Principal's Message

Dear KGV Families,

I hope you have enjoyed a good week. As children move through their adolescent years, we know that some do get involved in what can be characterised as ‘risky’ behaviours that may lead to serious consequences. Through our Thrive curriculum, we aim to provide age-appropriate education to all students so they are aware of the risks and potential consequences of these risky behaviours. This is approached from a variety of perspectives, including school expectations, potential legal consequences, health implications and social impacts. This website provides more information on our Thrive curriculum, including the wider support that is available to students and parents.

One particular example of risky behaviour is vaping. Globally this has emerged as an issue amongst teenagers and is one we take seriously. Through assemblies and our Thrive curriculum, we have ensured students are aware of the legal implications of vaping in Hong Kong as it is now banned. More details of the government legislation can be found on this link.

We have also highlighted the health issues associated with these products, and reinforced our expectations of all KGV students. As part of our preventative measures, we are in the process of installing vape detectors in washrooms and changing rooms. This helps us to ensure KGV is a safe environment for all students.

We are also committed to maintaining our healthy home-school partnerships to support parents as their children move through their adolescent years, including our parent workshop series. Our tutors and Heads of Year are also available to support parents who may have concerns. 

By ensuring students are educated about the potential consequences of risky behaviours and are enabled to make positive and informed choices, we create an environment where all students are safe and maintain healthy habits.

Have an enjoyable weekend ahead.

Best regards,

Mark

Year 10 1:1 interviews with tutors continue this week. It is difficult at times during the week when we need to close off areas of the school to provide a quiet environment and we are missing the space our field normally provides. This is temporary and we are working with students to be patient and remain calm during break times.

Next week is Mental Health Awareness week and there will be a number of activities running throughout the week where students can learn more and acknowledge the issues many members of our community deal with.

Year 11 students experienced two big exams this week, where the entire cohort was in at the same time.

Next week is a huge week of exams:

• Monday: Business, Foreign language Chinese, 2nd Language Chinese
• Tuesday: Biology double and triple
• Wednesday: Geography, Computer Science
• Thursday: English, Maths
• Friday: English, History

The detailed exam timetable is available here.
All exam regulations are here.
In the event of severe rain or weather, e.g. Red or Black rain, advise your child to monitor their email. We will communicate any changes to the routine asap.

Dear Families,

Please find below important updates regarding Mental Health Awareness Week, upcoming Year 9 milestones, and a critical reminder regarding our school’s mobile device policy and student wellbeing.

Mental Health Awareness Week: “Take Action”

Next week marks Mental Health Awareness Week at KGV, with the theme “Take Action.” Throughout the week, we will be hosting a variety of activities during lunchtime in the GLT. To encourage participation, we will have prize giveaways taking place on Friday.

We encourage all students to get involved as we spotlight the importance of wellbeing and mental health within our school community.

Year 9 Community Project Exhibition and MYP Graduation

The Year 9 Community Project Assessment/Exhibition and MYP Graduation are scheduled for Monday, 15th June.

Year 9 parents should have received an email containing specific details and instructions on how to register to attend. We are very much looking forward to this celebration of our students' learning journey over the past three years, highlighting their positive impacts both within KGV and the wider community.

Important Notice: Responsible Use of Technology and Student Wellbeing

In light of Mental Health Awareness Week, we must address a concerning trend regarding the sharing of unsanctioned videos taken on campus via messaging and social media platforms. We have noted instances of students using phones in restricted areas, such as bathrooms and changing rooms, and intentionally evading staff to record content while in school uniform.

This behaviour is damaging to student wellbeing and involves several serious breaches of school policy:

• Gate-to-Gate Policy: Students are not permitted to use mobile devices during the school day.

• School Repute: Recording and circulating unsanctioned media in school uniform brings the school into disrepute.

• Safety and Privacy: Recording in private areas like bathrooms is a violation of the privacy and safeguarding of others.

Participating in these activities—including recording, appearing in, or circulating such videos—will result in follow-up action from the Student Development Team. Our goal is to educate and support students away from these behaviours; however, in accordance with KGV and ESF behaviour policies, students may be subject to suspension. Repeated incidents may be grounds for permanent exclusion.

We ask for the support of students to "speak up" and report these incidents when they see them. We also ask parents to hold their children accountable for their use of mobile devices and social media, and to assist us in moderating these behaviours if their child is connected to such activities.

Thank you for your continued partnership in keeping our learning environment safe and respectful for all.

