Achievements and reflections on matters of concern

Achievement

• Students' sense of belonging and pride in their country and nation has increased.

• A new Development and Administration area has been added to the organizational structure, overseen by the newly created third Vice Principal. One key focus is strengthening ties with sister schools in mainland China. Through the coordination of the External Relations Group, we aim to enhance students' understanding of China, gradually elevating their knowledge from the intellectual level to the emotional and practical levels. We held three to four video conferences with sister schools in mainland China and organized a Sichuan cultural exchange group in March 2024, where our teachers and students engaged in in-depth exchanges with two sister schools in Sichuan (Sichuan Mianyang Middle School and Sichuan Yucai No. 7 Middle School). Furthermore, in July 2024, we organized a student visit and sports friendly competition with our sister school in Shenzhen (Shandiquan Foreign Language School). After each exchange, the school arranges weekly meetings for participating students to share their findings with the entire school. The sharing and student responses during these meetings demonstrate a deep interest in Chinese culture and its recent developments. Participants also share their observations and insights in the school newspaper. For example, in the second issue of the newspaper, students who visited Sichuan observed the pandas' lives up close at the Giant Panda Conservation Center, gaining a deeper understanding of the country's commitment to protecting cultural relics and national treasures. By visiting the Sanxingdui Museum and appreciating the ingenuity of the Dujiangyan Irrigation System, students gained a deeper understanding of China's civilization and its remarkable achievements. Their contributions demonstrate a strong sense of national identity and pride.

• In terms of academic subjects, all subjects have incorporated national security elements and various activities into their curriculum. For example, Home Economics incorporates a learning activity that involves embroidering the natural features of China's 24 solar terms onto fabric; Visual Arts incorporates paper-cutting and dough figurine art; History arranges for students to participate in the "Inherit and Create" Intangible Cultural Heritage Education Program and recommends students for the Intangible Cultural Heritage Ambassador Program; Computer Science, when teaching the binary number system, highlights the relationship between the ancient Chinese "Eight Diagrams" and the binary system, allowing students to understand that binary thinking was developed in China 3,000 years ago and appreciate the advanced knowledge in our traditional culture; Chinese includes lantern riddles, and Civics arranges a full-grade visit to the Mainland. Observations during these activities and a review of internal documents indicate that students are interested in the relevant topics and activities, with high levels of participation. This has led to a deeper understanding of national culture, a sense of appreciation for its beauty, and a stronger sense of pride in Chinese culture.

• From daily school activities, the Moral and Civic Education Department regularly arranges flag-raising ceremonies. Students respect the national flag and the national anthem. They also listen attentively to speeches under the flag (including: "The Nanjing Massacre from John Rabe's Diary," "Chinese Music Appreciation: The Butterfly Lovers Concerto," "Introductions to Chinese Nobel Prize Winners: Tu Youyou and Yang Zhenning," "National Constitution Day," "National Education Achievements: Peking University," and "Revisiting the Top Ten Chinese Golden Songs: Zhang Mingmin's "I Am Chinese"). During individual lesson observations, students expressed appreciation and pride for the country's recent achievements. During coursework assessments, some subjects were designed not only to provide information but also to allow students to express their feelings. Students also expressed their appreciation for the uniqueness of their country's culture.

• Students participated in various activities, such as the Tai Po Celebration of the 26th Anniversary of Hong Kong's Return to China - Youth Tug-of-War Competition, the 26th Anniversary of Hong Kong's Return to China Youth 3x3 Basketball Challenge, the 2024 Tai Po District National Security Education Day - National Security Education Competition, and the "My Hometown and I" Secondary School Essay Competition for the 2023-24 Tai Po District Primary and Secondary School Film Reflection Essay Competition. In addition to receiving certificates of commendation and various awards (please refer to the Student Performance section for details), students also gained a wealth of knowledge about national culture, the latest national technological developments, and Hong Kong's constitutional development. The teacher in charge observed that students actively participated in the activities and competitions, and their works demonstrated their recognition and pride in the country's technological advancements and traditional culture.

