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Clubs Academic and Intellectual, Arts and Creative, Social and Hobbies, Community and Service, Leadership and Professional, Lifestyle and Wellbeing
Stages Primary School
Introduction
Sha Tin Junior School (SJS) is an ESF primary school in Fo Tan, Sha Tin, serving around 900 students aged 5–11. It follows the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) and is part of Hong Kong’s largest English-medium school organisation. On campus, students benefit from sports, arts and drama facilities, and the programme regularly extends learning beyond classrooms through trips, excursions and camps. SJS emphasises student leadership, with roles such as Student Council, House Captains, CARE Reps and Environmental Reps. Language learning focuses on English and Mandarin, with support for home languages. The school is easily reached in the New Territories—visitors are advised to take the 69K light bus from Sha Tin Station, as there is no on-site parking. Notably, SJS highlights initiatives recognised in its IB evaluation, including the Global Goals Award Scheme and increased student engagement.
Sha Tin Junior School has 900 pupils, typical class sizes of 30, instruction in English.
Location
SJS is in Fo Tan, Sha Tin, New Territories, Hong Kong. The school sits on Lai Wo Lane and is easily reached from Sha Tin Station by the 69K light bus or taxi, as private car access is restricted.
Stages
The school offers Primary Years Programme (PYP) education for Years 1–6.
Type
SJS is a day school and co-educational.
Additional learning support
The school provides support through specialist provisions, pastoral care, counselling, and learning support programmes tailored to student needs.
Country affiliation
The school is not affiliated with any country.
Religious affiliation
The school has no religious affiliations.
School day structure
The school's website does not publish a timetable.
Bus service
The school does not publish much information about its transportation offerings.
Fees
Annual tuition at Sha Tin Junior School ranges from HKD 139,000 for 2026/27.
Application Fee
For ESF primary and secondary school applications (which include SJS), the non-refundable, non-transferable application fee is HK$2,800.
Tuition Fees (ESF Primary level, Years 1–6)
For the 2025/26 academic year, the ESF group-level tuition for primary students (Years 1–6) is HK$139,000 per year (reflecting a 4.8 % increase over the previous year) ESF’s policy states that tuition fees are paid over ten months via automatic deduction (“autopay”) by direct debit.
Billing Schedule & Payment Terms
Payments are due monthly (over ten months). All application / deposit / fees are due before acceptance of place. For primary/secondary ESF schools, a deposit equivalent to two months’ tuition is required when a place is accepted. The deposit is split: the first half is credited against the first month’s tuition; the second half is offset against the last month’s tuition if withdrawal notice is properly given and all fees cleared. If a student leaves partway through a month or term, tuition for that month is still payable. Withdrawal must be notified by a certain deadline (e.g. via the ESF App by 1 June for leaving at year-end) or else parents remain liable for upcoming fees.
Other Costs / Fees
Uniforms, extracurricular, instrument hire, school activities, field trips, and material fees may apply (common in ESF schools) ESF schools also incorporate “Other Charges” beyond standard tuition: Non-refundable Capital Levy (NCL), capital levies or building levies for infrastructure, and fees for nomination rights or debentures in certain contexts.
Refund / Withdrawal & Deposit Handling
The deposit’s second half is refundable/offset to the last month’s tuition only if two months’ advance notice is given and there are no outstanding balances. If withdrawal notice is not timely, or notice is too short, the deposit (or part thereof) may be forfeited.
Fee Payment Options
Payments are made via direct debit (autopay). For application fees, credit card via PayPal is accepted.
Academics
Sha Tin Junior School teaches IB (PYP) for students aged 5 to 11.
Curriculum
Sha Tin Junior School follows the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (PYP) for Years 1–6. The program uses a transdisciplinary, inquiry-based approach that supports holistic development across academic, social, physical, emotional, and cultural domains. Instruction is delivered in English as part of ESF, the largest English-medium international school network in Hong Kong. The PYP emphasizes learning through play and real-world inquiry. This IB pathway provides a seamless transition to the IB Diploma Programme offered at ESF secondary schools.
Higher Education Progression
Graduates have a clear pathway to ESF secondary schools that offer the IB Diploma Programme.
Wellbeing
Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
Sha Tin Junior School embeds wellbeing into its curriculum using the IB learner profile, encouraging students to reflect, discuss, and take action on emotional, social, and physical balance. They run “Emotion Talks”, Friendship Clubs, mindfulness practices, and Family Yoga sessions to support SEL. A counsellor is part of the student support team to help students feel heard and guided.
