King George V School, Hong Kong
22°19′19″N 114°10′59″E / 22.32194°N 114.18306°E
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Template:Infobox School II King George V School (Chinese: 英皇佐治五世學校), hereinafter referred to as "KGV" (pronounced as: K-G-Five) is a co-educational international school in the Ho Man Tin area, Hong Kong. KGV currently serves 1,700 students in the Kowloon peninsula, and has a unit for students with special needs.
History
KGV is the oldest of all schools in the English Schools Foundation, it was first opened in 1894 on Nathan Road for Europeans in Kowloon only, the school site only include a small building. This site was blown down by a typhoon in 1896. The first proper school was opened in 1902 as the Kowloon College, this was later renamed the Kowloon British School, and then the Central British School as europeans from all over Hong Kong come to attend the school. The building is next to what is St. Andrew's Church today, and was paid for by Sir Robert Hotung[1].
By 1930, the number of students in the school has grown to 300. Wooden huts have to be build at the back of the school as extra classroom and the playground were only 7 m2. Finnally the Headmaster then, Mr. Nightingale ask for a new and bigger school site. It was a teacher name Mr. Rowell who found the best building design and the site was opened on 14 September 1936, under the name Central British School. The fist headmaster in the new school site is Reverend Upsdell. It is still the site of the school today. Sir William Peel laid the foundation stone of the building so the building is named after him as the Peel Block.
In 1937, the japanese army invaded China. Lots of European women and children evacuate from Shanhai to Hong Kong. They need a place to stay in the summer and the school was used as a refugee camp.
In 1939, as World War II started, the goverment started to worried about the saftety of the children when the threat of the japanese is growing. So in August, 1940 the goverment ordered the evacuation of European women and children. Since there is no student to teach, the school site was occupied by British forces as a hospital. When Hong Kong surrender in the Battle of Hong Kong, the school site is taken over by the japanese as a hospital for prisoners of war. It is rumoured that the clock tower and/or Pavilion was once used as a morgue or torture chamber under Japanese occupationand that ghosts of tortured victims inhabit the clock tower and room P14. Dead bodies were also said to by buried under the school field. What is known, however, is that when classes at KGV resumed after WWII, the back of the stage still had the Rising Sun flag (of the Japanese military) painted on its back wall.
British doctors occupying KGV after the war ended, at which time KGV was used as a military hospital (again), inscribed the following message at the Hall's main entrance: "Never in the field of human conflict" - a reference to Winston Churchill's famous speech given to the British Parliament on 20 August 1940. To this day the quote still remains at the Hall's main entrace.
Students and the House System
There are approximately 1700 students enrolled in the school, coming from some 38 different nationalities. Students are accepted from many feeder elementary schools in the English Schools Foundation such as Kowloon Junior School, Beacon Hill School, and Clearwater Bay School.
The house system is the basis for all school competitions such as in sports, music, and dance, and often sees fierce competition between the houses. Each student at KGV belongs to a house, named after former members of staff. However, to prevent competition between members of the same family, brothers and sisters are usually placed into the same house.
The houses, and their associated colours, are as follows:
- Crozier (green) - a teacher who fought to defend Hong Kong in WWII.
- Nightingale (yellow) - headmaster who first asked for a new school building, which is now the current school site.
- Rowell (blue) - a teacher who designed part of the current site of the school.
- Upsdell (red) - the first headmaster to serve in the school building located at the current school site.
For pastoral purposes, students are allocated year groups ranging from Year 7 to Year 13, depending on their year of birth. These year groups are further split into form groups, named after planets and heavenly bodies[citation needed]: A (Asteroid), E (Earth), G (Ganymede), H (Halley's Comet), J (Jupiter), M (Mars), N (Neptune), P (Pluto), S (Saturn), V (Venus). A form group consists of roughly 30 students, and is allocated a form room, where registration (i.e. attendance) is taken, and any notices such as the Daily Bulletin are read out.
