The school actively promotes education on Christianity. Through classes on religious education, morning assembly, weekly assembly, Christian fellowship, Girl’s Brigade, gospel camp, sports events, cell groups, prayer groups and crusade, students come to know Jesus Christ and be committed.
The Shatin Methodist Church works closely with the school on holding various activities and camps to nurture students’ spirituality and leadership. Youth music worship is held every Saturday. The Religious Education Centre also provides an ideal place for retreat, prayer, group sharing and counseling.
5. Quality education:
The school actively promotes quality education, and made outstanding achievements in areas of management and organization, curriculum development and student support.
In 2004, EDB conducted a comprehensive External School Review to the school. Assessment was made on 4 areas encompassing 14 items, in which the school obtained .excellent. or .good. results.
In 2002, the school was elected to be one of the twenty outstanding schools and a Resource School to share its experience with schools in Hong Kong. A number of seed programmes on curriculum development have been carried out in collaboration with the EDB in recent years. This year, the school was again invited to be a member school under the Professional Development Scheme, School Support Partners Scheme, and Partnership for Improvement of Learning and Teaching project to further enhance quality education.
6. Diversified curriculum:
A diversified curriculum has been developed to cater for students with different abilities.
7. Education for the Gifted and Liberal Studies:
The 21th century needs persons with adaptability, intelligence and creativity. The school has developed a 3-year integrated curriculum for the gifted in junior forms. The aim is to promote students’ capacity to construct knowledge, to develop students into leaders of the society in future.
8. Language Education:
The school uses English as the medium of instruction, providing an excellent English learning environment for students.
Before starts of the school year, S1 students have to attend a mandatory Summer English Programme. S1 English Language is taught in small classes.
The school puts emphasis on listening, speaking, reading and writing abilities of students in the both Chinese and English. Putonghua courses are offered in S2 and S3. Assemblies are conducted in English, Cantonese and Putonghua. The Multi-media Language Lab provides a well-equipped environment for language learning.
All teachers of English Language and Putonghua have met the requirements of the Language Proficiency Assessment. Over 10 teachers have completed an internationally recognized ESL training to enhance their English teaching capacity.
9. Education on Information Technology:
The school actively promotes education in information technology. Computer literacy is offered in all junior forms, and in S4 and S5, a new computer and information technology course incorporating programming and multi-media production is offered. In S6, an AS level subject on Computer Application is offered. With the support of Quality Education Fund, the school established a Multi-media Learning Centre, Millennium Multi-media Classroom and Digital Music and Creative Art Workshop. All classrooms are equipped with projectors, and notebook computers are available on loan to needy students. Together with the Computer-aided Learning Room and two Computer Rooms, the school creates a good learning environment on information technology for students. Last year, the Campus TV secured funding from the Quality Education Fund again to set up a well-equipped Campus TV Production Centre.
Our students have outstanding performance on information technology and won awards in many inter-school and international competitions.
10. Extensive Reading for Extended Vision:
The implementation of English Reading Programme, Extensive Reading Scheme, Reading Time (held during morning assembly) and Reading Day (whole day activity comprising talks, reading, sharing and book exhibition), try to foster reading habit and develop interests on reading among students, as well as broaden the horizons for students.
11. Focus on Foundation, Cater for Learner Differences:
12. Home-school cooperation:
English Bridging Programme is organized for new S1 students during the summer holiday. Enhancement courses are also organized for low achievers in Chinese, English and Mathematics.
S1 English Language is taught in small and medium classes. The small class is remedial class tailor-made for students. A vocabulary (with pronunciation) webpage is provided for S1 students to help them adapt to the use of English in learning.
Enrichment programmes on Chinese, English, Mathematics and Science are offered to S2 to S4 students. Such classes are held outside school hours and are taught by the subject teachers. Students are often recommended to various gifted programmes organized by tertiary institutions and the Gifted Education Section under EMB.
The Discipline Committee, Guidance Committee, Extra-curricular Activity Committee and Student Union organize different kinds of leadership training, or provide support to students in need.
Scholarships are offered to encourage balanced development of students. Scholarships set up from donations of teachers and parents are awarded to the most improved students. Funds are earmarked to support needy students who wish to take part in fee charging extra-curricular activities.
The school supports the direction of close cooperation between parents and school. Each year the Parent Teacher Association organizes lectures, workshops, home-school talks, parent groups, picnic, barbecue and all kinds of interest classes, to enhance communication between parents and school and to promote parent education. In addition, the Parent Resources Centre provides a good environment for home-school cooperation. Parent volunteers are on duty to help launch activities organized by the PTA. . From 2001 onwards, the SMC has been attended by parent representative.
13. Public Examination Results and Further Studies:
Our students perform well in public examinations, please see The School’s Performance Compared with Territory-wide Results for details.
14. Diversified Activities for Whole-person Development:
A self-autonomous Student Union has been set up since 1990. Executives of the Student Union will also sit on the Shatin Joint School Student Union to serve to the community. The school has over 60 clubs and interest groups to enable students to develop a wide range of interests, of which the service groups, uniformed groups, campus TV, clubs on sports, music, choral speaking, art, dancing, IT, horticulture and Chinese herbal medicine, creative writing are the most active ones. The school adopted Broadening Horizons as one of its directions. Efforts are made to strengthen participation in activities outside the local community, with a view to enriching experience and serving the community.
15. Establish Professional Network, Enrich Learning Experience:
The school made good effort to establish links with voluntary agencies, government departments and tertiary institutes. This enabled the school to tap resources and launch activities to broaden the horizons of both students and teachers. The school has recommended student to the gifted programmes run by tertiary institutions and EDB, and nominated students to take part in high level academic activities as well. The school establishes good connection with education professionals and bodies in Hong Kong and overseas. A number of sharing and study tours have been held, which benefited both teachers and students.
The school has set up a fund to enable needy students to take part in overseas studies, with a view to enriching their learning experience.