• The data shows that this academic year, APASO's Q and P scores for national identity were consistently higher than the average for the entire territory. These included responsibility, care, pride, national flag, national anthem, and achievements. The P score for junior and senior high schools was 116, and the Q score was 85.7, both higher than the average for the territory as a whole. This data also shows an improvement compared to last year, indicating a strong sense of national identity among students and a positive outcome.

• Organize various activities and arrange courses to provide students with more opportunities to understand current affairs.

• The Moral and Civic Education and Reading groups participate in annual voting for the top ten news stories. Each subject strives to share relevant current events with students. Computer teachers share recent technology-related news stories from around the world during class, such as reports of data leaks on certain websites, which have led to privacy breaches. Economics incorporates economic news from The Economist and the Economic Daily into relevant topics or units at all levels. Teachers observe that these activities and arrangements enhance students' understanding of news and current events.

• In terms of international perspective, junior high schools achieved significant results, with APASO data above the standard norm. High school APASO data showed an improvement in their attention to and respect for diversity in international perspective (22-23: P values between 102-103 and Q values between 55.3-57.9; 23-24: P values between 104-109 and Q values between 60.5-72.6).

Reflection

• Based on observations and data, students' sense of belonging and pride in their country and nation has improved. However, further coordination can be strengthened in the arrangement of activities and off-campus competitions. The school's own characteristics can also be better utilized (for example, the personal experience of the founding principal, Dr. Sun Fangzhong) to strengthen students' sense of identity and affinity with the history of the motherland.

• This academic year, through organized and systematic exchanges with several sister schools, students’ understanding of national development and sense of belonging have been effectively enhanced. In the next academic year, we can consider making better use of sister school programs to strengthen ties with the mainland and enhance students’ sense of belonging to the country.

• Students' understanding of and interest in news and current affairs needs to be enhanced.

• In terms of data, in various projects of APASO's international perspective, although the junior high school data are above the standard norms, there is a downward trend (22-23: P value and Q value are 116 and 85.7 respectively; 23-24: P value is between 106-114 and Q value is between 65.5-82.5); the high school data, in terms of responsibility and cooperation in the international perspective, the data is the same as last year, slightly below the norm (22-23 and 23-24: P value is 97 and Q value is 42.1).

Feedback and follow-up

• Responding to students’ sense of belonging and pride in their country and nation:

• Based on the data and observations of colleagues this academic year, students' sense of belonging and pride in their country and nation has increased. However, further coordination can be strengthened in the arrangements of activities and extracurricular competitions. Therefore, the position of National Security Education Officer will be added in the next academic year. This will focus on coordinating the promotion and implementation of national security education in various subject groups, and will also systematically arrange for students to participate in intra-school, inter-school, Hong Kong-wide and national competitions.
• The Moral and Civic Education Section plans to make good use of various national commemorations to enhance students’ understanding and identification with the motherland’s history. For example, on September 3, the anniversary of the victory of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the section will introduce the personal experience of Dr. Sun Fangzhong, the founding supervisor of the school, and his connection with the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression to strengthen students’ sense of identification and familiarity with the motherland’s history.
• Most students listened attentively to the flag-raising speeches. We should make good use of this arrangement and add flag-raising speeches in different categories in the next academic year. For example, sharing national achievements will not only make the speech more interesting, but also enrich students' understanding of the country.

• In response to the need to enhance students' understanding and interest in news and current events, based on feedback from colleagues at the May review meeting and their daily observations, while we plan to add news sharing elements to morning and weekly assemblies this academic year, the systematization and frequency of these sessions need to be strengthened to enhance students' understanding and interest in news and current events. To increase students' understanding and interest in news and current events, we might consider setting up game booths during lunch and holding current affairs competitions during weekly assemblies. For high school students, we might consider utilizing Wednesday's OLE period to increase sharing on current events and international issues, broadening students' global perspectives.

