A Plain-English Glossary of HK Education Jargon
A reference for parents. Schools, exams, curricula, and the bilingual learning terms that often go unexplained at parents' meetings. Updated April 2026.
School letters use shorthand. Parents read them and quietly wonder which year groups, which exams, and which curricula are being referred to. This page exists for those moments.
The glossary covers the abbreviations and labels Hong Kong schools, government letters, school directories and admissions websites use most. Each entry stays short. Where a term connects to a skill your child is working on, the entry links straight to the matching tip page or workbook so you act on what you read.
School types and operating models
How HK schools are funded, governed, and grouped. Useful when reading admissions notices and government letters.
Aided Schools
The largest group of mainstream schools in Hong Kong. Aided schools receive government funding and follow Education Bureau guidelines on curriculum, fees and admissions. They have less independence than DSS or private schools but offer subsidised tuition.
DSSDirect Subsidy Scheme Schools
Schools that receive a per-student government subsidy and are also free to charge tuition. DSS schools have more flexibility on curriculum, admissions and management than aided schools. Many leading HK schools sit in this category.
EDBEducation Bureau
The HK government department responsible for education policy, curriculum standards and school regulation. Most letters and circulars schools forward to parents originate here.
Site: edb.gov.hkESFEnglish Schools Foundation
The largest English-medium school group in Hong Kong, running primary and secondary schools across the city. ESF schools follow an international curriculum and lead to the IB Diploma.
Site: esf.edu.hkICTInformation and Communications Technology
A standard subject area in HK schools covering digital tools, computing concepts and online safety. Increasingly woven into other subjects rather than taught as a stand-alone class.
MOIMedium of Instruction
The language used to teach lessons. Cantonese-medium schools (often called Chinese-medium or CMI) teach most subjects in Cantonese, with English and Putonghua as language subjects. EMI schools teach most subjects in English. EDB groups secondary schools using the SSPA medium of instruction policy.
PISPrivate Independent Schools
Schools that received government land and capital grants for construction since 1999, but operate financially independently afterwards. PIS schools set their own curricula and admissions policies. A portion of places is reserved for HK permanent residents.
Through-train Schools
A model that links a primary school directly to a secondary school under the same governing body. P6 graduates of the linked primary school have guaranteed S1 places in the through-train secondary, removing the SSPA stress for that family.
Choosing between local, DSS or international? The decision affects your child's English path.
Read the comparison →Bilingual learning terms parents need explained
The terms behind the gap between speaking fluently and writing well. Most school reports use these without defining them.
BICSBasic Interpersonal Communication Skills
Conversational English. The everyday English a child uses to chat, joke and follow instructions. Research on bilingual learners (Cummins, 1979 onwards) shows BICS develops within one to two years of regular exposure. Parents often read this fluency as full mastery, when in fact it sits well below academic level.
CALPCognitive Academic Language Proficiency
Academic English. The English used in school texts, exam questions, comprehension passages and essay writing. Cummins's research shows CALP takes five to seven years to develop, sometimes longer for children whose home language is not English. The CALP gap is what shows up on writing assessments. See the free writing assessment if you want to see where your child sits.
ESLEnglish as a Second Language
The teaching of English to non-native speakers, where English is the dominant language of the wider community. Most HK English programmes for local students sit in the ESL tradition. Some international schools run ESL support classes for new arrivals.
EALEnglish as an Additional Language
The current term used in most international schools for children whose first language is not English. EAL replaces older labels such as ESL and ESOL in many British and IB schools because it captures children who already speak two or more languages at home.
ESOLEnglish for Speakers of Other Languages
An older umbrella term, still used by some exam boards (notably Cambridge ESOL, which administers the IELTS test). Means roughly the same thing as ESL or EAL.
NETNative-speaking English Teacher
A teacher recruited under the EDB Native-speaking English Teacher Scheme. NETs work in HK primary and secondary schools alongside local English teachers. Their role focuses on speaking, listening and exposure to natural English. The NET scheme has run since the late 1990s and most government and aided schools have at least one.