A student's form group originally remained unchanged throughout his or her school career, i.e. a student placed in group 7M would proceed to 8M, 9M, 10M etc. In September 2001, students entering Year 9 had their form groups reshuffled to encourage the students to be more familiar with the rest of the year, but the old system was restored in 2004. Form groups are normally reshuffled again at the beginning of Year 12 to account for leavers after completion of Year 11. Students were formerly picked arbitrarily into form groups, but as of September 2005, senior school students in Year 12 and 13 are placed in house-based form groups. The years are mixed together, known as vertical tutoring, so groups will consist of Year 12 and 13 students. Such groups are named 6N1 (Sixth Form, Nightingale, Group 1) as opposed to previously, where students were placed in groups named 12E, 13M, etc.
Senior Student Council
The Senior Student Council has 14 members, all of them from Year 12. Half of them are elected through direct student voting in the senior school (Year 12 + 13), and half of them are voted from within form groups. The President and Vice President of the Council are then voted in by Year 12 students.
The Senior Student Council listens to the student opinion, through form representatives, assisting the school's development and improvement. In recent SSC elections, issues of concern for KGV students have included congestion in the school's stairways (particularly the SSC-to-Link Block pathway and stairs), the "lack" of means through which students can voice their concerns, and the replacement of malfunctioning computers in the Senior Student Centre Resource Room.
Administration
The Principal of KGV is Mr. Ed Wickins. His senior management team include Mr. Richard Bradford (deputy principal), Mr. Arnett Edwards (deputy principal), Ms. Judith Thomas (deputy principal), Ms. Judie Hill (assistant principal) and Ms. Sarah Howling (assistant principal).
School song
The school song of the school is named Honestas Ante Honores, which is also the motto of the school. Honestas Ante Honores means "Honesty Before Glory" in Latin. It is a tradition for the school song to be sung at least once every year at school events such as the Junior School Celebration and Speech Day.
Facilities
Buildings
This is the list of buildings on the KGV campus as of 2006. The letter in brackets following the name of the building is the prefix of most classrooms in that block.
Peel Block (P)
Completed: 1937
This block is named after Sir William Peel, the Governor of Hong Kong from 1930-1935. His name can be found on the foundation stone on the north-east side of the building. This is the first block built on the present school site. It is protected under Hong Kong law due to its age.
A two-story building, this block houses the Hall, fourteen general-purpose classrooms on the ground floor, four on the first floor), seven senior science labs, the Junior Library (Reading Centre), a computer room, two multimedia suites, the staff room and offices, and a lecture theatre. Most of which have huge doors with a handle placed quite low because this block was used as a hospital. The clock tower sits prominently on the front side of the building. There are also two paved 'quads' for playing various sports on.
Since KGV was used as a hospital and a dungeon by the Japanese in World War II, there were many rumours about this block. Many have said that P14 (the computer room) is haunted and was a torture chamber, while others say at night footsteps can be heard on the Peel Block's roof. These rumours entertain the students in the school and make KGV a very unique place for both students and teachers.[citation needed]
The Hall, located in the centre of this block, has hardwood flooring in the centre and marble flooring on the side walkways and up halfway along the wall. At the front of the hall is the stage, and to the rear, there is a second balcony level. The hall is outfitted with advanced sound and lighting equipment, and used for events ranging from weekly Assembly to Speech Day (a award ceremony for Year 9s and above) to music and dance competitions.
Pavilion Block (X)
This block occupies the south-west corner of the school field. Prior to the reconstruction of the field, two classrooms (X1 and X2) were housed in this block, and a storage shed and maintenance shed occupied the ground floor. The classrooms have now been converted into changing rooms. In addition, many students and teachers believe the Pavilion was used as a torture chamber during World War II when the Japanese occupied the school.
New Block (N)
Completed: 1964
This building, situated on the south side of the campus, is three stories tall and houses most of the technology rooms. There are two design technology rooms and two textiles technology rooms on the ground floor; two graphics technology rooms and two food technology rooms on the first floor; six junior science labs and a store room; two general-purpose classrooms; and the school's Sick Room.
Annex Block (AN)
Completed: 1982
The Annex Block houses four classrooms on the ground floor, on the second floor. These classrooms are mainly used for teaching Chinese; there is a Languages Store room, which has a little door at the back that goes to the first floor of the New Block.
Activities Centre
Formerly comprised of two squash courts, the Activities Centre houses two Drama Studios and Drama Department Office, boys' and girls' P.E. changing rooms, and a boys' drama changing room which is connected to DS2, while the girl's drama changing room is connected to DS1.