• In response to the plan to make better use of sister school partnerships, in addition to the current sister school partnerships with two secondary schools in Sichuan and one secondary school in Shenzhen, consideration will be given to establishing sister school partnerships with schools in other mainland cities in the next academic year. This will increase the connection between students and their mainland counterparts, allowing them to better understand the development of different Chinese cities and strengthen their sense of identity.

Achievement

• Students’ confidence in class increased and their learning strategies were improved.

• From daily observations, lesson observations and homework checks, we can see that most students can take notes consciously and know how to use different methods to do so.

• In terms of learning strategies, lesson observations revealed that students were able to use various methods to assist with learning (e.g., surfing the internet, asking questions of the teacher, discussing with peers, or other problem-solving methods). In some subjects, such as science, students were able to use Google Slides to discuss problems with their peers after class and search online for information, organizing their answers for class discussions. Students with strong learning abilities experienced increased confidence and were able to fully utilize their abilities in class. The science teacher also noted that these students were able to discuss the success of metacognitive experiments and proactively identify ways to improve them. They also led their peers in discussions in a more concrete manner. Statistically, APASO showed higher levels of active learning than the average Hong Kong student, with a Q value of 116 and a P value of 85.7 for junior high school and 116 and a P value of 85.7 for senior high school.

• To enhance confidence in English learning, a third foreign teacher was added this academic year to assist teachers in promoting English activities and teaching the Middle School LAC and High School Reading classes. According to data from English Speaking Day, the school-wide participation rate was 92% throughout the year. Teachers observed that students actively participated in the weekly English Speaking Day activities, with most students willing and able to complete the assigned tasks. In LAC course implementation and review, the foreign teacher collaborated with local teachers and strengthened the READING ALOUD approach, helping to boost students' interest and ability in English learning. Furthermore, in the High School Reading class, the third foreign teacher focused on introducing various cultural and social issues (such as plastic surgery and globalization), incorporating the READING ALOUD approach to boost students' confidence in English learning.

• Can improve students' reading ability and interest.

• According to meeting discussions and teacher observations, students read fairly seriously in their junior and senior high school reading classes.

• The Multifaceted Learning Strategies Team regularly organizes diverse and varied reading promotion activities to help enhance students' interest in reading. Because this year's World Book Day activities (e.g., the Good Book Sharing Video Competition) were co-organized with the Chinese Language Department, all junior high students were required to participate. Consequently, the number of participants increased significantly compared to the previous year, reaching over 300. According to the April 24, 2024 Writers' Lecture Survey, 100% of students agreed that the activities helped increase their interest in reading.

• The data shows that in terms of APASO reading (good strategies), the Q value for junior high schools is 116 and the Q value for high schools is 116. The data shows that both are better than the whole of Hong Kong.

• Students can apply what they have learned to different learning experiences, thereby enhancing their generic skills (including problem-solving, integration and communication skills).

• The school-based STEAM aquaponics curriculum in the biology subject incorporates value elements. For example, students are asked to reflect on how technology can help vulnerable groups. The team leader also reported that students were able to reflect on how aquaponics can achieve sustainable development goals and its necessity. Students participating in aquaponics are also willing to spend more time during holidays to care for fish and vegetables to provide a better growing environment, demonstrating empathy and a sense of responsibility. Social and environmental elements and sustainable development concepts are incorporated into the design of technological products. The counseling team, parents and external relations team promote social services. According to the teachers' observations, these activities enable students to reflect on the needs of the recipients and improve their comprehensive abilities, communication skills and problem-solving skills in service activities.

• The data shows that in the APASO questionnaire on general abilities, the Q values of middle school and high school students were higher than 100 and the P values were higher than 50 for most questions.

Reflection

• There is still room for improvement in students' initiative in learning and their confidence.

