關於我們

Today marks the final day of my service as Principal of Discovery College, and so I wanted to write to say farewell to you all and to thank you for the incredible support I have received during these last nine years.

I began my day this morning at Hong Kong Airport, welcoming back our Year 9 students who have been part of the ESF LImitless Programme. To see the smiles on their faces, and to know that this programme has once again been a life-changing experience, was a true privilege. Huge congratulations are due to the students, and their families, for taking a leap of faith and committing to this intensive programme - well done! Many of you will know that I have been strongly connected to this programme over the years, having led it in its first and second iterations - in many ways it represents what I see to be most important about the education we provide, as it challenges students to grow beyond what they thought themselves capable of, builds their character as the main outcome of their education, and encourages them to see how they can take responsibility for themselves and the other people in their community. These themes have been the same for the experiences I have had in leading learning here at Discovery College, and like our intrepid students I have had a life-changing experience in doing so!

So as I depart the College after nine wonderful years, and seventeen in all working for ESF, I find myself full of gratitude for the time my family and I have enjoyed here, and for the incredible support of the whole community during what has been the honour of my professional life to serve in this role. It has been a journey towards greater resilience as we have navigated challenges, including a global pandemic; greater coherence as we have embraced our through-school identity; and greater sustainability, as we have worked to ensure a strong footing for the College into the coming years. 

I’d also like to say a special thank you to my remarkable team of senior leaders, and the wider staff team, for their talent, their commitment, and their enduring support. The same goes for colleagues at ESF Centre who have always been there to assist and guide, and for our School Council whose wisdom in governing our College so skillfully has made a huge difference. My successor, Chloe Pollack, is stepping into one of the best jobs in the world, supported by a superb community and network of professionals around her, to lead a College that is a wonderful place to work and learn, and I wish her all the very best in doing so.

To you all - thank you for everything, and I can’t wait to see the College going from strength to strength in the future as our amazing community continues to Grow, Discover and Dream!

Discovery College signed off the 2024-25 academic year with a wonderful end of term assembly today. MC'd by our Year 12 Student Council Leaders, Mark and Hannah, the audience were treated to celebrations and performances, which included our Primary House Dance Winners, Model United Nations leaders and the unveiling of our sporting banners, which commemorate our 8 sporting championship trophies this year in Hong Kong and Asia.

The highlight, however, were the 5 wonderful performances from our House Bands, as part of our Battle of the Bands, musical extravaganza. Each House showcased an incredible depth of talent, with performers ranging from Year 1 to Year 12, and teachers too. This was a celebration, not just of, of our musical talent, but of our collaboration and house spirit.

Congratulations to all performers, and to Green House and Red House who emerged as joint first place winners of the competition.

Having reimagined Student Leadership at Discovery College this year, and documented our roles and application process on our student leadership website, we have been well-placed to elect our 2025-26 Student Council.

The process this year has been more rigorous than ever before, with candidates submitting a written application, presenting to their peers and meeting with teachers as part of the process. This has provided a valuable learning experience for all candidates, and enabled them to really shine. 

Congratulations to the following students, who will be joined by members of our incoming Year 7 cohort to represent student voice in 2025-26:

Our Year 11 Work Experience Week proved to be a valuable initiative that provided our students with the opportunity to immerse themselves in a range of professional environments. From NGOs supporting refugees to corporate art consultancy roles focused on concept development and artwork creation, the diversity of placements was truly remarkable.

This experience not only allowed our students to apply their skills in real-world contexts but also to gain insights into different career paths. Their enthusiasm and dedication were evident, and we believe this week will have a lasting impact on their future aspirations.

We would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who contributed to making this week a success. A special thank you to the HEO team for their tireless efforts in securing such a wide array of placements, and to Jo Goodlad for undertaking site visits, as well as onsite checking in processes with Learning Advisors, to ensure our students were well-supported throughout the process. Your commitment to our students’ development is invaluable, and it is through these collaborative efforts that we can provide such enriching experiences. 

Additionally, we want to acknowledge the workplaces that welcomed our students. Their support and assistance helped forge meaningful connections, and we hope that DC and future students can reach out to build upon these bonds. Together, we are shaping the future of our young learners, equipping them with the skills and confidence they need to thrive.