Special Educational Needs (SEN)
SJS describes a “Specialist Provision” section on its “Our Approach / Outstanding Education” menu, but the site does not publish detailed public information on exactly which types of SEN they support or staffing levels.
English as an Additional Language (EAL)
The school does not provide information about "EAL" in particular.
Mental Wellbeing
Sha Tin Junior School includes a school counsellor in its wellbeing structure, and maintains a health nurse on campus to support students’ health and wellness. The school also uses regular “Wellbeing / Mindfulness” practices, growth-mindset framing, and inclusive environments as part of its approach.
Safeguarding
SJS (via ESF) maintains a formal Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy, aligning with Hong Kong law, the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, and international child protection standards. The school states that all staff are trained in preventative and protective measures, and that each school has at least two dedicated Child Protection Officers.
1. Online Application Submission Families submit an online application through the ESF admissions portal, selecting up to four ESF school preferences. The application includes the non-refundable administration fee.
2. Assessment / Interview / Testing Applicants (for years other than entry levels) are invited to attend assessments or interviews to evaluate their readiness for the English-medium curriculum. Shortlisted candidates are notified with schedules for testing and interviews.
3. Offer of Place & Acceptance If successful and if a vacancy exists, the school issues an offer of place. The family must accept by a deadline, after which a deposit or building levy may be required.
4. Onboarding & Entry Requirements Once accepted, the student is integrated into the school system, including orientation, registration, and payment of fees per the school’s billing schedule. Families may also be asked to submit supporting documents (previous school records, medical records, etc.). (No explicit public detail on every onboarding step is given beyond the above, so some of this is inferred from standard practice and the admissions overview.)
5. Waitlist Consideration If no immediate place is available, the candidate may be placed into a waitlist or pool (see below). Offers from the waitlist may be made when places become available.
Scholarships
Sha Tin Junior School does not provide information about any financial assistance via scholarships or aid.
Waitlist
The school (via ESF) does maintain a waiting list / pool system for school places when demand exceeds vacancies. Applicants are placed on the waitlist in priority order, and if a vacancy arises, offers may be extended from the waitlist by date of application and priority group.
FAQs
What curriculum does Sha Tin Junior School follow?
Sha Tin Junior School follows the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (PYP) for Years 1–6.
What are the tuition fees?
**Application Fee**
* For ESF primary and secondary school applications (which include SJS), the non-refundable, non-transferable application fee is **HK$2,800**.
Where is Sha Tin Junior School located?
SJS is in Fo Tan, Sha Tin, New Territories, Hong Kong. The school sits on Lai Wo Lane and is easily reached from Sha Tin Station by the 69K light bus or taxi, as private car access is restricted.
What age groups does the school serve?
The school offers Primary Years Programme (PYP) education for Years 1–6.
Does the school support students with SEN?
SJS describes a “Specialist Provision” section on its “Our Approach / Outstanding Education” menu, but the site does not publish detailed public information on exactly which types of SEN they support or staffing levels.
Is there a school bus service?
The school does not publish much information about its transportation offerings.
What are the school hours?
The school's website does not publish a timetable.
How does admissions work?
1. **Online Application Submission**
Families submit an online application through the ESF admissions portal, selecting up to four ESF school preferences. The application includes the non-refundable administration fee.
2.
What languages are taught?
English is the language of instruction and Mandarin is taught to develop explicit English and Mandarin competencies. The school uses Languages Support for Learning and promotes 21st Century Multilingualism to support multilingual development.
What wellbeing support is available?
Sha Tin Junior School embeds wellbeing into its curriculum using the IB learner profile, encouraging students to reflect, discuss, and take action on emotional, social, and physical balance.
What facilities does the school have?
Sha Tin Junior School is an English-medium international primary school serving Years 1 to 6. It is part of the English Schools Foundation (ESF) network, the largest English-medium international school organisation in Hong Kong.
When was Sha Tin Junior School founded?
Sha Tin Junior School was founded in 1988 as one of the English Schools Foundation’s (ESF) primary schools.
What extracurricular activities are available?
Artistic activities are part of the school's extracurricular offering, with students engaging in artistic endeavours. ECAs include after-school options organized via Gateway.