• According to APASO data, only about 50% of teachers, students and parents agree or strongly agree that students should take the initiative to learn (teachers: 32.7%, students: 54.2%, parents: 45.9%).
• According to APASO data, less than 40% of students are confident in their studies (teachers: 31%, students: 45%, parents: 48.7%).
• During the class meeting, some grades expressed that the timely submission of homework in individual classes needed to be improved.
• In the APASO data, the Q value of no negative feelings in English for junior high school students is 96, and the P value is 39.5; the Q value of no negative feelings in English for senior high school students is 85, and the P value is 15.5, indicating that students need to strengthen their confidence in learning English.

• APASO data shows that more attention should be paid to students' reading.

• Only one reading-related item (P value and Q value) was higher than the whole of Hong Kong (reading strategy);
• For junior high school students, three reading-related items had P values lower than 100 (liking, reading during leisure time, and non-assigned reading materials), and the Q values of these three items also ranged from 15.9 to 45.6.
• For high schools, there are two items with P values lower than 100 (reading during leisure reading time and non-assigned reading materials), and the Q values of these two items are also between 25.2 and 36.9.
• In the stakeholder questionnaire, less than 50% of teachers, students and parents agreed and strongly agreed that students like reading (34.5%, 48.9% and 28.2% respectively).

Feedback and follow-up

• Regarding student initiative in learning, in addition to continuing to take notes in class, effective note-taking techniques can help enhance student learning initiative both in class and after class. Next school year, we will incorporate external resources to strengthen and enhance student note-taking skills during teacher training. Furthermore, each subject will establish course-based note-taking requirements to help students develop more note-taking skills and enhance their learning initiative. Furthermore, next school year, we will leverage data on the completeness of assignments to encourage and reinforce students' good habits of completing assignments.

• To enhance students’ confidence in learning English, regularly holding English Speaking Day can increase students’ participation opportunities. In class, more Reading Aloud methods/strategies can be introduced to boost students’ confidence in learning English.

• To enhance students' interest in reading, in addition to organizing diverse reading promotion activities, the Multi-Study Learning Strategies Team can include more rewards to boost student engagement during reading festivals. Furthermore, the reading reports and requirements for each subject can be more diverse to foster student interest in reading. The Multi-Study Learning Strategies Team will also strengthen collaboration with different subjects or groups to make reading more engaging.

Achievement

• Psychologically: Students can develop positive values and thoughts.

• During the activities, different groups held different activities to establish positive values among students, such as:

1. The Student Growth Support Group organised a Positive Life Week, a self-discipline and compliance competition, an inter-class punctuality competition, a drug testing programme in Tai Po District, emotional health groups, sex education groups for boys and girls, a cross-border student support group, a low learning motivation group, and participation in the Sweet Potato Sprouts Project.
2. The Special Educational Needs Support Unit organizes various life planning groups, such as the High-Structure Adventure Certificate Group, the Low-Structure Technical Certificate Group, and a Latte Art Career Experience. The unit also organizes leadership training activities, such as arranging for seniors to participate in various Chinese cultural and positive competitions and activities, organizing Form 4 seniors to participate in the Independent Commission Against Corruption's "Senior High School iTeen Leadership Program," and encouraging students to join the Tai Po District Fire and Ambulance Cadet Corps.
3. The Further Education and Career Guidance Unit has enhanced the positive psychology component of the Life Planning course to raise students' awareness of mental health. The unit also arranges various work placements, workplace visits, and job interviews for students, focusing on the importance of workplace character and work ethics, fostering a positive attitude towards life, and enhancing self-management skills.

• In the curriculum, different subjects incorporate positive life elements into their courses/activities to foster positive thinking in students, for example:

1. Chinese History and History subjects share the experiences of historical figures in class.
2. Chinese History, History, Geography, Physics, and Chemistry classes invite alumni to return to school to share their learning experiences and positive attitudes towards life.
3. The Geography Department organizes at least one field trip every year to cultivate students' character traits of perseverance, self-reliance and a spirit of inquiry.
4. The Biology Department has implemented the "Aquaponics" and "School Pet Program" to enhance students' awareness, sense of responsibility and perseverance in protecting the environment.
5. The Computer Course teaches students the correct use of computers, emphasizing that the Internet must be used legally to communicate with others and that students should not do anything that harms others or the interests of society. It also introduces real-life cases of improper computer use.