Our students recently took part in the West Island School Model United Nations conference. This conference, organised by our fellow ESF school, utilised the theme of “Change Through Cooperation” to give students an opportunity to debate a wide variety of international issues in a series of demanding committee formats.

Our students did incredibly well at this conference; of the several hundred delegates in attendance, only a fraction of students can be awarded, yet a remarkable eight DC students received awards for their roles in various committees. This included Best Speaker awards for Jasmine Yeung (United States Senate) and Alexander Nolens-Liu (House of Commons); Most Outstanding Delegate awards for Phoebe Morley and Injee Kang (General Assembly); and Best Delegate Awards for Thomas Connelly (UN Economic and Social Council), Nadia Selivanova and Saisha Gogia (UN Disarmament and International Security Committee), and Rysa Bahri (House of Commons). Honourable Mentions were also conferred upon Andy Chiu, Malhar Kulkarni, and Kai Randall, making this another triumph for the DC Model United Nations community. Well done to all who took part.

As the final MUN conference of 2025-26, WISMUN brings to a close a wonderful year of debating and discussion of international affairs. This fulfilling and rewarding activity will continue next year, and so any student in Year 9 and above wishing to take part can contact the student leaders, Rysa Bahri and Malhar Kulkarni, for more information. We look forward to more great conference experiences and insightful debate opportunities in the future!

In preparation for the new academic year, we would like to share some key information relating to stationery, notebooks and textbooks. Please review the relevant lists and prepare the items accordingly. 

Primary Student Stationery 

• The recommended Stationery List is available on the Parent Portal for your convenience. 

Primary Student Notebooks 

• Discovery College takes care of pre-ordering and distributing all notebooks for Primary students (Years 1–6). These will be given to your child in their classroom at the start of the school year.

Secondary Student Notebooks & Stationery

• The specific notebooks and recommended stationery list are available for your reference on the Parent Portal for your convenience.

• Secondary students can purchase their preferred stationery from any stationery store. 

• Notebooks can be purchased from the school’s front office. All notebook purchases must be made using an Octopus card (cash is not accepted).

Secondary Student Textbooks

• Please refer to the Parent Portal for the Secondary Textbook list. 

On Monday and Tuesday of this week our Y11 cohort had the opportunity to go off campus to visit the Hong Kong Monetary Authority Museum and HSBC Main Branch. They were able to learn more about the Hong Kong currency; why and when it was pegged to the US dollar, how it is printed, and see currency changes over time.

 

There were lots of interactive components, art installations using money that is no longer in circulation, and breathtaking views of Hong Kong. Additionally, our students also visited the HSBC Main branch and were able to learn more about the design and history of HSBC. This was a wonderful way to bring our recent Economics Unit to a conclusion, and showcase how our learning in the classroom can be applied in our local and global community.

As we approach the end of the school year we want to remind you of the importance of maintaining your child’s laptop. Many students from Year 6 to Year 10 have enquired about ways to free up storage on their devices, particularly noting that their Downloads folder has accumulated a significant number of files.

We recommend following some basic principles to help maintain the life expectancy of their device. To assist you supporting you child, we recommend the following key steps:

1. Clear the Downloads Folder:
   Encourage your child to review the Downloads folder and delete any outdated or unnecessary files. This can help free up valuable storage space.
2. Clear the Browser Cache:
   Teach your child how to clear the cache in their preferred web browser (such as Chrome, Firefox, or Edge). Regularly clearing the cache can help improve performance and free up additional space.
3. Consider an External Hard Drive:
   If your child’s laptop is running low on storage, think about purchasing an external hard drive. This will allow your child to back up their schoolwork and free up internal storage.

By following these steps, (please use the parent guide on the parent portal) your child can help ensure their laptop runs efficiently throughout the school year. Involving them in this process not only supports their device's health but also helps them develop valuable organisational and technical skills.

As we enter the summer holidays, we hope the laptops get some well-deserved rest, allowing families to enjoy quality time together. It’s a wonderful opportunity to reconnect and recharge.