Nord Anglia International School

Academic Culture and Results

Nord Anglia International School Hong Kong occupies a distinctive position: it proudly describes itself as a non-selective school yet consistently produces outcomes that rival selective institutions in Hong Kong.

IB Diploma Programme (2023 Results)

The Class of 2023 was only the school's third ever IBDP cohort, yet the results were impressive:

• 100% pass rate
• 40% of students earned the Bilingual IB Diploma
• 10% of students scored 40 or more points out of 45
• 30% scored 35 or more points
• 100% of graduates secured a university place, with many receiving offers from Cambridge, Imperial, KCL, UCL, HKU, and HKUST

The school notes that these results "consistently exceed the Nord Anglia network average, which itself exceeds the world average."

IGCSE Results (2024)

The 2024 IGCSE cohort delivered strong results across the board:

• 42% of grades were A* or A
• 70% of grades were A* to B
• 92% of grades were A* to C (including in English and Mathematics)

Small Classes, High Expectations

The academic culture is underpinned by structural advantages:

• Average class size of 24 students
• Student-teacher ratio of 11:1
• Specialist subject teachers from early in the secondary school
• An IB Diploma Suite — a university-style study space — for Year 12 and 13 students

University Destinations (Class of 2025)

The Class of 2025 received offers from universities across the UK, US, Canada, Australia, and Asia. Named institutions include top UK universities (Russell Group members) and leading Hong Kong universities. The school's university counselling team supports students from Year 10 onwards in identifying suitable destinations and crafting compelling applications.

For a community of over 40 nationalities, the breadth of university destinations reflects the genuinely international character of the student body.

Admissions Culture at NAIS Hong Kong

Nord Anglia International School Hong Kong describes itself as a non-selective school — meaning it does not filter students by prior academic achievement. In practice, however, demand significantly exceeds supply: the school's own fee page acknowledges that "we receive many more applications than places available in your child's year group."

The Admissions Journey

The process follows a clear sequence:

1. Enquiry — Submit an online enquiry form via the school website
2. Campus Visit — Attend an in-person or virtual tour (Open Days run each term)
3. Online Application — Complete the application form and pay the non-refundable HKD 3,000 application fee (Lam Tin and Kwun Tong campuses)
4. Document Submission — Provide previous school reports, passport/ID, health records, and a teacher reference
5. Assessment — Age-appropriate group activities (not formal exams); for Year 1–2 entrants these are 45-minute guided classroom sessions; for older students, English and Maths assessments may be required
6. Offer and Enrolment — Successful applicants receive an offer and confirm their place by paying the HKD 100,000 non-refundable Capital Enrolment Fee

Note: From the 2026–27 academic year, the one-time Capital Enrolment Fee will be replaced by an annual capital levy of HKD 35,000.

Priority Groups

Siblings of current students and children of debenture holders receive guaranteed early assessment and priority waitlist status.

EAL Support — No English Barrier to Entry

The school explicitly welcomes students who are still developing their English. A specialist EAL team provides structured support at every stage, meaning non-native English speakers are not disadvantaged at the assessment stage.

Scholarships

For Year 3 and above entrants, six categories of merit-based scholarship are available:

• Academic, Leadership, Sport, Performing Arts, Creative Arts, and STEAM

Each covers up to 50% of annual tuition and is awarded initially for two years, renewable annually subject to continued excellence. There are no nationality restrictions.

Sibling Discount

Families enrolling three or more children benefit from a tuition discount: the 3rd sibling receives a 5% reduction and the 4th sibling a 10% reduction.

Community and Pastoral Culture

Nord Anglia International School Hong Kong draws students from over 40 nationalities, making it one of Hong Kong's most culturally diverse international schools. This diversity is not merely demographic; it is deliberately woven into the academic and social fabric of school life.

A Genuinely International Student Body

The school serves a broad mix of expatriate families (diplomatic, corporate, and NGO communities), locally resident international families, and Hong Kong families seeking a bilingual or international pathway. The absence of a single dominant nationality group means that students genuinely encounter different cultural perspectives in their daily interactions.

House System and Belonging

The four-house system — Sandringham, Caernarfon, Balmoral, and Windsor — provides a structural anchor for community building across year groups and campuses. Houses compete in academic challenges, sports days, performing arts events, and the popular "House Fridays" competition series. This system ensures that even in a multi-campus school, students develop loyalties and friendships that cut across age groups.

