Principal's Message

Dear KGV Families,

Last weekend I had the privilege of attending the SCMP STANCE Grand Finale, a storytelling competition where a remarkable KGV student reached the final 10 students out of over 1000 entrants. As each student told their story, a recurring theme was the opportunities and challenges of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Whether it was the impact on health care systems, the ethical use of AI or wellbeing challenges, it became clear this is a key thinking point for our students and your children.

Being in the midst of a technological revolution, it is difficult to predict the direction that AI will take but it is clear that our values should guide our use. It is inevitable that AI tools will inform future jobs, education and our day-to-day experiences. This makes it so important that we engage our students, and upskill our teachers.

At KGV, we focus on educating students on the importance of academic integrity as we use AI, how to be safe and ethical in our use, and guide them to take advantage of these powerful tools where appropriate. Our Thrive and Empower curricula will play a key role in this educational process. All KGV teachers are involved in a training course focused on the use of AI in education, and we recently held a workshop with parents to focus on the recurring themes of safety, integrity and opportunity when using AI. 

Our approaches will continue to evolve and emerge, and I look forward to updating parents in the near future. Thank you for your continued support, and have a wonderful weekend ahead.

Best regards,

Mark Poulsum

Year 10 & 11 Message

Year 11 students finished their mock exams today and return to classes on Monday with nine and a half more weeks of classes before their final exams start. Students will begin to receive scripts, grades, and feedback on their mocks starting Tuesday, 3rd Feb, once teachers have marked and had a chance to meet together to ensure consistent interpretation, grading, feedback, and follow-up. Note that Learning Review meetings with teachers are scheduled for 9th and 23rd Feb, see the separate article in this newsletter.

Next week we have Year 10/11 - House assemblies for Crozier and Nightingale.

Year 10 Mini Enterprise - Please see the mini Enterprise website here.  We have now loaned over USD16,000 over the past 2 years to 19 projects in 12 countries. We expect this to grow year on year, really maximising the positive social impact of Mini Enterprise, which this year also raised more than HK $65,000 for the Tai Po fire relief.

The Year 11 Formal group is currently meeting to organise the event for Y11 students to be held at school on 13th April 6-9 pm.

Years 7 | 8 | 9

Following the safeguarding and child protection brochure shared with our community recently, we would like to provide an important update regarding Mandatory Reporting requirements at KGV and across the Foundation.

What is Mandatory Reporting?
In accordance with Hong Kong law and the Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse ordinance, it is a legal requirement to report any suspicion of serious harm to a child. This legal obligation ensures that professionals who work closely with children are proactive in their protection.

Who are Mandated Reporters?
At ESF, the following professionals are designated as mandated reporters and have received specific training on the legal aspects of reporting concerns to the Social Welfare Department or the Hong Kong Police Force:

• Teachers

• Nurses

• Psychologists and Counsellors

• Therapists (Speech and Language, Occupational, and Physiotherapists)

Our Commitment to Safeguarding
While these legal requirements are vital, safeguarding at KGV remains a shared responsibility between the school, families, and the community. Our approach is built on core principles that put the best interests of the child first, and foster a safe, supportive environment where students can be happy and engaged.

How to Raise a Concern
If you have concerns about the safety or wellbeing of a child, or questions regarding staff conduct, please reach out to our school’s Child Protection Officers (CPOs). You can find their contact details on the school website under "About Us" and "What we Stand For," or you can contact them directly in person or via phone.

For further reading and guidance, please see the ESF Parent brochure here.

Year 12 & 13 Message

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Following the safeguarding and child protection brochure shared with our community recently, we would like to provide an important update regarding Mandatory Reporting requirements at KGV and across the Foundation.

What is Mandatory Reporting?

In accordance with Hong Kong law and the Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse ordinance, it is a legal requirement to report any suspicion of serious harm to a child. This legal obligation ensures that professionals who work closely with children are proactive in their protection.

Who are Mandated Reporters?

At ESF, the following professionals are designated as mandated reporters and have received specific training on the legal aspects of reporting concerns to the Social Welfare Department or the Hong Kong Police Force:

• Teachers

• Nurses

• Psychologists and Counsellors

• Therapists (Speech and Language, Occupational, and Physiotherapists)

Our Commitment to Safeguarding

While these legal requirements are vital, safeguarding at KGV remains a shared responsibility between the school, families, and the community. Our approach is built on core principles that put the best interests of the child first, and foster a safe, supportive environment where students can be happy and engaged.

How to Raise a Concern

If you have concerns about the safety or wellbeing of a child, or questions regarding staff conduct, please reach out to our school’s Child Protection Officers (CPOs). You can find their contact details on the school website under "About Us" and "What we Stand For," or you can contact them directly in person or via phone.

For further reading and guidance, please see the ESF Parent brochure here.

Wishing you all a lovely weekend

AI Deepfakes

Many websites and apps now help users create images and videos based on real people.

Curiosity is normal; however, if used inappropriately, there can be serious consequences. We must ensure our children have their “moral” brains active and alert.

We also encourage parents to think twice before posting their child’s photos or videos online.

The Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data in Hong Kong has published a useful toolkit for schools and parents. 

It is designed to help parents and schools safeguard the personal data privacy of children against the risks of AI deepfakes. It provides an educational overview of deepfake technologies—such as face-swapping and voice cloning—and highlights how they can be misused for cyberbullying, scams, or sexual violence. 