NES / NNESNative English Speaker / Non-Native English Speaker
Labels used in admissions documents and teaching contexts to describe a child's home-language background. Useful shorthand, but the line is blurrier than the labels suggest. Most HK children grow up bilingual to some degree, so school reports often use "first language" rather than NES or NNES.
CSLChinese as a Second Language
The EDB framework for teaching Chinese to non-Chinese-speaking students in HK schools. The CSL learning framework provides a graded path so children from Urdu, Nepali, Tagalog and other home-language backgrounds build Chinese alongside their school subjects.
If your child speaks fluently but writes below grade, that is the BICS to CALP gap.
See Writing Tips →How HK places children in primary and secondary schools
The terms behind P1 and S1 admissions. Schools mention these in letters but rarely explain them.
POAPrimary One Admission System
The EDB system that allocates P1 places in government and aided schools. Two stages: Discretionary Places (DP) where parents apply directly to a school of choice, then Central Allocation, which uses a points and lottery system within school nets. DSS, private and ESF schools run their own admissions outside this system.
DPDiscretionary Places
The first stage of the POA. About half of P1 places at each government and aided school are allocated based on family criteria such as a sibling already at the school or a parent who works there. Parents apply directly to one school during the DP window.
SSPASecondary School Places Allocation
The EDB system that allocates S1 places in government and aided schools. Children are grouped into bands based on internal P5 and P6 results, then allocated to secondary schools within their school net. Two stages: Discretionary Places first, Central Allocation second. DSS and private schools admit separately.
Pre-S1 Hong Kong Attainment Test
A territory-wide exam taken by P6 students after SSPA results to calibrate a school's intake against the wider cohort. Used by the EDB to scale internal P5 and P6 results across schools so banding stays fair. Sometimes called the Pre-Secondary 1 Hong Kong Attainment Test (HKAT).
Banding (1, 2, 3)
The grouping used in SSPA. Children are placed into Band 1 (top third), Band 2 (middle third), or Band 3 (lower third) based on internal P5 and P6 results, then matched to secondary schools within those bands. The system was simplified from five bands to three in 2000. Banding is used for allocation only and does not appear on transcripts.
JUPASJoint University Programmes Admissions System
The single platform HK secondary students use to apply to publicly funded local universities. Applications are based primarily on HKDSE results. Most students applying through JUPAS submit between three and twenty programme choices.
Banding and SSPA pressure tends to land hardest in P5 and P6.
See P4 to P6 Practice →British and IB curricula in HK schools
The qualifications and frameworks used by ESF, international and many DSS secondary schools.
National Curriculum of England
The British framework covering education from the Early Years Foundation Stage through Year 11. Organised into Key Stages 1 to 4. Key Stages 1 and 2 cover primary years (ages 5 to 11) and emphasise core literacy and numeracy. Key Stage 3 covers Years 7 to 9 and Key Stage 4 prepares students for GCSE or IGCSE exams. Used in many British-pattern schools in Hong Kong.
A LevelGeneral Certificate of Education (Advanced Level)
The British qualification taken at the end of Year 13 for university entry. Students typically sit three to four subjects in depth. Several major British exam boards offer A Levels in HK, including Cambridge International (CAIE), Edexcel and AQA. Some HK international schools run A Levels alongside or instead of the IB Diploma.
GCSEGeneral Certificate of Secondary Education
The British qualification taken at the end of Year 11 (around age 16). Two main exam boards in HK schools: Cambridge International (CAIE) and Edexcel. Increasingly replaced by the IGCSE in international settings.
IGCSEInternational General Certificate of Secondary Education
The international version of the GCSE, designed for non-UK contexts. Generally regarded as more rigorous than the standard GCSE in some subjects. Used widely in HK international schools and offered by ESF schools alongside the IB MYP.