Link Block (L)
Completed: 1984
This five story building literally links the New Block, the Peel Block and the Activities Centre, with covered walkways on connecting floors. This building houses two Design and Technology rooms, a D&T office and store room, as well as a drama studio and girls' drama changing room all on the ground floor; two middle-school pastoral offices, three computer labs, and the School Library on the first floor; fourteen general-purpose classrooms on the second, third and fourth floors; three music rooms on the fourth floor; three art rooms on the fifth floor.
Jockey Club Sarah Roe Centre (JCSRC)
Completed: 1986
The Jockey Club Sarah Roe Centre was built with funds donated from the then Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club and named after Mrs. Sarah Roe, an occupational therapist, who was a founder of the Child Development Centre at the Matilda Hospital. It originally contained the Jockey Club Sarah Roe School in the Garden Rooms on the ground floor (until it moved to new accommodation underneath the Senior Student Centre in 1996; see below), its support offices and a professional development and resources centre for ESF staff on the floors above.
Over the years, the building has been used for different purposes including housing the offices of ESF Educational Services Ltd, Sally's Place (ESF's Self-Access Language Learning Centre), the ESF Professional Library and KGV using the Garden Rooms as classrooms. Currently, KGV uses the Garden Rooms for teaching purposes whilst the first floor houses KGV's Junior School Office. The remaining office space houses the ESF Education Development Centre's satellite office, its conference facilities and the ESF Professional Video Library.
Sarah Roe School (JCSRS) / Senior Student Centre (E)
Completed: 1996
The Hong Kong Jockey Club Sarah Roe School is housed on the KGV site, and occupies the first two stories of this building. This facility educates students with special needs across the English Schools Foundation, and is the only such unit in the entire foundation.
KGV occupies the remaining floors, designated by the letter E. The third floor of the building houses the Senior Student Centre (SSC) which is a common lounge/study area reserved exclusively for senior students. There are five classrooms in the Senior Student Centre used by students from all years, as well as a lecture theatre and a computer room. Offices for senior school pastoral staff are also housed there.
In 2001, a vertical extension to the building was completed. The fourth floor of this building provides ten more classrooms as well as a computer lab. There is also a second staff break room there. This floor is technically not part of the Senior Student Centre, but is often mistakenly referred to by junior students as the "SSC" floor anyway.
Finally, the roof of the building has a tennis court. Tennis courts used to be on the ground floor before this building was erected.
"B"-block (B)
Completed: 1999
These six ground-floor classrooms were meant as "temporary" classrooms, but as KGV grew, these classrooms became necessary and thus a permanent fixture. Modern Languages are taught predominantly in these six rooms which occupy the "piazza" area between the Peel, New, and Link blocks.
Other Facilities
Field
As of 2003, KGV's artificially turfed field has become the ESF's multipurpose sports facility. It has markings for various sports such as football (soccer), and also has a track running the perimeter of the field. The pitch is one the students' favourite facilities.
Prior to the astroturfing, there was opposition to the use of artificial turf. However, huge amounts of money were spent on maintaining the natural grass on the field's base of hard clay, and so was uneconomic and impractical: Inevitably, after a month or two of use the field would become a large dust bowl and students would often get injured playing on the field. Over HK$16 million was spent on the conversion, which started late in 2002.
Swimming pool
KGV has an outdoor, 25 metre swimming pool with six lanes, normally in operation from April (usually after Easter break) to November.
Canteen block
The Canteen block is located next to the swimming pool, houses the canteen (Café Concepts), the weights room, the PTSA shop, as well as offices for the PTSA (Parent Teachers Student Association).
Future site development
There are plans to amalgamate the KGV and KJS (Kowloon Junior School) Perth Street campus to allow KGV to grow further. This would involve the replacement of the canteen block and swimming pool with state-of-the-art facilities including a performance hall, indoor swimming pool, and gym facilities.
Curriculum
KS3
The KS3 (Key Stage 3) curriculum is designed for Years 7 to 9. All subjects (Art, Drama, English, History, ICT, Mathematics, Modern Foreign Languages, Music, Physical Education, Religious Studies, Science, Technology) are compulsory, and students are able to choose two languages to study from a list of five.
GCSE
GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education) is the curriculum designed for Years 10-11.