The toolkit offers strategies to limit children's digital exposure and an explanation of the legal implications under the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance.

As a school we are working hard to educate and protect students. Please help us by learning about and discussing these issues at home too.

Schedule Changes: Mondays 9/2 and 23/2

On Monday 9th February and Monday 23rd February, we will switch period 4 with lunch break in order to end the school day slightly earlier. No lessons are cancelled and learning is unaffected.

The school will end for students at 1.25 pm on those days and the school buses will arrive at that time.

This is to give time for the Year 11 and 13 Learning Reviews scheduled for both days.

Year 11 and 13 Learning Reviews

Many Year 11 and 13 families did not get the chance to meet with teachers during our main series of Learning Reviews in November.

If you have not met your child's teacher yet, we have Learning Reviews scheduled for Monday 9th February and Monday 23rd February, from 2.30 to 6 pm.

The booking system will open for parents at 6 pm next Monday 26th January.

Bookings are made in Lionel through the ESF App.

Full instructions and guidance are available here

A huge shout-out to the 35+ KGV students, teachers, and families who gathered last Saturday to launch the Weez Walk 2026 in style. The energy on the trail was incredible as we came together to champion mental health awareness. We were honoured to be joined by a representative from MindHK and Tony Bruno, the founder of the Weez Project, who helped set the tone for this meaningful journey.

It’s not too late to join the movement! Whether you want to challenge yourself to the full loop or walk the scenic stages at your own pace, every step counts. Let’s keep this momentum going, KGV!

You can still register for the walk-up until 15 February. It would be great to see more KGV Families taking part.

Sign up here: https://weezwalk.org/en/form/enrolment-form

Or if you would like to sponsor students, please donate here: https://weezwalk.org/en/campaign/233

Due to student privacy protocols, we require parental consent before releasing student information to external organisations. Please complete this form to make a formal request. Requests will only be processed upon receipt of parental permission.

KGV’s standard lead time for teachers to prepare references is four working weeks from the date parental permission is received.

This process does not apply to higher education applications (i.e. university admissions). Those references are managed separately by the H.E. Team.

Gifted & Talented Programmes
Students interested in external extension programmes for specifically designed for gifted & talented students outside of KGV should refer to this website for guidance: https://sites.google.com/kgv.hk/kgv-extension-opportunities, instead of using the request form.

Higher Education & Careers

Year 13 – U.S. applications. Students must reach out to their H.E. Counsellors at the soonest should a mid-year transcript is required to support their U.S. applications.

Year 12 – H.E. Presentation Series.  The presentations will commence in Feb, starting with a Refresher and Unifrog to our Y12s.  Other topics in the presentation series include: UK Applications; Personal Statement; HK Applications; Advanced Unifrog, ; Oxbridge, Medicine,Dentistry & Vet.; USA Applications; USA Personal Essay; Canada Applications; Non-mainstream Applications; UCAS Setup; and Summer Action Plan. Full schedule will be shared with students on Google Classroom.

KGV Higher Education & Careers Website
Links to financial aids and scholarship resources are available in the most popular regions among KGV students:
- Australia
- Canada
- Europe
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Others

H.E. EVENTS shared via KGV Higher Education Events Calendar
KGV is not responsible for the quality of external events. All information is subject to change by event organisers.

H.K.
22-25 Jan – HK Education & Careers Expo 2026
24 Jan – HKU Summer Institute – Summer Programmes 2026: Online Info Session
7 Feb – HK Metropolitan University Admission Seminars 2026

U.K.
Various dates: University of Cambridge – Webinar for international applicants
Various dates in Feb – University of Bath – Parent Info Webinar Series
28 Jan – UCL Info Session in Hong Kong

EUROPE
24 Jan – Hanze University Webinars: Study & live in the Netherlands
30 Jan – University of Galway – Scholarship Information Webinar

JAPAN
24 Jan – Ritsumeikan University Webinar: How to Apply to English-medium Undergraduate Programs

U.S.A.
23 Jan – Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University webinar: Pushing Boundaries with AI
27 Jan – McMaster Biomedical Engineering Taster & Engineering Info Session in Hong Kong

CANADA
24 Jan – Canadian Engineering Panel at CDNIS HK

KGV Higher Education & Careers Team

Dear Year 7 Parents of Musicians,

The Music Academy is an alternative arts curriculum pathway that begins in Year 8 for gifted and talented musicians who are approximately at grade 4 or above on an instrument. With this level of instrumental ability, students will have the opportunity to develop their musicianship to a much deeper level in the Music Academy, working alongside other high-level musicians.

Looking further ahead, students who can achieve approximately grade 5 or above by Year 11 often score the very top marks in IGCSE Music, particularly in the performance component of the course. The Music Academy provides an excellent opportunity to develop many of these skills in preparation for both iGCSE and IBDP Music.

To find out more about the program, please save the date for the Music Academy Information Session.

Music Academy Information Session: 

Date & Time: 10 February, 2026, 7 PM

Google Meet Link: https://meet.google.com/vch-ziro-pff 

Interested students may also join the Music Academy Auditions Google Classroom (Class Code: o7bgzbas) 

In the meantime, if you have any questions about the Music Academy programme, please contact Ms. Leung at (melody.leung@kgv.edu.hk) 

KGV Music Department

26 - 30 January 2026