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Our Year 13s are doing a fantastic job navigating the current exam period. To maintain this momentum, please keep the following in mind:

• Exam Readiness: Continue checking the official schedule daily for start times and locations.

• Prioritise Wellness: Ensure plenty of sleep and rest, as a well-rested brain is essential for performance.

• Health Warning: Please avoid trying "new" foods right now; we want everyone at full strength for their assessments.

Graduation Tickets: Collection begins this Monday, 11 May from the Senior School Office. Tickets are for assigned seating and are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.

Year 12: Photography Success

Congratulations to our Year 12 photographers who featured in the "Our Home Through Our Eyes" exhibition at Wyndham Social this past Wednesday. Special recognition goes to:

• Luka Leigh: 2nd Place (HK People category).

• Isaac Ng: 3rd Place (HK City category).

• Veronika Travina: Honourable Mention 

Year 12 Tutor & HE Consultations

If you have not yet signed up for your Tutor and Higher Education (HE) consultation, please do so urgently.

These 20-minute meetings, running from Monday, 11 May to Friday, 5 June, are vital to ensuring that students, parents, and counselors are aligned on university plans. This early coordination is exactly what prevents a crisis during the high-pressure periods of Year 13. You may attend in person or via Google Meet.

Wishing you all a great weekend.

Higher Education & Careers

KGV Higher Education & Careers website. This site, managed and constantly updated by our H.E. Team, hosts a wealth of information on higher education resources, events, enrichment/summer programmes, scholarships, and other opportunities. This can serve as a first step for research. Check it out.

Sign-up for higher education events coordinated by the KGV Higher Education & Careers Team. Kindly note that students’ safety and security, we only accept sign-up submitted by parent email addresses that are registered in the school record. Parents are also required to give parental consent for their children to participant in events coordinated by the H.E. Team. For these reasons, all submissions by a KGV student account or unregistered email address will be automatically rejected without further notice. Thank you for your attention.

Link of the week: EducationUSA - Scholarships & Financial Aid Resources

Year 13. To our students taking IB exams: Keep up the focus and determination. To our BTEC & IBCP students: Stay steady and finish strong in the final stretch of your coursework.

Year 12 – While our H.E. Counsellors continue the second round of tutor group meetings, the team is also gearing up for the individual student-led meetings, kicking off in the week of 11 May. Students are required to upload their completed plans and intentions to their Unifrog account before the meeting with tutor, H.E. Counsellor and parent. We highly encourage parents to communicate with their child about meeting date and time. Please refer to correspondence from Mr. Pritchard for further details on meeting arrangements.

Year 12 – H.E. Presentation Series. Topics covered so far: Introduction to Higher Education; Personal Statement: Session 1; Introduction to Unifrog; UK applications; Hong Kong applications; Higher education research; Oxbridge; Medicine, Dentistry & Veterinary Meds; USA applications; and USA Personal Essay. Other topics to be covered: Canada applications, Non-mainstream applications, UCAS setup, Summer Action Plan.

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.

Details and registration to join the session is available here.

2 Jun – University of Cambridge Undergraduate Admissions Webinar for ESF Schools. Please refer to details announced on Student Bulletin.

Hong Kong
23 May & 6 Jun – “Unboxing HKUST Admissions” District Talks

U.K.
Various dates in May – University of Bath – Personal Statement Webinar Series
Various dates in May & Jun – UCL Taster & Info Sessions Series
13-14 May – UCL Arts & Humanities Virtual Open Events
20 May – Northumbria University: International Student Info Webinar

EUROPE
14 May – Studying in Spain – Insights & Opportunities

U.S.A.
13 May – Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University webinar
21 May – University of Washington Info Session

AUSTRALIA
5 May – Australian University Fair 2026

JAPAN
16 May – Study in Japan, Discover 4 Top Universities

KGV Higher Education & Careers Team

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 references needed for higher education applications (i.e. university admissions) which are coordinated in a separate process.

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.

ESF Guest Speaker: Leadership Lessons with Jason Richardson

• Event: Leadership Lessons from the Cockpit and the Pit Lane

• Date & Time: Thursday, 21 May 2026, at 18.30

• Location: ESF Island School

• Target Audience: Open to all ESF students (Years 10–13), parents, and educators

• Content: Renowned leadership coach Jason Richardson will share frameworks derived from the military, airline operations, and Formula 1. Key topics include leadership roles, and managing mistakes.

• Registration: Space is limited. Each attendee must reserve a seat via this link
  

11 - 15 May 2026