All subjects are compulsory, but there is a choice to suit the aptitude and interest of students. This choice is structured in a way that it is balanced and it ensures students can build on their strengths whilst keeping their options open in the future.
All students taking the GCSE course have to study a core of English, Mathematics, Science (split into Biology, Chemistry and Physics), ICT, PE and PSE. Students may choose to take a further course in ICT, CIDA (Certificate in Digital Applications), which is equivalent to two GCSEs. In addition, they must choose 4 further subjects.
AS Level
Students in year 12 are allowed to select four AS Level courses to study. However, some students find it difficult to cope with four courses, and select three instead. General National Vocational Qualification (GNVQ) courses are designed for students who have difficulty in studying.
Students are required to achieve a certain grade in their GCSE examinations in order to take on their desired AS Level subject. Each AS subject has a slightly different requirement. AS Level subjects are studied in greater depth, requiring large amounts of self study and independence
A2 Level
A2 Level (GCE Advanced Level) is the curriculum designed for Year 13.
IB Diploma
Starting in September 2007, KGV will be replacing the traditionally British A Level with the International Baccalaureate, offering the Diploma Programme. The current Year 11, class of 2009 will be the first year to do the IBD.
All students have to study a core of Extended Essay, Theory of Knowledge and Creativity, Action, Service. In addition, they must choose a subject from each of the 6 IB subject groups:
Traditions
KGV, being such an old school, has many traditions in place. The list below is by no means exhaustive.
Assembly
Formerly held Monday and Friday mornings, they are now held Wednesday afternoons. Assemblies are where announcements are made to the whole school, performances are given, and, in general, is a common bond that holds the school's students together. However, due to the growth in student numbers since 2003, assembly can no longer be held with all students under one roof as was the case then. Currently, assemblies are live broadcast to other venues. These are Drama Studio 1,2 and 3.
Year 13 Pantomime
The Pantomime, otherwise called the "panto", is performed by Year 13 students on the final day of the Fall term, near to Christmas. Generally making fun of the school or its teachers, this event is invariably a great comedy show for all students. Teachers who are to be impersonated must sign a release form before the impersonation can go ahead - in practice, teachers generally don't mind being part of the panto.
Christmas Carol Concert
A concert given by the KGV Orchestra and Choir, open to the general public. White Christmas has been a staple of KGV Christmas Final Assembly for as long as anyone could remember. Originally at KGV sung by W. McMahon, a teacher, no Christmas Carol Concert or Christmas Final Assembly is complete without the singing of this song. After Mr. McMahon's retirement in 2001, White Christmas is now sung by a senior student.
KGV Karnival
Known as the Spring Fair prior 2003, this event is held every year in March or April where KGV is set up to be like a bazaar. Students set up games stalls, merchants set up small shops, and there are performances by student groups as well as the Orchestras (Junior Orchestra and Senior Orchestra) and the Jazz Band.
"KGV Survivor"
An elimination game is held on the school field or Hall where a $10 entrance fee is charged, and a series of questions is asked. Proceeds from this game go to the school charity.
Year 13 Final Assembly
A final assembly on Year 13's final day before exam leave in the summer. Usually, a performance is given by Year 13 students, and final goodbyes are said. There is a recital of Rudyard Kipling's poem If— by the Head Boy, and Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou by the Head Girl. At the end, a band of teachers play Summer Holiday by Cliff Richard while the rest of staff (on stage) and school sing along. Prior to 2002, students would spend the night at the school as well; this tradition was scrapped due to safety concerns.
Trivia
- In 2006, KGV was the first school in all of Asia to ever perform the Les Misérables School Edition
Notable alumni
- Michael Hutchence – deceased lead singer of Australian band, INXS .
- Martin Booth – Author of novel Industry Of Souls
- Dermot Reeve – England cricketer, known as an unorthodox all-rounder. Career ended due to drug addiction.
- Kemal Bokhary – Permanent Judge of the Court of Final Appeal, Hong Kong
References
- ^ Sally Rodwell. 1991. A Visitor's guide to Historic Hong Kong. ISBN 962-217-212-1
External links
- King George V School
- King George V School Alumni Association
- King George V School Alumni Registry
- KGV Hong Kong Handover Reunion 2007
- English Schools Foundation
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