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Kingston International School
Image Source: Kingston International School
Institutional Overview
Curriculum:
IB Primary Years Programme (PYP). Bilingual (English + Mandarin) approach from Pre-Nursery.
Levels:
Pre-Nursery (age 2) through Year 6. Secondary continues at partner school ICHK.
Student Body:
Approx. 700 students across kindergarten and primary campuses.
Campus
Kindergarten at 12-14 Cumberland Road, Kowloon Tong; Lower Primary at 113 Waterloo Road; Upper Primary at 105 Waterloo Road.
Founded:
1996.
Website:
Academic Profile
Language of Instruction:
Bilingual English and Mandarin. Daily Mandarin from Pre-Nursery.
Additional Languages:
Mandarin Chinese as a core language alongside English throughout.
Academic Rigour:
Inquiry-led PYP with structured Mandarin literacy; a respected feeder into ICHK and other IB secondary schools.
Notable Strengths:
Genuine bilingual immersion, IB PYP authorisation since 2004, through-train arrangement with ICHK Secondary.
Admissions and Matriculation Statistics
Top University Destinations:
Primary-only school. Graduates typically continue to ICHK, CDNIS, CIS, ISF Academy and ESF secondaries.
Programme
Authorised IB PYP World School since 2004.
Class Composition
Small classes; co-teaching with one English and one Mandarin teacher in many years.
Financials (2025/26 Academic Year)
Annual Tuition:
Pre-Nursery, K3:
HK$ 109,780 (2yo) / HK$ 112,200 (age 3-5), per year (monthly fee x 11 months)
Y1, Y2:
HK$ 155,000 (HK$ 15,500/mo x 10 months)
Y4, Y6:
HK$ 165,000 (Y3-4, HK$ 16,500/mo) / HK$ 175,000 (Y5-6, HK$ 17,500/mo), x 10 months
Capital Levy
One-time Capital Levy: HK$ 138,000 (entry Year 1 to Year 3); HK$ 69,000 (entry Year 4 to Year 6). Non-refundable.
Debentures:
Individual
Not offered.
Corporate
Not offered.
Application Fee
HK$ 500 (non-refundable; Primary application).
Admissions & Application Windows
Application Deadline:
Confirm with admissions
Assessment:
Confirm with admissions
Assessment Format:
Confirm assessment details with admissions
The Consultant’s Take
Best Fit For:
Kowloon families wanting serious English-Putonghua bilingual fluency in a deliberately small, low-pressure IB PYP primary. Kingston was Hong Kong’s first PYP-authorised school and uses Traditional characters, which is rare. It runs Playgroup through Primary, with progression into ICHK Secondary, so it suits families who value continuity of philosophy over a big-brand all-through campus.
The “Insider” Tip:
The admissions assessment is genuinely bilingual, including an oral component in both English and Putonghua, so a child with little Mandarin is at a real disadvantage mid-stream; for a non-Chinese-background child the earliest entry point is the strategic door. Kingston pupils move on to ICHK Secondary at Year 7, a real continuity benefit, though ICHK is itself a small school.