• In terms of data, different data show that students are able to establish positive values and thoughts.

1. According to APASO data, junior high school students' scores on various "emotional" items, such as "positive emotions", "no negative emotions", "no fear of failure", "no academic worries", and "no physical and mental symptoms", were higher than the Hong Kong norms.
2. Data from KPM17 shows that junior and senior high school students’ scores on “positive emotions”, “no negative emotions” and “no anxiety and depression symptoms” are higher than the Hong Kong norms.
3. According to APASO data, in the area of "honesty/moral awareness", the performance of junior and senior high school students in terms of "honesty", "no lying", and "no stealing" are all higher than the Hong Kong norm.
4. As of May 16, the overall number of violations decreased (22-23: 3640, 23-24: 3441). The numbers for "overdue homework" (22-23: 1079, 23-24: 1001) and "uniform and appearance not meeting standards" (22-23: 1799, 23-24: 1488) also decreased.

• According to reviews of various activities, including Positive Life Week, Healthy Campus Activities, Self-Discipline and Rule-Abiding Competitions, Inter-class Punctuality Competitions, Youth Forums, Workplace Experience Programs, Parent-Child Workshops, and Life Planning Groups, through teacher observations, questionnaires, or student interviews, it was found that students all had positive feedback on the activities.

• Physically: Students have begun to pay more attention to the knowledge of physical health and the importance of developing healthy living habits.

• Through the curriculum, activities and school publications, students have begun to pay more attention to health knowledge and understand the importance of developing healthy living habits.

1. Home Economics students were taught how to calculate their BMI and develop a positive attitude towards weight management. A lecture by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) was also held, along with a display board from the FEHD on food hygiene. Home Economics students were assigned to work in groups to design and complete a nutritious menu to foster healthy eating habits. The subject teacher reported that students were very interested in weight management, putting a lot of effort into designing the menus, and writing reflections on their experiences.
2. The Physical Education Department regularly arranges physical fitness tests, including heart rate monitoring and muscle stretching. Sports equipment is available for loan during breaks, lunch, and after school. All playgrounds are open to students for use outside of class time, a move that has been enthusiastically received by some junior high students. During physical education classes, teachers also teach students about the importance of appropriate clothing for different occasions, the need to maintain personal hygiene, and the importance of hydrating before and after exercise.
3. The Publishing Team introduces information on good living habits in the English school newspaper. For example, the article "Healthy Life, Happy Life" was published in the first issue of the English school newspaper, introducing healthy living information from the aspects of diet, exercise, etc.

• The data also shows that students have a certain level of awareness of health and exercise. In the APASO "Physical Health" statistics, students' "Physical Exercise" and "Body Mass Index (Less Obesity)" are higher than the Hong Kong average, with Q values of 101 and 102 respectively, and P values of 52.7 and 55.3 respectively.

• Socially: Students can build good interpersonal relationships and learn how to get along with others, such as:

• Different groups have arranged a variety of activities to help students build good interpersonal relationships and learn the skills to get along with others.

1. The Student Growth Support Unit organises various activities to help students build good interpersonal relationships, such as participating in the "Harmonious Campus - Respect, Friendship, and No Bullying" campaign, Sex Education Week (including the "Junior Secondary School Protective Education Programme" and lunch stalls), participating in the Department of Health's online "Balance" workshop, discipline training groups and leadership training, etc.
2. The Special Educational Needs Support Unit organizes various social groups, such as the "ART Now" social-emotional group and the "Four-Wheel Drive Sprint Tour." The unit also encourages students to participate in volunteer activities, such as the 2023 Wan Tau Tong Neighborhood Community Center 30th Anniversary Celebration.
3. The Extracurricular Activities Department organizes extracurricular activities every other Friday for all students. After school each day, different school teams practice, and every student participates in at least one extracurricular activity. We also have established service groups, including the Public Welfare Corps, the Boy Scouts, the Girl Scouts, and the Junior Police Call, to encourage students to participate in community service.
4. Through the Civics Society and the Public Welfare Youth Corps, the Civics Department promotes community service through community service initiatives to foster a spirit of caring for others. A variety of community activities, such as volunteer training and craft workshops, are also organized to increase students' awareness of vulnerable groups and promote positive values of caring for the community.

