It is almost five years since Malvern College Hong Kong (MCHK) opened its doors in the New Territories. As the school prepares to pass the founding stage and enter the “early history” stage, Headmaster Dr Robin A. Lister outlines ongoing achievements, upcoming milestones and the outlook for the years to come.
“We are very proud of what MCHK has accomplished since launching in August 2018. We have built a thriving, vibrant school community that is growing into the space of our seven-storey, state-of-the-art campus. The summer of 2023 will not only see our first cohort graduate, but also our fifth birthday celebrations,” Dr Lister opens.
Classes are now operating from Prep 1 (Year 1) to Lower Sixth (Year 12). By adding Upper Sixth (Year 13) in 2022/23, MCHK’s year groups will be complete. The school’s pupil body is still growing, and at full capacity, enrolment numbers will have reached approximately 1,200 pupils across all year groups.
Only two years after opening, MCHK became an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School, authorised to offer all three IB Programmes, the Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP) and Diploma Programme (DP).
The school has set out to build a caring, supportive and ambitious learning environment, and has high expectations of its first cohort, who will be graduating with the IB Diploma in May 2023. “We have every confidence that they will be successful, setting a great example for every other cohort to follow,” Dr Lister says. “Students are supported through our Sixth Form Tutor Programme, Leadership Programme and our newly appointed University and Careers Guidance Counsellor.”
In May 2021, Malvern’s commitment to top-end yet holistic education manifested itself for the first time in actual graduation results: The entire Year 11 cohort (or “Hundred” in Malvern language) took the MYP eAssessments, a formal, internationally recognised Middle Years Qualification provided by the IB – and the outcome was excellent.
“With a 100% pass rate, 60% of our pupils achieved 45 points or more, and 27% of our pupils achieved 50 points or more,” explains Dr Lister. “The highest possible score is 56 points, so our pupil’s average score of 44 points sits well above the world average of 38 points. 47% of the pupils were awarded the Bilingual Certificate, studying both English and Chinese (Mandarin) Language and Literature.” The current MYP eAssessments are ongoing with results notification expected at the end of the academic year.
As Malvern’s student body continues to expand, so does its award-winning campus. “Our 26,000 square- metre campus houses the primary and secondary school including academic, sporting and recreational spaces,” says Dr Lister. “Recent additions include our Black Box theatre and a new outdoor play area. This year, we were also delighted to open the sixth floor, which houses design workshops, more classrooms and offices, and will eventually include a new Sixth Form Centre and examination hall.”
MCHK operates in partnership with its parent school Malvern College UK, a co-educational day and boarding school founded in 1865 – and as such it’s part of the Malvern Family of Schools’ global network. With schools in the UK, Hong Kong, Qingdao, Chengdu, Egypt and Switzerland, the network continues to expand, and more sister schools will be added in September 2023: Malvern College Barbados and – closer to home – Malvern College Tokyo.
“Malvern College Tokyo aims to be the first British- branded all-through IB school in Tokyo,” says Dr Lister. “Exciting times lie ahead, and we look forward to the boundless opportunities this will bring in terms of exchange programmes, inter-school collaboration and shared learning and teaching experiences.”
Applications and Admissions:
Tel: 3898 4688
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.malverncollege.org.hk