IB PYPInternational Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme
An inquiry-based curriculum framework for children aged 3 to 12. Organised around six transdisciplinary themes covering language, mathematics, social studies, science, the arts, and personal, social and physical education. Many ESF and international primary schools follow the PYP.
IB MYPInternational Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme
The IB curriculum for ages 11 to 16, covering eight subject groups including language acquisition, sciences, mathematics and arts. Includes a personal project in the final year. Often paired with IGCSE in HK secondary schools or used as a precursor to the IB Diploma.
IB DPInternational Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
The IB qualification taken in the final two years of secondary school (ages 16 to 19) for university entry. Students study six subjects, three at higher level and three at standard level, plus three core requirements: Theory of Knowledge, the Extended Essay (a 4,000-word research paper) and Creativity, Activity and Service. Recognised by universities worldwide.
Site: ibo.orgThe HK senior secondary system
The structure introduced in 2009 that replaced HKCEE and HKALE.
NSSNew Senior Secondary
The three-year senior secondary structure introduced in 2009. NSS covers Secondary 4 to Secondary 6 and leads to the HKDSE. The structure replaced the old "5 plus 2" model where students sat HKCEE after S5 and HKALE after S7.
HKDSEHong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education
The university entrance qualification taken at the end of S6. First sat in 2012, the HKDSE replaced both HKCEE and HKALE. Students take three core subjects (Chinese Language, English Language, Mathematics) plus Citizenship and Social Development, then choose two or three electives from a wide list. Recognised by HK and overseas universities, used as the basis for JUPAS applications.
Most subjects are graded on five levels (1 to 5), with the top group splitting into 5, 5* and 5**. Citizenship and Social Development is graded as Attained or Unattained only, since 2024.
Site: hkeaa.edu.hkCSD / CSCitizenship and Social Development
The fourth core HKDSE subject since 2024, replacing Liberal Studies. CSD covers Hong Kong, the country and the wider world through a single examination paper. Graded Attained or Unattained, with no fine grading. Includes a Mainland study tour as part of the curriculum.
HKALEHong Kong Advanced Level Examination (discontinued)
The old A-level public exam taken at the end of S7 under the previous "5 plus 2" structure. The final HKALE was held in 2013. Replaced by the HKDSE.
HKCEEHong Kong Certificate of Education Examination (discontinued)
The old O-level-equivalent exam taken at the end of S5 under the previous structure. The final HKCEE was held in 2011. Replaced by the HKDSE.
HKEAAHong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority
The independent statutory body that administers public examinations in Hong Kong, including the HKDSE and the Pre-S1 attainment test. Sets papers, marks scripts and publishes annual statistics.
Site: hkeaa.edu.hkBuilding toward HKDSE English? Targeted practice on the question types makes the difference.
See Secondary Materials →International tests HK students sometimes take
Common entry tests for English-speaking universities and some international schools.
IELTSInternational English Language Testing System
An English proficiency test developed by Cambridge ESOL and administered worldwide by the British Council and IDP Education. Used as an entry requirement for universities in the UK, Australia, Canada and many other countries. Some HK university programmes also use IELTS as a graduation language requirement.
Site: ielts.orgTOEFLTest of English as a Foreign Language
An English proficiency test administered by ETS, often used as an entry requirement for American universities. Tests reading, listening, speaking and writing in academic contexts.
SATScholastic Assessment Test (Digital)
A standardised test used for admission to American universities. International candidates have sat the digital SAT since March 2023, US candidates since March 2024. The test has two adaptive sections, Reading and Writing combined into one section, and Math, each scored from 200 to 800. Total score range is 400 to 1600. The full test takes about two hours and fourteen minutes.
Site: satsuite.collegeboard.orgDid we miss a term?
If a HK education term has you puzzled and it is not listed here, the contact page is the place to send it. Suggestions get added to the next update.
Practice that matches the questions HK schools use
Drills for Skills workbooks practise the question types that show up in school assessments, the Pre-S1 test, and HKDSE English. Instant PDF, printable at home, marking schemes included. Sample pages free before you buy.