• In terms of data, different data show that students have good interpersonal relationships and skills in getting along with others.

1. According to the frequency of APASO volunteer service, the Q value of 116 and P value of 85.7 for junior high school students and the Q value of 103 and P value of 57.9 for senior high school students were higher than the Hong Kong norm.
2. With reference to APASO, the average performance of our junior secondary students in "social performance (number of friends)" and the average performance of our senior secondary students in "satisfaction (family and friends)" are both higher than the average performance of all schools in Hong Kong, that is, the Q value is higher than 100.
3. According to APASO's "Honesty and Moral Awareness: Frequency of Volunteer Service", the data of our school's students are better than the Hong Kong norm, with a Q value of 103 and a P value of 57.9%.
4. The student stakeholder questionnaire showed that 20.9% of students strongly agreed with the statement "The school actively teaches us how to get along with others, such as respecting others and being considerate of others," while 35.7% agreed, reflecting that many students are willing to participate in community service and have a positive attitude.

• According to reviews of various activities, including the Harmonious Campus Movement, Sex Education Week, Discipline Training Groups, Public Welfare Youth Group activities, and Inclusive Social Groups, through teacher observation, questionnaires, or student interviews, students have given positive feedback on the activities, saying that they have helped improve their interpersonal skills and taught them to care more about others.

Reflection

• Psychologically, the APASO survey showed that junior high students' "meaning in life" score was 91, with a P-value of 27.4, lower than the Hong Kong norm. Senior high school students also fell below the Hong Kong norm in terms of "positive emotions," "no negative emotions," "no fear of failure," "no anxiety or depression symptoms," and "no psychosomatic symptoms." The Q-value for "meaning in life" was 92, with a P-value of 29.7, also lower than the Hong Kong norm. This suggests that students need to strengthen their resilience and motivation to overcome adversity.

• Physically: APASO's "Physical Health" statistics show that students' performance in "Physical Activity," "Self-Assessed Health," "Body Mass Index (Low Obesity)," "Breakfast Habits," and "Sleep Hours" are all below the Hong Kong average, with Q values ranging from 85 to 91 and P values from 17.5 to 27.4. This suggests that junior high school students still have room for improvement in terms of health. Teachers' conversations with students after school revealed that some students expressed a preference for staying up late due to the need to prepare for school-based assessments and the time required to tackle demanding coursework in high school.

Feedback and follow-up

• Psychologically:

• All groups and subjects should incorporate more messages about rising to the occasion and strengthening oneself in their courses and activities, and share more about the importance of starting over after setbacks.
• We can invite more guests who have encountered setbacks in life to come to school to share with students how to overcome difficulties and encourage them to be positive.
• In the next academic year, we will participate in the Education Bureau's school-based support program to promote values education. We suggest that by promoting the value of diligence, students can understand/realize the importance of persistence in life.

• Physiologically:

• In morning meetings/weekly meetings/high school OLE time, include more topics about the importance of going to bed early.
• In terms of course arrangement, the arrangements for tests and SBAs for senior grades will be reviewed to avoid students having to deal with too many SBAs and quizzes in a certain period of time.
• Make good use of the three parent-teacher conferences each school year to remind parents to pay more attention to and enhance the importance of their children getting enough sleep and exercise at home.
• The Multiple Learning Strategies Group can include time management sharing during the senior secondary OLE period to help students learn how to make better use of their time in preparation for public examinations.