Renaissance College Hong Kong

RCHK is an IB World School authorised to deliver all four International Baccalaureate programmes. Students follow the Primary Years Programme in the primary school, the Middle Years Programme in the lower secondary years, and then choose between the IB Diploma Programme and the IB Career-related Programme, which the college was authorised to offer in 2013, becoming only the eighth school worldwide with the full set of four programmes. The Career-related Programme lets students combine IB courses with a career-focused specialism, and its graduates progress to universities abroad. A team of Further Education consultants supports secondary students and their families with university applications and destinations.

Renaissance College is an all-through school: students are educated from Year 1 to Year 13, approximately ages 5 to 18, on a single campus. The primary section follows the IB Primary Years Programme, Years 7 to 11 follow the Middle Years Programme, and Years 12 and 13 lead to either the IB Diploma Programme or the IB Career-related Programme. Primary and secondary each have their own office and their own gymnasium within the shared campus, which the college presents as a way of keeping the sections distinct while allowing older and younger students to share facilities such as the swimming pool, the library and the sports fields.

Renaissance College was created by ESF to serve both local and expatriate families in Hong Kong, and its guiding idea is that every student should be known. The college describes its aim as making a big school feel small, with teaching that removes barriers to learning and responds to the individual strengths and challenges of each student. Its curriculum is presented as a dynamic framework with tailored pathways that evolve with students' interests, encouraging exploration, critical thinking and a personalised route through school. Wellbeing and comprehensive student support sit alongside academic ambition. The House system is used to build a family spirit and to balance cooperation with friendly competition, and the college is a member of The Alliance for Sustainable Schools.

The campus covers more than 30,448 square metres of gross floor area beside Heng On station on the MTR Tuen Ma line, and houses the whole school from Year 1 to Year 13 on one site. Sports facilities include an indoor swimming pool, four outdoor sports fields, two gymnasiums and a multi-purpose sports pitch next to the college built in partnership with the Hong Kong Rugby Football Union, as well as outdoor courts. For the arts and technology there are drama and theatre rooms, a design hub with workshop benches and equipment, the RedDoor Centre learning technology zones, and art and science hubs. A Library Information Resources Centre serves both sections of the school, and there is a hall with a stage for performances and assemblies, a dining hall and a cafeteria. The sports centre was renovated with new gym floors, upgraded swimming pool facilities and a weights and fitness room.

A school bus service is run for the college by an external operator, and the campus is directly connected to Heng On MTR station, with several bus and minibus routes stopping nearby and cycle paths along Sai Sha Road. Meals are provided in a dining hall and cafeteria on campus. Learning is supported by an inclusive approach that aims to remove barriers for individual students, and secondary students receive ongoing guidance from a Further Education counselling team. The college offers academic, music, drama, sports and visual arts scholarships, which can carry a full tuition fee waiver, and sets aside funds to help families facing unexpected hardship. A parent and teacher association, RAPT, and a uniform shop operate on site, and visitors sign in at a security desk.

With a community of more than 2,100 students, RCHK runs a daily programme of clubs, societies and teams designed to let students find their own interests while building teamwork, communication and leadership. Team sports have been part of the college since its early years, starting with an under-20 volleyball fixture, and now include basketball - a student-led lunchtime basketball league has drawn press attention - as well as rugby on the adjoining pitch developed with the Hong Kong Rugby Football Union. Primary students take part in events such as a two-day Celebration of Sport at the Ma On Shan Sports Ground. In the arts, students run their own musical ensembles, and drama and theatre arts are prominent enough for the college to award dedicated scholarships. Public speaking and debating, Model United Nations, student leadership programmes and community service are also open to students, alongside trips and camps. A House system - Tang, Song, Ming and Qing - organises much of this, with students staying in the same House throughout their time at the college.