Service and Global Citizenship

Community service is embedded in school culture:

• Box of Hope — An annual charity drive led by Year 12 students, collecting essential items for those in need, connects the school to broader Hong Kong society
• UNICEF Partnership — Global citizenship projects tied to UNICEF's humanitarian work give students a tangible sense of their capacity to contribute to the wider world
• Model UN (MUN) — A competitive debating and diplomacy programme for secondary students, developing skills in research, negotiation, and global awareness

Parent Community

The school maintains active parent engagement through Open Days (held each term across all campuses), regular parent–teacher events, and a dedicated Parent Essentials portal covering uniforms, lunch, transport, and the school calendar. The admissions team actively supports families from first enquiry through to enrolment, ensuring a welcoming transition for new international arrivals.

Educational Philosophy at NAIS Hong Kong

Nord Anglia International School Hong Kong sits at the intersection of rigorous British academic tradition and globally minded innovation. The school's official mission is "to be amongst the most forward-thinking, technology-enabled educators in the world, using our global reach and world class teachers to create a learning experience like no other." Its vision distils this further: "Shape a generation of creative and resilient global citizens who will change our world for the better."

Curriculum Architecture

The school follows a coherent progression:

• Early Years (ages 3–5): Play-based learning grounded in early childhood best practice
• Primary (Years 1–6): English National Curriculum with enriched project-based units
• Secondary (Years 7–11): English National Curriculum leading to Cambridge IGCSE
• Sixth Form (Years 12–13): IB Diploma Programme

This coherent pathway ensures students develop strong foundational skills before encountering the inquiry-driven demands of the IBDP.

Signature Global Partnerships

What sets NAIS HK apart within the Nord Anglia network are three flagship partnerships:

• MIT — STEAM curriculum integration, coding, and computational thinking embedded from primary upwards
• Juilliard School — A dedicated Performing Arts Centre on campus; students access Juilliard-designed arts curricula and performance resources that were "originally designed for" the world's leading performing arts conservatory
• UNICEF — Service and global citizenship programmes that connect classroom learning to real-world humanitarian challenges

Positive Education and Wellbeing

The school places significant emphasis on growth mindset and resilience, deliberately designing pastoral structures (including a four-house system and dedicated tutor groups) to nurture emotional intelligence alongside academic achievement. Teachers are positioned not merely as knowledge deliverers but as mentors who "get to know each unique" learner and guide them "into successful futures."

Outcomes

This philosophy produces measurable results: in the Class of 2023, 100% of IBDP candidates passed, 40% earned the Bilingual Diploma, 10% scored 40 or above out of 45, and every graduate secured a university place — many at institutions including Cambridge, Imperial College, UCL, HKU, and HKUST. For a school that explicitly describes itself as non-selective, these are remarkable outcomes that validate the philosophy of high expectations for all learners.

Campus Life and Facilities

Nord Anglia International School Hong Kong takes an unusual approach to campus design: rather than a single sprawling site, the school operates four specialist campuses, each architecturally and pedagogically tailored to its age group.

The Four Campuses

• Sai Kung Campus — Early Years (ages 3–5): A nurturing environment with age-appropriate outdoor play areas, a "Panda Playground" courtyard, and tot-play zones designed for curiosity-led exploration
• Lam Tin Campus — Primary (Years 1–6): The original campus (opened 2014), featuring a 25-metre indoor swimming pool, a grand rock-climbing wall, a multi-purpose sports hall, and a modern library. Located approximately 10 minutes' walk from Lam Tin MTR station
• Kwun Tong Campus — Secondary (Years 7–11): A purpose-built building opened in 2021 with specialist science laboratories, an Innovation Centre (Makerspace with 3D printers and electronics), and the Juilliard Performing Arts Centre — a professional-quality theatre and recording studio
• Hung Hom Campus — Sixth Form (Years 12–13): A dedicated IB Diploma Suite offering university-style study spaces, specialist resources, and a culture of independent learning

Standout Facilities

• Juilliard Performing Arts Centre — A flexible theatre/music hall with a professional recording studio, reflecting the school's partnership with the Juilliard School in New York
• Innovation Centre — Equipped for STEAM projects, electronics, and 3D fabrication, reflecting the MIT partnership
• 25-metre Indoor Swimming Pool — Used for curriculum PE and competitive swimming teams
• Rock-Climbing Wall — An unusual facility for a Hong Kong urban school
• Fitness and Wellbeing Centre — A dedicated fitness suite for secondary students

House System and Community

Across all campuses, students belong to one of four houses — Sandringham, Caernarfon, Balmoral, and Windsor — which compete in academic, sports, and arts events throughout the year. "House Fridays" at the secondary campus feature inter-house competitions in activities ranging from Ultimate Frisbee to performing arts showcases, building a sense of belonging that transcends individual year groups.